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An Amazon driver quit in frustration in a tweet and abandoned a van full of packages at a gas station

  • Amazon driver Derick Lancaster ditched his delivery truck full of packages at a gas station and quit his job because he was fed up with the company and his position.
  • Lancaster's tweet about the incident was widely shared.
  • The driver's highly visible resignation comes as Amazon battles scrutiny over the health and safety of its workers.
  • "This does not reflect the high standards we have for delivery partners," an Amazon spokesperson said in a statement. "We are taking this matter seriously, and are taking appropriate action."
  • Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories .
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An Amazon driver's tweets on Monday was widely shared after he wrote that he had quit his job and abandoned a truck full of packages at a gas station in a Detroit suburb, WXYZ's Rudy Harper first reported .

The 22-year-old driver, Derick Lancaster, left the keys in the ignition, called a Lyft, and went home, according to WXYZ, which posted screenshots of the social media posts .

Lancaster told WXYZ in an interview that he was fed up with the job's long shifts, saying he often worked up to 12 hours where he would be required to deliver hundreds of deliveries, and that he was unhappy with his $15.50 hourly pay.

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Lancaster tweeted that he was quitting mid-shift and abandoning the van. He followed up with a tweet showing the location and said he was waiting for a Lyft to pick him up.

Lancaster said the final straw was missing his sister's birthday after he showed up late to her graduation because of his work schedule, Fox 30 reported .

"It was immature and irresponsible on my end," Lancaster told WXYZ , "At the same time enough is enough."

Lancaster's tweet had over 26,400 shares and 227,000 likes as of Thursday. Although the online response has ranged from outrage to support.

"If you have ever delivered for Amazon? You would understand why he quit!!!!" one user wrote .

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Others criticized the move as "childish and irresponsible."

"This does not reflect the high standards we have for delivery partners," an Amazon spokesperson said in a statement. "We are taking this matter seriously, and are taking appropriate action."

Amazon has been under scrutiny during the coronavirus pandemic because of health and safety concerns. Protesters marched outside Amazon founder Jeff Bezos' New York City penthouse to bring attention to working conditions in Amazon warehouses. New York's attorney general said Amazon might have broken labor laws after firing an employee involved in a strike last month protesting the company's coronavirus-related safety practices. Meanwhile, other delivery services like USPS are struggling to stay afloat financially .

Lancaster eventually returned to the Marathon gas station a few hours after posting his tweets to wait for an Amazon employee to retrieve the van.

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