The demand for food delivery shot up during the pandemic and has remained solid ever since. Restaurants have found that it’s easier to operate with less seating and more takeout, and customers got hooked on the ease of ordering in.

This is good news for delivery drivers. There are several options, with Grubhub and DoorDash being two of the most popular. In this post, we’ll look at Grubhub vs. DoorDash pay and add other insight and information to help you determine which of these two would be best for you to drive for.

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Grubhub vs. DoorDash: structures and payouts

The pay structure for Grubhub vs. Doordash is similar. Both offer the opportunity either to schedule blocks of time or to work on demand. This flexibility is automatically offered to Grubhub drivers, but DoorDash drivers need to earn the privilege by completing a certain number of deliveries.

Drivers for both Grubhub and DoorDash are paid by the delivery, and will know how much each order will yield before accepting the trip. This video will take you through a Grubhub delivery driver’s run, so you can see exactly what it’s like to drive for Grubhub. And this video covers just about everything there is to know about the DoorDash app and how to execute deliveries.

Payout options for DoorDash vs. Grubhub.

• Dashers can get paid weekly—or, for a fee, get paid daily. They may also choose to be paid on a Visa card they obtain through DoorDash, which is attached to a bank account. In some instances, they may be paid by the customer in cash, in which case, the cash is deducted from the driver’s payout. Read more about the details of Dasher payouts on the DoorDash website.

• With Grubhub, the options are just weekly pay or daily cash-out. Daily cashout is free for Chase customers, but a fee is charged for others. Also, it’s possible to cash out directly to your debit card for a fee.

How much does DoorDash pay you? What about Grubhub?

So then, what about Grubhub vs. DoorDash pay? Gridwise recieves anonymous earnings data from drivers, which we can use to compare how well drivers do in terms of earnings for Grubhub vs. DoorDash.

For Grubhub, drivers averaged a little over $14.00 per working hour in the first half of 2023. This number is consistent with earnings from 2022, proving that Grubhub earnings are not on a downward trend. The figures below show, in fact, the earnings went up slightly from the end of the first quarter to the end of the second.

Grubhub driver earnings Q1 and Q2 2023

Average Gross EarningsAverage Work HoursAverage Total TripsQ1       $993.004197Q2       $1055.9743.44104Source: Gridwise

On the whole, hourly earnings for Dashers are solid, if not spectacular. Based on Gridwise data, the average driver pulled in about $15.00 per working hour. This includes tips and incentives as well as base pay. Here are some more statistics for the first half of 2023.

DoorDash driver data for Q1 and Q2 2023

Average Gross EarningsAverage Work HoursAverage Total TripsQ1       $1,463.1351178Q2       $1,511.1757191Source: Gridwise

Tips and incentives: two key components of delivery earnings

Don’t forget, when you look at Grubhub vs. DoorDash driver pay, to consider the opportunities for tips, and how well the companies do at reminding customers to remember to recognize your hard work. Tips can really let your earnings add up, as can incentives. Incentive earnings consist of opportunities to make a fixed number of deliveries in a certain time period.

How much does Grubhub vs. DoorDash pay in tip earnings? In the first two quarters of 2023, both tip and incentive pay were higher for Dashers than for Grubhub drivers. 

GrubhubDoorDashQ1–Q2 2023 Average Tip Pay: $510.51 Q1–Q2 2023 Average Tip Pay: $759.24Q1–Q2 2023 Average Incentive Pay: $41.64 Q1–Q2 2023 Average Incentive Pay: $172.48 Source: Gridwise

Why are DoorDash numbers for tip and incentive pay higher than those for Grubhub? A lot could have to do with the comparative popularity of the two companies and the greater number of trips Dashers make on average. Also, the DoorDash app experience presents many opportunities for customers to tip, both before and after the delivery is complete.

Incentives for DoorDash are higher, possibly also due to the demand for drivers. Especially with the many items Dashers can deliver, DoorDash needs more drivers, so they offer many enticing incentives to drive for the company.

It’s important to weigh all these considerations before making the choice of which company you would want to work for. It’s really not possible to say that one is “better” than the other.

DoorDash might be more active in your area, while Grubhub might offer more opportunities overall. Look at both carefully and consider working for one, the other, or even both! You can do that by learning the art of multi-apping. Learn more about multi-apping in this post from Gridwise.

Perks: another way to cash in on your delivery gig

There’s one more thing. It pays to get savvy to the driver rating-related privileges each company has. DoorDash and Grubhub offer similar perks for their drivers. These include discounts and priority for scheduling and being sent larger, more lucrative orders.

Most of the discounts are the same for all drivers, but the other perks require high driver ratings and a high volume of completed deliveries. Find out more about the Grubhubs perk program, or see what Dashers get on the DoorDash website.

Making the most of your delivery gig

While both DoorDash and Grubhub have a lot to offer, there’s a way to get even more out of both. Use Gridwise! With Gridwise, you can

• track your mileage and maximize your tax deductions
• get real-time airport and event information
• record your earnings and see which app is performing best for you
• make more money by discovering Where to Drive and When to Drive 
• gain access to affordable insurance and health care, tax help, deals, and discounts designed for gig drivers
• get inside information on all the delivery apps in this Gridwise delivery driver guide

With all these functions and features at your fingertips, Gridwise gives you every advantage you need to do what you want to do most: make more money with your driving gig.

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The statistic from the Pew Research Center is astounding. As of 2021, 16% of the US population has at least experimented with earning money from an online gig platform. That’s almost one out of every six people in the US who has worked for a gig platform. Driver earnings data, however, tells an additional story. 

There are numerous reports that many drivers don’t even earn minimum wage. The post-COVID-19 impact of inflation on gig work has devastated many drivers. Gig worker earnings have not kept up with inflation.

In this report, Gridwise Analytics looks at gig driver pay. It’s an accurate picture because the Gridwise app captures aggregated and anonymized data from over 500,000 gig drivers across the various gig apps they work for. This intel allows analysts to see the volume of trips and wages drivers earn, including tips. Gridwise Analytics breaks it down based on hourly earnings and earnings per trip. 

The topics we will cover include

• Driver earnings data: What are gig drivers making?
• What are the other factors affecting driver pay?
• What kinds of gig driver regulations are we seeing from states and municipalities?
• What do gig platforms say regarding higher wages for gig workers?

Driver earnings data: What are gig drivers making?

Rideshare

This driver earnings data, derived from aggregated data, is from major gig driving platforms in the rideshare industry, covering 2022 and the first nine months of 2023. 

Rideshare driver hourly wages started about $21.00 an hour in 2022. By the end of Q1, earnings were almost $24.00 an hour. By June, however, hourly earnings dropped to $19.70 by Q3 2023 (a decline of 6.2% from the start of the period). As of September 2023, earnings increased to just over $20.00 an hour. 

The average number of trips to earn this money had ups and downs but began and ended the period at about the same level. For example, drivers averaged 117 rides a month in January 2022 and 120 rides a month in September 2023. 

Rideshare drivers faced an 8% decline in gross earnings per hour year-over-year while the number of trips remained fairly steady.

Gridwise Analytics 2023

Food delivery

These figures reflect driver earnings data in the form of average gross earnings for food delivery drivers over the same period. Our data is recorded from all major food delivery services across the US.

Although demand went up and down throughout the period, it began and ended at almost the same level. Driver earnings went down, however, starting at over $17 an hour and ending at less than $16 an hour. As with rideshare, drivers are driving the same but earning less money.

Gridwise Analytics 2023

Grocery delivery

Pulled from Gridwise Analytics driver earnings data, figures for major grocery delivery services show average gross earnings across the US, including Shipt, Walmart Spark, and Instacart, again covering the same period. 

Many thought that the end to the most severe part of the pandemic would spell doom for the grocery delivery industry, but quite the opposite is true. Trips for grocery food delivery during this period of inflation increased 44% from January 2022 through September 2023. Driver pay, however, declined about $1.00 an hour.

Gridwise Analytics 2023

Summary

Gig drivers across all categories worked harder to see their earnings remain the same—or worse, decrease. In the meantime, inflation during these 21 months was up 9.5%. 

Fuel costs are also high, with the national average price of $3.584 per gallon, recorded by AAA on October 17, 2023. The average per-gallon price in California was $5.589. In New York, it was $4.149. By the time gig drivers subtract fuel costs and depreciation on their cars from the massive number of miles, many are lucky if they make minimum wage in the area where they live. 

Conversely, the data show that the trip volume for rideshare and food delivery remains almost unchanged. In addition, inflation and higher fuel prices mean net earnings after expenses are considerably lower. 

According to Nerd Wallet: 

• 29% of gig workers do not even earn minimum wage in their state (Economic Policy Institute).
• Many New York delivery drivers report earning an average of $11.12 per hour after expenses, again below minimum wage (New York City Department of Consumer and Worker Protection).
• Chicago Uber and Lyft drivers average $12.72 hourly after expenses (Illinois Economic Policy Institute and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign).

What are the other factors affecting driver pay?

The issue of more compensation for gig drivers and other benefits is complicated. Both the drivers and tech companies employing gig drivers make important points. 

Drivers and the companies employing them like the freedom and flexibility

Gig driver stories almost uniformly tell how the flexibility and freedom of their work are key benefits. They drive when they want to and don’t drive when they don’t want to. Drivers are motivated by earning as much as possible and keeping their customer ratings at or near five stars.  

I went on a three-week vacation that my wife and I had been planning for a long time,” said one Southern California driver. “I didn’t have to ask for the time. I just shut the app off. When I turned it back on three weeks later, it was as if I was never gone. And the freedom was great. In the fifteen months I drove, ending with the pandemic, I never talked to a supervisor. There are no supervisors. I occasionally texted about a found item or a difficult customer through the app, but that was it.

Gig platforms prefer the freedom and flexibility, too. Letting drivers have their autonomy bypasses the requirement for a field-management crew.

There are concerns about how employee status for drivers would change that dynamic, both for drivers and the companies. There are many questions and few answers. 

Gig drivers have limited access to benefits commonly enjoyed by regular employees

Since before the pandemic, labor groups and driver advocates have been pushing companies to employ gig drivers to fund benefits packages, and there is frequent mention of a gig worker minimum wage. 

What kinds of gig driver regulations are we seeing from states and municipalities?

Reports of low earnings, driver deactivations, and other occurrences have created many activist drivers, gig worker rights groups, and other advocates. They have made significant inroads in legislation affecting gig workers. 

Seattle gig laws. In 2022, the Seattle City Council passed minimum pay rules for food delivery apps, requiring a minimum wage of $17.27 an hour. This follows other City Council legislation passed in 2019, and later statewide legislation that guarantees rideshare drivers are paid wages equivalent to Seattle’s minimum wage. 

More recently, the Seattle City Council followed up with legislation that placed specific requirements for gig platforms before they deactivate drivers, including a 14-day notice and a review process by a human rather than solely relying on artificial intelligence. Washington State is also considering legislation addressing portable benefits for gig workers. 

New York gig law. Proposed legislation in New York City would grant food delivery drivers a minimum wage of $17.96 an hour. The food delivery companies requested and received a temporary restraining order that kept the ordinance from going into effect. This follows 2019 legislation guaranteeing rideshare drivers a minimum wage equivalent to that of other New York City workers. 

Chicago gig law. Crain’s Chicago Business reports that the Chicago City Council is considering an ordinance that would guarantee rideshare drivers a minimum of $7.00 per ride, allowing for higher rates if a per-mile or per-minute rate dictates a fee greater than $7.00. The minimum per-mile rate would be $1.85, with a minimum per-minute rate of $0.65. Rates would increase annually based on inflation. You can view the proposed ordinance on the web page of the Chicago Gig Alliance. 

California’s AB5 gig-worker law. Gig drivers across the US celebrated the passage of AB5 in 2019 in the California State Legislature. The law restructured the California Labor Code and moved toward making gig workers eligible for employee status. 

For those curious about how California's AB5 law affected Uber and Lyft driver pay, we’ve yet to see. In 2020, Proposition 22 passed by voter referendum, exempting Uber and Lyft from AB5. The battle over Prop. 22 was the costliest in California history, with more than $181 million spent to pass it, according to the Los Angeles Times. Also, according to the Times, Uber contributed $52 million toward passing the measure, Lyft spent $49 million, DoorDash contributed $48 million, and Instacart pitched in $28 million.

Nolo.com reports that in 2021, California’s Supreme Court ruled Prop. 22 unconstitutional. An appeals court turned over much of that decision two years later. Major rideshare and food delivery companies are still free from any AB5 limitations.

These are just the significant pieces of legislation in the US. There are others, far too numerous to report in this blog post.

What do gig platforms say regarding higher wages for gig workers?

Many rideshare and delivery companies maintain that increasing gig driver pay, including administrative costs, will require them to raise prices to the end user. CFRA research analyst Angelo Zino told CNBC.com that the increase would likely be from 10 percent to 30 percent. 

Will rate increases create a drop in business for technology companies? 

Gridwise Analytics data shows that even with the Seattle gig law and the New York gig law requiring a gig worker minimum wage, the percentage of demand for each of those respective cities has not appreciably changed in almost three years. Minimum wage requirements appear not to have had any affect on demand in these areas. 

Gridwise Analytics 2023

One aspect to consider is how much rideshare and food delivery has become a part of American life. Here are a few statistics:

• Lyft revenue of $1.021 billion in Q2 2023 represented a 3% year-over-year increase.  Rideshare rides were up 18% year-over-year (Lyft second quarter financial highlights).
• For Q2 2023, Uber Technologies, Inc. posted a net profit of $394 million (Uber second quarter financial results). 
• DoorDash orders total orders for 2023 Q2 were 532 million, an increase of 25% year to year. Gross order value jumped to $16.5 billion, a 26% year-to-year increase (DoorDash second quarter financial results). 
• New installs of the consumer apps for the food delivery companies peaked during the pandemic. Although they have decreased since then, they are still higher than pre-pandemic levels (Adjust).

Americans have come to rely on rideshare. In their daily routines, they use it to get to work, the airport, entertainment spots, and other destinations.

As for consumer delivery ordering habits, these show little impact during the recent high inflation, as illustrated by the DoorDash numbers. Whether a rate increase by these companies will make a difference remains to be seen.

Partner with Gridwise Analytics

“What can be measured can be managed.” —Peter Drucker

Thanks to accurate data from Gridwise Analytics, we see a much clearer picture of the state of gig driver pay.

Decision-makers within various gig platforms have access to well-rounded information, helping them determine how to structure compensation and create programs to increase driver loyalty, optimize driver recruitment, and deliver even better service and value to end users. 

Hedge fund managers, venture capitalists, and equity research firms can better understand how driver earnings impact costs and consumer demand for gig platforms. They can leverage Gridwise’s unique dataset to predict quarterly business volume for public companies, identify the fastest-growing private companies to invest in, or determine the most and least used gig services by region to improve investment decisions.

This data also provides unique and valuable insights for companies serving the broader transportation infrastructure, showing how people and goods move from one location to another. Indeed, companies involved in electric vehicle charging, autonomous vehicles, and highway and city planning have benefited from Gridwise Analytics transportation analytics. 

Analysts can see where trips originate and end, and the primary travel corridors. Data researchers can sort this information to reflect daily, monthly, and annual patterns. 

For a demonstration of how Gridwise Analytics vehicle trip data can sharpen your transportation analytics, contact us below.

Delivery drivers work hard and deserve perks that make all that hard work worth their while. Uber Eats Pro is the company’s way of rewarding drivers for making lots of deliveries and earning high star ratings from their customers.The program is still in the beta testing phase but is being rolled out in more cities all the time. If you haven’t seen it pop up in your app already, it could be coming to your town soon.

In this post, we’ll cover all the important points you need to know about the Uber Eats Pro program, including:

• What is Uber Eats Pro, and how does it work?
• Navigating Uber Pro: the rules that apply.
• What are Uber Eats Pro tiers?
• What it takes to reach the Uber Eats Pro tiers.
• Spruce up your customer service skills.
• A super perk: the Uber Pro Card.

What is Uber Eats Pro, and how does it work?

Uber Eats Pro is a program that rewards drivers with perks, privileges, and savings. Drivers earn points by making deliveries, being willing to work at busy times, and demonstrating their ability to be fast and reliable delivery drivers. 

The program incentivizes drivers to be more diligent about their work by giving them discounts and special privileges that make the job of delivery driver easier and more profitable. This helps out Uber Eats, but it also pushes drivers to make more money. As they take on more deliveries and go out of their way to please their customers, they’ll get more pay and bigger tips. In essence, it’s a win for everybody involved.

Here’s how Uber Eats Pro works:

1. Drivers earn points for deliveries. Some deliveries will earn more points than others. For instance, you’ll get one point for every completed delivery, three points for each order during lunch hours (11 am–2 pm), and six points for every delivery during dinner hours (5 pm–9 pm). The more points you score, the more perks you’ll get.
2. Drivers must maintain a 95% satisfaction rate with customers and restaurants. This level of customer satisfaction is required to make your way up the ladder through the various levels of the Uber Pro program and continue receiving rewards.
3. Drivers receive rewards. Depending on the number of points you accrue, and if you maintain that 95% customer service level, you unlock rewards at different levels. 

Navigating Uber Eats Pro: the rules that apply

Making your way through the program isn’t terribly challenging, but there are a few things you need to consider. For instance, you might work really hard to get your points stacked up for a month, but to keep that level, you’ll need to keep piling up points. Here are the guidelines:

• You earn Uber Eats Pro points one month at a time and get to keep your rewards through the following month. 
• When you earn enough points to move to the next level, you get your new rewards right away. 
• You must keep your point level and customer satisfaction score up to maintain the higher status levels and continue getting the rewards until the end of the following month.

What are Uber Eats Pro tiers?

There are four tiers you can reach in the Uber Eats Pro program, and each includes an array of discounts and other benefits that range from reduced gas prices to a Costco membership and free tuition at Arizona State University Online. You can see the specific benefits offered for each tier on the Uber Eats website. Here, we’ll give you an overview of the tiers and what it takes to reach each one.

The Uber website reminds us that you must have a 95% or better customer satisfaction rating from customers and restaurants to qualify for the Uber Eats Pro program.

🟢 Green. At the Uber Eats Pro Green level, you get an array of discounts on items such as insurance and gasoline as money toward EV charging and $2,500 off a GM Bolt. Not bad, just for showing up!

🟡 Gold. With Gold, you’ll get all the Green tier perks plus free road service as part of your Uber Eats Pro Gold rewards.

⚪ Platinum. At the Platinum level, gas discounts rise from five to six or seven cents per gallon, 7-Eleven discounts increase by a dollar, and that free one-year Costco membership is yours.

⚫ Diamond. With Diamond status, you’ll get all the benefits of the Platinum tier; plus your discount on TurboTax will soar from 25% to 50%. You will also get priority treatment from Uber Eats support.

What it takes to reach the Uber Eats Pro tiers?

Now that you know what you get with each tier of the Uber Eats Pro program, let’s see what it takes to get there.

🟢 Green.  Everyone starts here. Once Uber Eats Pro becomes available in your area, you automatically receive the perks for this tier.

🟡 Gold. Uber Eats Pro Gold benefits come once you’ve earned 400 points in a one month period.

⚪ Platinum. You’ll reach Uber Eats Pro Platinum when you log 800 points in a month. 

⚫ Diamond. Unlock Uber Eats Pro Diamond status when you rack up an impressive 1,200 total points in a month.

Any reasonable driver might ask, “Is Uber Eats Pro worth it?” Since it doesn’t cost anything to qualify, there’s really nothing to lose by participating in the program. However, hustling to get more and more points might not pay off in the long run, as the benefits you get as you rise through the tiers don’t change a whole lot.

Plus, there’s a way to get benefits similar to the ones offered by Uber Eats Pro—from Gridwise! Get insurance, affordable healthcare options, discounts, deals, and insights that every driver needs. You’ll also have a way to track every gig-mile you drive and earnings records that will help you actually see how much money you’re bringing in from each app you sync with Gridwise.

Spruce up your customer service skills

Even if the Uber Eats Pro program doesn’t seem to be everything you’ve ever wished for in terms of perks and rewards, it still pays to participate, because keeping up your customer and restaurant satisfaction rating at 95% will help you become the best driver possible. A big part of this is your attitude and your efficiency.

You can keep those ratings up by following some of these tips for cultivating your customer service skills:

• Be friendly and helpful. Use your smile, offer quick and reliable service, and communicate with your customers. If a restaurant is backed up, a quick text will tell customers what to expect in terms of timing for their deliveries.

• Get geared up. If you want to keep foods at the proper temperature, avoid spills and other mishaps, and make your job easier, you need some delivery gear. Insulated bags, beverage holders, shoulder straps for bags, and more will do all of the above. Uber Eats offers recommendations for food delivery gear on their website.  

• Be courteous to restaurant workers. You know that person’s face. You’ve seen those hands pass off delivery bags to you countless times. Now, what’s that person’s name? Be aware of the little things that make restaurants like you. Calling staff something besides “Hey, you” will help a lot, and most of them wear little tags, so you may not even have to ask their names. When you show respect, they’ll rave about you in your ratings.

• Know where the busy places are. Rather than mindlessly drive from one delivery to the next, pay close attention to where you get the most business, and make sure you put yourself there at the right times. If you need help with this, the Where to Drive and When to Drive features on the Gridwise app will help a whole lot.

• Practice speed. If it’s your jam, aim to do fast pickup and delivery in the busiest markets. How? Simply make it your mission to be in the right areas, and focus on strategizing so you can get the best orders.

A super perk: the Uber Pro Card 

Image credit: Uber.com

There’s another nice perk that comes with being part of Uber Eats Pro that we want to make sure you don’t miss.

The Uber Pro Card is available to Uber Eats drivers in the Uber Eats Pro program. It’s a debit Mastercard featuring a bank account powered by Branch. On top of providing you with a fee-free way to cash out your earnings instantly, it gives you cash back on gas and other items. With this card, you won’t have to worry about the gas hold on your account. Also, you’ll receive an extra percentage point off your gas with each tier you reach. The total amounts depend on the city or area where you drive. Find out more about the Uber Pro card on the Uber website.

As we’ve said, it can’t hurt to participate in Uber Eats Pro, or in any program an app you use offers. Just remember that Gridwise offers many of the same perks! These include benefits, and programs drivers like you look for, plus features that boost your earnings and make your job a breeze!

Download the Gridwise app today.

Since the launch of ridesharing and delivery apps, on-demand mobility has exploded into one of the fastest-growing sectors of our modern economy. 

What started as a simple way for drivers to earn supplemental income has become a lifeline for millions during these uncertain times. However, as the industry matures, challenges have emerged that impact all participants, from individuals pursuing flexible work to investors, financial services, gig platforms, and even autonomous vehicle companies. 

Fortunately, companies like Gridwise are dedicated to supporting the entire on-demand ecosystem through transparency and data-driven insights through Gridwise Analytics.

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The origins of Gridwise

Founded in 2017 by veteran drivers Ryan Green and Brian Finamore, Gridwise has had a mission to empower gig workers with the knowledge to boost earnings and quality of life. 

The founders grew their mobility alert service from humble beginnings. In the early days, they manually created text alerts that consolidated information from over ten apps, notifying drivers about airport traffic, weather, major events, and other factors impacting their work. 

They also researched multiple online sources to produce a weekly email curating events, weather, and traffic - valuable intelligence that helped drivers optimize their schedules.

Gridwise’s first offering to drivers was SMS alerts and a weekly email.

Gridwise then scaled from providing text messages and emails to a nationwide platform. Today, the platform helps gig drivers know when and where to drive based on rideshare and delivery demand hot spots. Gridwise also shows drivers how to maximize tax deductions via mileage and earnings tracking. The app also provides insights into when, where, and when to drive.

Over time, Gridwise grew exponentially, with 205K+ active drivers each quarter and 400 million rideshare and delivery trips tracked. 

Gridwise is now a powerful and reliable platform that helps drivers optimize their schedules, finances, and earnings potential through a comprehensive app designed specifically for drivers and their unique needs. 

From the beginning, the founders’ core focus has been to improve the lives of gig drivers by offering solutions the founders wish they had access to while gig-driving themselves. 

Screenshots from the Gridwise App 2023

Gridwise Analytics: The logical next step

As the company grew, the founders recognized the challenges facing the larger gig mobility industry. The decisions made by major gig platforms affect the companies, drivers, and customers they serve. 

However, industry stakeholders often face challenges – a lack of ground truth data that would enable them to make decisions that could further positively impact the gig mobility industry. 

To fill this data gap, Gridwise launched Gridwise Analytics - providing anonymized, first-party insights gleaned directly from their nationwide driver network. Their solution aims to benefit both gig workers and the wider industry.

With access to Gridwise Analytics, companies gain a comprehensive view of mobility patterns across their competitive landscape. Regulators and researchers can explore pressing issues with robust, unbiased information. Municipal planners obtain insights guiding policies that support thriving gig economies and transportation systems optimized for the future.

By aggregating data to protect individual privacy, Gridwise Analytics enables previously impossible studies valuable to stakeholders of all kinds. Its many use cases have the potential to impact the industry positively.

Gig mobility: A rapidly growing industry 

Service companies such as Uber, Lyft, DoorDash, and Instacart have transformed the ways people and goods move within and around our cities, all while providing gig workers a profitable and flexible way to earn a living in a tough economy.

Ride-hail and demand-responsive transit systems have been adopted by the masses worldwide and depend on these systems as a primary mode of transportation. The long-term future of the ride-hail industry is looking bright, with the ride-hail market projected to reach $85.48 billion by 2023, representing a CAGR of 17.97%. 

But this soaring growth isn’t limited to transporting people. App-based delivery has become a primary means for receiving groceries, food from restaurants, and every conceivable kind of household goods. The food delivery industry is included in these projections. This industry segment is also projected to grow, with the food delivery market alone expected to reach $154.34 billion in 2023 at a CAGR of 11.51%.

Gig workers continue to flock to rideshare and delivery. The number of US transportation-based gig workers is expected to top 9 million by 2023, up from 5 million in 2018, according to a joint report by Mastercard and Kaiser Associates.

Gig mobility’s growth challenges

Inevitably, however, rapid growth often brings challenges. 

Challenges stem from the current mobility transformation, which affects business across many verticals. Companies must understand trends and patterns across gig mobility to make key operational, investment, and strategic decisions. For many organizations, making the wrong operational decisions could result in multi-billion-dollar mistakes, affecting drivers and the public.

What can Gridwise Analytics do for the industry? 

When companies use Gridwise Analytics, key industry stakeholders and their data teams can access anonymized, first-party insights into how people and goods move in and around urban areas. This enables decisions based on ground truth data. When decisions are based on ground truth data, real needs can be met and actual problems solved for. 

Aside from Gridwise, no other database-organized entities have access to aggregated insights into multi-provider mobility patterns. By working with us, companies can leverage mobility data intelligence to gain a competitive edge.

Data provided by Gridwise Analytics serves as a critical tool for numerous industries and entities, including: 

• Gig platforms can leverage gig mobility data intelligence to optimize and expand their business in a highly competitive market. By understanding the market and not relying on biased data, teams within these companies can make decisions based on industry-gleaned data.
• Mobility Service Firms: Gridwise Analytics helps mobility service firms understand current supply and demand within the gig-driving economy so they can inform their go-to-market strategy, optimize pricing, and maximize utilization.  
• Investors and Hedge Funds: Gridwise Analytics can help investment firms make smarter decisions. Using our data, stakeholders can better estimate or predict performance and stock prices for companies in ride-hailing, food delivery, retail, real estate, and other industries.
• Regulators and Researchers: Access to Gridwise Analytics data will help to inform policy decisions and research related to workers’ rights, the impact on congestion, multi-modal patterns, and how to create more equitable transportation. 
• Developers and Retailers: Access to Gridwise Analytics data will enable retail restaurants and stores to better select their next location based on understanding the origin and destination trends of people and food, grocery, or parcel deliveries.
• Municipalities: Access to first-party Gridwise Analytics data helps cities and states better understand factors such as gig driver earnings, curb utilization, and the impact gig mobility has on traffic congestion, among others. This can be invaluable for policy, regulation, and infrastructure decisions.  

Work with Gridwise Analytics

Access to accurate, ground truth data paves the way for smarter, more equitable decisions by all stakeholders. Most important, Gridwise Analytics fulfills the original mission of the company’s founders: to empower drivers and the companies they work for with knowledge that can boost earnings and advocate for needed changes. We further believe that access to ground truth data encourages industry growth.

As on-demand mobility continues transforming transportation, Gridwise will remain dedicated to empowering that transition through insights supplied through Gridwise Analytics that benefit all industry stakeholders. 

Are you interested in working with Gridwise Analytics? Do you have questions about how we can help and support your business? You can get in contact with our team by filling out the form below.

Looking to be a GoPuff driver? If you are tired of waiting in restaurants, or constantly going from one place to another for delivery pickups and drop-offs this might be for you! When you sign up with the app, you “go” to a single location to pick up orders, and then… “puff!”…you deliver the customers’ items to their doors.

Does that sound appealing? We think it is. Once you read this post, you’ll have everything you need to know to become a Gopuff delivery driver. Here’s what we’ll include:

• What is Gopuff delivery?
• Why drivers like to work for Gopuff
• Gopuff delivery driver requirements
• How to apply and onboard as a Gopuff driver
• Is Gopuff right for you?

Let’s get started.

What is Gopuff delivery?

When people want items such as snacks, ice cream, alcohol, tobacco and vape products, hydration drinks, and sweets, they go to their Gopuff app to order them. Health items, such as over-the-counter medications and assorted things that make bodies feel better, are also available, and there’s even a selection of healthier snacks and ice cream products.

With Gopuff delivery, customers know they’re going to get the brands they want and that the goodies will be delivered fast. Delivery fees for customers start at $3.95, and an additional $3.95 is added for regulated products such as alcohol, tobacco, and vape items. That’s really not bad, especially when customers are tired and/or reluctant to go outside due to bad weather, or just because they’re binging on a series or watching a game they don’t want to be torn away from.

Customers love Gopuff because of the convenience and the reasonable delivery fees. That’s evident from the fact that there were approximately 2.1 million Gopuff customers by the end of 2021, according to Business of Apps. The company has grown astronomically from its humble beginnings in 2013, when it mainly delivered hookah products to college students (now you know how they got that name!). 

They have since dropped the hookah deliveries but have doubled down by expanding their product lines. A capital infusion of more than $1 billion, according to Techcrunch, has allowed Gopuff to expand in the last year or so. In addition to their “dark stores,” which are localized distribution centers, they have recently added Gopuff kitchens, which allow customers to have prepared food delivered by Gopuff drivers.

Why drivers like to work for Gopuff

In addition to eliminating the wait at a different restaurant or store, Gopuff gives drivers a lot of reasons to love driving for the company. Here are a few”

• Guaranteed minimum income. Gopuff drivers get a commission on every order they deliver. If the total doesn’t add up to the minimum set by Gopuff, the company adds to the Gopuff driver pay to make up the difference. 
• No tip sharing. Drivers get to keep 100% of their tips, which can be an essential part of Gopuff driver pay.
• No unruly passengers. As with all delivery apps, you don’t have to let anyone else into your vehicle.
• Orders are easy to pick up. Unless you really like to run up and down the aisles of an unfamiliar grocery or convenience store, you’ll love the way Gopuff has things arranged so that you can pick up deliveries at your local distribution center. Warehouse employees select and bag the items for drivers in most cases.
• Drive on your own time. You choose your own schedule and don’t have to edge out other drivers to compete for prime delivery blocks. You can choose to work hourly shifts, or work on demand. If you work a shift, you hang out at the distribution center to wait for orders. If you’re working on demand, you wait for orders to come in, and then go to the warehouse to pick them up.

Gopuff delivery driver requirements

If you’re interested in being a Gopuff driver, it’s important to know the requirements. You must

• be at least 21 years of age or older
• hold a valid driver’s license
• have a vehicle with insurance in your name
• have a smartphone with the latest software so you can run the Godrive app
• pass a driver and criminal background check

How to apply and onboard as a Gopuff driver

Are you in? Submit your application to Gopuff online or through the Gopuff driver app. The screenshots below show you what it looks like. Enter your zip code, and Gopuff will let you know if there is delivery work available in your area. From there, enter your personal information, and your application will be complete.

Source: Gopuff driver app

The background check occurs once you give Gopuff the permission to conduct it. It usually takes at least 3–4 days for a background check to clear, but it could be slightly longer. If everything goes well, you’ll be accepted and ready to begin the onboarding process.

Onboarding is rather straightforward. You’ll need to download another app, When I Work, which will permit you to create schedules. This is separate from the Godrive app that you use when you’re actually delivering for Gopuff. You will also have to pass a quiz to show that you know how to use When I Work. 

This video from Your Driver Mike details the onboarding process. He also gives a general description of how you would go about working for Gopuff and what the app looks like once you begin earning. 

Is Gopuff right for you?

Maybe you’re ready for something new, or perhaps you’re just starting out as a gig driver. In either case, Gopuff could be a nice gig either to add to your current array of driving apps or to begin with. Most drivers report that the company treats them fairly. There is also a lot of flexibility. Gopuff emphasizes to its customers that they operate 24/7/365, so if you need a gig you can fit in during odd hours, Gopuff is there for you.

Gridwise data show that the average Gopuff driver earns around $14.40 per hour and $1.30 per mile. This is rather good, but there are ways you can earn—and save—even more.

Using a driver’s assistant, namely Gridwise, will help make your Gopuff gig go more smoothly and boost your earnings. Track your mileage, sync Gopuff with Gridwise to get earnings reports, and keep up with traffic, weather, and events information. Reap the advantages of participating in insurance and health service plans through Gridwise Benefits, as well as amazing discounts and deals designed specifically to serve drivers.

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The downside of Gopuff might come in when you discover that it doesn’t operate near where you live. At least the application process begins by asking for your zip code. This way you can immediately discover whether Gopuff is available in your area, and you won’t get your hopes up unnecessarily. Because Gopuff is in an expansion phase, though, you might be surprised just how wide their reach is.

As with all driving apps, drivers have different views of Gopuff. Some drivers say that it doesn’t pay off. Others don’t like dealing with the formalities of delivering alcohol and tobacco products. However, many also seem to think it’s rather easy to work with and can help them make money.

This YouTube video from Cars and Cribs follows a new driver and his partner going for their first Gopuff order. It offers a lot of insight into what it’s actually like to work for Gopuff and contrasts it with working for DoorDash. 

Now that you know how to become a Gopuff delivery driver, all that’s left is to apply, and be sure you download Gridwise to make all your gig driving easy, efficient, and profitable!

It started out so simple. When rideshare driving was new, you’d see a ride request, you’d accept it, and you’d take the passenger(s) to the appointed destination. Then you’d get paid. Ah, but that was then.

Now Lyft drivers have a wide array of possibilities when it comes to accepting and fulfilling ride requests and how they want to get paid for them. It could be a confusing morass, or a cornucopia of opportunity, depending on your point of view.

Making the most money in as little time as possible means that you want to know more about your payments, and how you can maximize them. You also need a savvy tool like Gridwise to keep you on top of your game and make sure you rake in the kind of cash you want.

In this post, we’ll address questions such as “How does Lyft pay drivers?” and “When do Lyft drivers get paid?” This information will, we hope, help you to see all the forms of Lyft driver payments for what they are: chances to earn. New and various payment opportunities are an answer to the many different issues Lyft drivers encounter on a daily basis. We’ll clear up any confusion you might have by covering the following:

• Your Lyft payout: the forms it takes and how earnings are calculated
• Special pay rates for different localities
• The Lyft weekly payout and alternatives
• More ways to maximize your Lyft earnings

Your Lyft payout: the forms it takes and how earnings are calculated

Let’s start with the  components of Lyft earnings. 

Basic Pay

Lyft rolled out an upfront pay feature to accommodate drivers’ need to know more about rides before agreeing to accept them. Lyft wants to offer transparency as well as choice to its drivers, and this is an effective way to do just that. With upfront pay, it’s possible for drivers to see

• pickup and drop-off locations
• estimated time and distance to complete the ride
• a map view of the full ride
• the fare

Upfront fares are calculated based on factors such as the supply of drivers and the demand for rides at a given location, as well as traffic conditions along the route. These factors make the estimated fare more accurate than if time and distance were the only considerations. Upfront pay is available to most Lyft drivers in many regions.

There are still some places where upfront pay is not available. In that case, Lyft pay is calculated by using the rate card system. You can view the rate card for any trip you make by looking at your ride history in the app. Rides that pay according to the rate card system are calculated based on

• time
• distance
• base fare

Rate card fares may vary according to ride mode (economy, luxury, XL, etc.) and the region where the passenger is picked up.

Wait Time

It’s never a happy moment when you arrive at the pickup location and your rider is nowhere to be seen. Whether they’re finishing their sandwich or putting on that last dab of glitter blush, they’re using up your precious time.

Fortunately, Lyft pays drivers for waiting time. For all drivers, except Lux Black and Lux Black XL, here’s the deal: if you’re stuck waiting between two and five minutes, Lyft will pay you for your time. If the passenger doesn’t show up after five minutes, you have the option of canceling the ride. 

Lux Black and Lux Black XL Lyft drivers get paid for wait time after the first five minutes and can then cancel the ride after ten minutes of waiting.

Trip Changes

It happens all the time. In mid-trip, a passenger may decide to pick up a pal along the way, or stop for some coffee or a cold drink on route to the destination. There might even be times when a trip is longer or shorter than originally thought. If any of these events changes your trip substantially, your fare will change. 

Check your ride details and any adjustments that were made by doing the following in your app:

1. Go to your account
2. Tap “ride history”
3. Tap the ride you want to know more about

Tips

Passengers can tip you through the app, and most often, they will. Many even offer tips in cash. You retain 100% of all your tip earnings. 

Bonuses and Incentives

Your willingness to drive at high demand times in busy areas will often qualify you for bonus pay. Here are the types of bonuses Lyft offers:

Real time 

These appear in the app when there’s a high demand for drivers in your area.

Scheduled

Every Friday morning, the app is updated with bonuses scheduled for your area.

Bonus zones 

Pink and purple highlights on your map in the app tell you where you can earn extra money, owing to especially high demand for drivers. 

Bonus zones vary from nearly one minute to the next. It pays to keep an eye out for them, though, because they offer a great way to make extra money.

EV Ride Challenge

Through 2024, drivers can receive a $150 bonus for every 50 rides completed while driving an EV. This offer, so far, is available in California only. The Lyft website has more information on qualifications.

Earnings Guarantee Promotions 

Lyft will guarantee a set amount of earnings within a given time period as a way to incentivize drivers, especially new ones. If you don’t earn the set amount before the time expires, Lyft pays you the difference between your actual earnings and the guaranteed amount. Read more about earnings guarantee promotions.

There are also incentives offered to drivers. These include

Referrals 

Drivers who persuade friends and family to join Lyft can earn substantial amounts of extra money. The new drivers will have to complete a certain number of rides in a given period. These parameters vary depending on driver demand. Read more about this referral program on the Lyft website.

Tiered Rewards Program 

Although these rewards are not a direct payout to drivers, they can help them save on gas, car maintenance, and other services. Drivers earn points by driving consistently during busy hours and keeping high star ratings. Lyft’s tiered rewards program is detailed on the Lyft website.

Special pay rates for different localities

You’ve probably heard that there are states and cities where drivers are guaranteed a minimum wage, or where they get extra help from rideshare companies. In California, as you can read in this Gridwise post, drivers receive minimum guaranteed earnings for their time on the road, as well as subsidies toward healthcare, among other items. For all rides picked up in California, drivers are guaranteed to earn 120% of the applicable minimum wage for booked time, plus $0.30 per mile.

In New York City, drivers receive a minimum wage based on mileage and time, and Seattle drivers pull in a minimum wage of $16.39 per hour. There are more cities and states, such as Minneapolis and Massachusetts, where laws instituting minimum wage requirements for drivers are being discussed. Obviously, Lyft must comply with any and all laws regarding these wage policies.

In addition to these special cases, Lyft has a certain class of payments called subregion rates, which apply to certain areas of cities and metropolitan areas. Rates in these areas will be specifically assigned. 

Rides from subregions within an area where an offer stands are still applied to bonuses such as streaks. Individual ride earnings may vary. They are usually higher. You can find out what the subregion rates are and if they apply to your location, by accessing your rate card through the app.

The Lyft weekly payout and alternatives

There are basic questions every driver has about being paid. After all, making money is what driving for Lyft is all about. Here are the answers to some common queries.

When does Lyft pay out, and how often does Lyft pay?

Lyft pay is calculated based on your earnings Sunday–Monday, and your pay will be deposited once per week on Tuesdays.

Is it possible to get paid sooner?

Definitely! There are two ways to get paid sooner:

1. Express Pay allows you to instantly transfer earnings to your own debit card. There is a charge for this version of Lyft Express Pay. It’s $0.85 for each transfer you make. If you rent your car from Express Drive, you’ll have to make enough to cover the cost of your rental before funds can be sent to you.

2. With Lyft Direct, you set up an account with Lyft (via Payfare), and receive a debit card that gives you access to your account. With Lyft Direct, you can make as many transactions as you like with no fee. You also will get mobile banking services and cashback rewards.

All the details that further address the question “When do Lyft drivers get paid?” can be found in this help article from Lyft.

More ways to maximize your Lyft earnings

Now that you know how you get paid and how often Lyft pays out, plus ways to get your pay right away, here’s some advice about how to make sure you get paid more!

The first step is to have the best driver’s assistant available: Gridwise! With this mighty app, you can

• strategize the best times to drive. See information about ride demand for Lyft and all the services you might drive for with the When to Drive feature.
• position yourself for higher earnings with Where to Drive from Gridwise.
• log all the miles you drive to, from, and between the rides you complete through your driving apps. Capturing all your miles means higher tax deductions and smaller tax bills!

Download the Gridwise app now!

Are you ready for some football?

The start of football season is an exciting time. Diehard football fans finally will have something to do on Sunday's again, casual fans will welcome the return of gameday parties, and everyone else gets to play fantasy football!

For rideshare drivers, football season means saying hello to some of the most profitable and predictable surges that you'll see all year if you take advantage of them.

But what's the best way to make the most money during this football season? We talked to rideshare drivers across the country to find out how they are taking advantage of the return of football to maximize their profits, and we came up with this comprehensive guide to football Sunday's (and Saturday's) for rideshare drivers.

Collegiate and NFL football create a base of devoted fans heading for the stadium and local sports bars or holding viewing parties at home. As a rideshare or food delivery driver, how can you take advantage of this? Fortunately, rideshare strategy for the two services is similar, even down to the pregame. Regarding college football tailgate parties and NFL games, Uber and Lyft strategies are virtually identical. 

If you have been a rideshare driver for any time, you know there is a gig driver’s football game strategy. So take a few minutes to read this blog post and learn how to earn more on these days. Success doesn’t just hinge on rideshare to the football stadium; there are other opportunities as well. 

Here's what we will cover:

• Football affects both rideshare and food delivery.
• Do the pregame homework. 
• Working the airports.
• Other tactics if you drive rideshare. 
• Tactics if you drive food delivery.
• General tips for rideshare and food delivery during football games.
• Gridwise can make you more successful on game day.

Do the pregame homework

If you have never driven rideshare during football season, then knowing a little about how the venues handle rideshare is advisable. Be familiar with football game rideshare drop-off zones and check out the pickup procedure, too. Often, drop-off and pickup are in different places.

Ask fellow rideshare drivers how venues have addressed rideshare in previous years. When do they see pregame rideshare rush hours? What about the postgame rideshare surge? What rate increases can you expect to see in Lyft and Uber football game surge pricing? Ask about pregame and postgame surge times and predicting when earnings will peak before and after games. How about rideshare to a sold-out football stadium? Do other drivers have any football game traffic tips for Uber and Lyft on game day?

Check the website of the venue stadiums. Are there any special instructions for fans arriving or leaving by rideshare? Are there any Uber or Lyft football game promotions? 

In addition to profootballnetwork.com, you can also check the Gridwise app to see when local games will conclude, pouring out hundreds of fans looking for a rideshare. The Gridwise app also shows other events that will generate rides. 

For rideshare drivers who work the sports bars and food delivery, check out profootballnetwork.com for complete schedules of the games. You can determine the best games and schedule your driving for those times. You might also use this information in advance, asking passengers, wait staff, and managers in the various food establishments for their tips on what they think will be the best games. 

Working the airports

Any list of pro tips for football game rideshares includes pregame rideshare rush hours, and the reality is that the pregame bump in rideshare business starts on Friday. This is as true for collegiate games as it is for NFL games. Hardcore fans, collegiate parents, and devoted school alumni regularly attend the away games. You can expect to see them arriving at the airports as early as Friday afternoon, so make it a point to be around the airport for pickups. 

Expect the Where to Drive screen on your Gridwise app to show a bump in traffic at the airports on Friday night when collegiate parents, alumni, and fans from the out-of-town team arrive. Restaurants will also show increased demand. 

This is where you start your reconnaissance. The majority of these out-of-town visitors stay at local hotels. There might even be a headquarters hotel. These folks will need a ride on game day. If you can determine a headquarters hotel or a hotel that is giving fan groups a package deal, you can position yourself to pick up a good number of rides on game day.

Ask about special events. Are fans planning a meet-up at a local restaurant that night or brunch before the game? Does the group have plans to visit a local attraction? These are all opportunities for additional rides. 

Other strategy if you drive rideshare

On the day of the game, expect rideshare drives to originate in the suburbs. Many local fans take a rideshare rather than hassle with the traffic themselves. They also anticipate consuming alcoholic beverages at the game, and taking a rideshare home is safer than driving under the influence. 

Check maps for the metropolitan transit systems. Trains and buses typically reach the stadium, but this isn’t always the case. Fans frequently look for rides from a depot near the stadium. Look for special offers from Lyft or Uber providing additional incentives for rides that drop off at the stadium or pick up afterward. 

Monitor the game from your car radio. If there is a sizable gap in the score by the end of the third quarter and the trailing team is unlikely to catch up, fans will start to slip away, hoping to avoid traffic. The surge of fans leaving the game can begin early in the case of runaway games. 

West Hollywood near Los Angeles has a liberal sprinkling of sports bars. This is typical for most medium and large cities. Lots of folks need rides at the end of game day. 

You can bypass the craziness of the sports stadiums and work the sports bars. For many drivers, sports bars are more profitable. Driving time lasts longer because the sports bars show all the games, regardless of where they occur. You’ll likely get customers who have had a lot more to drink, so prepare yourself. Carry emesis bags and perhaps even refer to the Gridwise blog post How to Deal with Drunk Uber or Lyft Passengers.  

Check the My Trends screen on the Gridwise app to see, among other things, how your earnings compare to the average in your area during football season. Using the Gridwise app will help you stay above the norm.   

Strategy if you drive food delivery

What kinds of restaurants should you expect to receive orders for food delivery during football season? In a report by Restaurant Business, DoorDash revealed the top five foods for football fans. Chicken wings lost their premier place as the food of choice. What were the top foods? Take a look:

1. mozzarella sticks
2. boneless chicken wings
3. chips and salsa
4. Caesar salad
5. pepperoni pizza

Grubhub reminds restaurant owners that they can expect football-related food delivery orders on two extra days each week during the season: Mondays and Thursdays. If you are deciding which days to turn on your app and go for a drive, those two days need to go on your list during pigskin season.

You can expect orders to surge about 30 minutes before the start of the game and continue through halftime. Don’t stop at the end of the game, though. These football parties can go on for a few hours after the final play as fans watch the various postgame shows and rehash the game with friends. 

General tips for rideshare and food delivery during football games

You can take additional measures to make football season more profitable, especially when looking for tips. 

Wear a football jersey or cap. You can either show your preference for the home team or wear a generic football jersey or an NFL hat. The latter is neutral and makes everyone happy. When you work the airport on Fridays, though, wear the jersey or T-shirt of the visiting team. That’s who you’ll be picking up for the most part. 

Spruce up your choice of music. If the Minnesota Vikings are in town, remember that Minneapolis is also the former home of Prince. There is a good chance you will have some Prince fans in the car. Your passengers will appreciate a playlist liberally sprinkled with Purple Rain, Little Red Corvette, Kiss, and others. A custom playlist based on the visiting team's city is always a hit with fans. 

Drive a larger vehicle. Can you change your regular rideshare car for the family SUV on game day? If so, driving Lyft XL or UberXL gets you a higher rate. 

Remember the really big games. Super Bowl Sunday rideshare tactics are the same but will be much more intense. The big game may not be in your city, but rideshare at the sports bars, along with food delivery, will be busy. Football season ends in January, but don’t forget March Madness, which some call “rideshare madness.” It’s another good time to work the sports bars and food delivery. 

Multi-app. According to our data, 31% of drivers multi-app, and 21% multi-app across categories (meaning they do both rideshare and food delivery, or some other service). 

While the games are happening, rideshare might be slow, but people at football viewing parties are hungry. Switching to food delivery ensures that you earn as much as possible. 

Gridwise messaging informs you of developing demand for rideshare and food delivery. The potential to earn more is always just a screen away when you use Gridwise. 

Pay attention to Gridwise messaging. Through the Gridwise app, you can sign up for messaging, telling you when events let out, predicted surges in demand, and other opportunities as they materialize. It is an invaluable service, only available from Gridwise. 

No two cities are alike on game day. According to this Gridwise blog post, The Impact of Pro Football Home Kickoff Games on Gig Mobility Demand, if your city has a hometown football team, professional or collegiate, you will have a unique pattern on game day for rideshare and food delivery. Likely factors include the location of the game venue and the types of restaurants and sports bars fans have available to them. 

There are, however, some consistencies. Tailgate parties start about two hours before kickoff. If the game starts at 11:00 am, this means people will start arriving at the stadium at 9:00 am. Expect demand for rideshare to peak around that time and continue until kickoff. Food delivery to football fans at home is up and down depending on the city, but expect it to peak late in the day, around 7:00 pm, as the last games are wrapping up and fans are celebrating their wins and bemoaning their losses. For more information, visit the Gridwise Analytics website. 

Gridwise can make you more successful on game day

The Gridwise app is essential for every rideshare driver, especially when you need pro tips for football game rideshares. Regular features such as When to Drive and Where to Drive provide real-time information on where rideshare and food delivery demand is greatest. You can track miles and fares for tax deductions from football weekend rides with the Gridwise Mileage Tracker. 

Don’t forget the many benefits you can access through Gridwise, including roadside assistance, telemedicine, dental insurance, and more. The Gridwise blog offers vital information on strategies and tactics for making you a successful gig driver. Gridwise helps you stay safe and maximize your earnings. 

And we also help you have fun out there.

All smart gig drivers use mileage trackers, but they also need an app that offers other features to maximize their income while minimizing expenses. The best mileage trackers address the needs of gig drivers and tailor information to their specific areas of interest. However, most stop at tracking mileage and do no more.

Let’s take a look at two mileage tracking apps, Stride and Gridwise. We’ll reveal what each app can do, and compare features to determine which one best serves all the needs of gig drivers.

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What gig drivers need in a mileage tracking app

Getting a full and accurate account of the mileage you accrue while gig driving allows you to deduct a significant portion of your taxable income. The apps you drive for record only the distances you cover while you’re engaged in a ride or delivery trip. You also need to count the miles you travel in between trips as well as those you cover on the way to and from the area where you go to drive. That’s the reason most drivers have a mileage tracking app. But as you know, there’s more to gig driving and gig work than just tracking miles. 

Mileage is not the only deductible expense drivers need to track. The things you buy to make your gig more effective, from new mats for your vehicle to the equipment you use to keep delivery food hot and cold, can also be deductible expenses*. It’s important that you keep track of all these things so they can be included in your itemization process at tax time.

On top of that, drivers need more than just information involving their expenses. It’s important to be aware of your earnings, and how they compare with your expenses. Then, you’ll want to know how to boost your profits, with features that help you decide the best times and places to drive, and keep you informed about issues that are essential to your gig-driving business. 

Knowing where and when events will take place, what the weather will be like, when airport passengers will most urgently need rides, and how your earnings compare to those of other drivers are all pieces of information that make your job easier and more profitable. Gig drivers are very busy people and can’t always take the time to switch from one app to the next to gather all this information.

Also, drivers need to know they can secure support through affordable insurance, deals, and discounts that improve life for themselves and their families. That’s why it’s essential to find a tool that has all the services a gig driver needs, packed into one powerful app.

What you need to know about the Stride tax mileage tracker

Every app has a purpose, and these two are no exception. Both Gridwise and Stride are good mileage trackers. Keeping an account of the miles you drive for business allows you to take a large deduction off your taxable income. Learn more about tax deductions and mileage tracking in this Gridwise post.

Appstore rating: 4.8

Google Play Store Rating: 3.3

Stride’s mileage tracker, which is chiefly a financial app, is not designed specifically for gig drivers. The mileage tracker geared toward independent contractors of all types. This means that it lacks many of the features gig drivers need. By engaging Stride to track your miles while you drive for your gigs, you get a record of every mile you drive, which is only one of the things you need to maximize your earnings.

The Stride app allows you to connect to the bank account you use for business and keep track of your deductible expenses. It features a tax deduction finder, as well as connections to insurance plans, discounts, and deals geared toward independent contractors. The Stride app is free, but the insurance you choose will have costs attached. While some of the Stride Insurance plans are low cost, many are priced at levels you would expect through any insurance broker.

Almost all Stride Mileage Tracker reviews will tell you the same things. If all you want is a free mileage tracker, Stride can deliver.

As EntreCourier.com notes, there is a lot it doesn’t do. For instance, it doesn’t track your earnings as you drive. You have to enter them manually. When using Stride, your expenses have to be logged manually. And it doesn’t keep you on top of traffic, weather, events, or where to drive.

For additional fees these include 

• health insurance
• dental insurance
• vision insurance
• life insurance
• accident coverage
• disability insurance
• features that help with organizing your finances to make tax preparation easier*

Discover Gridwise: The mileage tracking app and gig worker assistant

A quick look at Gridwise:

Appstore Rating: 4.9 

Google Play Store Rating: 4.7

Gridwise is much more than a mileage tracker, and while it offers features that assist you at tax preparation time, it doesn’t stop there. 

Gridwise is designed to be the gig driver’s personal assistant. It tracks all your gig driving miles and allows you to record other expenses, as well.

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In addition to that, it provides traffic, event, and weather alerts that are crucial to drivers. Beyond what your individual apps might say about how much you’re making, Gridwise lets you track your actual earnings for every gig you drive.

Easy to read graphs enable you to see your driving trends, and how they compare to those of other drivers in your area. Gridwise users also gain access to affordable health and insurance benefits, deals, and discounts designed for gig drivers.

The Gridwise app offers a free version with all the Basic features, including access to Gridwise Benefits. Gridwise offers a diverse range of insurance and care plans—for your car, your phone, and for you and your family. See why Gridwise is a favorite among gig workers in our top 5 gig worker apps comparison.

Gridwise Plus members gain access to advanced features and additional insider information about where and when the best places and times to drive are, as well as more detailed reports in .csv format. Gridwise Plus members are also eligible for further discounts on the benefits and deals Gridwise offers.

Stride vs. Gridwise: Compare their features

Now that you have a basic idea of the differences between them, let’s look at a more detailed comparison.

Because Gridwise is a full-featured assistant, designed with features for gig drivers and gig workers, it beats Stride and other mileage tracking apps hands down. It offers features other apps don’t even realize that drivers, specifically, need.

Their dedication to making your job easier inspired the people behind Gridwise to offer an active support team. They can guide you through maximizing the utility of the Gridwise app—and your earnings. The app is as easy to use as it is comprehensive and supportive of your desire to maximize your gig earnings.

Here’s where you can learn more about Gridwise and mileage tracking:

• What’s the best mileage tracking app?
• Gridwise vs Solo: How they size up
• Mileage mistakes you don’t want to make

* Gridwise does not provide tax, legal, or accounting advice. This material has been prepared for information purposes only. It is not intended to provide, and should not be relied on for tax, legal, or accounting advice. You should consult your own tax, legal, and accounting advisors before filing your return.

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Are you looking for more gig driver articles?

• Discover how Gridwise ranks among the top gig worker apps by exploring our detailed comparison
• 9 Must Have Apps For Gig Drivers
• 5 Best Mileage Trackers For Gig Drivers
• Uber Eats vs. DoorDash: Which is the better company for drivers?