Delivery companies dial down service

Many workers have returned to their hometowns for Spring Festival

Several logistics companies have shut some of their sorting stations during the Spring Festival, putting more pressure on those companies that are still providing services.

A number of service stations in Beijing, Shanghai and Chongqing for delivery companies such as ZTO Express, STO Express and YTO Express said they have stopped all kinds of express delivery services and will resume services on Feb 23, the second day after the Spring Festival holiday.

Meanwhile, SF Express and China Post are still providing service during the holiday, and their offline service stations are still open for accepting express waybills.

Zou Fuli, director of SF Express' Beijing area, said the daily express waybill volume during the week before the holiday was a lot more than usual, though the majority of deliveries in Beijing will be intracity express items.

Zhu Menghai, a courier at SF Express's Deshengmen service station in Beijing, said, "because other logistics companies stopped service, our company's everyday express waybills these days were twice the normal amount".

Nearly 4,000 workers will stay on the job in Beijing during the Spring Festival holiday, Zou estimated, aiming to satisfy service needs before and during the holiday, including sending festival gifts.

Jing Qingzhi, 25, another worker at the station who is responsible for returning items, has worked at the company for five years. He will stay in Beijing during the holiday due to his busy job.

"Our work is quite hard indeed, and it's improper to have several of my colleagues who just got married stay here for work, so I have to 'sacrifice'," Jing said with smile. "This is my second time not to return home for Spring Festival."

According to Jing, their salary during Spring Festival holiday will be twice higher than normal. In addition, SF Express also prepared some food including dumplings, dishes and rice, for couriers working outside for a long time.

"I will get married on March 22, and to be honest, I really want to go home," he said. "I miss my family so much and I just want to wish them a happy new year."