DoorDash driver threatened in brutal knifepoint carjacking

A Gold Coast food delivery driver, carjacked at knifepoint, is pushing for workplace safeguards after being left jobless, traumatised and unable to afford to replace his stolen vehicle.

Jaylan Yilmaz was left shaken after the incident.

A Gold Coast food delivery driver, whose car was stolen in a brutal carjacking in Coomera on Monday night, is pushing for greater workplace protections.

DoorDash deliverer Jaylan Yilmaz was left shaken and without a work vehicle after his hire car was allegedly stolen at knifepoint in the McDonald’s car park on Foxwell Rd around 1am on Monday.

The 28-year-old father of two young daughters was confronted in the carpark as he was leaving to make a delivery with the assailant snatching his keys and speeding off in the 2017 Silver Toyota Corolla.

Jaylan Yilmaz has worked for DoorDash and Uber Eats for eight years. Picture: Contributed

After the theft, Mr Yilmaz has been left out of work and is unable to afford the $2000 insurance excess to replace the stolen rental vehicle.

“Enough is enough. something has to be done to protect gig workers,” he said.

“It was the most terrifying incident I have had in the eight years I have been working in the gig industry and it made me feel so unsafe.

“He said to me ‘hand over the f***ing keys to the car or I will cut you up right here’.

“He then thrust a big knife with a black curved blade and pointed it at my stomach.

“I was wondering whether it was worth fighting over the car – but it was not really an option. I just had to hand over the keys.

“I knew there were at least four others in the gang nearby.”

Despite expressing regret about the incident in a letter to Mr Yilmaz, DoorDash said it did not provide physical damage insurance for its drivers, known as Dashers.

“We are sorry to hear that you were involved in an incident which resulted in the theft of your vehicle, and we understand that these situations can be stressful,” the letter said.

“The theft of your vehicle and any damages to your vehicle as a result of the theft is your responsibility and should be addressed directly to your auto insurance carrier.”

The company said it only offered personal injury coverage for incidents that occur while the driver is on an active delivery, not before dispatch.

The response sparked debate over the adequacy of protections and support for gig workers and prompted the Transport Workers Union to take up Mr Yilmaz’s case with the Fair Work Commission.

Police on the scene.

National secretary of the Transport Workers Union Michael Kaine said the measures were needed urgently as statistics were showing brutal attacks on gig workers were on the rise.

“Gig workers are some of the most vulnerable in our country, and attacks like the one on Jaylan are all too common,” he said.

“No worker should have to go to work fearing they’ll be the target of violent crime.

“Gig workers are under immense pressure to work long hours to earn enough money, often resulting in late-night shifts that increase the risk of harassment and assault.

“When incidents occur, they lack access to workers’ compensation, exacerbating their vulnerability,” Mr Kaine stated.

Uber driver Scott Cabrie was murdered on the Fraser Coast and his body found in the boot of his car. Picture: Supplied

The TWU application aims to address the significant gaps in protections for gig workers, ensuring they are not left financially devastated by incidents beyond their control.

New federal laws allowed the union to apply to the commission for a minimum pay safety net for gig workers, along with guaranteed rates, personal injury insurance, company-funded superannuation, and rights for dispute resolution and consultation.

Since 2017, 20 people across the country have died while at work in the gig economy with two of the deaths in Queensland.

High-profile cases in Queensland have underscored the dangers faced by gig economy workers.

Uber driver Scott Cabrie, 47, was murdered in Howard, on the Fraser Coast in February 2023.

Cabrie, a top-rated Uber driver with nearly 25,000 rides over four years, was found dead after being held hostage in the boot of his vehicle. He had been stabbed seven times.

Two teenagers were sentenced over the murder this month. The younger was sentenced to 15 years in jail but could be released on parole after serving 60 per cent of his sentence, which is a period of nine-and-a-half years.’

Tye Wayne Porter was sentenced to nine-and-a-half years behind bars, with a non-parole period of six years.

Moorooka couple Uber Eat’s drivers Omer and Sarah Mazi were killed when a car crossed on to the wrong side of the road and crashed into their car. Picture: The Courier-Mail

Both sentences were backdated to February 2023, when the pair were first taken into custody.

Another notable case occurred in July, 2018, when Uber Eats drivers Omer Mazi, 41, and his wife Sarah, 33, were killed in Moorooka.

Their vehicle was struck by a car driving on the wrong side of the road, leaving their two-year-old child orphaned.

The horrific incident highlighted the perils on the road and the lack of financial safety nets for gig workers.

Originally published as DoorDash driver threatened in brutal knifepoint carjacking