Amazon’s logo is seen on the door of an Amazon Books retail store in New York, U.S., February 14, 2019. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid

March 30 (Reuters) – Amazon.com Inc (AMZN.O) is launching a program to double cash back on fuel purchases by up to 12% for Amazon Flex debit cardholders, to help Flex delivery partners amid rising fuel prices.

Amazon Flex, which operates like the on-demand ride-sharing service Uber, handles quick deliveries of common household items to customers through programs such as Prime Now and Amazon Fresh. Drivers, who use their own vehicle, typically earn more than $26 per hour on average in the United States.

The move comes as gasoline prices have soared more than 20% from a month ago, due to higher crude oil prices due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

“We continue to monitor this situation closely to determine if we need to make any future adjustments to support our shipping partners,” Amazon wrote in a blog post Wednesday.

Amazon also covers fuel costs for its delivery service partners as well as Amazon Freight partners who use independent trucking companies to move goods between Amazon facilities.

Earlier this month, Lyft (LYFT.O) also said Lyft Direct cardholders will receive increased cash back rewards from 4% to 5% on gas purchases through June 30. read more

Ride-sharing and food delivery companies including Uber, Lyft and Doordash have announced surcharges to help drivers cope with rising fuel prices. Read more .

Reporting by Tiyashi Datta in Bengaluru; Editing by Shailesh Kuber

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