Gig mobility data may be one of the most valuable business tools in the last few years. In the post-pandemic shift to hybrid work and working from home, traffic patterns in downtown areas have changed. Major residential communities are springing up in the suburbs, seemingly fully developed, as the commuter base around metropolitan areas creeps further from the interstate. For instance, what was once an hour’s drive from downtown Los Angeles to the outer suburbs during evening rush hour now often exceeds two hours. 

What does this mean for mobility-related businesses? How do rideshare companies determine surge policies and driver incentives in these quickly growing and continually changing areas? How does the competitive food delivery business determine market penetration strategies in a constantly expanding and changing environment? How do services like Amazon Flex and Roadie look at logistics analytics to determine their scheduling? 

Equally important, how does the investment community evaluate mobility-related opportunities powered by new technology and new ideas, especially in a business sector where change is the only constant?   

The secret is knowledge. Who’s driving where? When do they drive? What route do they take? Gig mobility data answers many of these questions.

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Gridwise Analytics gathers vehicle trip data across all significant gig service platforms, receiving information from over 500,000 gig drivers who have downloaded the Gridwise app. This input allows Gridwise to aggregate gig mobility data and translate it into transportation analytics. The result is the ground truth: What’s happening on our streets and freeways? This information helps businesses in all sectors operate more efficiently. 

What are mobility data, gig mobility data, and transportation analytics?

Before discussing the opportunities within mobility data, gig mobility data, and transportation analytics, it is crucial to understand the definitions and the differences between the applications of these terms. 

Mobility Data

This is the broader of the two terms, referring to any data related to the movement of people or goods across different transportation modes. It can encompass public transportation, private vehicle usage, pedestrian traffic, and more. It also encompasses shuttles, scooters, and rideshare. 

Gig Mobility Data

Gig mobility data is more specific and indicates that the data is related to the gig economy segment of mobility, such as rideshare and delivery services (including prepared food, groceries, and parcels). This would be particularly relevant to gig drivers and companies interested in understanding patterns, demand, and operational efficiencies within the gig sector.

Transportation Analytics

Transportation analytics is the interpretation of the related data. As Harvard Business School Online explains, “Data analytics refers to the process and practice of analyzing data [in this case, gig mobility data] to answer questions, extract insights, and identify trends.”

For instance, rap star Snoop Dogg appeared at the Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado, this past July 2023. An analysis of gig mobility data surrounding that event can reveal

• where concert attendees came from (the geographic reach of a rap performer in the Denver metropolitan area) 
• what route they took (how will traffic be affected?)
• how far in advance of the event they arrived (what’s the potential impact on restaurants in the area pre-event?)
• how long attendees remained afterward (rideshare companies can use this input to determine the time and length of surge periods)

In each case, data from different times and different places tells a different story, of interest to a different entity.

Gig mobility data refers to the individual points of information. Transportation analytics refers to interpreting that information to develop a story and its potential effect on a business. 

What can gig mobility data show us?

Gig mobility data can help us see the overall picture

The image above is a bird’s-eye view of San Francisco and the surrounding suburbs. Red and gold heat map points indicate rideshare pickup locations. Heavily populated areas turn almost solid gold with activity, centralized in the San Francisco city area on the left of the image, with the next most active area across the bridge to the right (east) in Oakland. 

This map highlights other sites that may be less popular but still show significant activity. If a new entrant wants to enter this market but is still determining where they want to focus, this gig mobility data information can help answer that question. 

Incumbents can also use this data to identify where their competitors’ are active. By understanding where competitor activity happens, rideshare companies can position their businesses to capitalize on their unique advantages in ways that competitors can’t, leading to more profitable market share. Maybe rural markets are underserved, presenting an opportunity. 

Gig mobility data can help us see the activity of different gig platforms

Gridwise Analytics can overlay gig mobility data from two companies, as we have done here again with San Francisco, providing a view of rideshare market domination. 

The orange points represent areas of activity for Company A, while the blue points represent activity for Company B. If you were a new industry entrant, you could see where your competitors are focused.

Gig mobility data can identify points of activity

Gridwise can help companies visualize this data by adding a three-dimensional element to represent more trips occurring in the same area. Both clusters of columns (in the lower center-right and the far center-right), represent rides at airports, showing the popularity of those locations for rideshare drivers. 

Different colored points represent the different rideshare services. This type of transportation analysis can also be done for grocery and food delivery services, showing clusters of restaurants and even individual establishments that generate substantial orders. These merchant insights are key in developing strategies based on ground truth data. 

How does gig mobility data identify and leverage hotspots?

Residential development

Construction is near completion on a hypothetical new community of 350 homes in a suburb 30 miles from a major metropolitan area. Rideshare companies want to know the kind of traffic the community will generate at key times, both from commuters and for trips to regional airports, among other destinations. 

In advance of that community opening, analytics companies can locate similar communities in the area (similar income and demographics), procure transportation data analytics for commuter rideshare, and predict what the new community will generate. Based on this information, rideshare companies can determine driver incentive programs to service this community, such as surge pricing and other promotions. 

Origin and destination data can optimize route efficiency, reducing fuel costs and travel time. Grocery delivery platforms will also be interested in the information and what it means for the demand for their services. 

Retail establishments, like supermarkets and restaurants, and services like health clubs can also procure gig mobility data to determine the feasibility of new locations to serve the community.

New entertainment and sports venues

A recent AP article predicts that by 2028, Major League Baseball will likely add two new franchises, meaning new teams in new cities. Cities running for the new franchises include Charlotte, NC; Nashville, TN; Portland, OR; and Montreal. According to AP, Salt Lake City, UT, and Austin, TX, have also expressed an interest. The Tampa Bay Rays are finalizing plans for a new ballpark in St. Petersburg, FL, and the Athletics are leaving Oakland, CA, to head for Las Vegas. 

This means those cities and the rideshare companies that serve them will seek gig mobility data to predict the volume of passengers on game days. One tactic will be to examine game day transportation data analytics from stadiums in similar cities. At a minimum, the gig mobility data will again help rideshare companies determine how many new drivers they need to attract to their platforms and what kinds of promotions they will need to draw those drivers out. 

These facilities will no doubt host other events, including concerts and other sporting events. Member companies in the transportation network will be interested in gig mobility data so they know how to serve attendees best. 

Gig mobility data has value for the investment community and hedge fund managers

Investment companies, hedge fund managers, and venture capitalists have also found opportunities to use gig mobility data and transportation data analytics to solidify their investment strategies. The increasing integration of technology and data analytics has opened new avenues for investors to gain insights into various industries, and the mobility sector is no exception. Here are just a few examples.

• Opportunities in the gig industry. First, it was rideshare, then food and grocery delivery, followed by parcel delivery. Airbnb and Vrbo rent out vacation homes, and Outdoorsy helps RV owners justify the expense of their rigs by renting them out when they’re not in use. All these industries and their investors will benefit from gig mobility data. 
• Infrastructure investments. Investment firms often seek opportunities related to infrastructure development. Transportation analytics can identify locations where there is a need for improved transportation infrastructure. Cities can use gig mobility data and transportation analytics to structure bond offerings to finance infrastructure projects. Cities are also now considering broadband as part of the infrastructure, which will put more focus on this sector. 
• Regulatory impact. Regulations and policy decisions heavily influence the gig driver industry. Gig mobility data and predictive analytics can help investors determine how proposed regulations may impact companies in this sector. Anticipating these regulatory shifts allows investors to evaluate investment opportunities better. Industry principals can use predictive analytics to mount campaigns that ensure legislators consider all options and ramifications of potential regulations. 
• Insurance. Automobile insurance companies base their rates on the zip code of where the insured lives. Gig mobility data can contribute to risk management strategies by providing a more accurate view of risks and challenges in a zip-code area. This includes traffic congestion, supply chain disruptions, and environmental considerations. 
• Impact of technological advances. The mobility sector is undergoing rapid technological advancements, including the development of autonomous vehicles, electric transportation, and smart city solutions. Investment companies and hedge fund managers can use gig mobility data for predictive analytics, evaluating investment opportunities in companies involved in this technology. Companies in the autonomous vehicle and electric vehicle charging industry have used Gridwise gig mobility data to make decisions that have had considerable financial impact. 
• Economic indicators. Changes in gig mobility data often reflect broader economic trends, providing investors with early signals about economic downturns or upswings. A decrease in regional commuting activity could indicate layoffs, while an increase in vacation travel could indicate economic growth.

Gig mobility data does not exist in a vacuum

Much of the decision-making regarding transportation and related projects relies on online research, observations, and unscientific studies. Often this information presents a conflicting picture of what’s happening. 

Gig mobility data and transportation analytics provide a more definitive answer. Gridwise Analytics has encountered several companies that were stymied by conflicting perspectives. Once they added gig mobility data from Gridwise, the picture became clearer.  

“We always knew we needed TNC data, but before Gridwise Analytics, there were only limited sources out there,” said one company official. 

Gig mobility data from Gridwise Analytics 

Gig mobility data from Gridwise Analytics offers unique insights for companies involved in and serving the transportation infrastructure, showing how people and goods move from one location to another. The granular data shows where trips originate, where they end, and the major travel corridors. Gridwise Analytics is the who, what, where, when, why, and how of gig mobility data.

Data teams can sort this information to reflect daily, monthly, and annual patterns. Gridwise data comes in a clean format, with little or no need to manipulate it to fit into the model you might be using. Models can be quickly updated with new information, too. 

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

Are you looking for more articles about Gridwise Analytics? 

• Learn more about Gridwise Analytics. Start exploring today! 
• Read about the assurances Gridwise makes to drivers concerning the use of their data. 
• Why we launched Gridwise Analytics
• Replica: Enhancing mobility insights with Gridwise TNC data

Mixing it up is a sound strategy for gig drivers. For rideshare drivers, this means working for Uber and Lyft simultaneously. For food delivery drivers, this is working for several companies in the same way. And then some drivers mix rideshare and food delivery. 

Other gig drivers add to the mix when they get involved in micromobility, sometimes referred to as the last mile. We’re talking specifically about Lime scooters. As most of us know, the opportunity is to get involved as a Lime scooter charger, or as Lime refers to it, a Lime Juicer. 

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What is Lime and how does it work?

Lime is one of the two big players in the rentable electric scooter market, part of the larger micromobility arena. Bird was the first company to launch rentable electric scooters in 2017. Lime, which was actually founded before Bird, has been giving them a run for their money ever since. Who’s on top in market shares switches back and forth, with the other players back in the pack. Those other players include Uber, Lyft, Spin, and Skip. 

Lime scooters and their competitors are electric scooters, also known as e-scooters. They are rented through an app and typically used in congested city areas for short trips. Lime and Bird scooters have a top speed of about 15 miles an hour, and a range of about 15 miles before the scooter needs to be recharged. Both companies also have e-bikes, but that market is not part of this article. 

Where will you find Lime scooters?

Like all scooter companies, Lime is looking for target-rich environments where the scooters get a lot of use and are easy to find and harvest. This means large downtown areas, the beach, and some resort areas. The Lime website lists 53 cities in the US, although this number is constantly growing. Users skew toward millennials and Gen Z, especially the hipster and bougie crowd. 

You will also find Lime, as well as the other electric scooter companies, around the world. Europe is a big market, larger than the US in terms of cities. If you live in the US, then there is a city near you that offers Lime scooters and its competitors. 

Some cities have banned e-scooters

From the very start, there have been problems with this emerging mode of micromobility. Many cities banned them, citing accidents caused by reckless scooter users, scooters abandoned in the middle of streets, and other issues. Many of these were legitimate concerns. 

Other cities later invited them back, often in trial programs. A city might invite Lime to be part of the program, along with a few others, but exclude Bird. It’s all dependent on which company made a good proposal. E-scooters are a very fluid market.  

How to reserve a Lime scooter

If you want to use a Lime scooter, download the Lime app and link it to your debit card. The app will then show you available scooters in your area. When you select a scooter, it is reserved (usually for about ten minutes), and the app gives you the scooter number and the address of its location. 

Once you locate the scooter, you scan the QR code on it, which unlocks the scooter. You give it a push, crank the electric accelerator, and off you go. Charges can vary slightly from one city to another, but unlocking the scooter is generally $1, and then there’s a per-mile cost of 15 cents, although it goes as high as 30 cents. When you arrive at your destination, Lime asks you to leave the scooter someplace safe (which doesn’t always happen). Deactivate the scooter on your app, and you’re done. 

Becoming a Lime scooter charger 

Charging Lime scooters is where the gig work comes in. Lime calls them Lime Juicers. At a designated time, usually 9:00 p.m. or 10:00 p.m. (it can vary by market), the Juicer portion of the Lime app will start displaying scooters that need a charge. The Lime Juicers reserve their scooters and hit the street to find them. Lime calls this harvesting. 

You get three or four Lime charger cords when you sign up as a Lime Juicer. If you were one of the early ones to sign on, there is a good chance you received them free from Lime. You are more apt to pay for a Lime charger now though. Figure about $15 or $20 for each charger from Lime. You can also find them on Amazon and eBay (both new and used) for lower prices. Also, look on OfferUp and similar sites. 

Once a Juicer has completed their harvesting activities for the night, it is back to their home to charge the scooters. This process takes about five hours and probably involves a power strip or two or three (Amazon has some chargers that will juice up to six scooters at a time). According to various reports by Lime Juicers, it costs less than 20 cents in electricity to charge a scooter. Other Juicers say they don’t notice a change in their electricity bill. 

Once the scooters are charged, Lime requires that they be back on the street, generally starting at about 4:00 a.m. for the early rush hour users, and no later than 7:00 a.m. (these times may vary from city to city). Lime says it will not compensate Juicers for scooters dropped off after 7:00 a.m., although some Juicers claim they have been paid for late drop-offs. 

How much do Lime Juicers make?

When a Lime Juicer looks at the app, they see how much Lime is paying to juice each scooter. Rates are based on how much of a charge the scooter needs and how easy the scooter is to find. A scooter on a major street in a downtown area might get the Juicer $3 to $7, depending on the charge needed. If the scooter is on a side street and it’s drained, the pay might go as high as $12. 

Then you have the scooters that are abandoned in difficult-to-find locations: a residential neighborhood, an alley on the outskirts of downtown, or some other strange location. The app may even be reading a scooter that someone is keeping on the porch or garage, intending to ride it to work the next morning. These are probably better left alone. 

How do these rates translate hourly?

Lime Juicers can easily make $15 or $20 an hour once they figure out how to harvest scooters and be efficient about it. Some claim to make as much as $30 an hour. How well you do really comes down to how well you hone your strategy, and everyone has their own strategy on how to do it. 

The big takeaway to remember is that Lime Juicers have limited hours. The earliest you can go to work is 9:00 p.m., and the scooters get picked up quickly.

Lime can also be very seasonal. The business drops off during the rainy months. Does it snow in your area? Not much scooter business then, either. 

Winning strategies: How much do Lime Juicers make a month?

This depends on your strategy. Everyone has a different approach, but there are three main categories:

Full-time Juicers 

These are Juicers with a truck or van and a good number of chargers. They hit it hard, are constantly looking on the app for new scooters, and might charge 30 or 40 scooters a night, maybe more. They claim they make $4,000 a month minimum. Check out this Reddit thread about a Juicer who claims $400 a night.   

Part-time Juicers

Some Lime Juicers have shared their strategy for maximizing part time earnings. One Juicer harvests a scooter with a charge on his way home from work and then uses it as his Lime Juicer scooter to locate others, which he then stacks on the first scooter. Then he rides the stack home. Their reported record is seven scooters stacked at once while driving down the street, but this Juicer is most comfortable with four scooters at once. In the morning they stack the charged scooters and checks the app for the nearest drop-off location indicated on the app. Working part-time, this Juicer says he once made $1,000 in one month as a Juicer. Other Juicers on Reddit claimed this strategy, too. 

Hoarders

This is the type of activity that will get you kicked off the Lime app or any other scooter app. Still, it happens a lot. Hoarders go out before the appointed 9:00 p.m. hour and corral as many scooters as they can, ideally hiding them in a truck or van. At 9:00 p.m., they start scanning the scooters to see which ones require a charge. When the honest Juicers come out, all the easy-to-find scooters are gone. As you can guess, hoarders who don't get caught bring in good money. 

Another strategy regards the easy-to-find scooters vs. the hard-to-find ones which command a bigger price. Wise Juicers will disregard the hard-to-find scooters, knowing they can pick up five easy-to-find scooters in the same amount of time and make more money. 

Lime vs. Bird

In markets where both Lime and Bird are active, it’s a toss-up as to whether it is better to be a Lime Juicer or a Bird Charger. Rates are different in every market and they tend to fluctuate. According to Kevin Ha from FinancialPanther.com, the same chargers work for both Lime and Bird scooters (that is, at least some generations of the scooters), so it is easy to work for both companies. 

Also, remember that there are markets where Lime or Bird are excluded. Obviously, that limits your choices. 

Bird is also going through some changes that affect the gig charger community. Read on to find out about those changes. 

How to sign up to be a Lime Juicer

The steps to being a Lime Juicer are about as straightforward as the other app-based jobs in transportation and micromobility. Here are the qualifications. You must

• be at least 18 years old
• be in possession of a valid US driver’s license (despite Juicers who claim they don’t use a car)
• be in possession of a Social Security number
• own a vehicle that can store at least one scooter (again, even though some Juicers don’t use their car)
• own a smartphone, iPhone or Android 

As far as the actual sign-up process, it is easiest to download the app and navigate to the Juicer section. Fill out the online form, send it in, and wait for Lime to contact you. 

This is where it gets frustrating in some markets

Lime’s latest innovation is their Gen 4 scooters. These models have a rechargeable battery pack. As of this writing, they are not being used in all markets, but according to an article in TechCrunch, that’s where the company is headed. In markets with the Gen 4 scooters, Juicers are out of business. 

Lime has created a new gig position called movers, using contract workers to pick up scooters in outlying areas and bring them into the city, but most of the Juicers are complaining loudly. You can read about a Juicer on Reddit and their Lime experience in Denver.

Lime is purportedly paying movers around $3.50 per scooter they relocate. Most people don’t like change, but there are former Juicers and others who will undoubtedly embrace the model and figure out a strategy to make it work. 

Changes to the Bird charger program

Bird instituted a program in which they created fleet managers. See this Gridwise report from a few months ago. The managers purchase Bird scooters, which Bird finances. Bird also retains ownership of the scooters (it’s strange, but the contracts are hard to come by and the fleet managers sign a non-disclosure agreement). The managers are in business for themselves. They get a bigger share of the profits but are responsible for warehousing, maintenance, and repair of the scooters in addition to charging. Again, in markets where Bird fleet managers are active, gig chargers are out of a job. 

The arrangement has worked well for some, not so well for others, according to an article by SmartCitiesDive.com. 

What’s the future for gig workers in the scooter sector?

If there is one constant in the micromobility and rideshare/delivery business for gig workers, it is that things will change. Who knows? Lime’s Gen 4 scooters may have a manufacturer recall, or they may encounter some other kink. According to the TechCrunch article, Lime would have rolled out the Gen 4 program earlier but there were supply chain issues.  

Scooters seem to be here to stay, so if you're looking for an extra gig, it's worth checking out.

Whether you're already working as a charger or you're considering it, make sure you download the free Gridwise app to track your miles as a Lime Juicer.

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More resources you might enjoy

• Make $1,000 a week with DoorDash
• 10 Ways To Stay Safe As A Delivery Or Rideshare Driver
• How to make $1000 a week with Amazon Flex
• Here's how to make $1000 with Uber Eats a week
• Maximize earnings with Gridwise features
• Check out the Gridwise Job Board

Is Uber Eats worth it? What does Uber Eats driver pay look like? For many drivers, Uber Eats is a staple of their gig business. Others use Eats as part of a multi-apping system, where they toggle back and forth with other rideshare or delivery apps. 

There are many factors that make driving for Uber Eats worth the effort. The earnings for 2022 show that there is definitely money to be made by delivering food for Uber. In this blog post we’ll do some delivering, too.

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How much do Uber Eats drivers make?

How much does Uber Eats pay? Like all answers to questions about driver earnings, it depends on a few different things. Gridwise data show us that while Uber Eats isn’t the highest paying delivery service, it is still very stable and very convenient. 

How much can you make with Uber Eats? The fairest way to answer that is to look at actual earnings, directly from the results of Uber Eats drivers who use Gridwise. The first thing worth noting is that total hourly earnings (basic pay + tips) have remained stable for the first three quarters of 2022, at around $13.50. Then, in Q4, the median gross hourly earnings came in at $14.01. That means Uber Eats is sustaining its popularity, holding on to its market share, and paying well for drivers.

How much do Uber Eats drivers make a week? This answer rides on how many hours a week a person drives for Uber Eats. It’s not easy for drivers to put in a full 30 or 40 hours delivering meals, but it isn’t impossible. You’d have to be willing to dig into the demographics in your area and find out where the chow orders are coming from, even when it isn’t peak meal time.

If a driver were to deliver for 30 hours a week, they’d pull in around $405. Keep in mind, though, that many Uber Eats drivers don’t use Eats as their only gig. Drivers, if they’re qualified, can switch back and forth between Eats and rideshare, depending on how busy they might be with each type of driving at different times of day.

That could be part of the explanation for Uber Eats monthly earnings coming in between $200 and $260 per month. This is on par with other delivery apps, such as Instacart and Grubhub, where drivers appear to work only part time.

Tips are very high with Uber Eats, around $6.50 per hour. Customers tend to tip delivery drivers more. Could it be because they’re hungry? Maybe so. As an Uber Eats driver, you’ll want to encourage customers to notice the careful and efficient way you bring them what they want. We’ll say more about that in a later section.

Uber Eats driver pay is just one good reason to work with the Uber Eats app.The flexibility of going between Uber rideshare driving and delivering for Uber Eats is unique, and a good feature for Uber drivers. 

What does it take to drive for Uber Eats?

If you choose to do Uber Eats delivery only (that is, unless you’re already a rideshare driver for Uber) there are some requirements. To do delivery by car, you will need to

• be at least 19 years old
• drive a 2-door or 4-door car
• have a valid driver’s license in your name
• submit your Social Security number so Uber can run a background screening

You can also deliver, in some areas, on a scooter or bicycle, and even on foot. See the Uber website for specific requirements for these modes of transportation, and check what the site has to say about your city for any special considerations there might be. 

Read this Gridwise blog post for more about what it takes to drive for Uber Eats.

Want to deliver with Uber Eats as an Uber driver?

If you’re an Uber driver, you already qualify to deliver for Uber Eats. All you need to do is turn on the option to receive delivery requests in the Uber driver app. This is extremely convenient if you want to mix up your driving activity and capitalize on the opportunity to make more money when delivery is in demand. Then you can switch back to rideshare when more people need you to take them from one place to another.

The requirements for rideshare drivers are a bit harder to meet than the ones for Uber Eats delivery only, but not by much. See the Uber website if you’re not yet an Uber rideshare driver, and want to learn more about the requirements in your city.

What are the perks and considerations of delivering for Uber Eats?

What reasons might you have for choosing to drive for Uber Eats, or not? If you’re looking for delivery only, Uber Eats is a very easy gig to work. It’s popular and can be found in most locations. If you’re thinking of mixing Eats with Uber rideshare, you’ll find food delivery to be a pleasant diversion from your usual work, and it can also be a lucrative one. 

This table lists some pros and cons you can consider, in either case.

Uber Eats PerksUber Eats ConsiderationsApp is easy to use and toggle back and forth from rideshare to deliveryFor rideshare drivers, the mix of rideshare and delivery requests can be distractingGood pay for food deliveryMight not be as lucrative as rideshareEasy to qualifyYou may need to clock in a lot of mileage to make good money No scheduling necessary, drive anytimeYou may have lots of competition from other drivers

There are many factors you need to take into account when you choose which service or services to drive for. Uber Eats is very popular among drivers, so it seems the pros must outweigh the cons. Of course, you can always increase your chances of making more money when you learn how to strategize wisely.

What’s the best Uber Eats driver advice for maximizing earnings?

This Gridwise post tells you how it’s possible to earn $1000 a week with Uber Eats, and it contains a lot of wise advice. The core point of the article is that you have to treat your Uber Eats gig like the serious business that it is. That means you need to

• track your earnings. To properly manage your business, you need to know how much you’re making. Sync your Uber Eats activity to Gridwise, and the earnings data will seamlessly be tabulated and displayed in easy to read and useful graphs.
• track your mileage. Your tax-deductible mileage is recorded for each app you sync with Gridwise, making it easy to find at tax crunch time.
• record your expenses. Gridwise makes it easy to keep track of your expenses, tax-deductible and otherwise. Just enter them as they come in.
• cut your operating expenses. Once you record your expenses, and see how high they are, you might want to look for ways to cut them down. Check out the amazing deals and discounts from Gridwise on everything from gas and car maintenance to life insurance and healthcare.
• know when and where the best deliveries will take place. Gridwise driver data informs the features Where to Drive and When to Drive, so you can avoid playing “trial and error” with your driving patterns. 
• get familiar with the areas and patterns in your town. You can learn a lot about your area when you do gig driving. Know where offices, universities, hospitals, and high-delivery neighborhoods are, and be alert to what’s happening, when shifts change and people get home from work.
• set up a schedule and stick to it. Making a good living as a gig driver requires you to drive at times when you might not really feel like it. You are your own boss, so apply the necessary discipline and get your job done. A schedule is a huge help.
• use multi-apping: You can go from one app to another, within the rules, of course, and bring more earning opportunities your way. Read this Gridwise post on multi-apping to get more ideas that will increase your income.
• be aware of events, weather, and traffic. You can always know what’s going on in your town with Gridwise event alerts, weather advisories, and traffic information. 

These are just a few of the things you need to do to make the maximum as an Uber Eats driver. And, as you can see, Gridwise can be a big part of your success..

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Here are some more Uber Eats articles we think you will enjoy:

• How to make $1000 a week with Uber Eats
• Uber Eats Pro: What Drivers Need to Know
• Uber Eats vs. DoorDash Pay: How Much Are Drivers Earning?

How much do Instacart drivers make? What are the pros and cons of DoorDash? If you’ve been wondering about issues like these for Instacart vs. DoorDash, you’re not alone. Whether you’re starting your first driving gig, or considering a switch, knowing what these two popular services have to offer is crucial. In this blog post, we’ll cover the territory, including

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Instacart vs. DoorDash: Main differences

The gig economy and the services it offers to consumers and workers are in a state of constant flux. There was a time when stark distinctions could be drawn regarding what the different companies required of drivers, but those days are behind us.

These two companies are a case in point. Instacart is, for the most part, a grocery delivery service, as you can read in this article from Millenial Money Man. There are options to deliver groceries only, shop and deliver groceries, or stay in a store and do the shopping and packing, preparing the items for a driver to deliver. Instacart is diversifying. Read about the company’s foray into prepared food delivery in this Gridwise blog post. You’ll find that the deliveries involve prepared foods found in grocery stores.

DoorDash is mainly a prepared food delivery service. You will most often be called to various restaurants to pick up meals and deliver them to customers. However, there will be times when you’ll be asked to go to stores and pick up items, pay for them with your DoorDash-issued red card, and take them to customers. Yes, that means Dashers may have to do some shopping. Read more about the DoorDash driving gig in this post from EntreCourier.

While the lines between the two companies are somewhat blurred, you’ll find that there’s less shopping when working for DoorDash than with Instacart. This Gridwise post gives you information on how to be a DoorDash delivery driver. Those who choose Instacart have the options that are more oriented toward shopping, but can possibly find gigs that don’t involve anything besides driving and delivery. Learn more about the details of driving for Instacart in this Gridwise blog post.

Now let’s look at each service and what they have to offer.

What you need to know about Instacart delivery driving

How much do Instacart shoppers make? What’s the job really like? How easy is it to earn money with Instacart? Is Instacart worth it?These are just some of the questions you might have about becoming a shopper/driver for this popular grocery delivery service. Here are some answers, plus an easy comparison table that lays out the good and bad points for you.

Instacart full-service shoppers, according to Gridwise data, make around $15–16 per hour. Instacart in-store shoppers, who are part-time employees of the company, make an average of $14 per hour. The total amount you make working for Instacart will depend, obviously, on how many hours you work for them, how many batches are available, and what times of day you decide to schedule your blocks, but it’s a hustle.

What do Instacart Shoppers do?

The job itself, as you might guess, will involve some or all facets of grocery shopping, packing, and/or delivery. You will need to be able to manage the weight of the packages. as well as carry them from the store to your vehicle. Then you’ll need to convey them to the customer’s delivery destination. You will also be asked to find everything on your customer’s list, and if you can’t find an item, you’ll consult with them about possible substitutes.

Instacart earnings

Instacart earnings are consistent, and don’t show signs of declining. People have adopted the habit of shopping online for their groceries with Instacart, and you’re quite likely to notice a steady flow of business at all times of the year. Shoppers average around $16.50 per trip before tips, which is really pretty solid.

Instacart driver tip rates

Tips are pretty good with Instacart, too. The average shopper received about $6.50 in tips per trip. A hidden bonus about getting tips is that it’s an area you can always work on. Get inspiration from this Gridwise post, which tells you how to make $1000 per week with Instacart.

Instacart requires some people skills

Shopping and driving for Instacart is a reliable gig, but it’s best for those who like to hustle, and do it with a smile. Many drivers switch to grocery delivery from rideshare, hoping to get a break from the demands of dealing with their passengers. Shopping for people, or even just driving and delivering, is a little bit less stressful, to be sure. There are situations, though, that can create some frustrations. Finicky customers, grumpy grocery store workers, and difficulties dealing with other drivers create the need to use your customer service skills and take traffic snarls and bad drivers in your stride.

The pros and considerations of Instacart delivery driving

Let’s look at what life as an Instacart shopper is like in a nutshell:

Instacart ProsInstacart ConsiderationsWork is consistent; hours are flexible.Pay can be lower in comparison.Ability to choose blocks of time to work.Requirement to work a minimum of two consecutive hours; scheduling is required ahead of time.Job offers variety.Potentially too many tasks associated with each order.Lots of short-lived contact with other humans—and possibilities for big tips!Challenging interactions can stem from contact with surly people in the store, traffic madness, and nasty customers.Company innovating with food delivery and nano-fulfillment.New company practices could create more demands on shoppers and drivers.Bonuses offered for high performance, sign-on and referrals; some extra pay for peak orders.Fee for instant cashout.Company constantly improving its app and method of payment. Recently increased minimum earnings per batch.Complicated (and not very transparent) payment algorithm.

What you need to know about Doordash delivery driving

DoorDash calls its delivery drivers “Dashers,” and for good reason. The job consists of getting requests for deliveries, traveling to food establishments (and sometimes stores) to retrieve them, and delivering them to the customers. The job is fairly simple and doesn’t require much work on the “supply side,” apart from when the shopping part kicks in.

The Dasher job does require customer service savvy and a bit of patience, as you’ll need to deal with occasional delays. Always communicate with your customers to keep them up to date on where you are and how long they might have to wait.

DoorDash is expanding its services to include delivery of convenience items, and this side of the business could continue to expand. Before long, shopping could be as much a part of a Dasher’s job as it is for Instacart workers, which can be exciting and rewarding for Dashers.

How much does Doordash pay?

Dasher gross hourly pay runs between $15 and $16, according to data collected by Gridwise. This includes the basic delivery fee, peak pay, challenges, and promotions for drivers. Your total earnings will depend, of course, on how many hours you drive for DoorDash, how busy you are during the time you’re delivering, and what bonuses might be in effect during your shift.

Because hourly pay for DoorDash can vary to such a great degree, it can be tricky to choose the best times to work. 

How much does Doordash tip?

Tips are the norm rather than the exception for Dashers, averaging around $4.28 per trip. Because a Dasher could make as many as three or four trips per hour, that can add up, which is pretty decent. Dashers need to invest in equipment such as beverage carriers and thermal bags if they expect to keep their customers happy, and earn big tips.

What else should you know about Doordash?

Most Dashers love the flexibility DoorDash offers. It’s possible to schedule blocks of time in advance or to operate under “Dash Now,” which will let you pick up and deliver orders on demand, whenever you wish. Also, Dashers have the option of declining orders that don’t seem to be worth the trouble. 

The DoorDash app does a good job of informing drivers where the most business is and incentivizes them to work in busier areas offering more pay per order. Although this isn’t the most glamorous or high-paying gig, DoorDash drivers who learn how to work the gig to their advantage can easily pull in enough money to make a good living.

The pros and considerations of DoorDash delivery driving

Just like we did for Instacart, let’s look at the pros and cons of DoorDash delivery driving at a glance.

The pros of being a DasherThe considerations of being a DasherFlexible hours; can choose whether to accept orders.Variable demand. Weekly pay; high fee for instant cash out.More focus on delivery and less on shopping means more trips per hour and potentially more money.Lots of driving from one place to the next could lead to higher gas costs and more vehicle wear and tear.The “thrill of the chase” can arise from knowing where to go and when to make the most money.Requires some hustle, particularly in areas that don’t have restaurants with big money orders.No passengers and only limited interaction with others.Waiting at restaurants and constantly communicating with customers, so they don’t get impatient or blame you for delays.Company diversifying with delivery of non-prepared food items.Possible need to learn the art of speedily shopping for convenience and grocery items.Bonuses and incentives for peak pay, challenges, and promotions.Comparatively low pay for a lot of intense, fast-paced work.Well-established, popular company.The popularity of DoorDash leads  to competition with other Dashers for delivery business..

Instacart or DoorDash? Which is your better gig?

There’s no way to ignore the fact that Instacart pay and DoorDash earnings are less than stellar, but if you fit either of these gigs into your work schedule, you’ll have some solid sources of income. Choosing the gig that’s best for you involves being honest about what you’re willing to do, what your preferences are, and how much you need to work.

Both Instacart and DoorDash demand a lot from drivers. If you’re an Instacart full-service shopper, you’re guaranteed to be spending a lot of time navigating your way through grocery stores to select items. Working for DoorDash requires a lot more quick action, and much more running around from place to place.

For now, though, much of the difference between the two companies, and whether you might want to work with them, revolves around how much you like to shop. If you want a more leisurely but less income-intensive and part-time gig, Instacart would probably win out over DoorDash. If you want to make more money in less time and have the option of working exactly when you want, your best bet is to be a Dasher.

You can also try multi-apping

Before you make a decision, though, consider this third option. Multi-apping, as you’ll read in this Gridwise post, is the art of working more than one gig at a time, and it’s a growing trend among gig workers. You could Dash at peak meal times, and do Instacart in the evenings and on weekends, when most people like to place and receive their grocery orders. And, if you really want to mix it up, you could throw some rideshare driving into the mix!

There are so many options in today’s gig economy, but there’s one thing you’ll need no matter how you choose to cobble your gig together—Gridwise!

Gridwise gives you everything you need to put together a great driving gig, including

• a mileage tracker that accounts for every mile you drive on your gig
• traffic and weather alerts that keep you abreast of driving conditions
• seamless earnings tracker lets you sync and let Gridwise do the work
• expense recording to make sure you get all your deductions down
• informative graphs showing earnings and expenses for all the gig apps you use to see where you’re making them most money
• insight into when to drive and where to drive so you can make the most of your gig driving time
• access to affordable insurance to keep you covered
• deals and discounts for drivers, such as the cost-savings of Gridwise Gas
• a community of like-minded gig workers who supply pro tips and support

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Find out more about Instacart, DoorDash, and Gridwise in these articles from the Gridwise blog:

• How much do doordashers make? We uncover it.
• Earn by time with DoorDash
• The Ultimate Guide to being an Instacart shopper
• Make $1000 per week with DoorDash
• Make $1000 per week with Instacart

Download the Gridwise app!

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.

If you would like to know more about how to use the Uber Eats app, check out this Gridwise post, which provides essential details.

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!

We have additional resources for delivery drivers you may enjoy:

• 10 Common Delivery Driver Mistakes To Avoid In 2023
• Delivery Driver Guide: Using The Uber Eats App
• How To Be A Delivery Driver: A Gridwise Driver Guide

How many people fly each year during the Thanksgiving holidays? Try 30 million. That’s how many people the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) reported to screen this year in the twelve days between Friday, November 17, and Tuesday, November 28. It’s a daunting challenge for rideshare companies as they determine the incentives and bonuses needed to lure drivers away from their families to the major airports.

Thanks to Gridwise Analytics and more than 500,000 reporting gig drivers, we now have a clearer picture of airport traffic data and what happens during this peak travel season and other major travel holidays. This information benefits the mobility companies as they grapple with adequately compensating those with gig economy jobs and how best to incentivize drivers. The other beneficiaries are hedge funds, equity research firms, and venture capital firms, as they evaluate investments in mobility companies.

What’s inside this blog post:

• How Gridwise Analytics provides airport traffic data
• What Gridwise airport traffic data tells us about the holidays
• Driver tips also a factor in holiday gig driver earnings
• The value of traffic data services and mobility analytics
• Traffic data services and mobility analytics aid the investment community
• How other companies can benefit from mobility analytics and traffic data services

How Gridwise Analytics provides airport traffic data

Gridwise is a companion app for more than 500,000 US part-time and full-time rideshare, food delivery, and parcel delivery drivers. Gridwise interfaces with these drivers’ apps, providing information and tips on maximizing earnings. The Gridwise app also provides a mileage and expense tracker, which ensures drivers get the tools they need to maximize their earnings potential.

Gridwise aggregates and anonymizes data from these gig drivers, making it possible to convert the information into data points. For example, Gridwise reports where trips originate, where they end, and the major transportation corridors—vital information for companies involved in the growing mobility field. Since Gridwise also serves food and parcel delivery drivers, this intel holds potential for companies engaged in those sectors as well. 

What Gridwise airport traffic data tells us about the holidays

Our airport passenger traffic data, starting with Thanksgiving 2022, provides a unique and reliable picture of airport travel.  

Thanksgiving 2022

In 2022, we saw the first significant spike in Thanksgiving holiday travel activity two Mondays before the holiday. Gridwise Analytics airport traffic data showed a surge across the US that spiked 18% higher than a typical Monday night.

The increase in traffic continued to the following Saturday (the weekend before Thanksgiving). Airport passenger traffic data showed a 17% increase in the morning and evening compared to the usual numbers. By Wednesday, the day before Thanksgiving, we saw another spike, with a 12% increase over the average Wednesday.

There was a dip the Friday after Thanksgiving of nearly half (49% lower) than what's typically observed on a standard Friday morning. We can likely attribute that to the lack of business travel during the holiday. The post-holiday rush came the Monday night following Thanksgiving with a 32% increase in travel activity as people returned home.

Christmas 2022

Airport passenger traffic data from Gridwise Analytics showed airport activity in the US surged during the Christmas holiday, reaching 12% above the expected levels on December 17 (data is adjusted to the day of the week to account for the variations from one year to another). After this spike and a small bump on December 22, there was a decrease until Tuesday, January 3, 2023, when traffic jumped 17% over a typical Monday as travelers returned home.

Memorial Day 2023

There was a gradual increase in activity at the airports on Memorial Day, peaking at a 16% increase over a standard day's activity between 5 p.m. and 11 p.m. on May 23, a week before the holiday, and then another peak of about 5% during the same time frame, on Memorial Day itself. Following this peak, there was a noticeable decrease, with trip activity dropping to 31% below the expected levels.

Independence Day 2023

Approaching Independence Day, there was an increase in activity from July 1 to July 2. We saw an overnight increase in activity of 21% above the norm for a typical day. Travel patterns shifted downward by 34% in the evening of July 3, continuing into the 4th of July, which, again, we can likely attribute to the lack of business travel. 

Driver tips also play a factor in holiday gig driver earnings 

Tips from passengers through the Gridwise app average between 10% and 14% of rideshare driver pay during the regular year. As holiday periods approach, there's an increase of slightly over 2% in the proportion of trips receiving tips, compared to usual patterns based on time of day and week. 

This surge is then followed by a decline, with the number of rides that include tips dropping by 11%. After the holiday, there is a resurgence in tipping, with tipping rates rising about 3% above the normal levels.

Although tips are lower, our data suggests that holidays do not significantly affect earnings overall. As a result, drivers do not experience a considerable increase in earnings beyond the usual expectations.

The value of traffic data services and mobility analytics

These numbers and charts give rideshare companies a clearer picture of demand during the holidays beyond their own data. Companies face the challenge of designing gig driver incentives that lure drivers away from holiday dinners and activities and into their cars to provide rides.  

For Uber, these include Uber Quests and Uber Boost+. Uber Quests rewards drivers with an additional bonus for taking consecutive rides in a specific time frame. An Uber Boost+ is more pinpointed, attracting drivers with bonuses on rides in an area where demand will increase within a few hours. Drivers become particularly adept at taking advantage of these incentives to increase their Uber driver income. 

For Lyft, these incentives come in the form of Lyft Sprints, similar to Uber Quests. 

Both Uber and Lyft also offer surge pricing. These incentives kick in when ride-sharing demand exceeds the supply of rideshare drivers available. 

Lyft and Uber want to offer bonuses that create lucrative rideshare driver pay that attracts drivers out during the holidays, but at the same time, they do not want to drive up passenger fares to the point that it affects usage. More accurate airport traffic data allow rideshare companies to achieve this. 

Traffic data services and mobility analytics aid the investment community

Earlier this year, McKinsey & Company’s article Shared Mobility: Sustainable Cities, Shared Destinies predicted that by 2030, “shared mobility could generate up to $1 trillion in consumer spending.” The article also reported that private investors, technology companies, and others have invested more than $100 billion into shared-mobility companies over the past decade. 

Firms in the investment sector are increasingly using data analytics from sources such as Gridwise Analytics to test their theses and determine the potential of mobility-related companies. Gridwise Analytics is able to provide accurate data in real-time so that venture capitalists, equity research firms, and hedge fund managers can make sound decisions about the best opportunities. 

This is especially true as the US expands its airline infrastructure. Airports are usually in areas characterized by high-cost real estate. It is important to make the best decisions and use this real estate to its maximum benefit. 

How other companies can benefit from mobility analytics and traffic data services

Gridwise Analytics shows where and when people and items move through a city. Companies in other business sectors have benefited or can benefit from this type of traffic data.  

Electrical vehicle chargers

EV chargers are essential to the growth of electric vehicles. The challenge is that the upfront cost for a charger is considerable, and payback is slow. This means EV charger companies must be selective in where they place these chargers to ensure maximum payback. Learn the story behind one company’s success in this Gridwise Analytics article, Gridwise Mobility Data Analytics Pinpoint EV Charger Locations. 

Autonomous vehicles

A firm designing autonomous vehicles to deliver smaller items was ready to test their service. However, they were still determining which market would be the most beneficial. They needed a dataset that told the story. Learn about their successful partnership with Gridwise in Data-Driven Strategy: How Gig Mobility Drove Fleet Efficiency in an Autonomous Vehicle Company’s Strategy. 

Other transportation analytics companies

No one company has the corner on the best information when it comes to traffic data. Replica, a transportation analytics company, provides models to help companies and municipalities understand how transportation functions. Replica called upon Gridwise Analytics to sharpen its picture. Read the story in this Gridwise post, Replica: Enhancing Mobility Insights with Gridwise TNC Data. 

Partner with Gridwise

Gridwise Analytics offers traffic data services with unique insights for companies involved in the broader transportation infrastructure, demonstrating how people and goods move from one location to another. The data show where trips originate, where they end, and the primary travel corridors. Gridwise Analytics’ partners marvel at the data's clean nature, allowing them to integrate the data into their existing datasets with little or no manipulation. 

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

Are you looking for more articles about Gridwise Analytics? 

• Learn more about Gridwise Analytics. Start exploring today! 
• Read about the assurances we make to drivers about using their data. 
• Why we launched Gridwise Analytics. 

As drivers, we know there are good points and bad points about each of the companies we drive for. Delivery driving is a bit different from rideshare, and every company has its own policies and potential for driver profit. It’s good to know what companies have to offer, so you can figure out how they fit into your hybrid driving gig.

That’s why we put this blog post together, to help you see the advantages and disadvantages of working for two of the most popular delivery services, Uber Eats and DoorDash. We’re going to look at some of the key aspects of working for them, and compare the two companies as we go along. Topics to be covered include:

• Signing up on Uber Eats vs Doordash: how easy is it?
• How do these companies pay, and how much can you earn?
• What does each company expect from drivers?
• How do these companies make room for earnings to grow?
• How can you fit Uber Eats and DoorDash into your hybrid gig mix?

Signing up on Uber Eats vs Doordash: how easy is it?

If you’re totally new to delivery driving, here’s a Gridwise article that will help you understand what services you can drive for and get started. 

If you’re new to Uber Eats, read this Gridwise article for basic info.

Becoming a Dasher (a DoorDash driver) is pretty easy. In fact, it’s less difficult than qualifying to be a rideshare driver. For instance, you don’t have to worry about having a perfect vehicle; cars, SUVs, and trucks don’t have any specific hurdles to clear. As long as your ride moves and you have it registered and insured, you’re good to go. If you live in a place where it’s practical, you can use a motorcycle, scooter, or bicycle. In some areas, you can even walk. 

Before you start working as a Dasher, though, you might have to wait for an invitation. DoorDash doesn’t like to overcrowd the market with too many people out there making deliveries. You may have to wait up to a few weeks before you’re invited to go through the registration process. Once you receive that notice, all you have to do is fulfill these requirements:

• Be 18 years of age or older
• Have an iPhone or Android phone capable of running the Dasher software
• Have a current, domestic driver’s license
• Present a valid Social Security number
• Pass a background check (no felonies or DUI violations in the past 7 years, and if you’re using a motor vehicle, no more than 3 driving violations in the past 3 years)

Signing up for Uber Eats is easy too. You can use any 2- or 4-door vehicle.  You cannot use a rental car to deliver unless you get it through Uber, and, of course, your car must be registered and insured in your name.

You can use a scooter for Uber Eats, but it has to meet some minimum requirements; namely, two wheels and under 50cc, and you must have it insured. You can also walk if you work in a place where that’s practical. Here are the rest of the requirements:

• Be 19 years of age or older (18 if you want to ride a bike or walk)
• Have one year of experience driving (if you drive)
• Have a valid driver’s license
• Be capable of carrying at least 30 pounds
• Pass the Uber Eats background check (no record of violent crime or DUI for the last 7 years; no more than 3 major motor vehicle violations in the past 3 years)

If you meet these requirements, Uber will allow you to sign up as an Uber Eats driver, and there is no waiting list. If you’re already approved as a rideshare driver for Uber, you just have to opt in to receive deliveries. You can set your app to receive just delivery requests, just rideshare requests, or both rideshare and delivery trips.

You cannot, however, sign up as an Uber Eats driver and automatically be accepted as a rideshare driver. Your vehicle needs to meet more stringent requirements.

How do Doordash and Uber Eats pay, and how much can you earn?

A Dasher’s cash

You can make money with DoorDash in one of two ways: either “dash now,” which means you make yourself available through the app immediately; or schedule blocks of time when you can be available. DoorDash rewards top drivers by giving them early and anytime access to delivery trips. 

As with all apps of this type, you will be pinged when a delivery becomes available. 

Once you get a delivery, whether it’s through a dash now or a scheduled block, be sure to look carefully at what’s required. In most cases, the customer will have placed the order with the restaurant or store, but there are times when you’ll have to be the one to place it. In those cases, you’ll want to pull over and put the order in before heading to the pick-up location so the merchant can have the order ready before you arrive.

You might get pinged for two orders at one place, or at establishments that are close to one another. It’s usually a good idea to take these multiple orders because you’ll make more money for that one trip.

You’ll know the minimum amount you’re going to make for a delivery before you accept the trip. If there’s more wait time, or the trip takes longer, the final amount may be higher. When this happens, DoorDash will adjust your payment accordingly. 

Your basic driver pay from DoorDash is calculated based on the time, distance, and desirability of the order. Drivers are very likely to get tips over and above this amount. Sometimes, customer tips are tacked onto the basic driver pay, and sometimes they add it after you complete the delivery. There are also opportunities for additional earnings through driver promotions. 

These promotions include Peak Pay, which is doled out when business is exceptionally brisk and drivers are scarce; Challenges, or specific rewards for reaching a certain earning level or completing a set number of trips in a given time period; and Drive, large orders that are available for drivers who qualify.

Drivers are paid weekly, but if you need cash instantly, you can use DoorDash Fast Pay, which allows you to transfer your earnings into your bank account on the spot. The charge for this service is $1.99 per transaction.

Learn more about how much DoorDash drivers can make here.

The Uber Eats experience

Uber Eats orders come into the Uber app like any other trip request. There is no option for setting out blocks of time. You turn on the app when you’re available, and if you sign on at a time when there are deliveries needed, you’ll get pings.

Uber allows the customer to place orders directly through the app so there is no need to worry about placing an order. Trips may include more than one delivery, and the driver doesn’t have a choice about accepting them or not. Both must be accepted, and in the order the Uber app indicates. Your delivery route will also be set up by the app. 

At times, you may get a second order at the same restaurant where you’re already picking up, or at a nearby eatery. With those orders you can choose to accept or decline.

Uber pays drivers based on the pick-up, the drop-off, and the distance involved in completing the delivery. You will also be paid for wait time at the pick-up point. And in most cases, customers will tip you after the delivery is complete.

Uber Eats driver incentives can help increase earnings. These include Boost Zones, which are areas where driver payments can be multiplied by a certain factor. They are established by Uber when drivers are needed in certain locales. Surge pricing works out to be a bonus for drivers during peak hours, where demand for delivery is exceedingly high. This is determined by area as well as by time of day, and of course, demand.

Uber Eats drivers are paid by the week, but they can cash out earnings up to five times per day for a fee of $.50 per transaction.

See more about how much Uber Eats drivers can earn here. 

What does each company expect from drivers?

Getting on board and performing delivery duties are only the beginning. You also have to keep up with certain expectations in order to retain your right to deliver. 

Doordash requirements

For Dashers, it’s necessary to keep a rating of 4.2 out of 5 stars. Not every customer will rate you, but when they do, you’d better hope they are generous. DoorDash will disregard poor ratings (below 5.0) in the event of the following:

• Long wait times at restaurants (>10 minutes)
• Missing or incorrect items when bags are sealed (as a reminder, merchants and customers request that you do not open any sealed bags you receive)
• When you accept a delivery knowing it is expected to be >15 minutes late 
• When multiple Dashers before you unassign (or cancel), causing you to be >15 minutes late 
• When the delivery is late due to multiple batched orders (3 or more)
• Extreme weather conditions (e.g., a snowstorm)
• Uniquely challenging delivery situations related to unforeseen events that cause delays
• System-wide outages 

Doordash requirements

Dashers also have to maintain a completion rate of 80 percent. That means drivers must follow through with the deliveries they accept, without canceling them, four-fifths of the time. There is no minimum acceptance rate, but drivers who accept a greater percentage of calls will receive higher priority when the system sends out pings.

DoorDash also monitors drivers for lateness. The company doesn’t specify a limit, but if you make a habit of being late for any reason beyond those listed above, you could be deactivated.

Uber Eats delivery drivers deal with a rating system that’s more intricate. Along with customers being able to give their opinion about your service, the restaurant or other establishment can rate you too. Also, you can rate your pick-up experience as well as your drop-off experience with customers.

Uber Eats is less specific about what it would take for them to deactivate a delivery driver. The company merely states that it’s important to monitor your ratings, and if you receive consistently low marks, you can watch videos with information about providing top-rated service. If a pattern of negative ratings develops, you will be notified by Uber, and deactivation is a real possibility if it persists.

Uber suggests that you pay attention to these aspects of giving good service in order to maintain high ratings:

• Speed and efficiency: If you’re going to be late due to traffic or another issue, communicate through the app to restaurants and customers;
• Always be courteous and respectful;
• Follow the customer’s instructions for handoff. For instance, if it says, “Leave on the porch,” don’t ring the doorbell;
• Deliver with care. As long as the bags aren’t sealed, make sure that the package contains all the items the customer ordered. Adding extra napkins and condiments is a good idea too;
• Clear communication. If you have questions or problems, don’t hesitate to contact the restaurant, the customer, or Uber Support with your concerns.

Uber also has Uber Pro, which is a system of perks and privileges tied to performance. Based on your acceptance rate, cancellation rate, and the number of trips you complete in a quarter, you will be given a designation that reflects your status in Uber Pro, and what kinds of goodies you will get.

Drivers with higher status receive first priority for trips, the ability to get more information about the trips, and discounts on certain services. If you drive for Uber Eats and also do rideshare with Uber, your delivery and driver ratings are combined for the purpose of this program.

How do these companies make room for earnings to grow?

So far, we’ve touched on restaurant delivery with DoorDash and Uber Eats, but that isn’t the only way to earn with them. Both companies are moving toward other types of deliveries as well. Also, through referral programs and sign-on bonuses, you can really boost your earnings by doing delivery for these two companies.

DoorDash

DoorDash has partnered with Walmart to deliver groceries to customers in select areas. In most cases, you’ll go to a designated spot in the parking lot, or just inside the store. You can find more details about this option on the Dasher Support section of the DoorDash website. Grocery deliveries come up on the app, and you can opt to take them or not.

Clyde, a driver friend of ours in Pittsburgh, says there’s even more to come. In his market, requests come in from an array of stores, including pharmacies, bodegas, and even mall retail stores. Some of these requests are for the driver to go through the store and shop for the items, just like an Instacart shopper would do.

The good thing about DoorDash is, after you see what’s going to be involved, you can decide to accept or decline an order. Your acceptance rate will not affect your overall DoorDash rating, so if it doesn’t seem worth it to you, you can refuse the request without any huge consequence to your status as a highly rated driver.

Uber

The expansion into grocery delivery hasn’t escaped Uber’s tentacles in the least. Since acquiring Cornershop in 2020, Uber offers grocery shopping and delivery through the customer side of the app. For the time being, the delivery driver apps remain separate. Customers order through Uber Eats, but a Cornershop team member does the delivering. The same goes for Uber’s acquisition of liquor delivery service Drizly in January 2021, which widens Uber’s reach even more. 

Plans are also in the works for Uber Connect, a courier service and package delivery service. You’ll have to check your local market to discover what’s available to you. Without a doubt, both companies seek to make delivery even bigger than it already is.

How can you fit Uber Eats and DoorDash into your hybrid gig mix?

Now that you have a better idea of what these two companies have to offer, you can begin to sort out how you might want to work them both into your hybrid, or mixed, delivery gig. Of course, along with all the other issues we’ve covered here, knowing which markets each of these services covers more fully is a key factor. 

Doordash markets

DoorDash is available in more than 4,000 cities and towns across the U.S. You can find out if yours is included by visiting the DoorDash network.

Uber Eats markets

Uber Eats has an even wider reach, serving more than 6,000 cities across 45 countries. Here are all the U.S. cities where Uber Eats is available.

DoorDash is the most popular service in many locations, and that could mean there is more business, or it might indicate there are already enough drivers to meet demand. The same goes for Uber Eats. You’ll have to explore what’s going on in your location, and create your driving strategy accordingly.

Considerations

There are many things to consider when you’re looking for the right companies to incorporate into your gig driving life. We hope we’ve inspired you to look at a few of them. 

But of all the aspects of working for a delivery company, most certainly, what matters most is your bottom line. Which one is helping you to make the most money, and how can you tell?

There’s a really great way to do that! Track...and compare your earnings with Gridwise!

Track your earnings (and more) with Gridwise

Gridwise gives you a huge advantage, because you can see all your earnings from all your apps, at a glance. Link your accounts to the Gridwise app, and your earnings and mileage will be seamlessly (and anonymously) logged. When you want to compare earnings among your gigs, Gridwise produces easy-to-read, informative graphs.

And now, Gridwise allows you to enter expenses too. You can create your own categories, and record those deductible items right into the app. This gives you even deeper insight into what you’re earning.

The Perks tab is filled with all kinds of good stuff. There’s easy access to the informative Gridwise blog and up-to-the minute news from the Gridwise YouTube channel. You can also check out the many products, discounts, and deals our partners have to offer.

Say what? You don’t have Gridwise yet? Download the app today!

Looking for more delivery resources? Check these out!

• How to make $1000 a week with Uber Eats
• A Guide to Dashing: DoorDash For New Drivers vs. Experienced Drivers
• Uber Eats Driver Pay: How much do drivers earn?

Most riders and drivers enjoy driving for Lyft because they have a reputation for valuing their customers and drivers. If you want to drive for Lyft, or even if you already do, this post about the Lyft driver app will show you all the ways you can benefit from driving for Lyft. We will look at

• How to become a Lyft driver
• What the app for Lyft drivers can do
• How to use the Lyft driver app
• Lyft driver ratings: where to find them
• How to manage your account on the Lyft rideshare and Lyft delivery driver app
• Elevate your Lyft earnings with Gridwise

How to become a Lyft driver

Start by downloading the  Lyft app, available on both the Apple and Google Play stores. From there, you’ll quickly discover how Lyft has established its reputation of being friendly to its drivers and customers. The sign-up process is laid out for you, step by step. Because you must first pass a background check, it will take a few days to be fully signed up—so don’t expect to get to work right away. 

You will need to let the Lyft app know where you plan to drive as requirements vary from one state or city to the next. In some places, you may need to get special licenses or go through a Lyft vehicle inspection. The Lyft website will tell you everything you need in terms of your vehicle, driver qualifications, and any other documentation required, based on where you live. 

What the app for Lyft drivers can do

Once you sign up for Lyft driver duty, you’ll be ready to learn more about the app. The Lyft app’s features are extensive, but the UI (user interface) is intuitively designed. There are many features that you will need as a driver. While you may learn a lot about them during the sign-up process, it will take some trial and error to know about and use them all. 

These features include

• driving and delivery information
• earnings
• bonuses and promotions
• safety
• ride history
• rewards
• app settings
• customer feedback
• information about your vehicle and devices
• car rentals

You can visit Lyft’s YouTube channel and take advantage of their extensive library of videos to get some idea of just how comprehensive the apps’ services are.

There’s a wealth of information within the Lyft app as well. Tap on the home screen’s menu icon at the upper left, go to “Support and Safety,” and select the “Learning Center.” There you will find numerous tutorials that cover just about every issue you are likely to encounter when learning how to use the Lyft driver app.

How to use the Lyft driver app

Once you’re ready to fly solo, so to speak, the first thing you’ll notice about the Lyft app is how sleek and functional its design is. You can use the same app to drive or deliver as you do to request rides.  You can toggle between the Lyft rider side of the app and the  app for Lyft driver simply by choosing the icon you want on the bottom of the screen.

Click on the search button (magnifying glass) to be a passenger and the bus icon to access information about public transportation. The key icon sends you to Lyft’s car rental partner, and the steering wheel directs you to the Lyft app for driving.

In addition to the choice of driving or being driven, Lyft offers delivery services in certain cities. Currently delivery services are available in only 12 larger US markets. Delivery items include packages under 50 lbs, food delivery from restaurants that have relationships with Lyft, prescriptions, and retail items. If it is available in your locality, it will show up on your app.

There is no separate Lyft delivery driver app. Drivers in markets where Lyft delivery operates will receive requests through the regular driver app. Drivers don’t have to deliver; if they want to opt out of receiving delivery requests, they must contact Lyft (as it’s not possible to opt out of deliveries in the app itself).

Drivers can, however, opt in or out of accepting carpool rides, which allow you to pick up more than one passenger along a given route, and drop them off at select destinations. Drivers can also choose to pick up reserved rides, where the customer arranges to be picked up at an exact location and time.

All Lyft drivers, whether they opt for rideshare, delivery, or both, must complete Lyft’s education program before being fully qualified to drive. Topics covered include safety, community standards, and food safety for food delivery drivers. This article from Mashable tells you more about the mandatory, video-based program.

The Lyft driver app also houses a Lyft learning center. 

Once you are fully approved, you will see a map and a button in the app inviting you to go online. Now you can start earning money with Lyft!

The map will show where there will be extra money added to your payments, due to increased demand. These areas are known as bonus zones.

Make sure you’re ready to drive when you tap that button, because before long, you’ll receive a ride or delivery request. When you receive the request, you’ll see how much it will pay. You have 15 seconds to decide whether to accept it. To accept, swipe, and a map will appear showing you where to pick up your rider or make your delivery.

The Lyft app will automatically provide the route you’ll need to take. If you want to use a different GPS service, namely Waze, you can do so by indicating this in your settings under “Navigation.” Here you’ll note, too, that Google Maps can be used within the Lyft app.

No matter which GPS service you choose, the map will show you the exact pickup location. After you get the passenger or delivery item, swipe again, and the map will change, directing you to your destination. When you arrive, drop off either your passenger or delivery, and end the trip. At that point, you’ll see how much you will be paid for the trip. A tip might be included, or tips may become visible later, after the customer adds them.

The Lyft blog offers this set of instructions and helpful advice for your first trips as a Lyft rideshare or delivery driver.

If, during or after a ride, it becomes apparent that there are issues with a customer, it’s always best to inform Lyft as soon as possible. Pull over, and go to your app under “Help.” Tap on “Ride and payment issues,” and a list of options will appear. You can report anything from being rated unfairly to a car seat issue, as you’ll see on the screenshot below.

Lyft driver ratings: where to find them

After each ride or delivery, you and your customers will get a chance to rate one another. It is very important to maintain high driver ratings. If you have a lot of negative ratings from your customers, Lyft may deactivate you and retract your right to work on the platform. When you have good ratings, you also will benefit by getting more offers for rides and deliveries.

You can find your Lyft driver ratings under your profile, which is an item on the menu that appears when you tap the menu icon in the upper left hand corner of the Lyft driver app home screen.

Also displayed will be badges, earned when your customers make additional comments about the high quality of your service. Ratings are much more important than you might think.

How to manage your account on the Lyft rideshare and Lyft delivery driver app

When you sign up to become a Lyft driver, you’ll have to upload documents for your car, including registration and insurance, and, if it applies in your state, proof of inspection. You may drive along for around a year, and then discover you have to update this information, or, you may get a new vehicle that needs to be registered with Lyft.

All you need to do to update your account is click on the menu icon on the home screen, then tap “Account.” Another page will open that allows you to update your information. Tap on “Insurance,” for example, and you can upload your latest insurance card.

Here is also where you can get more detailed information about your earnings, obtain tax documents, and even upload a new profile picture.

The Lyft app is quite impressive, both for its sophistication as well as its ease of use. It is also visually appealing, with colors that attract the eye and emphasize what’s most important on the screen at any given time.

As a driver, you will probably agree with many of your colleagues that the Lyft app is easy to work with. That’s true, and there is a way to make the experience of being a driver for Lyft even better.

Elevate your Lyft earnings with Gridwise

Gridwise improves on what the Lyft app has to offer in a few very important ways. It provides you with

1. complete mileage tracking. Lyft tracks only the miles you drive while you are picking up and dropping off people and/or packages. Gridwise tracks every mile you drive from the time you start your shift. Now you can collect the valuable tax deduction for all the miles you drive to and from trips, and in between. When you deduct more mileage, you get to keep more of your earnings.

2. comprehensive earnings reports. When you sync your Lyft app to Gridwise, your earnings will be recorded for each shift. Then when you want to find out how well Lyft is working for you, Gridwise produces attractive and easy to read graphs that allow you to see all the data that’s relevant to your Lyft driving gig.

3. Gridwise Benefits. This feature, designed to meet the needs of gig drivers, gives you access to low-cost insurance, affordable health care, deals on car maintenance and rentals, and more.

4. updates on weather, traffic and local events. Know what’s going on around you so you can be the most efficient, aware, and available Lyft driver out there.

5. insight into where business will be. Gridwise features When to Drive and Where to Drive show you data based on real driver earnings in your area. Now you’ll be able to plan your driving shifts for the times and places that bring you the most money.

When you make Gridwise your Lyft partner, you don’t just make your life easier; you make it so you can maximize your earnings, too!

Make the most of your Lyft driving gig with these practical posts from Gridwise:

• Lyft driver payments: How do they work?
• Lyft driver ratings: How do they work?
• How to improve your Lyft driver rating?
• Lyft and Uber driver skills: How to improve your customer service

Download the Gridwise app now!