What’s the deal with Postmates? Is it still around? Wondering how to become a driver for Postmates? We’ve got some important news you’ll need before you set out to work with the Postmates delivery app, and we’ll cover it all in this post, including:
- What is Postmates, and who owns Postmates?
- What app do you use as a Postmates driver?
- What are the requirements for Postmates drivers?
- How can you streamline your gig driving experience?
What is Postmates, and who owns Postmates?
Postmates is a delivery service that allows customers to order prepared food, groceries, convenience items, dry goods, and even flowers. Orders are placed through the Postmates app, but they are no longer fulfilled by Postmates drivers.
Uber acquired Postmates in December 2020 for $2.65 million. Over a transition period of several months, Uber incorporated the fulfillment of Postmates orders into Uber Eats. With Postmates now owned by Uber, customers still order from Postmates, but the deliveries are executed by Uber Eats drivers.
Is Postmates and Uber Eats the same? On the customer side, Postmates’ appearance hasn’t changed, but in fact, Uber has migrated everything but the user-facing web page and branding to Uber Eats. For restaurants and drivers, Postmates and Uber Eats are very much the same. Given these facts, if you want to know how to become a Postmates driver, you’ll need to work with the Uber Eats app.
What app do you use as a Postmates driver?
Uber allowed qualified drivers to continue delivering for Postmates via Uber Eats, but the Postmates Fleet app for drivers was phased out July 2021.
It’s still possible to go to your app store and search for the Postmates Fleet app, but this is the screen that will appear:
You can sign up at this time through Uber and, possibly, make deliveries ordered through the Postmates app. If you were a Postmates driver in the past, you could/should have used a link in that app which allowed you to automatically migrate your account to Uber Eats. More about that will be detailed in the next section.
There is still an app for Postmates customers. It provides them with access to all the things they always loved about the Postmates user experience. But their delivery drivers will now be part of Uber Eats.
What are the requirements for Postmates drivers?
One of the more frustrating things for former Postmates drivers has been the differences between the requirements for Postmates vs. Uber Eats. Postmates drivers went through background checks, but they were not as stringent as those required by Uber. Uber Eats conducts a more thorough criminal background check and disqualifies drivers with recent major violations or several small violations. If former Postmates drivers couldn’t pass these checks, they were unable to drive for Uber Eats.
All drivers, whether formerly part of the Postmates Fleet or not, must meet the following qualifications to work with Uber Eats:
Source: Gridwise Post:Delivery Driver Guide: Using the Uber Eats app
Note that it’s possible to deliver for Uber Eats on foot, or by bicycle and scooter in many locations. This expands opportunities for many Uber Eats food and package couriers.
For those drivers who used to be part of the Postmates Fleet and were able to qualify for Uber Eats, the migration process was easy and fair. All the trips that counted toward their rewards were migrated and shown in their Uber accounts, once they linked them. Completed Uber deliveries got added to the lifetime total of completed Postmates trips.
Some other information, including trip details and 1099 tax documents for 2020, was available from the Postmates app only. Drivers would have needed to recover them prior to August 9, 2021.
If you want to know how to work Postmates, you can hope to deliver for some of their customers through your Uber Eats orders. If you were once a Postmates Fleet member and haven’t checked out the changes, Uber’s FAQ page detailing migration from Postmates issues provides a wide range of information for former Postmates drivers.
How can you streamline your gig driving experience?
There are some gig drivers who are happy about the merger between Postmates and Uber Eats. Additional deliveries came in for those Uber Eats drivers, and Postmates workers probably found more opportunities and restaurants available once Postmates became part of Uber Eats. Marrying the two companies allowed many drivers to reduce the hassle of working with more than one app at a time, too.
Multi-apping is also a great way to make the most of your time while you’re driving. You can still do this working with Uber Eats and another delivery app, such as DoorDash, Shipt, or Instacart. But, since you will have the challenge of tracking your earnings, expenses, and mileage on each of the apps you use, you’ll need to find a way to streamline your gig driving experience.
Boost your earnings
Boost your earnings while you consolidate all your gig driving activities—with Gridwise! The best-ever app for gig drivers has everything you need to keep an account of essential information for every bit of your driving!
Simply start tracking with Gridwise the moment you start your shift. Gridwise will log every mile you drive, including the distance you cover between rides. None of your driving apps let you capture these valuable, deductible miles!
Keep an accurate account of your earnings for all your apps by syncing your driving platforms with Gridwise. The Gridwise app seamlessly tracks your earnings and allows you to view them in clear, concise, and attractive graphic form.
Why choose Gridwise?
Because Gridwise is designed specifically for gig drivers, it includes all the information drivers need in the course of a shift. You won’t have to keep going back and forth from one app to the other to find out what’s happening with the weather or traffic alerts in your area. Gridwise has them for you, right at your fingertips!
You’ll also get more information drivers need, such as stats on the number of airport arrivals and departures, and the starting and let out times for games, concerts, and other events in your area.
Plus, you can stop driving yourself crazy looking at all your apps for the best times and places to drive. Gridwise has all the information, curated from the experience of drivers on your apps in your area! Sit back, check Where to Drive and When to Drive from Gridwise, and plan out your gig driving schedule!
Gridwise is designed by gig drivers for gig drivers. With these great streamlining features, plus deals, discounts, and offers for health care and insurance that make living as an independent contractor more secure, you can’t afford to drive without it.
Download Gridwise now!
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