How To Be A Delivery Driver: A Gridwise Driver Guide

If delivery driving is your gig, no one has to tell you there’s a lot more to it than “pick it up and drop it off.” This guide breaks down all the info you need to succeed, from what makes a delivery company worth driving for to which ones pay more or offer the most desirable working conditions, benefits, and company culture. You’ll learn about driving strategy and how to multi-app, as well as get practical information about taking care of your delivery driving business, from finding insurance to cutting down costs so your profits can soar. Here’s a quick look at the topics we’ll cover:

• Delivery driver strategies for success
• Delivery driver earnings
• Delivery driver tips and tricks
• Insurance for gig drivers
• Saving your driver income
• Car care advice for delivery drivers

Are you ready to taste all the ways you can make the most out of your delivery driving gig? Go on, dig in! This guide is more sumptuous than the fabulous fare you carry out to your customers. Let’s start by looking at what the world of delivery driving has to offer.

Best delivery apps for drivers

It’s trite to say “there are so many delivery apps to choose from,” but it turns out to be true. Lucky for drivers, this also means there’s one for everybody’s lifestyle, preference, and income needs. Keep reading and you’ll see for yourself.

• Interested in working for Shipt? This blog post details all the factors that tell you whether Shipt will get you what you’re looking for.

• If you want to avoid the irritations of dealing with food stains on your car seats and the sharp tongues of surly restaurant workers, check out how three great parcel delivery companies can make your gig driving world a better place.

• Temporary holiday work is always a good idea, and you can pick up some hours and quite a bit of cash driving for UPS or FedEx. This post compares these two giants so you can decide which one might fit your needs.

• If you prefer working on your own schedule and driving your own vehicle, consider Amazon Flex. It’s easy to fit this gig into your life. Plus, Flex has its perks, as you’ll see in this info-packed post.

• What is Point Pickup? It’s a different kind of package delivery app with a super-sophisticated platform that matches drivers to deliveries from retail stores efficiently and effectively. Sound interesting? Find out everything you need to know to “pick up” the ins and outs of working with this app.

• If you have friends who work for Gopuff, they’ve probably told you why they swear by it. Gopuff driver pay is just the beginning. In the event you haven’t yet heard those love stories, this article will tell you what drivers adore about working with this app.
  
• Do you dig shopping at grocery stores? This post tells you what it’s like to work with Instacart. You can be a shopper-driver, purely a delivery driver, or an in-store shopper for this popular service.

• In case you don’t like to ferret through the aisles at the local supermarket but could still be cool with delivering people’s food staples, Weee! could be for you. Read how you can use the Weee! app to pick up specialty foods from local stores and drop them off to cooks that care about quality.

• They say variety is the spice of life, and if you want to mix up food delivery with rideshare, Uber makes it easy. Drive a passenger to a restaurant, then pick up an order and deliver it to a hungry customer. This post tells you more about how you can work the rideshare and delivery mix with ease.

• If you’ve got a truck or a big van and have lots of muscle, you can really make out with moving stuff when you sign up with the Dolly app. Learn more about what Dolly drivers do, and what it takes to apply.

• Want to see an overall breakdown of delivery services, including what makes a delivery app worth driving for and how the different companies measure up? Check out this blog post and you’ll be fully informed.

Delivery driver strategies for success

Delivery driver basics

Track your miles, earnings, and expenses. This will be critical during tax season. You could lose $100s by not tracking everything!

Have a driving strategy

Do you drive full time? Part time? What delivery services do you want to work for? What areas tend to bring in more money? What times of day? Ask yourself these questions and have a plan. You don’t have to guess at the answers, either. You can find out the most profitable times and places to drive with just a little research.

Nail the details

Sometimes, even when we think everything is covered and we’re ready to roll, there are issues that can make the delivery driving gig more profitable—and fun! From little things you can do to make life easier to multiplying your success with multi-apping, there’s always more you can think about—and do.

You might be an old hand at delivery, or a total novice. Either way, you’ll benefit from checking out the nuggets of wisdom tucked into this guide to working as a new or experienced delivery driver.

The art of multi-apping lets you work more than one service at a time, without breaking the rules! Want to learn more? Find out all you need to multi-app like a pro.

Yes, you have flexible hours and a respectable hourly earnings rate. But no delivery service is going to give you paid vacation. That’s why you need to read this post that tells you how to save up your gig driver earnings to go on vacations, without worrying about missing your income.

Have you had your last hot date in your personal car that now smells like stale onion rings and guacamole? It could be time to look at an alternative vehicle to use for delivery. Read this post to see if renting a vehicle for your gig is good for you.

Delivery driver earnings

Even if the work drivers are expected to do inspires you to believe you’ve discovered the gig of your dreams, the facts about earnings could make your heart beat faster or bring that honeymoon to a soul-crushing end. “Know before you go” is always a good mantra to live by, so here’s some info that covers the financial feedback you can expect from different delivery gigs.

• Get real about your expectations. This article about food delivery driver earnings gives you an overview of the kind of money the top companies are doling out to drivers. 

• Is making money driving for Grubhub still a thing? Get the story and see how you can boost your income working for this popular company.

• Still trying to settle on the right company for you? This overview of driver earnings for all kinds of delivery services will give you the insight you need to make good choices.

• Real estate is not the only industry where “location, location, location” determines how much money can be made. See Gridwise data on the highest paying cities for delivery driving, and determine if you can expect to make top dollar where you live.

• Drivers say they like delivering for Shipt, but what about Shipt shopper pay? You can get the facts and figures in this post, and glean tips on how to make more money with Shipt.

• Even though Grubhub isn’t as wildly popular as some other companies, driver earnings can make this app well worth working for. See how well Grubhub delivers to drivers’ pockets.

• Does the idea of working with Instacart float your boat? Read this article to discover what Instacart shopper pay is like, and how to cut down your costs for smoother sailing.

• Uber Eats driver pay might make you sit up and take notice. See just how much Eats drivers are making in this post, and decide if it’s worth giving Uber Eats a try.

• Doordash is the big fish in the food delivery pond, and this article that tells you just how much you can earn as a Dasher is some of the best DoorDash driver advice around. 

• If you want to consider adding Amazon Flex to your gig driving mix, you need to know more about Amazon Flex driver pay. This piece tells you what Amazon is paying Flex drivers, so you can decide if driving for Flex could be worth your time and effort.

Delivery driver tips and tricks

Even if the app that fits your lifestyle isn’t the one that pays the most to drivers, there are measures you can take to increase your income. There are bonuses, perks, and tipping, of course, but what about the other side of the equation? Discover how cutting down your overhead can keep you riding high, earnings-wise, and you’ll make the most of every minute you spend on the road.

• Cutting down on fuel costs is a big deal, and it doesn’t get easier as time goes by. Everybody can use some tips on how to stop leaving so much money behind at the pump. This blog post breaks down 13 ways to save money on gas.

• Insurance is one of those necessary evils when it comes to the cost of driving. It can cost an arm and a leg, but if you don’t have it, you could stand to lose even more. Read this post to avoid common mistakes drivers make with insurance, and learn how to minimize costs while keeping yourself covered to the max.

• Is your phone bill eating away at your take-home pay? You need to find the best phone plans for drivers, but where do you look?. This article will end your search for an affordable phone plan with a high-quality service that’s perfect for delivery drivers.

• Keeping your car in running order isn’t always convenient, but it’s crucial. This post shows you ways to cut your maintenance costs substantially, while keeping your finger on the pulse of the care your vehicle needs.

• The tricks of the trade might seem like secrets if you’re not in the know. Here’s an article that helps Amazon Flex drivers strategize to make the most of their time and increase their earning potential.

• The price of everything is on the rise, making it more important than ever to get control over your expenses and cut ongoing costs. This article offers help with hacks that let you keep more of your earnings.

Insurance for gig drivers

Do you have insurance on your mind? Maybe you looked at your recent premiums or got a bill you wish you could cover with a policy. Once you get past your shock, look into ways to buy the coverage you need at prices you can afford. There are good reasons to think about insurance. You really can’t afford to be without it!

• What insurance do drivers need? The answer varies from state to state, but there are some basics you need to know. Read this article to get savvy about how your insurance needs to change the minute you use your vehicle for delivery driving.

• If you believe you can’t get insurance because you’re an independent contractor, you’ve got it wrong! Read about what you need and what your delivery company might provide, and find out how you can get amazing amounts of coverage. 

• Most insurance is expensive, but that doesn’t mean it’s okay to skimp on it. See how you can avoid the mistakes many drivers make when it comes to insurance.

• The cost of insurance can make you sick, but if you truly do fall ill, wouldn’t it be nice to know there are ways to get care and coverage you can afford? This article reveals ways to get health care and coverage at prices you can deal with.

Delivery driver income: saving some for later

• You really can find ways to save on gas, even when prices push their way through the roof. Learn about the many ways you can conserve on fuel.

• Sure you love your driving job, but you want some fun in life, too, right? You deserve things like a vacation to create a healthy life-work balance. This article demonstrates how you can plan for time off and a well-earned rest by saving ahead.

• Sometimes it feels like being a gig worker is a big risk. What happens when you’re too old to work? Well, yes, you can even plan for retirement as a gig driver! This article gives you 3 steps to saving for that time when you turn in your thermal bag and beverage holder for good!

Car care advice for delivery drivers

Whether your vehicle is a smallish 4-door, a big pickup, or a utility van, it needs one thing more than ever when you use it for your gig: tender loving care. Delivery drivers’ cars, trucks, and all things that roll take a huge beating. Here’s some advice on how to maintain the wheels you own, plus ways to rent or buy a new set when the time comes.

• Keeping your car in top-notch order is the only way to go if you expect it to be the workhorse that drives your delivery gig. This maintenance guide from Gridwise will keep your ride running on all cylinders! 

• Don’t want to expose your “shiny new baby” to the wear and tear of delivery driving? Rent one from someone else! This post tells you how to find affordable rentals to keep your gig running.

• Does the vehicle you have now meet your delivery driving needs? Maybe it’s time to find a new set of wheels. Here’s a guide to buying cars that meet the standards you (and your delivery company) are looking for.

Did we miss anything? Let us know your delivery strategy in the comments!