(Yicai) Dec. 18 -- Meituan and Ele.me, two of China's largest food delivery platforms, said they are strengthening measures to reduce fatigue among their riders.

Meituan is taking feedback from riders and other parties and is continuously exploring and improving its anti-fatigue measures, a manager at the Beijing-based company said yesterday.

Ele.me launched rest measures nationwide in August, it said the same day, noting that if couriers work long hours, its app prompts them to take a break, and if they exceed safe limits, a mandatory rest period is triggered. The measures are still being refined, the Shanghai-based firm added.

Overwork among delivery riders has been a growing concern in China, after traffic accidents have been linked to tiredness, prompting calls for better protections for gig workers.

The statements from Meituan and Ele.me followed online reports that they would send popup alerts to delivery staff who rack up long work days, urging them to take a break before accepting further orders, while those who work excessive hours would be forcibly logged off to stop them taking orders until the following day.

Mandatory rest breaks can help takeout riders avoid excessive fatigue and lower the incidence of accidents, but the practice may also cut their incomes, one courier told Yicai. Full-time riders typically work eight to nine hours a day, he said.

Meituan has piloted a fatigue management system in some cities, according to the firm’s third-quarter financial report. When its app detects that riders are working too long, it prompts them to take a break, and if that is ignored, it will force them to go offline and rest.

Editor: Martin Kadiev