Meituan Launches ‘Stop the Clock at Red Lights’ Feature for Delivery Riders, Piloted in Suzhou
English summary
Meituan has officially launched a ‘Stop the Clock at Red Lights’ feature that automatically pauses delivery countdowns when riders wait at traffic intersections, first piloted in Suzhou in collaboration with local traffic police. The system uses real-time traffic light data and rider location to detect stops, displaying a countdown and recording wait time, which is then added to the order's latest delivery deadline. If a rider handles multiple orders, the red-light wait time is applied to each one. The initial pilot covers approximately 1,100 intersections in Suzhou's Gusu District and Industrial Park. Beijing, Wuxi, and over 20 other cities are in testing or evaluation, with the feature expected to reach more than 1 million riders within the year. This addresses the long-standing conflict between obeying traffic laws and meeting tight delivery schedules.
Chinese summary
美团正式上线‘等灯停表’功能，骑手在路口等红灯时，系统自动暂停配送计时并显示红灯倒计时，等灯时间会延迟订单最晚送达时间。该功能由美团与苏州交管联合推出，率先在苏州姑苏区和工业园区的约1100个路口试点。如果骑手同时有多单，等灯时长将计入每笔订单。目前北京、无锡等城市正在对接测试，上海、杭州等20余个城市评估中，预计年内覆盖超百万骑手。此举从制度上消除了骑手遵守交规却可能超时的矛盾。
Key points
The feature automatically pauses the delivery countdown when a rider stops at a red light, and the wait time is added to the order's latest delivery time.
功能在骑手等红灯时自动暂停配送计时，等灯时间顺延订单最晚送达时间。
Initially piloted in Suzhou covering approximately 1,100 intersections in Gusu District and Industrial Park.
率先在苏州姑苏区和工业园区约1100个路口试点。
If a rider has multiple orders, the red-light wait time is counted toward each order's deadline.
若骑手同时有多笔订单，等灯时长计入每一笔订单的配时。
The feature is rolling out to over 20 cities and expected to cover more than 1 million riders within 2026.
功能将在20余个城市推广，预计年内覆盖超百万骑手。
This directly resolves the dilemma where law-abiding riders were penalized for late deliveries due to red-light waits.
从制度上解决了骑手守法等灯导致配送超时的两难困境。