The president of a newly formed association for food delivery couriers said employers should not be sending courier staff out on the streets in such weather conditions.

Iousef Meli, president of the Malta Delivery Fleet Operators Association, told WhosWho.mt that responsibility for couriers lies primarily with their employers rather than the delivery platforms – such as Bolt and Wolt – on which they operate.

“Our employees should come first and I think it’s obvious that food delivery services should be suspended until the weather calms down, particularly for motorbike drivers,” he said.

He confirmed that he has personally suspended his own fleet services and said the Association will have a talk with employers if it finds out they are sending couriers out on the streets despite the bad weather.

Meanwhile, Bolt and Wolt have also introduced precautionary measures on their apps, limiting deliveries to shorter distances.

A spokesperson for Bolt told WhosWho.mt that the platform has proactively limited deliveries to shorter distances to reduce exposure to hazardous conditions and enable safer trips.

"To further discourage unnecessary demand during extreme weather, we also reduce the number of stores and restaurants available to users on the platform,” they added.

“We maintain close and proactive communication with fleet partners, flagging dangerous weather conditions, monitoring the situation closely, and remaining attentive to any incidents or hazards that may be reported. We have been in an open dialogue with fleet partners.The spokesperson stressed that delivery partners retain full flexibility to decide if, when, and how they work, and that they are free to log off the platform at any time if they feel conditions are unsafe.

On its app, Wolt informed users that due to the weather, delivery may be restricted to nearby venues, take longer than usual, and that car deliveries are being prioritised in the most affected areas.