It’s an age-old question that gets asked year after year: “Are the Amazon Flex routes really handed out randomly?” From a driver’s perspective, it seems to be very random. You arrive at the warehouse and wait in a line of cars, which is often chaotic. You get to the station attendant, check in, and drive to your cart full of packages. It seems like the luck of the draw. After all, had you arrived later or earlier, you’d have driven to a different cart. But is that really how it works?
What if all of this perceived chaos and supposed randomness is all smoke and mirrors? What if routes aren’t assigned randomly and the Amazon Flex algorithm knows exactly which route you’re going to receive as soon as you accept the block?
It’s HIGHLY unlikely that routes are assigned randomly. Amazon Flex collects a ton of data on drivers and their deliveries. To assume that routes are random just because it seems like it from a driver’s perspective is silly. As drivers, we don’t know what goes on behind the scenes, but I assure you routes are not being handed out willy-nilly. That’s not how Amazon rolls.
In fact, I asked one of the most sophisticated AIs, and it estimated that the likelihood of Amazon Flex routes being assigned to drivers randomly is very low, probably less than 5%.
So down the Rabbit hole we go.. let’s dig deeper.
Down The Rabbit Hole
Despite Amazon’s claims that Flex routes are assigned randomly, recent legal insights and investigative reporting tell a different story. In a case where Amazon Flex drivers were scrutinized for whether they should be classified as independent contractors or employees, the Virginia Court of Appeals found that Amazon exercises significant control over how these drivers operate. The court ruled that Amazon Logistics, Inc. had misclassified Ronald Diggs, a Flex delivery driver, as an independent contractor when he was, in fact, an employee.
The case revealed that Amazon dictates the timing and specific sequence of deliveries on routes, which contradicts claims of randomness. Flex drivers are required to sign up for specific “blocks” of packages with assigned start times, arrive at the facility at least 30 minutes before a delivery block begins, follow a pre-determined route, and complete deliveries by a set time. This level of control strongly suggests that routes are anything but random, with Amazon’s systems likely assigning them based on various factors well before a driver even arrives.
Furthermore, Amazon’s data-driven nature, as detailed in the NPR article, makes the idea of random route assignments even more implausible. Jenny Freshwater, a software director at Amazon, confirmed that the company uses AI to forecast demand for everything sold worldwide, down to predicting sizes and colors of items. Every time a driver interacts with the Flex app, scans a package, or completes a block, it feeds into Amazon’s algorithms. These algorithms are likely at work behind the scenes, optimizing routes for efficiency and customer satisfaction.
The NPR piece also revealed that for the Flex program, AI constantly calculates how many drivers are needed, considering factors like package weight and delivery neighborhoods. Beryl Tomay, director of Amazon’s Last Mile Delivery Technology, disclosed that their AI even factors in how long it took other drivers to deliver to an address when making estimates.
This mountain of data is likely used to tailor routes to a driver’s history, location, and performance metrics. The controlled and strategic approach to assigning routes, as highlighted in both the legal case and the NPR article, makes it clear that Flex drivers are managed in a way that’s more akin to traditional employees than independent contractors. Consequently, it appears highly unlikely that their routes are assigned randomly.
Sources: (Bean, Kinney & Korman), (NPR)
Pulling Back The Curtain
So how does Amazon do it? How do they pull the wool over our eyes so well? As a driver, the routes seem so random and the warehouse seems so chaotic and unorganized. Perhaps all of this is by design. After all, through the fog of the chaos, in every Amazon warehouse there’s always a table full of people on laptops looking cool as cucumbers. What is it exactly that these people are doing all day? Hmmm!
As a Flex driver who also happens to be an app developer, I have a unique perspective and know a thing or two about designing complex systems.
Here’s how I think they do it
First, when you sign up for a block, Amazon knows how far away you are from the warehouse and how long it will take you to get there. If you’re not a brand new driver, they know how early or late you usually show up. They know absolutely everything about your delivery metrics such as success rate, package return rate, etc. They know these things not only about you but about every other driver that accepted a block in the same time slot as you.
Now let’s pretend for a second we’re in charge of assigning routes. We can either:
A. Assign them totally randomly.
B. Use the MASSIVE data we have about drivers to assign them optimally.
The pretty obvious choice is B, unless you’re lazy and don’t feel like using the data, but if that were the case, why collect it at all?
With their data, Amazon probably uses an artificial intelligence prediction algorithm, and then the carts are lined up in a very particular and controlled (not random) way. To the station employees it probably seems random, but it’s not. Amazon likely has a very good idea who is going to be receiving which route, and it’s based on all of the data they’re collecting.
Of course, unforeseen circumstances like a flat tire or traffic could skew these results, but Amazon probably has it down to a near 90% accuracy rate. The algorithm knows who is going to receive which route and the routes are optimized for the greatest delivery success rate. It isn’t magic, it’s data driven.
If true, then this has some pretty serious implications. Like are the “good” drivers with a high success rate being assigned the harder routes and the “bad” drivers get the easy ones?
Think what I just described is impossible? Let’s take a look into Amazon’s “anticipatory shipping,” the process of knowing what a customer will buy even before they do.
With Anticipatory Shipping Amazon Is In Your Head
Amazon has taken predictive algorithms to another level with this concept. The company uses vast amounts of data collected from every interaction a customer has on its platform—whether it’s browsing history, time spent looking at specific products, wish lists, or even past purchases. By analyzing this data, Amazon’s AI can predict what you’re likely to buy next, often before you even realize you need it. They don’t just sit on this information, either. They use it to position those predicted items closer to you, either by preemptively shipping them to a nearby fulfillment center or even loading them onto delivery trucks, ready to be sent out the moment you click “buy.”
Imagine that level of foresight being applied to the Flex route assignments. Just as Amazon can predict customer behavior, it can predict which driver should take which route, optimizing every aspect to ensure maximum efficiency and customer satisfaction. This isn’t some futuristic fantasy—this is happening right now. Amazon’s entire operation is driven by data, and when it comes to delivering packages or assigning routes, they’re not leaving anything to chance. So, while it might seem like the warehouse is a chaotic mess, it’s more likely that what you’re seeing is a finely-tuned machine where every piece is exactly where it needs to be, all thanks to data-driven predictions and algorithms.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the notion that Amazon Flex routes are randomly assigned doesn’t hold up under scrutiny. What appears as randomness and chaos from the driver’s perspective is more likely a well-orchestrated system powered by Amazon’s sophisticated algorithms and vast data collection. Just as Amazon uses predictive algorithms to anticipate customer purchases and position products closer to them before they even order, it’s highly plausible that they apply similar principles to route assignments. Every piece of data—from your location and driving habits to your success rates—is likely feeding into a complex system designed to optimize every route for efficiency and customer satisfaction.
So, the next time you’re at the warehouse, waiting in line and thinking it’s all just luck, remember: Amazon probably knew where you were headed long before you did. It’s not magic; it’s a carefully controlled, data-driven operation that ensures each driver and every route is exactly where it needs to be. And if that’s true, it opens up a whole new conversation about how much Amazon’s algorithms dictate not just our online shopping experiences, but also the very routes we drive.
What do you think? Let us know in the comments below and subscribe to the blog for more content like this!
Testing The Theory
Want to test this theory out for yourself? Well, the solution is simple: start changing the variables! Here’s how:
- Shake up your routine:
- Show up earlier or later than you usually do
- Take your sweet time on deliveries one day, then rush the next
- Start returning more apartment deliveries
- Keep track:
- Take mental notes or jot your changes down in a notepad
- Record the types of routes you receive after each change
- Analyze:
- After a while, look for patterns
- Are the routes you receive different than usual?
- Do you notice any correlation between your actions and your assignments?
If you start to notice significant changes in your route assignments, then you know that something is up!
