Amazon Delivery Partner Event Draws Nearly 200 In Stratford

STRATFORD, CT — Amazon had to turn people away at a recent Stratford event for those interested in working with the company as part of its delivery service partner program, according to a Stratford official.

"It was a lot of people," said Director of Economic Development Mary Dean, noting the information session Feb. 12 drew nearly 200 potential delivery partners and Amazon is considering holding a second event due to the demand.

The Seattle-based e-commerce giant signed a seven-year lease in 2019 for two buildings at 500 Long Beach Blvd. and 600 Long Beach Blvd., where it will operate a roughly 200,000-square-foot distribution facility. The company has not yet announced an open date, but Dean said early conversations with Amazon indicated delivery program recruitment typically happens about three months before a location begins operations.

Amazon is seeking about a half-dozen driver partnerships, according to Dean. Delivery partners manage their own business delivering Amazon packages, but have access to the company's delivery volume, technology, training, and discounts on branded delivery vehicles, uniforms and insurance. Each partnership is expected to include about 20 routes, for a total of more than 100 driver jobs, Dean said.

"That's quite a few jobs," she said.

Amazon has all the necessary permits from the town to renovate the structures for the new facility, according to Dean, who has referred to the Stratford location as a "last-mile stop" for the company, and said outgoing deliveries will only travel about an hour at most to reach their destinations.

The company has not announced a job count for positions inside the facility, Dean said, adding interested applicants can expect job listings to be posted online closer to the opening date. Amazon already has several management positions in Stratford listed on its website.