Gridwise blog

Making money is one thing, and handling it quite another. No matter what you do for a living, taking care of your finances is important, but when you’re a driver, it’s even more crucial. As an independent contractor, there’s no big company there to take out your taxes, monitor your earnings, or provide easy access to your funds. There’s a lot to think about.

Obviously, you’re busy enough driving and delivering. And, even though you can probably out-map your GPS when you’re out on the road, when it comes to the issue of finances, you need some help with navigation. That’s why we’ve put together this blog post about managing your money in the gig economy. Here’s what we’ll cover:

• Why gig driver finance is different
• The gig driver’s wish list - financial tools drivers need
  4 ways for drivers to handle finances...wisely!
• Great resources for gig workers: the perfect independent contractor app

Why gig driver finance is different

Without that steady employer, and the predictable income that might come with it, you have a lot to take care of. You need to figure out how much you owe in federal and state taxes, where and when to pay them, how to deal with savings, and how to manage your monthly budget.

We can pretend, and say we all came right out of high school knowing how to do these things, but that’s not always the case. Most of us were probably texting under our desks or gazing into space when teachers or parents brought up topics such as banking, taxes, and the importance of having savings.

Now that you’re part of the gig economy, you have to pay attention to how much money you’re earning, and what you need to do in order to set up a solid financial future. For instance, do you know how much money you’re really making per hour? Have you thought about your expenses? What might happen if your earnings get skimpy for a week, or a month? Do you have a financial cushion to fall back on?

The gig driver’s wish list: financial tools drivers need

Gig driver finance is unique. You need to think about things that your W-9 employed friends don’t. Here are a few things to get you started:
Guidance on quarterly taxes. If you make more than $1,000 as an independent contractor (and as a driver, you most likely do!), then you’ll have to file estimated federal and state taxes that will count toward your total tax bills, normally due on April 15 of the following year. You’ll need to find out how much you should file, when the payments are due.

A way to put aside savings. With tax bills coming at you four times each year, you’ll have to ignore the temptation to cash in any extra earnings on sweet new gadgets and wild nights out. Most wise financial advisors say you should also have an amount equal to at least one month’s expenses set aside for emergencies. When you don’t work, you don’t get sick time or vacation pay. You need to save to cover these situations, as well as any emergencies that might arise.

Tools to maximize tax deductions. You probably already know that expenses such as fuel and mileage are tax deductible, but are you aware of all the expenses you can exclude from your taxable income? Expert help with tracking deductible expenses could offer you big savings on your tax bill.

Mobile banking. You’re almost always on the go, so stopping at a bank, even if it’s an ATM, can grab up a significant amount of your precious time. The bank you choose has to offer the ability to get account info and make deposits right from your smartphone.

A fund for retirement. Unfortunately, gig economy jobs don’t come with retirement funds. That means you have to set aside money, and either invest it on your own or put it in a retirement fund. You can set up an Individual Retirement Account, or a Roth IRA. Both have tax advantages, and they also will be there for you when you’re ready to park your vehicle for good.

There are probably more things you can put on your wish list, but this is a great start. Now that you know what you need, let’s look at ways you can obtain it by learning how to manage your finances.

4 ways for drivers to handle finances...wisely!

#1 Learn how to budget with a variable income.
The first step toward wise budgeting is knowing exactly how much money you need to cover expenses for every month of the year. When there are taxes, car insurance, home heating or air conditioning, vehicle registration, and other seasonal charges in your life, you need to know when they’re coming. Next, you’ll want to figure out your average monthly income. Look at last year’s earnings, or as many months as you have so far this year. Remember to include debt repayment in your monthly expenses, including student loans and credit cards.

#2 Create multiple streams of income.
One way to get around the “now you’ve got it, now you don’t” unpredictability of gig driver income is to diversify. If you do mostly food delivery driving, business can get slow over the holidays. Pick up a gig delivering packages, or switch to rideshare for at least part of the time. When money comes in from more than a single source, you’re almost never left without at least some kind of decent cash flow.

#3 Spend less and save more. Get in the habit of meticulously recording your business expenses, and your personal spending. Find ways of cutting back on extras, such as feeding yourself good, nutritious food from home while you’re driving. You’ll be healthier than you would be eating burgers, fries, and shakes all the time. You’ll have more money left to work with when the bills come due, too.

#4 Use apps for self-employed drivers. The rest of the world, even banks, have become so used to the gig economy, they’re going out of their way to serve the needs of drivers like you. Look for apps you can use to help you record and categorize your expenses, set aside money for taxes, help structure your savings habits, and show you how well you’re doing.

Great resources for gig workers from the perfect independent contractor app, indi^®

If you’re wondering how you can get a leg up on handling your finances as a gig driver, we have a great answer for you. The indi banking app is designed to serve the needs of independent contractors - gig drivers like you!

It lets you make deposits so you can save toward your quarterly taxes. You can also track your purchases and expenses to make sure you’re getting the maximum when it comes to tax deductions.

There’s more, including:

• A personalized tax savings goal: You tell indi about your income, and indi calculates the estimated amount you should have prepared to cover federal and state taxes.
• A single account with two categories. Your indi account lets you see your bank balance in realistic terms, namely, what’s okay to spend, and what you need to save for taxes.
• Instant and automatic savings for taxes. When you set up direct deposit to fund your indi account, you can designate a percent of each deposit to tax savings.
• Access to all your money, when you need it. Even if you have money set aside for tax savings, you can still use it if you need it. When you do, indi will alert you and increase the amount deducted until you replenish your tax saving account.
• The indi card. Your debit card can be used for work and personal purchases. You can categorize your expenses as soon as you use your card.
• Receipt capture. Upload receipts directly to indi, so you don’t have to scramble for papers at tax time.

You get all of this, plus tax payment reminders, tips, and real-time notifications. There’s no fee for signup, or a monthly service fee. You don’t have to keep a minimum balance, and there are no overdraft fees.

indi also recently launched indi Rewards!

Drivers can earn money back on purchases at their favorite stores and restaurants nationwide. PLUS, indi gives drivers
unlimited 2% cash back on purchases made at gas stations with
the indi debit card. Gas, electric charges, snacks, the choice is
yours!²

View and activate offers for thousands of locations, including local and national retailers and restaurants, in the indi mobile banking app. Simply make a qualifying purchase, and the cash back you’ve earned will be deposited into your indi account as a statement credit.

indi offers drivers amazing benefits and features, including:

• Early Pay — get paid up to two days sooner with direct deposit³
• Over 60,000 fee-free ATMs throughout the United States⁴
• Digital debit card — access a digital debit card in the indi mobile banking app as soon as you’re approved so you can start making purchases and earning cash back right away.⁵
• No signup fee, no minimum balance requirement, and no overdraft fees
• Autosave for taxes — designate a percentage of each deposit to reach a customized Tax Savings Goal.⁶

Need more info? Learn more about indi's Rewards program.

Sign up with indi and start saving!

¹ indi is a prepaid account. Your funds will be held at PNC Bank, National Association and are eligible for FDIC insurance, subject to FDIC insurance coverage limits. A supported mobile device is needed to use the mobile app. Standard message and data rates may apply.

² Rewards for this promotion (“2% Gas Station Rewards”) are earned when an eligible indi cardholder makes a qualifying purchase using their indi card at a gas station or an electric vehicle charging station (“Qualifying Gas Station Purchase”). You will earn 2% cash back, in the form of a
rebate of a percentage of the amount of each purchase, for Qualifying Gas Station Purchases at merchants with merchant category codes for gas stations (in-store and at the pump) and electric vehicle charging station. Purchases of gas, fuel, or electric vehicle charging made at merchants with
merchant category codes in other categories will not be considered a Qualifying Gas Station Purchase and will not result in a 2% credit for your purchase. Merchants are assigned merchant category codes based on their typical products and services; indi does not assign merchant category codes to merchants. Qualifying Gas Station Purchases include purchase of goods or services minus merchant credits and plus or minus appropriate purchase adjustments posted to your indi account. Qualifying Gas Station Purchases do not include, and you will not earn cash back for, cash-like or cash-back transactions (such as purchasing gift cards, money orders, or traveler’s checks, or making loan payments or ATM disbursements). A credit will appear in your account within 30 days of the Qualifying Gas Station purchase. We may deduct amounts from your indi account in order to make
adjustments for returns and cancellations with respect to Qualifying Gas Station Purchases. We reserve the right to modify, remove, or otherwise restrict the 2% Gas Station Rewards promotion at any time, but no such change will affect any 2% Gas Station Rewards earned prior to such change.
The indi Rewards Terms and Conditions also apply to the 2% Gas Station Rewards promotion. If there is a conflict between the terms herein and the indi Rewards Terms and Conditions, the terms herein will govern in matters related to 2% Gas Station Rewards, and the indi Rewards Terms and
Conditions will govern in all other matters related to the indi Rewards program.

3. Early Pay is made available to you based on the instructions received from
the payor of the direct deposit you are receiving. We may limit availability of
Early Pay, in our discretion, pursuant to deposit limits on your account and/or
fraud and risk criteria. Direct deposits not eligible for Early Pay will be made indi’s Tax Savings Goal feature is not a substitute for individual tax planning or for legal, financial, or tax advice. This feature is intended only as a tool to provide a basic sense of your potential tax savings needs. Because indi will not know everything about your finances or your personal situation, your Tax Savings Goal may be more or less than your actual tax liability. The Tax Savings Goal does not account for local taxes.

⁴ Visit this locator to find a PNC or PNC Partner ATM near you where indi
customers can access money fee-free. Partner ATMs are not owned by PNC,
and may be limited to cash withdrawal functionality.

⁵ A Temporary Digital indi Card number is provided on the indi mobile
application prior to the activation of your physical card. Please note that this
temporary card number cannot be used at physical points of sale and will
become inactive once your physical card is activated.

⁶ indi’s Tax Savings Goal feature is not a substitute for individual tax planning
or for legal, financial, or tax advice. This feature is intended only as a tool to
provide a basic sense of your potential tax savings needs. Because indi will not
know everything about your finances or your personal situation, your Tax
Savings Goal may be more or less than your actual tax liability. The Tax Savings
Goal does not account for local taxes. Using funds designated as Tax Savings for other spending may leave too little money to pay your taxes.

indi is a prepaid account. Your funds will be held at PNC Bank, National
Association and are eligible for FDIC insurance, subject to FDIC insurance
coverage limits. A supported mobile device is needed to use the mobile app.
Standard message and data rates may apply.

Gridwise recently published the numbers for the top US cities for rideshare and delivery for the quarter ending in September (Q3).  It’s interesting to look at the cities on the list or those that moved up and down and speculate about the reasons. 

For instance, San Francisco was fifth on the previous list, published in July (covering Q2 2022). Four months later, San Francisco achieves top spot on the list. Why? That’s hard to say without in-depth information, but the latest numbers entail most of the summer, and the City by the Bay is a major vacation spot. It is also a crazy place to drive if you don’t know the area, and finding a parking spot is challenging, too. It is much easier to navigate the city with rideshare. 

What about St. Louis? This midwestern city didn’t even make the top five in Q2, but it slid into the number two spot on the most recent list. Where did that come from? Here’s a guess. The St. Louis Cardinals baseball team finished 93 and 69 this last season, good enough to take the National League Central division. Added to that, Lyft is the official rideshare of the Cardinals. Lots of baseball fans flocked to Busch Stadium, and with parking ranging from $10 to $40 a spot, rideshare looked like a good alternative. 

This is all speculation, but it is interesting to muse about the reasons. Take a few minutes as Gridwise analyzes the latest information on how much rideshare drivers make in the top cities. Topics include

• Rideshare earnings in the top cities are generally down.
• Who uses rideshare services?
• The role of special events.
• Comparisons in the food delivery market.
• What’s driving the increase in food delivery earnings?
• The continued growth of food delivery and ghost kitchens.
• What do gig drivers do if they don’t live in one of these top cities?
• Make the Gridwise app part of your strategy.

Rideshare earnings in the top cities are generally down

Let’s compare the figures. These were the numbers in Q2:

Now let’s look at the Q3 numbers:

Drivers in Boston plummeted from first place in Q2 at $32.54 per hour gross to $26.50 per hour gross in Q3, taking the city from first on the July list to fifth on the most recent list. That’s more than six bucks an hour. Why the downturn? 

Famous as a college town, Boston has more than 60 colleges in and around its metro area. College graduates are a top demographic for rideshare, according to Zippia. Most students travel home for the summer months, which makes a difference in rideshare earnings. 

Then there is the conundrum of Denver. Drivers in the Mile High City dropped from $29.28 per hour gross to $27.71. Denver is not known as a college town, and if we look at the baseball explanation, we see that the Denver Rockies finished in the basement of the National League West. 

What caused the downturn? An educated guess would be that Denver, and most of Colorado, attracts visitors in the winter for ski season.

By the way, here’s a thought: Do rideshare drivers in Colorado have ski racks mounted on their cars?

Who uses rideshare services?

According to the same Zippia report, the demographics for rideshare favor urban over rural areas and younger, college-aged people, or those with college degrees. 

DemographicUrban percentage Rural percentageAges 18–2955%36%College graduates70%32%$75k annual income71%32%

Zippia offers additional proof that the use of rideshare is directly correlated to age. In the 30–49 age bracket, rideshare drops to 43%. At 50-plus, it drops to 24%. 

As Gridwise concluded in its last top cities article, rideshare is popular in college-educated, younger populations with higher incomes. But as you can see from the way cities go up and down on this list, usage is also dictated by local tourism and whether colleges and universities are in session. Drivers need to consider these factors when developing their driving strategy. 

The role of special events

Cities that routinely have special events are also ripe for rideshare hotspots. Rideshare drivers in Southern California, for instance, know that Palm Springs (100 miles east of Los Angeles) hosts sporting events, concerts, and other gatherings throughout the non-summer months.  

“Aside from New Year’s Eve, some of my best nights have been in Palm Springs and the wider Coachella Valley,” said one driver who typically drives in LA. “Particularly when they have special events, which is frequent, Palm Springs is a great place for rideshare drivers.” Conversely, Palm Springs does not have an especially active market during the hottest summer months, when it is routinely over 100 degrees and often closer to 110. 

Comparisons in the food delivery market

Unlike rideshare, food delivery numbers are up and encouraging for those gig drivers who do food delivery. 

Here is how the numbers in Q2 looked:

Although there has been some shuffling around in the most recently reported numbers, the Q3 numbers all point upward:

Except for Denver, and that only slightly, food delivery drivers are earning more. Some of the increases are substantial. Food delivery drivers in Boston are averaging almost $2.00 per hour more in Q3. 

What’s driving the increase in food delivery earnings?

Again, there are no supporting numbers, but inflation is one of the likely factors. Higher ticket prices mean more money trickles down to the delivery drivers. 

Inflation doesn’t seem to prevent individuals who use food delivery from continuing their purchasing habits, though, and that’s a good thing for food delivery drivers. 

The continued growth of food delivery and ghost kitchens

Another encouraging aspect of food delivery is the continued growth of this market. Toast, a supplier of point-of-sale and hand-held hardware and technology for restaurants, anticipates revenue for food delivery services to grow by 9.18% annually. Toast expects delivery services to reach over 45 billion dollars by 2025. Driving this expansion is a maturing population of millennials and Gen Zers (63% of food delivery users fall into the 18–29 age bracket). This group will likely bring these purchasing habits with them as they age. 

The consulting firm McKinsey & Company reports that another significant factor in the growth of food delivery is “the advent of appealing, user-friendly apps and tech-enabled driver networks, coupled with changing consumer expectations.” 

Those changing expectations that McKinsey mentions include “ghost kitchens.” Ghost kitchens operate out of warehouse facilities (with cheaper rent than a high-profile restaurant location) and cater to the delivery-only market. These operations have no signage or bricks-and-mortar location, just a kitchen, and an aggressive online presence. They are driving incredible growth in the food market and gig-delivery services.

The California Homemade Food Act, passed in 2018, established controls on the market. Twenty-nine states have since passed similar regulations. Many metropolitan areas have large warehouses containing as many as 25 or 30 of these individual ghost kitchens in a mini-mall-type arrangement. A Los Angeles Times article reveals that the former Cordon Bleu cooking school in Pasadena, California, now hosts 20 spaces for ghost kitchens. Another warehouse on LA’s westside houses 37 brands, most of which gig drivers deliver. 

In a twist on ghost kitchens, many restaurants operate delivery-only brands out of their retail kitchens. According to an article on the Modern Shipper website, Cosmic Wings is a delivery-only concept available via Uber Eats and operates in approximately 1,250 Applebee’s kitchens. The US Chamber of Commerce recently reported on It’s Just Wings, a similar brand concept, housed in the kitchens of Chili’s Grill & Bar restaurants. 

What do gig drivers do if they don’t live in one of these top cities?

Many drivers across the US earn good incomes from their gig-driving activities. Rideshare drivers do it with a strategy and a keen understanding of the area where they drive. They know the professional sports venues, concerts, and other special events. They also rely on the Gridwise blog for the latest tips on how to boost rideshare earnings. 

Food delivery drivers achieve the same by knowing the best food delivery restaurants and keying into the growing ghost kitchen market. 

If it makes sense, rideshare drivers travel to nearby larger cities, taking advantage of the extra business. Others choose to multi-app, switching between rideshare and food delivery, depending on which is busier. 

Other drivers earn good money delivering groceries. Business Insider recently woman in Las Cruces, NM (pop. 112,000), who made more than $100,000 in a year as a driver for Walmart Spark (Walmart’s in-house delivery service).

Make the Gridwise app part of your strategy

Whether you live in the city or in a small town, you can use Gridwise's free mileage and earnings tracker to manage your records and boost your income.

Rideshare and food delivery drivers use Where to Drive and When to Drive to figure out the best times and places to drive in their areas. And for rideshare drivers, the Airports and Events features will tell you exactly when you need to arrive at destinations to pick up passengers - no more time wasted waiting around!

Start earning more today

And have fun out there. 

Shipt is one of the major grocery delivery apps available to shoppers and has some similarities to the car rental company Avis. Back in the day, Avis was the second-largest rental car company in the country. Their motto was “We try harder.” Shipt is competing with Instacart, and like Avis, Shipt is trying harder to provide a positive experience for shoppers and customers. In fact, Shipt positions themselves as having shoppers who are “ordinary people doing extraordinary things.”

Take a few minutes and read about why you might want to become a Shipt shopper. The topics we’ll cover include

• What it takes to become a Shipt shopper. 
• Why be a Shipt shopper?.
• A day in the life of a Shipt shopper.
• Strategy #1: Choose your stores.
• Strategy #2: Choose your service area.
• Convenient Shipt features for shoppers.
• The habits of a highly successful Shipt shopper.
• It’s all in the attitude.
• Making Gridwise a part of your Shipt strategy.

What it takes to become a Shipt shopper

Go to the Shipt website and enter your ZIP code to see whether Shipt is available in your area. Instacart is in about 5,500 cities in the US. Shipt is available in about 5,000. If they are available in your area, then it’s onto filling out the online application. You will need

• to be at least 18 years of age
• a valid US driver's license and auto insurance
• a reliable vehicle, 1997 or newer
• knowledge of produce selection
• the ability to lift 40 pounds
• an iPhone (iOS 10 or newer) or Android (5.1 or newer) smartphone
• to pass a background check on your driving record and criminal record. 

Once you turn in the application, certification takes two to three weeks. Then you are ready to be a Shipt shopper. 

Why be a Shipt shopper? 

Instacart launched in 2012. Shipt came along in 2014. Both companies meandered along, not making a lot of money. Then the pandemic came along, and things skyrocketed. According to Power Reviews, 73% of consumers reported that they had made an online grocery purchase in 2021. That number was a mere 17% in 2017. A year later, in Q1 2022, that number was 71%. Shoppers discovered they liked services such as Shipt.

In May 2021, Gridwise published its pay survey of Shipt vs. Instacart. You can check it out at Shipt vs. Instacart: Which is better for shoppers and drivers? Shipt shoppers were making a good wage to the tune of $18.15 per hour.

Aphid Cart did a YouTube video about his Shipt shopping experience, and he made close to $23.00 an hour and that was after paying for gas. That rate moves Shipt up to one of the higher-paying gig-driving jobs, reaching parity with Lyft and Uber. 

Part of this is due to Shipt's bonus structure. For completing eight deliveries that day, Aphid Cart made a $70 bonus, which was almost a third of his Shipt shopper pay. 

A day in the life of a Shipt shopper

One of the big differences between Shipt and Instacart is that Instacart is primarily a grocery delivery service, although they do list drug stores and other retail outlets on their website. This grocery-only image is reinforced by the carrot in their logo. 

Shipt is owned by Target, which may cause you to think they are a Target-only service. Not true. Shipt shoppers not only go to all the major grocery stores, they also shop and deliver for other outlets such as Best Buy, Office Max, Sephora, Bed, Bath & Beyond, and others. More variety means more opportunities. 

Starting your day as a Shipt shopper begins with logging on the Shipt shopper app and indicating which hours you are available that day. For each block you select, the app shows you which orders are available. Unlike rideshare, you can pick and choose the orders you want. 

As you go through the store, filling an order, you scan the products through the Shipt app, which lets the consumer know that you have found that item. 

Once you have completed the order and run it through checkout, you scan the receipt with your phone. The app then gives you the delivery address. 

If you want more details on being a Shipt shopper, check out the YouTube videos of Edgar and Dianna, a couple in Southern California. One of their most popular videos is Day in the Life as a Shipt Shopper! Edgar is a part-time Shipt shopper, accompanied by Dianna to help the work go a bit quicker.

Strategy #1: Choose your stores

This is where strategy starts. Each order is attached to a store. If you watch the Edgar and Dianna video, they travel from store to store throughout the Los Angeles basin. But this is not a strategy shared by all. Robert Woldhuis limited his shopping activities to one store in the Detroit, Michigan area. It worked for him. In 2020, Woldhuis made more than $100,000 as a Shipt shopper, and he did it wearing wacky costumes and having a good time. It also got him in the What People Earn 2021 in Parade Magazine!

Another benefit of Woldhuis’ strategy is that by working only one store, his delivery area was considerably smaller. This saved him a lot of time driving to his deliveries; it also saved him a lot of gas money because his delivery area was tighter. 

Strategy #2: Choose your service area

The service area you work in and deliver to can also make a huge difference in your success as a Shipt shopper. 

The most successful Shipt shoppers go where the shoppers are—the suburbs. Not surprising, the higher income brackets produce better results. 

Convenient Shipt features for shoppers

There are some nice Shipt features that make shopping easier. Let’s look at three which are especially convenient. 

In-store navigation

The Shipt app identifies the aisle and area where you can find products. This is not always the case. There are stores where there is no navigation, and shoppers are left to discover the products on their own. This is where Robert Woldhuis’ one-store strategy works well. Because he limited his shopping to a single venue, he knew it like the back of his hand. 

Product alternatives

Shipt customers can indicate alternative products in case their first one is out of stock. This is especially nice because there are still product shortages in many stores. If the product is not on the shelves, the Shipt shopper can get the alternative. There are still times, however, when neither product is in stock and the shopper has to contact the customer. 

Two-for-one orders

It is not uncommon to get two orders at the same store from Shipt. This is great because if you are working toward a bonus for a certain number of deliveries fulfilled, you get credit for both deliveries. Plus, you make the income from both deliveries. 

The habits of a highly successful Shipt shopper

What makes the successful Shipt shopper? The biggest elements are saving time and increasing efficiency. You can do these by following some simple recommendations. 

1. Store employees are your friends. Being on a first-name basis with them makes a difference. If you can ask an employee about a recent birthday celebration, the birth of a child, or how their vacation was, it makes a good impression, and it is also more likely that those employees will help you in a pinch. 
2. The line at the deli is a black hole of lost time. Make it your first stop. This is where knowing the deli worker comes in handy. Leave your written list, then go on about the rest of your shopping, and swing back later to pick up the order. 
3. Know your produce. This is one of those quirky little things that Shipt lists in their shopper requirements. If you know the difference between iceberg lettuce and a head of cabbage (they are easy to confuse), you’ll save yourself a lot of woe.  
4. Women shoppers can save time by using a fanny pack and leaving their purse in the car. It’s one less thing to worry about, especially when it is time to run down the aisle for that solitary item. 
5. Don’t play bumper cart if there are already two or three shoppers in an aisle. Leave your cart at the end of the aisle, run down and get your product, and get back and move on. Ladies: this is why you left your purse in the car. 
6. Make sure every item has a barcode. They’ve been known to fall off. Nothing wastes time like having to send a bagger off for a price check.
7. Use every extra second. If you find yourself standing in a longer-than-normal checkout line, take the time to scroll through the app looking for deliveries you can do later in the day. 
8. Closely related to this, don’t dismiss an order on the app because it doesn’t fit your formula of what is profitable and worth your time. Sometimes that measly $20.00 delivery is enough to put you over the top for a bonus. 
9. Purchase bulk thank-you notes on Amazon. You can get an assorted pack of distinctive looking notecards with envelopes for $20.00. When you’re having your morning cup of coffee or watching TV the night before, take the time to write a short note for each delivery. Your customers will be touched by them and motivated to tip. Thank-you notes also get you a nice rating in the Shipt shopper reviews.
10. Watch social media. There are a lot of YouTube videos from Shipt shoppers. They’re full of helpful tips. The same goes for Reddit and Quora. 

It’s all in the attitude

Robert Woldhuis, the $100,000-a-year Shipt shopper, said it best in Parade Magazine. “Besides the great relationships that I’ve built with both customers and store employees, the best part of this job is the flexibility. I take pride in what I do and what I’ve been able to accomplish.”

Indeed, the key to success in any job is taking pride in what you do. 

Finally, make Gridwise part of your Shipt strategy

Gridwise is a must-have for all gig drivers, and Shipt is no different. Save on fuel costs through the Gridwise Gas Program, a Gridwise benefit that saves you as much as $50/month when you purchase fuel. Read about it at Gridwise Increases Gas Discount to Help Rideshare and Delivery Drivers. 

On top of gas discounts, you'll get a free Shipt mileage and earnings tracker that keeps your mileage, earnings, and expenses all in one place for you to view whenever you need it (tax time, anybody?).

Shipt shoppers are also taking advantage of features like When and Where to Drive to figure out the best times to schedule blocks as a grocery driver.

Download Gridwise to earn more as a Shipt shopper!

In case you haven’t already, you really need to check out the Edgar and Dianna video!

If you’re a rideshare driver and take your job very seriously, you deserve to be treated like a professional. The popular companies you’ve always worked with are familiar mainstays, but they don’t always treat you like you’re valued or skilled. But now there’s a new way to work that’s a real upgrade to the rideshare driver experience. In this post we’ll share information about Alto, including

• Alto: a new take on the rideshare driving experience
• how to earn more money as a rideshare driver with Alto
• the Alto difference

Alto: a new take on the rideshare driving experience

Taking rideshare driving up a notch starts with innovative thinking. Entrepreneur Will Coleman demonstrated exactly that when he conceived and developed Alto. He wanted his customers and drivers to have a distinctive experience that set his company apart from popular rideshare apps. The first way he did this was to change the way transactions would be viewed.

With traditional rideshare arrangements, companies such as Uber and Lyft serve merely as technology platforms that facilitate connections between passengers and drivers. The companies collect fees from both sides of the transactions in order to compensate themselves for providing the software which enables their rideshare business to work.  

Alto is quite different. Quoted in this article on the Robb Report, Coleman explains Alto’s approach this way:

“We made the decision very early on to say we’re not a tech company, we’re a service and hospitality company.”

What exactly does this mean? Alto has created consistent, high-quality rideshare experiences for both customers and drivers. The cars are owned and maintained by the company. Alto’s fleet consists of company branded Buick Enclaves, chosen for their practical mix of luxury, comfort, utility, and most of all, safety. 

Customers know that when they call an Alto, they’re going to get a clean and well-maintained vehicle driven by a trained professional. Alto goes beyond the ordinary to create a customer experience that allows riders to be greeted with familiarity, from the recognizable exterior to interior features such as lighting and even a specific Alto scent.

The idea is to make passengers feel as though they are getting into their own car. Riders can even use the Alto app to create the exact environment they desire while in the vehicle or before it arrives. They can select the music or lower the volume, change interior lighting, and if they choose, put the driver on “Do not disturb!”

So far, Alto is available in select cities in Texas and California, as well as Miami and Washington, D.C. The company has plans for expansion, which would be a big boost to the rideshare scene. Alto’s focus on customer service and high quality, plus its innovative membership model, make Alto an attractive upgrade for customers. Now let’s explore what kinds of advantages it offers to rideshare drivers.

How to earn more money as a rideshare driver with Alto

Alto wants to attract serious and highly skilled drivers to work for them, so all drivers who work for Alto are hired as W-2 employees. This means they are provided with

• predictable work hours
• a company owned luxury SUV 
• payment by the hour, not by the ride
• company coverage of expenses such as fuel and auto/liability insurance
• healthcare, dental, and vision insurance
• paid time off and sick leave
• safe driving bonus awards
• 401(k) with company match after 6 months’ working for Alto
• extensive training in hospitality and defensive driving
• repeat customers who subscribe to Alto memberships

Alto’s vehicles provide drivers with

• HEPA air filters that keep the interior air clean and fresh
• leather seats and captain’s chairs
• telemetric tracking for safe driving
• in-vehicle wifi and chargers
• bottled water and umbrellas for passengers
• in-car security cameras
• plexiglass barriers
• 24-hour live support 

If all these aspects of driving for Alto appeal to you, you’ll need to know that the company is very selective about the background and experience of the drivers it brings on board. Drivers for Alto must

• be over the age of 21
• fill out an application and upload a résumé
• successfully complete an interview process
• pass an extensive drug-screening test
• clear a thorough, fingerprint-based background check

If you are a professional driver with a charming, friendly personality that is perfect for the hospitality business, you’re the kind of driver Alto is looking to employ. Apply to be an Alto driver and take a step up to a new level of rideshare driving.

The Alto difference

When you work with the traditional apps as an independent contractor, rideshare driver pay gets eaten away by gas, maintenance, and vehicle depreciation expenses. Most good Uber driver advice or Lyft driver advice will include other things you need to think about, such as mileage deduction for gig drivers and rideshare insurance for your personal auto policy.

With Alto, these expenses and concerns are completely absorbed and handled by the company. Woo-hoo! This is a big change from being an independent contractor, and many full-time drivers would find these, along with the other benefits of being an employee that we’ve mentioned, to be great incentives to drive with Alto.

Drivers who can’t or don’t want to drive full time, or to be obligated to work at certain times of day, might not want to work for a service that hires drivers as full W-2 employees. They would be better off sticking to gigs that let them remain independent contractors. They might also find that a free mileage tracker app such as Gridwise helps them keep tabs on their earnings and deductions, and keep on top of local events, traffic, and weather alerts that affect their driving.

Drivers who live where Alto operates and who want to be full-time professionals, who receive predictable earnings and all the benefits of being employees of this innovative company, now have the perfect place to work. Alto definitely upgrades the rideshare driver experience. If you think Alto is right for you, give it a try. 

Apply to be an Alto driver!

High gas prices!

You hear it at the airport, waiting for spectators to leave events, or at the coffee shops and restaurants where rideshare and food delivery drivers congregate. After hitting record-breaking levels, gasoline prices started inching downward and then went back up. According to the American Automobile Association, the current national average is $3.944 a gallon. In California, expect to pay $6.246. 

Tough times. 

But as a gig driver, these are costs that you have to incur since this is how you make your living. 

You can do things, however, to eke out an extra mile or two at the pump or on the road. In this post, we will cover how to save money on gas. Topics include

• behind the wheel and at the pump
• things you can do behind the wheel to increase mileage
• things you can do at the gas pump to save money
• download the Gridwise app

Behind the wheel and at the pump

There are two areas where you can save money on fuel costs. The first is behind the wheel. Short of buying an electric car, the tips that increase mileage will get you only so far, but everything helps. Changing your driving habits is a significant part of saving fuel. 

The second is changing your habits at the pump. 

Things you can do behind the wheel to increase mileage

1. Slow down

According to MotorBiscuit.com, breaking the habit of sudden acceleration and deceleration can increase mileage by as much as 30%. Don’t be a lead foot. It is also safer for you and your passengers and keeps you from getting bad ratings because folks don’t like your driving. 

Here is another alarming factoid from Motor Biscuit: for every five miles an hour over 50 mph that you drive, it’s like paying an additional $0.20 per gallon of gas. Aerodynamics is your friend to a certain point, but then it starts to work against you. 

2. Check your tire pressure

According to the Department of Energy, for every pound per square inch your car tires are underinflated, you lose 0.2% in mileage. Check those tires regularly. There is also a belief that overinflating your tires by a couple of pounds gets you additional mileage because there is less surface contact between the tires and the road. According to a test conducted by Popular Mechanics, overinflation to improve mileage is a myth. The best thing you can do is keep your tires inflated to factory specifications. You can find those numbers on the tire sidewalls, in the owner’s manual, or on a plate mounted to the side post of most cars. Open the driver’s door from the outside, look down and to the right, and there it is. 

3. Adopt the ten-second rule of idling, or shift to neutral

Okay, fess up. How many of you food delivery drivers let the car idle in park while you drop off an order? Likewise, how many of you rideshare drivers idle your car in gear while waiting for passengers? Too many. According to the Geico insurance website, letting your car idle excessively consumes as much as a quarter to half a gallon per hour. Restarting the engine only consumes about ten seconds' worth of gas. Whenever you can do so, turn the engine off. If you are still in the car, at least put it in park or idle, which consumes less fuel. 

4. Make sure the gas cap is on tight and works properly

Lauren Fix of Car Coach reports, “About 17 percent of the vehicles on the roads have gas caps that are either damaged, loose, or missing altogether, causing 147 million gallons of gas to vaporize every year.” Make sure your gas cap is on tight and in good condition. Most new cars operate on a sealed system, and a loose gas cap is a problem for that system. 

5. Use the right motor oil, and change it on schedule

Friction is the enemy of efficiency in your car’s engine. To combat that friction, automotive designers ensure that all moving parts are well-lubricated. You can do your part by changing the oil regularly and using the correct engine oil. If the manual says 30-weight oil, use 30-weight oil, regardless of what your brother-in-law says. Many newer cars use synthetic oil, which is two or three times more expensive, but that’s what you signed up for when you purchased the car. Besides, synthetic oil is good for your car and good for mileage. 

Changing your oil on schedule is another priority. If you neglect to change your oil, it thickens and turns to sludge, reducing its ability to circulate throughout the engine and provide lubrication. In addition to lubrication, oil redistributes heat in the engine. If the oil is not changed regularly, it is not as efficient at moving that heat. You risk damaging gaskets, warping components from excessive heat, and ruining the engine. 

6. Change the engine air filter on schedule

A gasoline engine operates on the efficient burning of gasoline and oxygen. Your car pulls air (with oxygen) through the under-the-hood air filter and into the engine. A dirty air filter means the engine must work harder to get air into the combustion chamber. The harder your engine works, the less fuel efficient it is, and eventually it will stop running. Check out What Will Happen If I Don’t Change My Car’s Air Filter? on The Newswheel website. 

7. Keep your windows rolled up when you drive

You like the feel of the wind on your face, but open windows in your car mean more wind turbulence and resistance, again causing the engine to work harder. For maximum fuel efficiency, keep the windows rolled up. 

8. Take off the ski or surfboard racks from your car

You have a bumper sticker on your car that reads, “I’d rather be skiing.” Those racks on the roof of your car are a status symbol, letting everyone know that you are a gig driver, so you have the flexibility to bomb the slopes or shred the waves whenever you want. The reality, though, is that those racks cause wind resistance, reducing the aerodynamics of your car and affecting your mileage. Keep those racks in the garage where they belong. 

Things you can do at the gas pump

1. Track your mileage

By tracking your mileage (we mean with an app and a calculator) you see what works and what doesn’t. If you are the obsessive-compulsive type (and today’s gas prices will make you that way), monitoring your mileage transforms you into a mileage maniac, testing new ways to conserve gas. Keep records. 

2. Don’t top off the gas tank

While attempting to pump every ounce possible into your tank, you spill gas. That’s just throwing money away. In some cars, repeated overfilling can damage emissions components, making your car run less efficiently. “Gasoline needs room to expand, your tank needs extra room for that expansion,” explains an article on Automoblog.net. “If you try to top off, the extra gas you’re trying to add may actually evaporate into your vehicle’s vapor collection system. This can ruin the mechanism, making it work improperly, and cause your car to run less efficiently.”

3. Fuel up in the morning

If you really want to ensure that you get all the gas in your tank that you can and do it safely, fuel up in the morning while it is still cool. The liquid expands as it gets warmer in your tank. Besides, many gas stations change their prices mid-morning after they have figured out what the competition is charging. 

4. Fuel up on a schedule

It is best to fuel up before you start your gig activity. We all have a favorite gas station with lower prices than other stations. With a full tank, you won’t get caught up in the heat of accepting passengers or delivering food, only to realize at the last minute that you need to gas up and are forced to stop at the first station you see, which could cost you more. 

Download the Gridwise app

Last, but not least - downloading the Gridwise app might be the best thing you can do to save on gas as a gig driver. Once you've downloaded the app, you can sign up for Gridwise Gas and save up to $50/month on gas.

There's also other ways to minimize gas costs, like using Gridwise to know when and where to drive so you don't waste gas waiting for trips. Gridwise has other features, including information on peak times for arrivals and departures at the airports and special events such as concerts and sporting events. These features mean you can drive with a purpose and a goal in mind rather than just aimlessly waiting for the rideshare or food delivery app to find you a passenger or a meal to be delivered. 

Download Gridwise now to save on gas!

It’s a natural reflex to yawn at the mere mention of insurance, but when you’re a gig driver, you need to pay close attention to this important topic. In this post we’ll analyze the insurance situation for gig drivers, and focus on how you can decide what’s best for you.

Here’s what we’ll look at:

• The basics: minimum coverage for gig drivers
• What policies such as Uber insurance will, and won’t, do for you
• Extras or essentials? Additional coverage you can buy
• Beyond your vehicle: important insurance for gig drivers

The basics: minimum coverage for gig drivers

Insurance requirements are a part of onboarding for virtually every rideshare or delivery service where you are required to use your own vehicle. Without that proof of basic auto coverage, you won’t be accepted onto the gig platforms.

Given that it’s illegal in most places to drive without insurance, even if you’re not on a gig, that’s a no-brainer. But there’s something you might not realize. You will need to notify your insurance carrier that you’re gig driving, and purchase additional coverage.

If you fail to do this, you’re risking a lot. Your primary auto policy probably doesn’t cover you if you’re using your vehicle for commercial purposes, such as gig driving. So if you submit a claim, even if you have an accident while you’re not gig driving, your insurance carrier has the right to reject it.

Although there is an extra expense involved, it’s worth it to get a personal policy that offers additional coverage. In some states you may be required to get a commercial policy, while in others you can add on an endorsement for rideshare or delivery driving, which covers the extra risk you’re taking by using your vehicle for this kind of work.

What policies like Uber/Lyft insurance will do for you

Your rideshare or delivery company will offer you some insurance, it’s true, but it might not be enough to cover the damage to the vehicles involved, or the medical costs you or others who may have incurred injury. You'll want to double check to see if you need additional insurance while you’re driving for a company like DoorDash, Uber, or Instacart. Read the fine print to get all the details.

A look at Uber’s insurance policy, which is like most other companies, reveals how much and when you’ll be covered as a driver. The amount of coverage varies according to where you are in the ride or delivery process. Uber Eats insurance mirrors the terms for rideshare drivers, apart from accidents involving uninsured or underinsured drivers. Also, Uber’s insurance for delivery drivers doesn’t apply to accidents that occur in New York State. In New York, delivery drivers need to purchase separate policies, as stated in this article from New York Motor Insurance.

In stage 1—offline or driving while the driver app is off—Uber does not cover you. You must rely on your personal vehicle insurance policy.

In stage 2—online waiting for a trip or delivery request—Uber provides third-party liability (for those other than yourself and your car) if your personal insurance doesn’t apply, up to

• $50,000 per person for bodily injury
• $100,000 in bodily injury per accident
• $25,000 in property damage per accident

In stage 3—en route to pick up or execute a delivery, or during a rideshare trip—Uber maintains insurance for covered accidents in these amounts:

• $1,000,000 third-party liability
• uninsured/underinsured motorist bodily injury and/or first-party injury insurance (rates vary by state)
• contingent comprehensive and collision, if you hold a personal policy with these features, up to the actual cash value of your car 

Note that if you place a claim through Uber’s policy, the deductible as of March 1, 2022 is $2,500.

You’ll definitely want to consider that Uber’s driver insurance covers third parties, not the drivers (except in California, or if you’re hit by an uninsured or underinsured motorist in any state). It’s possible to purchase a low-cost policy that would cover any personal injury that might occur, but coverage for you is not available without making that purchase.

Read more about Uber’s insurance and options for additional coverage on the Uber website, and keep checking it to stay up to date on emerging developments. There is also a list of insurance providers that offer rideshare and delivery endorsements that will protect you under any set of circumstances.

Extra or essential? Additional coverage you can buy

It’s obvious that getting a commercial policy or an endorsement on your personal auto policy is essential, even though it will cost extra money, but there’s more. Another type of insurance might not seem so important; but when you need it, you could find yourself in big trouble if you don’t have it.

Gap insurance protects you from having to pay off a loan on a car you can no longer drive. When you have an accident and your car is deemed a total loss, the insurance company will pay you for your car according to its age, mileage, and maintenance history. This amount will most likely be less than the total amount you owe on your loan. 

For example, if you purchased a car that was valued at $25,000, and an accident renders it a total loss, you might get paid $15,000, depending on the factors mentioned above. Your insurance company won’t pay that extra $10,000. That’s why gap insurance is essential, not just an extra layer of protection. 

You would purchase gap insurance, normally, at the time you secure your car loan. While you’re adding up all the costs of your car purchase, it might seem like another gimmick the insurance company is trying to sell you, but it’s wise to take them up on their offer. If you don’t have gap insurance now, it might be a good idea to look for a policy that would cover you, just in case.

There are other types of insurance you might want to consider:

• Collision coverage repairs damage to your own car, if you hit a pole or a mailbox, for instance. This coverage also can be used to pay for damage you incurred if someone else is at fault. Your insurer then chases down the other person’s insurance for reimbursement.
• Comprehensive coverage covers damage that occurs beyond driving, such as weather, natural disasters, acts of nature, and vehicle theft.
• Uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage keeps your personal policy strong, providing the same coverage your gig company gives you when you’re actively working on a rideshare trip or delivery. It doesn’t hurt to have this protection on your personal policy for the rest of the time you’re using your vehicle.
• Rental car reimbursement is very useful if you expect you’ll need to get around while your car is being repaired.
• Transportation reimbursement pays for the cost of getting you back home or to a place where you can rent a car after an accident.

These extras can be obtained from your insurance carrier, but they still might not fulfill all your needs. You can’t afford to be set back by a breakdown or problems involving your smartphone.

As a driver you should have

• roadside assistance: towing costs, battery jumps, battery replacements, and tire changes are facts of every driver’s life. Gridwise Benefits provides affordable protection that keeps you covered.
• cell phone protection: a low-cost policy from Gridwise Benefits shields you from the high costs of repairing or replacing your phone, should it be lost or stolen. Your benefits cover up to three phones, which makes the deal even sweeter.
• accident medical insurance: offers small amounts of cash to help cover expenses from minor accidents.

Beyond your vehicle: important insurance for gig drivers

Now that you’re savvy about the insurance you need for your vehicle, it’s time to think about what goes on beyond your car. As a gig driver, you don’t get company benefits such as health insurance, and coverage for accidental death and disability.

Gridwise Benefits is designed to cater to the needs of gig drivers. Once you've downloaded Gridwise and signed up for Gridwise Dollar Benefits, you can get essential benefits for $1/week AND $5k of insurance at no additional cost to you:

• life insurance
• telehealth
• dental and vision insurance
• roadside assistance
• accidental medical and critical illness coverage
• chiropractic and alternative medicine services
• identity theft protection
• on-demand fitness and nutrition programs

Choose from the Gridwise Dollar Benefits menu and purchase only the policies you need. Signing up is easy! Download the Gridwise app, go to the Benefits tab, and tap on any of the policies with a dollar sign icon. You’ll be able to start your coverage right away.

Whether you just need the basics, or want some bells and whistles, Gridwise Dollar Benefits provides coverage that keeps you and your family protected, safe, and healthy.

Get the coverage you need with Gridwise

Unless you’re totally new to rideshare driving, we don’t have to tell you how important it is to keep your driver rating high. Each and every passenger you have gets the opportunity to rate you, and most of them will.

You typically have to keep ratings at a certain minimum, which is a good reason to keep reading so you can discover how to improve your ratings. Here’s what we’ll cover:

• the importance of the driver rating
• basic care and courtesy points
• scoring the five-star drive
• drive at the top of your game

The importance of driver ratings

Ratings for rideshare drivers are more than just a point of pride. Your driver rating determines where you are in the “pecking order.” Highly rated drivers get first priority from their app’s algorithm when it comes to assigning rides. They also get more perks and higher rankings in programs such as Uber Pro and Lyft Rewards for drivers. 

While it’s almost impossible to have a perfect rating, you’re expected to meet minimum requirements. Companies state these rather clearly, and they enforce them quite diligently.

Uber drivers must maintain a rating of 4.6 or higher, while Lyft drivers are encouraged to maintain a rating of 4.8 or better. Low ratings will be flagged by the company, and drivers may be asked to take measures to bring them up—or face deactivation.

The days of passengers being grateful simply because you showed up are over. In 2022 and beyond, you have to hustle if you want to stand out and give your passengers memorable experiences that will yield high driver ratings.

Basic care and courtesy points

Everyone gets low ratings from time to time. Crabby customers, or those with unreasonable demands, tend to give drivers fewer stars than they might deserve. There are some situations you won’t be able to change, but there are also many ways to cover your bases and make it hard for passengers to give you anything less than a Lyft or Uber five-star rating. Here are some basic, common sense issues to consider.

• Cleanliness: Even if you get your vehicle washed every few days and vacuum it regularly, a lot of stuff can accumulate in your backseat over the course of a shift. Make it a point to check for gum wrappers, ticket stubs, store receipts, and lost articles after each ride. Wipe down those muddy shoe marks and greasy handprints, too.
• Car maintenance: No one wants their Lyft or Uber car to have a breakdown or run out of fuel. Keep your car in working order. It’s an investment you can’t afford to skimp on.
• Courtesy: Always greet your passengers warmly, confirming their names and that they’re in the right car. Treat them with respect, even when you have to establish boundaries with those who are impaired or unruly.
• Navigation: As a driver, you know your GPS is going to show you a good route to your destination. However, your passenger might have a different idea about what the “best” way might be. Ask if there’s a route they’d prefer and be willing to take their suggestion if they ask you to do so.
• Safety: Drive like you have your own child (or grandma) in your back seat. Obey traffic laws and speed limits, drive defensively, and do not indulge in road rage. Also, remind riders to wear their safety belts.
• Comfort: Ask your customer if they’d like a temperature change, shift in musical choice, or volume adjustment, and do your best to comply with their wishes.
• Conversation: Let the passenger take the lead on how much, if any, conversation you’ll have. There may be times when you don’t feel like talking, but if you carry on friendly convos with your pax, you’ll make a better impression. If any of your customers would rather have a quiet ride, make sure you give it to them.
• Appearance: No one expects you to be dressed to the nines, but you should be decently clothed in clean, respectable duds, with other signs of good grooming eminently evident.”
• Aroma awareness: Your car will pick up smells from your passengers, from food they’re carrying to their post-workout scent, and whatever they might have been smoking. Carry an effective air freshener, and use it regularly to prevent your car from committing olfactory offenses.
• Proactive measures: If you know you’re going to get a low rating from a customer who has been unreasonable, be proactive. Remember, you can rate your passengers, too. In extreme cases, it pays to contact your company and describe your customer’s unruly behavior before they get a chance to complain about you.

If you stick to these basics, you’ll have a hard time slipping below those company minimums, and you’ll know how to be a good Uber driver or Lyft rideshare hero. But if you’re interested in making your ratings soar, there’s more you can do.

Scoring the five-star drive

Drivers call the overall five-star rating the “Holy Grail” because it’s so difficult to achieve. You may not get all the way to a 5.0, but you can raise your ratings to a 4.95 or higher with some of these extra measures:

• Take a positive attitude: While this sounds so obvious, it might be the hardest thing for a driver to maintain. Your people skills are the key to being a successful Uber driver or Lyft superstar. Develop a thick skin and a big heart, and you’ll give customers great things to say about you.
• Provide amenities: When you’re in the backseat of a rideshare car, isn’t it nice when the driver offers you water, mints, hand sanitizer, or other little essentials? Your passengers will delight in being treated to the little things that make their rides more pleasant.
• Offer basic conveniences: Phone chargers, a flashlight, and recommendations for good places to go should always be available to your riders. You might want to have pen and paper handy for those who want to jot down notes, too. Having these little things on hand can be an effective Uber and Lyft rating driver.
• Open doors for passengers: When you can, it’s always nice to make it easy for your passenger to enter the car. This is especially true for those who might have problems getting around or who need crutches or a walker. Make passengers feel valued from the moment they approach your vehicle, and they will remember you. 
• Help with luggage and shopping bags: Always offer to help people load their extras into your car. Since it’s your vehicle, you have the most experience with effectively stashing things, and your kind and insightful hand is bound to earn you extra rating points.
• Provide entertainment: Consider installing a backseat tablet such as Play Octopus, so your customers have something to do while they’re waiting in traffic after a big event, or want to keep themselves busy on a long-range ride.
• Furnish personal care items: If you’re a nighttime driver that hits the bar scene, sick bags are very important to have on hand. A simple first aid kit could also save the day if a passenger has a minor cut or needs some Neosporin. Avoid doling out meds, though, including the over the counter kind. You never know what someone might accuse you of giving them, even if it was just a baby aspirin. Cough drops are pretty safe, and people appreciate them year round. Just make sure they’re in their original wrappings.
• Gently suggest a good rating: There’s a fine line between encouraging high ratings and sounding as though you’re begging for them, so tread lightly here. It doesn’t hurt to remind your customers how important it is for you to know you did a good job, and to point out how they can do that for you. You can read more about these and other ways to get good ratings, and tips, in this Gridwise blog post.

Drive at the top of your game

Getting and keeping good ratings depends on your ability to be the best driver you can be. You need to know what’s going on in your area and the best ways to get around traffic. Keep yourself equipped with deals and discounts that make your driving gig easier. Make sure you're tracking the miles you drive - including the miles with passengers in the back seat - with Gridwise's free mileage tracker.

Drivers also use Gridwise to:

• see event information, including starting and let-out times
• get airport details, such as the number of flights departing and arriving
• track earnings and expenses
• find deals and discounts on everything from gas to car maintenance, healthcare, and insurance.

Top-rated drivers always drive with Gridwise to keep them at the top of the gig driving game.

Download the Gridwise app now!

Prices on everything are soaring, and auto maintenance is no exception. Running a gig driving business demands that you find out how to reduce maintenance costs and maximize profits—so you have to do all you can to stop maintenance costs from taking a huge bite out of your earnings. 

That’s why we want you to have these 4 ways to reduce your gig driver car maintenance costs. 

They include

1. Know before you go; feel the power of FIXD
2. Get the best discounts for gig drivers
3. Forget about wear and tear—rent!
4. Track depreciation to make every mile count

1. Know before you go; feel the power of FIXD

If you’ve struggled with the crippling costs of car maintenance and haven’t found a mechanic you can fully trust, FIXD is here to bring you rideshare and delivery driver help. The people behind FIXD realize that drivers need to know what care their cars require, rather than leaving it to rogue mechanics to diagnose and fix things that aren’t broken to begin with.

The mission of FIXD, according to its founders, is “to democratize car care by giving every driver access to the transparent and easy-to-understand information they need to confidently fix and maintain their vehicle - without breaking the bank.”Because car care should be stress-free!

FIXD is a comprehensive support system for you and your vehicle. In addition to a free, encyclopedia-like volume of information and resources about car maintenance, FIXD offers a low-cost sensor that communicates directly with your car’s computer to find out what needs to be addressed. Utilizing Bluetooth, the FIXD app on your phone then takes this information and produces descriptions of the diagnostic device’s findings that you can easily understand.

Every driver needs FIXD, if just to run the end-around on greedy mechanics. What you might not realize, though, is how much more FIXD has to offer. The FIXD team has their own upstanding mechanics on call 24/7 to answer your questions, and a built-in system that alerts you when your car needs regular maintenance. 

Now you won’t have to keep checking on, or be asked to believe, overeager dealers and repair shop owners when they insist you need a $90 oil change 2,500 miles before it’s really called for.

The caring, customer-service focused team at FIXD is dedicated to empowering drivers with knowledge and high-quality care. You can buy the FIXD sensor at low cost or subscribe to FIXD for a low monthly fee, and receive the sensor free, as part of the deal. 

Subscribers also receive 

• access to the mechanic hotline
• confirmed description of the fix and estimated cost
• a forecast of future problems related to the issue
• an incident history report
• an emissions compliance precheck

The FIXD car repair sensor is saving drivers $1,000s every day! Click here to find out more about how you can get FIXD for your vehicle, and empower yourself right away.

2. Get the best discounts for gig drivers

Now that you’ve got the key to saving yourself from merciless mechanics, you need to find more deals and discounts that will cut your car maintenance costs. Gridwise provides options that help you save: 

• Gridwise + CarAdvise gives you access to discounts to thousands of auto shops all over the country. Compare prices, consult with experts, and schedule online. As a Gridwise user, you’ll get 10–40% off retail prices.
• Gridwise + ForeverCar lets you save up to 44% on a Vehicle Service Plan. When an unexpected car breakdown happens, this policy will keep you and your wallet covered.
• Gridwise Tires helps you deal with the sad fact of life, namely, your tires will wear out. When you have to purchase a new set, Gridwise Tires gives you a $10 discount per tire, which makes the pain in your pocketbook a little less.
• Gridwise Gas offers discounts for the most important thing you need to buy if you want to maintain your car: fuel! Download the app for discounts offered to free users. Join Gridwise Plus to save up to $50 per month, and get even deeper discounts on other Gridwise Benefits.

3. Forget about wear and tear—rent!

If all this talk about maintenance costs and the thought of the wear and tear you put on your vehicle as a gig driver is giving you pause, rest easy. With Gridwise Rental, you can put your depreciation concerns aside for good! While it’s true that most rental car companies have draconic restrictions when it comes to renting for rideshare or delivery driving, things are much different with Gridwise Rental.

When you sign up for Gridwise Rental, you can search for available cars in your area, apply to drive, then pick up the keys and go! Even better, delivery and rideshare insurance are included in the rental cost.

Where do the cars come from? The Gridwise partnership with HyreCar makes it possible. Drivers like you who want to make money with their cars even when they aren’t driving rent them out! That means, if you’re not so concerned about wear and tear on your vehicle, you can rent it out and put it to work for you. Find out more about both ways to take advantage of Gridwise Rental, and sign up here!

4. Track depreciation to make every mile count

Depreciation is a fact of life for every vehicle owner, but gig drivers have a more pressing need to pay extra attention to it and find ways to track it. Some of the best Lyft driver advice or Uber driver advice you’ll ever get will show you how to deduct miles as a rideshare/delivery driver, so you can recoup the unavoidable costs of depreciation. 

Gridwise features a free mileage tracker, plus a way to record expenses, so you can account for every mile you put onto and every penny you put into your vehicle. Mileage deduction for gig drivers is a huge deal these days, considering how much you have to cough up just to cover fuel costs. Gridwise does this for you seamlessly. All you need to do is log in each time you start a shift.

And once you get hooked up with FIXD and find yourself the best deals on car maintenance through Gridwise, you can record shop expenses and keep track of all the repairs and maintenance your vehicle has on record. FIXD and Gridwise are a winning combination. Scoop up this opportunity to put them to work for you! Download Gridwise and…

Save more with FIXD now!