Gridwise blog

Halloween can be lots of fun, and it’s also a great time for gig drivers to make more money. With haunting going on for several days at a stretch, parties, parades, and other events will attract lots of business for rideshare and delivery drivers. You can probably go out as usual and still make a little more than you normally do, but why settle for that?

In this post, we’ll tell you how to make Halloween gig driving as rewarding as it is fun. We’ll talk safety, strategy, and how to earn bigger tips. Here’s how we’ll lay it out:

• getting in on the fun with Lyft or Uber on Halloween
• delivery tricks to earn you treats
• knowing where to drive and when
• staying safe and keeping clean

Getting in on the fun with Lyft or Uber on Halloween

You might not be a huge Halloween person, but a whole lot of your customers are. From parents with small ones who want to keep them dry and safe on the way to school events to hardcore party people who dive into the Halloween holiday spirit headfirst, you’re bound to come across a lot of passengers during this super busy week.

Since so many will be super excited about this spooky season, the way you approach your gig could make them extra generous and appreciative. Here are a few pieces of sound Lyft and Uber driver advice:

• Remain professional. Always greet your passengers as you would at any other time, and stay away from getting overly dramatic about acting like a scary zombie, axe murderer, or vampire, especially with young kids in the car.
• Dress up with discernment. If you decide to dress up, keep it to common sense costume choices. Make sure your face is recognizable, and avoid makeup, clothing, or props that make seeing clearly or moving freely while driving difficult. If you don’t want to get too wildly creative, you can always put together a Lyft or Uber driver Halloween costume!  Slap a sign on your chest that says “Scary good driver” and you’re good to go.
• Offer treats. Even jaded business travelers on the way to the airport might enjoy a sweet Halloween treat. Put a smile on passengers’ faces by ensuring your offerings are in their original wrappings, so they can feel safe eating them. You might want to offer bottled water, too. All that sugar can make all goblins, big and small, mighty thirsty.
• Present your Halloween playlist. You’ll want to do this carefully, of course, but a subtly crafted sequence of songs appropriate to the season will make you stand out with your passengers, who’ll just have to tip you for your great musical taste.
• Decorate your car. A temporary Halloween wrap for the exterior or some subtle orange and white lights on the interior could make yours the car they all want to be in when they celebrate their Lyft or Uber Halloween holiday.

Delivery tricks to earn you treats

It would be sad for delivery drivers to be left out of Halloween fun, so here are some things Dashers, Uber Eats, Instacart, Shipt, and Grubhub drivers can do to share in the festive spirit.

• Dress up, but keep it subtle. As a delivery driver, you’re going to have to move fast and be able to see where you’re going, even when you’re not piloting your car. Pay special attention to footwear, and if your company wants you to wear their branded hat or shirt, don’t let your costume cover it up.
• Carry treats for restaurant workers. You might see these people more than once a week, or you might only have one encounter with them ever. In either case, offering them a little something will keep them cheerier, and get you better ratings from the restaurant.
• Follow the Halloween spirit. If the restaurant workers or customers seem to be celebrating, it’s fine to chime in with a spooky comment or funny quip. But if it looks like the people you’re dealing with have no idea there’s anything special about this time of year, just act like you always do, with friendliness, grace, and professionalism.
• Make your delivery bags say “boo!” Customers might get a kick out of the way you put a few lights, some stickers, or spider webbing on the outside of your thermal bag or carrying crate. Just make sure none of that stuff comes close enough to contaminate the food.
• Tread lightly through backyard Halloween displays. So many people get extremely serious about decorating their yards with blow-up ghosts, gravestones, skeletons, and witches. What’s fun the rest of the day can be downright treacherous for delivery drivers. A headlamp or other means of shining light on what’s under foot might be called for, so you don’t hurt yourself or destroy a well-thought-out ghoulish (and garish) display.

Knowing where to drive and when

Keeping track of Halloween events can be tricky. That’s why you’re so lucky to have Gridwise. It’s not just the best mileage tracking app out there. Use the Gridwise events calendar to see where the parades, shows, scare houses, and public parties are. Having this info at your fingertips will make it easy to put together a winning Lyft or Uber driving strategy—but Gridwise has even more to offer.

Gridwise features Where to Drive and When to Drive give you real-time data on where drivers are making the most in your neighborhood. Studying the patterns in these features will tip you off as to when the peak passenger and delivery traffic is humming, and where you can go to find the most business. With Gridwise, you get all this and a free mileage tracker, too!

You may also pay attention to where and when schools are letting out around Halloween. Many parents will hope to see their little superheroes, princesses, and mermaids march at their school parade but be wary about driving with all that glitter, facepaint, and fake blood in their high-end SUVs. That’s when they’ll call you, so you’ll need to take some measures to look out for little ones, stay safe, and protect your own car, both inside and out.

Staying safe and keeping clean

The truth about Halloween is that it can be fun, but there are hidden dangers and inconveniences you’ll want to beware of. Consider these tips for keeping yourself and your passengers safe, and for preventing damage to your vehicle.

• Identify your passengers and delivery customers. Dress some people in a costume, and they can get downright silly, and sometimes. even dangerous. Don’t be shy about asking a passenger who appears somewhat sketchy to remove their mask so you can make sure you’re picking up the right person. Same goes for delivery. The word “trick” is very popular this time of year, and there could be a masked imposter hoping to pilfer that awesome spread of wings, burgers, and fries you’re carrying.
• Use in-app phone safety features. In case someone is acting out a Halloween stalker movie, you won’t want to become their prey. Your app most likely includes features that let a friend or family member follow your trips and know your whereabouts, and will let you contact emergency services with one swipe or tap. Get familiar with these features, and use them. It’s better to be overcautious than to find yourself in some real trouble.
• Demand full visibility. The chowderhead in your backseat dressed up in a giant lobster costume might be cute and creative, but if the oversized claws are blocking your view, you’ll need to ask that they come off till the ride is over.
• Look everywhere. Halloween is a very exciting time, particularly for children. Drive slowly and carefully, looking in as many directions as possible for people who might walk right in front of or behind your car. Make sure your lights are on at all times, even in the daytime. This really does help people notice there’s a car in their vicinity.
• Carry daycare equipment for drunks. For many of the party-prone among us, Halloween is a huge opportunity to tie on more than a costume. Carry sick bags, a roll or two of paper towels, cleaning solution, and plastic garbage bags to take care of any spills or “upheavals” that might occur. Sparkling bottled water could be convenient to have on hand at times like this, too. And remember, if they make a mess, your passengers have to pay to clean it up. Make a claim with your company to cover detailing costs.
• Try a tarp. This sounds somewhat extreme, but if you’re creative, you can turn a protective seat cover into an enticing Halloween decoration for your car. You’ll want this not just for the messes mentioned above. Glitter, face paint, green slime, and other costume components might look fabulous on your customers, but when they get ground into your upholstery, it’s not such a great look.
• Choose parking spots carefully. This one is mainly for delivery drivers, but even rideshare drivers stopping for a quick bevvy or a bio break have to park somewhere. Remember that people still use Halloween as an excuse to soap windows and smash pumpkins. Avoid parking where they might be able to make this mischief with your car.
• Keep your cool. Even if you see a clan of kids TP-ing your pine trees when you come in from a long night, try to remember Halloween is all about the fun of being just a little bit naughty. That thing about everybody being “nice” all the time is for a totally different holiday.

Enjoy your Halloween driving, and may you avoid tricks and get many tips! Be sure to bring Gridwise along for the ride to track your awesome earnings during this spooky holiday time!

Download the Gridwise app now!

Looking for a new company to add to your driving gig, or new to the gig driving game? Shipt is a popular delivery service that offers high earnings, variety, and plenty of business. Is Shipt the right kind of company for you? After you read this post, you’ll have a much better idea. We’ll cover

• the Shipt difference
• what it takes to be a Shipt shopper
• Shipt vs. Instacart: which is better?
• pro tips for Shipt shoppers

The Shipt difference

What makes Shipt so special? It’s a “shop and deliver” service, meaning that drivers gather items ordered by customers, and then deliver them to their doorsteps. If you enjoy shopping and the variety it offers, that could be enough right there to attract you to working for Shipt. Consider these factors as well:

• High pay. Shipt says shoppers can make up to $22 per hour. Gridwise data, as shown in this previous post, reflects a 2022 average hourly pay rate of $18.15 and an average rate of $19.22 per trip. 
• Financial backing. Shipt is a wholly owned subsidiary of Target. This behemoth company won’t be going away anytime soon. That tells you that your Shipt gig will be secured by deep corporate pockets. 
• Company expansion. This same Gridwise post discusses Shipt’s aggressive moves to partner with companies virtually everyone uses, such as Walgreens and 7-Eleven.
• Company image. Shipt depicts its workers as ordinary people going out of their way to do an extraordinary job. This company image can make Shipt shoppers feel as though they’re getting some respect from the company.

What it takes to be a Shipt shopper

Shipt makes it easy to become a Shipt shopper, but they do have standards you need to know about. Here are the requirements, according to the Shipt driver website:

Shipt shoppers must

• be at least 18 years old
• have a valid current mailing address
• hold a valid U.S. driver’s license and auto insurance
• have a reliable vehicle (1997 or newer)
• possess knowledge of produce selection
• be able to lift up 45 pounds
• have a current smartphone, such as an iPhone (iOS 10 or newer) or Android (5.1 or newer)
• pass a comprehensive (criminal and DMV) background check

At first glance, the basics of how to become a Shipt shopper don’t look very challenging, and they’re not. The one some drivers might balk at is “knowledge of produce selection.” There’s a lot to learn for almost anyone there, so if you’re game for getting schooled on how to pick fresh fruits and veggies, this website is a great place to get started.

The other thing you need to have if you want to be a Shipt shopper is patience. Lines in grocery stores can be long and slow, and your customers’ tempers can be short. A professional attitude toward customer service will take you far, keep you sane, and earn you bigger tips.

Shipt vs. Instacart: Which is better?

The biggest advantage Shipt has over Instacart becomes obvious when you ask the question: “How much do Shipt shoppers get paid?”As we stated above, Shipt shopper pay is, on the whole, higher than Instacart pay. Instacart does offer the option to work as an in-store employee, which Shipt does not. The pay for these positions is lower than that for independent contractor shopper/drivers, however.

Shipt shoppers also work on-demand, and not on shift blocks. This means Shipt doesn’t require you to select blocks when you’ll be available to shop. You can choose your own times and work for as long as you like.

Positive Shipt shopper reviews point out the flexibility of being your own boss, the same as other driving gigs, and shoppers agree the Shipt shopper app is easy to use. Many Shipt shoppers express a high degree of satisfaction with the pay they receive and the way the company treats them.They also say that Shipt training is very thorough and helpful.

However, if you live in a small town, away from a large urban area, Shipt may not be able to offer a lot of work for you. While some Shipt shoppers say they can do well working as one of a few shoppers in their areas, if you want to earn enough from Shipt to equate to full-time earnings, you’ll do better if you are located in a large, densely populated region. 

Both companies are expanding their focus from grocery and convenience store deliveries into other types of products. This post from the Gridwise blog provides a side-by-side comparison of Shipt vs. Instacart. You can read more about the distinctions between these two companies and decide which one would best serve your driving gig and lifestyle needs.

Pro tips for Shipt shoppers

If you’ve already got the basics of the Shipt shopper job down, that’s great—but you’ll get more gratuities and make more money if you follow these pro tips:

• Communicate. Your customers’ orders matter to them, and you need to show them that they matter to you as well. Don’t wait until you’re done with the order to text and tell your customers what you couldn’t find. Instead, engage them from the outset, keeping them abreast of where you are in the process.This includes telling them about any delays you might encounter in the store or in traffic.
• Follow up. After your order is complete, let your customer know you appreciate their business. If you drop off the order without seeing the customer, snap a photo and send that along. Point out that they’ll be getting a confirmation email, where they can rate the service and add a tip.
• Reach out to Shipt support. If you need to get a response from a customer and don’t hear back from them, contact Shipt support to let them know what has happened. That way you’ll have documentation to back you up should the customer express disappointment—for example, if they complain about wanting a substitution and not getting through to you in time.
• Equip yourself. Organize and protect your customers’ orders by using the right equipment. Crates for the interior of your storage area, as well as thermal bags and padded containers, will prevent breaks, spills, and other accidents that could cause customer dissatisfaction.
• Create a winning strategy. Use Gridwise to find out the best times and places to shop. When to Drive and Where to Drive show you where Shipt shoppers are making the most money in your area.
• Make friends with store employees. There will be times when you need help, whether it’s to find out which produce is more desirable, or in which section you can find the truffle oil. Building relationships with people who work in the stores will pay dividends that help you do your job more quickly and easily. They will also let you have the kinds of friendly interactions that make your work even more fulfilling.
• Make friends with repeat customers. Depending on the size of your service area, you might encounter the same customers more than once. Even if they don’t remember you, showing that you remember them is sure to add extra ka-ching to your virtual tip jar.
• Run your gig like a business. While lots of people shop for Shipt as a part-time side gig, it’s always wise to remember that it’s still a business. Use Gridwise to track your mileage and earnings, so you can keep account of your income and expenses. Count on Gridwise Benefits for insurance and other services, including telehealth, vision coverage, discounts on gas, roadside assistance, and life insurance policies.

Take advantage of these tips and watch your earnings soar!

Download the free Shipt mileage tracker

In another sign that companies are reverting to pre-pandemic practices, Uber brought back pool rides earlier this past June. They’ve tweaked the program, giving it a new name—UberX Share.

Many drivers groaned when they heard the news that pool rides had returned. Others, admittedly a smaller percentage, welcomed the return. It fits their driving strategy.

This blog post answers questions about the UberX Share program, how it works, and how it might benefit drivers. Here’s what we’ll cover:

• Is Uber Pool back?
• What is UberX Share?
• Driver response to UberX Share.
• UberX Share as part of a driving strategy.
• Lyft has a similar program.
• Tracking your Uber earnings and miles.

Is Uber Pool back?

Yes, but in a different form. Uber Pool was a program originally launched in 2014. Uber and Lyft canceled pool rides during the pandemic, fearing that having too many people in a car would spread COVID. Uber has reactivated the program, but they rebranded it with a new name, UberX Share, and made a few changes to benefit the passenger.

Passengers who selected a pool ride agreed, in exchange for a lower fare, to share the ride with passengers headed in the same general direction. As a driver, this meant that once you picked up the first passenger, you could still receive ride requests from additional passengers traveling in the same direction. With Uber Pool, a driver could have as many as four passengers in their car traveling to a maximum of three destinations in the same general direction. 

Often a pool ride ended with the driver never having to stop for another passenger, as there were no other pool riders in that area. Other times there could be multiple passengers. There were unconfirmed urban legends of passengers that spent as many as two hours in a rideshare pool because the driver kept getting ride requests. 

What is UberX Share?

Is it the same as Uber Pool? Not quite. UberX Share launched in June of this year with a few changes to Uber Pool. Most significantly, the company addressed passenger concerns about rides taking too long. According to an Uber release, the two major changes are:

1. Passengers receive an automatic discount for choosing UberX Share. The discount increases to as much as 20% if the driver picks up another passenger along the way. 
2. The Uber algorithm matches passengers in UberX Shared rides with other passengers only when it is determined that the second passenger adds no more than eight minutes to the ride. 

Additional changes include that UberX Share rides are limited to a maximum of two passengers, and each passenger can reserve only one seat. Uber Pool allowed a passenger to reserve up to two seats. Under the new rules, this still allows for passengers in the back seat to have an empty seat between them, according to Uber.  

According to BGR.com, a website that reports on technology and trends, Uber tested the new UberX Share program in the Miami market early June. The program rolled out to more markets later that month in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, San Francisco, Phoenix, San Diego, Portland, Indianapolis, and Pittsburgh, with plans for future expansions. There is no word on how, when, and where those future expansions will occur. An Uber representative also told Gridwise that UberX Share is available in several international markets, including Argentina, Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Australia. The company has plans to expand UberX Share to even more international cities in the future.

Driver response to UberX

Shared rides have never been a favorite among many rideshare drivers. With Uber Pool, they  complained that they received a single fee for these pool rides, while the rideshare company charged each passenger and got paid up to three times, perhaps even more. Drivers also claimed passengers would occasionally argue about whose destination would be first, and the driver found themselves transformed into a referee. The Uber Pool algorithm determined the order that passengers were picked up and dropped off, the driver having no control over it. The same is true with UberX Share rides. 

Other drivers reported little or no problems with Uber Pool rides and are likely to find little fault with the new version.

“I drove for 15 months before the pandemic,” said one former full-time rideshare driver based in the Los Angeles area. “Unless I went looking for shared rides, they never made up more than 5% of my total ride volume. Out of 5,700 rides in 15 months, I had one shared ride that went in a bad direction. My initial passenger was a young woman. My next passengers were two men who had been drinking. They were aggressive and used bad language. I warned them twice. It was a short ride, though. I got them out before it became a problem, and I made sure the young lady was okay. I immediately reported the incident through the app. I later received a message that Uber contacted the drunken passenger that paid for the ride and banned him from the app for six months.”

Other drivers complain that passengers sometimes used Uber Pool for a trip to the airport or train station, where arriving on time can be critical. Drivers had to be vigilant and remind passengers that the addition of passengers could jeopardize their arrival time. If the new eight-minute factor works out in UberX Share rides, arriving late is less likely to be a problem. Still, drivers should warn passengers. 

Uber Pool and the new UberX Share program also have positive stories. Pocket-lint.com, a website that reports on “tech that matters,” cited stories from Uber about Uber Pool rides that turned into “singalongs, new friends, and other chance encounters.”

Although Uber could not provide hard numbers on the use of the UberX Share program, a company spokesperson did say that Uber was happy with the level of driver and rider engagement. 

UberX Share as part of a strategy

Those drivers who like shared rides report using UberX Share rides as part of their overall driving strategy. If a driver picks up a shared ride, each passenger counts as a ride. This is a boost if a driver is working on an Uber Quest, an incentive which includes drivers getting a bonus for completing a specified number of rides in a given time period.

Drivers report that they are more likely to get shared rides near colleges and universities and other places where younger people using rideshare are looking to save money. 

Other drivers like the shared rides because the dynamics of strangers in a car leads to interesting conversations and encounters—and happy passengers are passengers who tip. 

Lyft has a similar program

Prior to the pandemic, Lyft had a competing program to the Uber Pool ride program. Lyft called it “shared” rides. Like Uber, they shut down the shared ride program when the pandemic started. Lyft reinstated shared rides in July 2021, almost a year earlier than Uber. The rides are limited to two passengers per car, and all passengers plus the driver have to wear masks. There has been no news on whether the mask mandate has been lifted on shared rides, and there is no mention in Uber releases whether Uber passengers must wear masks.

Tracking your Uber earnings and miles

If you're doing UberX Share or other gig services, you need to track your miles and earnings. Thousands of gig drivers are using Gridwise's free mileage tracker to increase their mileage deduction. On top of the free mileage tracker, Gridwise users can take advantage of:

• Additional features like When to Drive and Where to Drive, which direct drivers to the best earning opportunities
• Graphs that show peak arrival and departure times at airports
• Alerts that notify you when people are likely to leave concerts, sporting events, and other large gatherings
• A $50/month gas discount, sponsored by GasBuddy

Start earning and saving more

Perks are a part of most driving gigs, but we all know that some are better than others. There might even be some programs that are so good, they tip the scales so everybody wants to work there just for the perks!

Is Amazon Flex one such company? In this post, we’ll look at what it’s like to deliver with Amazon Flex, with a special focus on Amazon Flex Rewards. We’ll look at the experience of working with Flex and how the rewards program affects driver satisfaction and Amazon Flex driver pay. 

Here’s how we’ll size things up:

• The basics of being an Amazon Flex driver
• How much do Amazon Flex drivers make? 
• Amazon Flex rewards and other perks
• How to make more money with Amazon Flex

The basics of being an Amazon Flex driver

You may not always notice it, but you’ve most likely benefited from the work of a whole bunch of Amazon Flex drivers. Doing their duty by going the “last mile” to deliver packages for Amazon, Flex drivers use their own vehicles. They are, like all gig workers, independent contractors. 

Flex has been around since 2015, but Amazon ratcheted up the pressure to recruit more Flex drivers in 2019, when the company changed its Prime delivery service from two days to one. The pandemic made Amazon Flex drivers even more valuable, as a groundswell of customer orders created a demand for drivers to get them to their destinations. 

There are a few different ways Amazon Flex drivers can work, but the most common one is by choosing “blocks” and delivering packages from a distribution center. You can read more about Amazon Flex, including what it takes to become a driver, in this Gridwise blog post.

Flex drivers choose blocks of time when they are available to drive and deliver packages. They report to the Amazon distribution center or store and wait their turn, often in long lines. When they get to the front of the line, they receive an allotment of packages to deliver within the time windows of their blocks.

Drivers say they are under a lot of pressure at times. There can be large loads of packages to deliver on routes that take them through high traffic areas. This makes their task more than a little daunting. The stress increases as the end of the time block approaches, especially if not all the packages have been dropped off. Basic needs such as eating, staying hydrated, and finding places “to go” have to be pushed aside so all the packages can be delivered before the deadline. Read this CNBC piece and watch the 2019 video for more insight into what driving for Flex can be like.

Every gig driving job has its good and bad points, so even though working for Amazon Flex can be a bit more stressful than it appears on the surface, it has its definite pluses, too. One of these is Amazon Flex driver pay.

How much do Amazon Flex drivers make? 

Amazon claims that Flex drivers make as much as $18–$25 per hour, and Gridwise figures confirm that this is pretty close to reality. In this Gridwise blog post, you can see that median Flex hourly pay rose from $21.78 to $23.35 over the first three months of 2022. 

How much do Amazon Flex drivers make a week? That depends on how many blocks drivers take on in a week. Because there can be considerable distances between the driver’s home base, the distribution center, and the delivery route, not all drivers can work more than 3 or 4 hours a day.

The next logical question is, how much do Amazon Flex drivers make a month? Gridwise figures for Q1 2022 show the answer to be encouraging. In March 2022, Flex drivers across the nation pulled in an average of $419.50 for the month. However, this figure shows that Flex drivers, by and large, are working mostly part time. If we take the monthly figure and divide it by the hourly figure of $23.35, we find that drivers would be working around 18 hours per month.

While Amazon Flex hourly earnings are solid, the model of working 3 or 4 hours at a time, and delivering packages to destinations that could lead drivers to rack up a great deal of mileage, could mean they don’t have time to do more than one or two blocks per day. It’s quite possible that many Flex drivers work this gig as a side hustle, or as part of a more comprehensive gig driving strategy that includes other modes of making money, such as rideshare or food delivery.

There’s more than just the straight earning rates to consider, though. Just what else does Amazon Flex have to offer?

Amazon Flex rewards and other perks

Amazon Flex drivers are eligible to earn points and get perks, just for completing blocks and making deliveries. Drivers must keep their standings high, by showing up for their blocks and delivering their packages. Drivers will make more points per block and per delivery, as their standing gets higher. Get specific details about how rewards points are allocated here.

The rewards available to drivers include:

cash back on purchases with the Amazon Flex debit card. Drivers can earn up to $500 cash back per month on fuel and EV charges, groceries from Whole Foods, items from amazon.com, and anything else that can be purchased with the debit card. They can deposit funds into the account linked to the Amazon Flex debit card, and also select the card as the preferred payment account for depositing Flex earnings. Percentages for cash back deals increase as drivers earn more points and reach higher levels.

preferred scheduling. Drivers can take more control over their time by earning preferred scheduling privileges. As they earn more points and rise through the levels, extra time is allocated for choosing blocks. They will also gain access to more blocks that meet individual block preferences as they earn more points.

discounts on gas, auto maintenance, and merchandise. As they continue to climb up the levels, drivers become eligible for an increasing number of discounts on items they need, as well as other consumer goods and services. Amazon says there are literally thousands of discounts available, more than we are able to list here, for sure. 

The Amazon Flex Rewards Program gives drivers some perks that could be quite worthwhile. Still, the rewards and discounts available are not “free.” They’re linked to driver performance and delivery volume. If you only drive occasionally for Amazon Flex, it will be hard to get much from the program.

If you’re a regular, though, there are plenty of possibilities for being paid back for your hard work. The rewards program is a good way for Amazon Flex to make up for the fact that drivers don’t get tips or benefit from the surges and challenges rideshare and delivery drivers enjoy.

Besides the rewards program, how can Amazon Flex drivers add to their earnings?

How to make more money with Amazon Flex

The best thing to do is find ways to minimize your expenses. Start by getting the best Amazon Flex mileage tracker there is—Gridwise! Gridwise tracks your miles for tax deduction purposes, and also lets you enter all the expenses you can write off as a driver. Gridwise tracks your earnings, too, so you can see how much you’re earning, and how much your expenses might be eating into your income.

You’ll get all these services that make your Amazon Flex gig easier, too:

• traffic alerts
• information on better times of day, days of the week, and neighborhoods to deliver in
• deals and discounts on gas, insurance, car maintenance, and more

With Gridwise, you get our rewards no matter how many deliveries you’ve done or how quickly you’ve completed them. Gridwise is a free app that offers rewards, discounts, and deals to all its drivers. Download the app and see for yourself.

Get the free Gridwise app now!

Think talking about insurance is boring? Well, it might be but it’s also a critical part of your success as a driver. It could even wind up affecting your financial survival. Unless you’re in a unique situation, as a gig driver you’re an independent contractor. There is no such thing as rideshare driver health benefits or delivery driver sick pay.

Insurance isn’t as bright, shiny, or technologically appealing, but it’s every bit as important to your gig driving business as your car or phone. You also might want to avoid talking about insurance because it brings up pictures in your mind you’d rather not see. An accident, a protracted illness, and death are not scenarios we like to think about, but yet, we need to plan for them in the event that they occur. 

There really isn’t an option. Drivers have to deal with getting themselves covered. Some of us wish to avoid that fact so badly, we make huge missteps. In this post we’re going to shine a halogen lamp on those mistakes, so you won’t wind up suffering from them. Then, we’ll give you practical solutions to address all your delivery and rideshare insurance needs.

Here’s how we’ll line things up:

• Insurance: What’s the price for peace of mind?
• The 5 big mistakes you can’t afford to make.
• Gig driver benefits designed to fit your needs—from Gridwise.

Insurance: Worth the peace of mind

Whether or not you’re convinced that insurance is a basic need you can’t do without, the rest of the world certainly is. Remember when you signed up to drive for your rideshare or delivery company? You had to prove that you had basic insurance for your vehicle. Without it, you wouldn’t even be allowed to take your first ride or order. In fact, if you don’t have basic vehicle insurance, you are in violation of state motor vehicle laws that require every vehicle to be insured.

You might think that basic policy, plus what you get from your company, is enough for you to get by, but that’s not the case. When you consider that all your basic auto policy covers is damage to your and other people’s vehicles that are involved in an accident, and some of the cost of injury or death, you’ll realize you’re not fully covered. In fact, you could start to feel as though you’re scantily clothed.

Let’s start with a look at your work life and then get personal about insurance concerns. What happens if you can’t work due to an injury or illness? Or how will you get treatment for an ailment that’s making it impossible for you to drive? Will your family still be able to afford groceries if you should have a fatal accident? Is your mortgage insured? Okay, so you rent your living space. How about your belongings—what will you be left with if they get stolen or damaged? 

Life happens, and when bad things in life occur, we need to be prepared for them. As we pose all these questions about what “the worst” might look like, it’s easy to see why people are put off talking about insurance. It can be pretty complicated, in addition to not being the most riveting topic we’ll ever discuss.

Due to how complex insurance, and life, are, it’s easy to make mistakes. You will want to avoid that for sure, so let’s look at 5 of them now.

The 5 big mistakes you can’t afford to make

Mistake #1: Assuming “It will never happen”

There’s one thing we haven’t mentioned yet. Insurance can be expensive. You already know how much money it takes to insure your vehicle. When you start getting into your own body, your eyes, your teeth, and your home, the total insurance bill can get blown sky-high very quickly. With all that in mind, you still have to calculate how much it would cost if you fail to get insurance.

Even those of us who are in perfect health have plenty of exposure. Let’s say you decide to go rock climbing with your buds, and you come down from the climb with a torn rotator cuff. Do you have any idea how much the fix for that can cost? The X-rays and doctors’ visits alone will be in the thousands. If they recommend surgery, you’d better hope you have quite a stash set aside, or that you hit the lottery. Five-digit hospital bills are a given, not a remote possibility.

There will be more than just physical pain, because you won’t be able to drive with an injury of that nature. In fact, recovery will most likely dictate that you avoid driving for several weeks after your surgery. You’ll find more details about health insurance coverage in this Gridwise blog post.

Going without insurance could wipe you out in no time at all. Be fiscally responsible and get the coverage you need, but find reasonably priced options that won’t stretch your budget.

Mistake #2: not comparing policies

Those insurance ads we see streaming all the time keep trying to make us laugh, and some of them really are pretty funny. Nonetheless, you don’t want to base your insurance purchase on which company has the most clever ad writers.

Instead, you need to do sound research into the policies you’re considering buying to see how much money you need to pay for a given amount of coverage. Shop around. Even if you use a broker, who’ll offer you what might seem to be the “best” policies for you, insist on getting a chance to inspect the available policies on your own, and see if you agree with the broker’s assessment.

Mistake #3: buying too much insurance

You know what they say about reading the fine print when it comes to making a purchase or business deal of any kind. You have to do it, if you expect to be absolutely certain you’re getting what you asked for and not a bunch of extras you’ll most likely never need.

There is such a thing as being tricked into buying too much insurance and being forced to pay for it. Check through all the services you already have, even the ones you get through your rideshare or delivery app. For example, most companies offer roadside service. You won’t want to pay extra for that service in your basic car insurance. The same goes for home insurance. Why pay for water damage to your home in a separate policy when your homeowner’s insurance already has that covered?

Mistake #4: not buying enough insurance

When insurance sales reps try to get you to buy what they’re selling, you might get saturated to the point where you start to say no to everything they offer that goes beyond the basics. Don’t let your desire to stick to the bare bones of 1099 car insurance prevent you from getting coverage that could save you from falling into a financial abyss. 

A good example of this is gap insurance on your auto policy. What happens if after even a fender bender your car gets “totaled?” There are lots of times when the insurance company determines that paying to fix the damage is costlier than replacing the vehicle. They merely pay you what you’d get if you were to sell it. That doesn’t sound so bad, but there’s something you might not be considering.

If you haven’t paid off your auto loan, there’s a possibility you will owe more money to the bank than the car is worth. If a $29,000 car gets totaled after an accident, you’re not going to get the full MSRP that you paid and/or borrowed. Your car loses value through depreciation the minute you drive it off the lot. When you rack up mileage and wear and tear as a gig driver, the value will plummet faster than you might want to believe.

If your car gets valued at $15,000 and you still owe $10,000 to the bank, and you don’t have gap insurance, you’re stuck paying the difference. Gap insurance covers the money you still owe and saves you from paying on a car that’s going to be sold for parts to the highest bidder.

Gap insurance, and other policies of this ilk, sound like something your agent or broker might be sneaking in to make you pay more. But if you find yourself in the scenario we just described, you’ll be pretty glad you have it. Learn more about delivery and rideshare insurance in this Gridwise blog post.

Mistake #5: neglecting the big picture

Insuring your vehicle and other possessions and buying coverage to pay for health care costs are smart things to do, but there’s something that could be even more important: life insurance. You are worth money to the people who depend on you and love you! They will suffer a financial as well as an emotional loss should something happen to you. It’s also worth mentioning that any debt (student loans, auto loans, etc.) are passed on to family members when you die. Life insurance can go toward covering that debt. Even if you have no dependents, what will happen upon your death? Who will cover the funeral costs and make sure your loved ones won’t be left digging deep into their own pockets?

Life insurance is something that makes a whole lot of sense. There are two types: whole life and term. Whole life is more expensive, and it’s kind of like a savings account. You contribute to the policy, and you’re covered for a given amount in the event “the worst” happens to you. At any time you can cash in the policy and get back the money you contributed, even if you’re still alive and well. (You won’t be insured anymore, however.) Term insurance is cheaper, but you or your loved ones won’t get any payments of any kind until after you’ve passed. Another thing to consider is that term policies have age limits. If your policy only pays if you die before 65, and you die at 66, your dependents won’t receive anything. Whole life covers you no matter what age you die at.  

You can talk to a broker to see which kind of life insurance makes sense for you, but by all means, this kind of coverage is something everyone needs to have. Life insurance is not a frivolous expense. Ask anyone who’s had a loved one pass away and you’ll find out. Fortunately, even as a gig worker, it’s possible to get life insurance and all kinds of other coverage at low cost! With Gridwise, you get a basic safety net of at least $5,000 in coverage at no cost to you. 

Gig driver benefits designed to fit your needs—from Gridwise

Gridwise gears its services to drivers, so it’s not surprising to find that Gridwise has ways to cover everything from health care to accidental death and disability. In partnership with Avibra, a provider of affordable, accessible, and convenient financial and wellness policies, Gridwise Dollar Benefits gives you easy, inexpensive access to insurance of all sorts. You don’t have to buy a big, expensive package of policies, either. You can customize your benefits to meet your individual needs. 

Even better, the very name Gridwise Dollar Benefits has a good reason behind it. You can get benefits for as little as $1 per week! Here is a list of the insurance services made possible through a partnership between Gridwise and Avibra at this amazingly low cost.

• No-cost life insurance
  • $5,000 in benefits becomes available to you the moment you join. Gridwise Plus users get $10,000 in coverage instantly. This gives your loved ones access to cash should the worst happen.
• Roadside assistance
  • Towing, emergency tire changes, lockout, battery, and fuel delivery service.
• Telehealth
  • Access to 24/7 unlimited virtual doctor visits.
• Dental
  • Discounts on dental procedures, orthodontics, and other specialties.
• Vision
  • Reduced prices for eye exams, eye care and eyewear—a must for drivers!
• Critical illness insurance
  • $2,500 cash for an illness that’s covered by the plan.
• Medical expense insurance
  • $1000 emergency cash in case you’re injured in an accident.
• Accidental Death & Disability (AD&D) insurance
  • $20,000 in emergency cash to cover expenses over and above medical bills.
• Life insurance
  • Add on to the free policy to provide cash for those you might leave behind.
• Teletherapy
  • 30-minute virtual therapy sessions 
• Chiropractic services
  • 30-50% discount on chiropractic services nationwide 
• Alternative medicine
  • 10-30% discount on alternative medicine services nationwide
• Identity theft protection
  • Prevent ID theft and get full restoration of your identity
• Fitness & nutrition
  • 20,000+ free streaming exercise, nutrition, and stress management classes

Signing up for Gridwise Dollar Benefits is some of the best Uber or Doordash driver advice you can get! In fact, Gridwise Dollar Benefits can actually make talking about and getting insurance interesting, and possibly, even exciting! What are you waiting for? Sign up for Gridwise Benefits now. It’s easy.

Open your Gridwise app, go to the Benefits tab, then tap the “Dollar Benefits” filter at the top. From there, you’ll get everything you need to start your coverage right away.

With Gridwise Dollar Benefits, plus all the amazing Gridwise features that make gig driving easier and more profitable, there’s every reason to make sure, if you haven’t already, to do the smart thing!

Get the coverage you need today!

What makes one food delivery app better for drivers than another? There are lots of things to consider, and in this blog post we’ll cover them. You might be new to gig driving, or maybe you’re ready to switch up to try a different food delivery app. In any event, you’ll have to make up your own mind about who wins the DoorDash vs. Grubhub contest. We just want to present some facts and background in this post that will make that task a whole lot easier. 

Here’s what we’ll consider:

• DoorDash driver pay or Grubhub driver pay: which is better?
• Getting started: Which company makes it easier?
• Gearing up as you get going
• Business strategy: how to make big profits with DoorDash and Grubhub

Grubhub driver pay or Doordash driver pay: Which is better?

The latest figures from Gridwise show that both DoorDash and Grubhub offer decent earnings. The fairest comparison is probably gross earnings per work hour. There’s literally almost no difference, with Doordash showing an hourly figure of $15.28, and Grubhub coming in at $15.49. 

Source: Gridwise

The numbers for gross earnings per trip show Grubhub with a substantial edge over Doordash, $10.26 vs. $7.93 per trip, respectively. Tips also look better at Grubhub, where the median tip earnings per trip amounted to $5.00, while average Doordash tips came in at $4.17.

Source: Gridwise

Source: Gridwise

When it comes to gross monthly earnings and referrals, though, Doordash has it all over Grubhub. Dashers averaged $227.25 per month, while Grubhub drivers yielded only $132.57. What’s with the difference in the data? It might be that there is more business for DoorDash than for Grubhub. It may also be showing us that drivers could tend to work more hours for DoorDash than they drive for Grubhub. 

Source: Gridwise

Referrals are another way for drivers to make money, and there’s a big difference there. Grubhub doesn’t offer money to drivers for referrals in most cities. DoorDash, on the other hand, has a rather strong referral program. 

How much does a DoorDash driver make with referrals? It depends. Drivers receive bonuses for referring drivers who made a requisite number of deliveries in a given period of time. The bonus amount varies, based on the offers DoorDash makes at different times. Most likely, these would be based on the company’s need to attract new drivers. 

We won’t drill down into regional data here, but it’s true that historically, DoorDash and Grubhub each dominated markets in different areas of the country. Yet, in the last year, DoorDash has overtaken Grubhub just about everywhere. According to this article from Visual Capitalist about which companies dominate the food delivery business, DoorDash commanded 53% of the food delivery business in 2021, while Grubhub had just 21% of market share that year. Industry specialists credit an aggressive marketing strategy and superior technology for DoorDash’s dominance.

This difference, in how much of the market each company has, can hold different meanings for drivers. You may want to drive for DoorDash because it’s the biggest company, but there might be less competition in your market area if you were to drive for Grubhub instead. Do some digging, and use the Gridwise features Where to Drive and When to Drive to see which app is making more money for drivers in your area.

Now that we’ve found out some things about the financial factors, let’s look at other considerations to keep in mind when you decide whether Grubhub or DoorDash is the best app for you.

Grubhub vs Doordash: Which company makes it easier?

While it’s good to discover the answer to “How much does Doordash pay an hour?” and to find out all the facts about Grubhub driver earnings, there’s more to the story. For starters, it’s important to know exactly how to become a DoorDash driver and learn about the ins and outs of how to become a Grubhub driver.

What are Grubhub requirements for their partners (aka drivers):

• a “people person”
• a positive attitude
• excellent communication skills
• punctuality
• age 18 or older, and 21 or older in Las Vegas
• ownership of an iPhone with iOS 11 or higher, or Android with 5.0 or higher
• data plan
• checking account for direct deposit
• clean criminal and driving records

• for car delivery: valid driver’s license (2 years or more if 19 years or older; 1 year or more if 28 years or older), plus auto insurance
• for bicycle delivery: valid state ID, driver’s license, or US or global passport

What does Doordash require for their dashers (aka drivers):

• proof of being 18 years of age or older
• an iPhone or Android phone (preferably not one that has been “jailbroken” or “rooted”)
• valid domestic driver’s license
• auto insurance (if using a car)
• bicycle, motorcycle, or scooter in certain cities
• clean driving and criminal records

It seems that DoorDash is somewhat less selective than Grubhub, at least at first glance. Let’s look at how to sign up with each of them to get more insight.

How to sign up to be a Grubhub driver

For Grubhub, you can apply through the website on your computer or a mobile device. While you’re waiting for the company to confirm that you meet the basic requirements, including passing the background check, there are one or two more steps.

First, you’ll download the app. There’s no interview process to determine if you’re a “people person” or have a positive attitude, but you will be asked to undergo an online onboarding process that teaches you how to use the app, how to treat customers, and how to be as efficient as possible about making deliveries.

Once you prove you’ve completed the videos, and have been fully approved, you will then wait for your official GrubHub insulated bag and Grubhub driver card to arrive in the mail. 

How to sign up to be a Doordash driver

DoorDash also offers the ability to sign up through the website. Once you sign up, you can download the Dasher app and wait for your application to be processed. Your wait might seem less excruciating if you complete the onboarding videos in the meantime. Similar to the videos presented by Grubhub, these will give you the information you need to be a successful Dasher. Once you’re approved, DoorDash will send along your thermal delivery bag and your Dasher Red Card. 

Acceptance times vary depending on the speed of the background check process. Usually you can anticipate approval within a week to ten days. That’s pretty much all you need to get started, but if you want to be successful, there are some more measures you’ll need to take.

Gearing up as you get going

We mentioned that the companies provide you with a thermal bag for carrying food, but we’d be lying if we told you that’s all you need. That little bag won’t hold much. It won’t prevent spills, either. If you want to do this job right, you’re probably going to find that you need more equipment. This can include

• extra insulated bags
• beverage holders
• crates or boxes to prevent spills
• extra napkins and condiments
• a flashlight or headlamp
• safety equipment for your vehicle
• your own food and beverages so you don’t go hungry and can stay hydrated

While much of this gear isn’t exactly essential, it can certainly help to raise your level of professionalism. It’s hard to get good ratings from customers if food spills out the side of a container, or a plastic bag splits from the weight and wetness of an upset cola drink. It’s also wise to protect your own vehicle from damage. Food and beverage spills can create unintended petri dishes where bacteria and mold can fester—not to mention unpleasant odors!

If you’re serious about delivery driving with DoorDash or Grubhub, getting the right equipment is crucial. Read this Gridwise post for suggestions that will help get you geared up right.

Business strategy: how to make money with DoorDash and Grubhub

Once you have signed up with your app of choice, have been approved, and have the right equipment, you’ll need to create a winning strategy. Delivery driving isn’t getting any easier in 2022. While business is still brisk, there’s more competition, and the costs of running a gig driving business are higher than ever.

That’s why you can’t just “play at” being a delivery driver. You need to treat your driving gig for what it is: your source of income, and—a business! Here are some things you need to do.

1. Keep your driving earnings separate from your personal accounts. 

It’s always smart to separate your business income from your personal assets. Having an LLC does that for you. If you’re shy of the red tape that you think starting an LLC might entail, don’t worry. There’s a service that cuts right through it all. Nearside Sprout offers an efficient, easy, and inexpensive way to set up a Limited Liability Corporation (LLC) that you can use to minimize tax exposure and liability. 

With Nearside Sprout, all you have to do is fill out a simple form. From there, all the mind-numbing paperwork will be taken care of, and you’ll have a real, no kidding, business entity of your very own. Sign up with Nearside Sprout and get real about your business.

2. Decide when and how much you’ll work.

Will you work just a few hours a week, or full time? With both Grubhub and DoorDash, you can either choose blocks of time, or make yourself available for deliveries on the spur of the moment. Your earnings will reflect how much you work, of course. The flexibility of delivery driving affords you the chance to choose work patterns that fit your lifestyle, which is a huge advantage. No matter how much you choose to work, though, you’ll need to manage your earnings and maximize them, so that you can make the most money in the least amount of time.

3. Track your miles and analyze your earnings.

To be successful at any business, you need to know how much you’re making in a given period of time. Delivery driving is different from a job that gives you hourly wages. Rates vary as do the number of trips you might make on a given shift. To see how much you need to drive to reach your goals, you need to track your earnings.

Gridwise makes this supremely easy. All you have to do is link your app to Gridwise, and your earnings will be seamlessly and confidentially recorded. You can see your earning patterns graphically, and literally get the full picture of your success for any time period you choose.

Gridwise is also the best DoorDash or Grubhub mileage tracker you can get, and it’s free! Simply log in to Gridwise when you go on a shift, and you’ll know the number of miles, so you have a record of your working miles to deduct from your taxes.

Whether you do DoorDash or Grubhub, make sure you drive with the best rideshare and delivery driver assistant app.

Download the free Gridwise app now!

Drivers! Are you looking for additional Doordash and Grubhub resources?

• https://gridwise.io/blog/rideshare/what-are-grubhub-drivers-earning/
• How to Make $1000 with Doordash
• How to Make Money With Grubhub

“I signed up to be a Lyft driver in 2018,” said one driver who soon found himself driving full time. “It was all online. There was no orientation video. I didn’t even know about the existence of driver hubs. My first time out, I got a shared drive. I had no idea what was happening. I knew my passenger’s destination, but the app directed me elsewhere. Noticing my confusion, the passenger looked at my app and told me what was going on.”

Rideshare and delivery companies have gotten better at driver orientation, but you have to learn how to run your own business, because that’s what you are doing; you are a self-employed contract worker.

Fortunately, the Gridwise blog fills some of those gaps. Whether you're a beginner just starting to drive for Uber or DoorDash, or whether you're a pro Spark driver, we've got you. We'll provide a selection of some of the best foundational advice for gig drivers. We’ll cover

• understanding the business side of gig driving
• protecting yourself legally
• taking care of yourself while you’re gig driving
• tracking rideshare and delivery mileage and earnings

Understanding the business side of gig driving

You are running your own business. Whether you drive for Lyft or Uber, or one of the other services, or if food delivery is your hustle, run it like a business. 

Pay the taxman

Companies that use gig drivers generally do not withhold payroll taxes. Standard payroll deductions, federal income tax, state income tax, unemployment insurance, Medicare, and social security are now your responsibility. When you file your taxes at the end of the year, chances are you will owe. The way you avoid this is to calculate your taxes (how much you will approximately owe) and make quarterly estimated self-employment payments. Yes, this is difficult, but you need to discipline yourself. Quarterly payments are much easier than having a bill for back taxes hanging over your head with the potential of a penalty. 

Talk to a bookkeeper 

A bookkeeper can help you determine those quarterly payments and, at the end of the year, figure out how much you owe on taxes. With the rapid increase of gig workers in the US economy, the IRS is scrambling to figure out the details. Keeping up with the tax rules and regulations is a chore. A good bookkeeper knows all the minutiae. Look for reliable sources online (double-check information. Aside from Gridwise, the internet is not always the source of all truth 😉). Gridwise Tax Help, powered by Keeper Tax, has tons of tax resources to assist gig drivers with their bookkeeping, and can connect drivers to tax professionals for help.

Keep receipts

As a rideshare or food delivery driver, you can count on early morning or late night pickups or drop-offs in communities with no streetlights. A high-powered flashlight or spotlight can help you find addresses. That purchase is tax-deductible. Do you keep an emergency box in your trunk with a first aid kit, flares or reflectors, extra emesis bags (we’ll discuss those later), and other items? Those are all deductible. Also, learn how to track mileage as a gig driver. That’s tax deductible, too. 

You never know when you will need a receipt. Several years ago, a malfunctioning gate in a private community broke a driver’s windshield. The community paid for a replacement, but when the driver logged onto the rideshare app the next night, a passenger had reported it, resulting in the driver’s temporary suspension until he fixed his car. Fortunately, he had photos of the installation and the receipt. He was reinstated a few hours later. 

Keep your paperwork current

As a gig driver, important pieces of paperwork include your driver's license, insurance information, and car registration. As a security check, you may have to provide a copy of your license in the middle of a shift. Alway have it on you, and keep a photo of it on your phone just in case. Make sure payments on car insurance are made on time, and renew your car registration as soon as it comes in the mail. 

Save for retirement

You are self-employed. Retirement is on you. Despite the naysayers, social security will probably be there but will likely not cover all your expenses, even as a senior citizen. Ask a financial planner for investment advice for retirement. 

Protecting yourself legally

Because you are self-employed, you can be legally liable if something happens and you’re found at fault. Right or wrong, there is an entire cottage industry of attorneys geared to assisting someone in an accident with a gig driver who was on the job. There are things you can do to protect yourself. 

Make sure you have the proper auto insurance for rideshare and food delivery drivers

Lyft and Uber both carry insurance policies, but these policies do not cover you during every instance. Make sure you know what your rideshare company’s insurance policy does cover (or the food delivery company, if that’s the case), and then verify what your auto insurance covers. 

Many insurance companies cover rideshare, but only with a special rider on your policy. It pays to shop around and maybe change insurance companies to find affordable coverage. For more information on car insurance as a rideshare driver, check out Insurance for Independent Contractors: What to Look for and How to Get It. 

Get a dash cam

Many people believe you can make a lot of money by engineering an accident with a rideshare or food delivery driver and cashing in on the lucrative insurance policies. Not true, but possibly expensive for you. 

Installing a forward-facing dash cam acts as your witness in case of an accident. Consider a two-way dash cam, or a 360-degree view that also catches what’s happening inside your car. This protects you from false allegations. Be careful, though. Rideshare companies have policies about where you can and cannot post these videos. 

Taking care of yourself while you are gig driving

Gig driving is stressful. You may not think so, but the stress you don't feel is often the most damaging to your body. Consider these words from a rideshare driver on a Quora thread: 

“On days with light traffic and good passengers, it’s easy. Bad traffic, belligerent drunks, and unruly passengers, it’s a nightmare.”

Here are some things you can do to relieve that stress. 

Set up a schedule and take regular time off

Self-employed people are critically aware that if they don’t work, they don’t make money. It’s easy to work, work, work, and work some more. Schedule days off and stick to them. Enjoy life.

“Driving in downtown Los Angeles, I know where all the best taco trucks are,” said one rideshare driver. “I had a good week this past spring and took that Saturday night off. My wife and I cruised all those taco trucks. We had a great time!”

Don’t work yourself into the ground.

Get quality sleep

Working as a rideshare or food delivery driver keeps you on the street much longer than the average driver. Especially if you drive weekend nights, there are lots of drunk drivers and road rage incidents.

Getting enough sleep leaves you alert and ready to take evasive action if needed. Take advantage of the downtimes. Even in larger cities, weekday afternoons can be slow for an hour or two. Find shade in a nearby park and take a nap. You’ll be bright-eyed and ready for rush hour. 

Don’t skip meals

Gig driving doesn’t always lend itself to pulling into a drive-through to grab a quick burger. Carry a sack lunch and eat it before taking that afternoon nap or in the time you have between rides. Going for extended periods without eating leaves you vulnerable to binging on foods that are bad for you. Low blood sugar, another hazard, can lead to mood swings or worse. Think in terms of snacks. Research some good protein bars. Veggies and fruit are good, too, and drink lots of water. 

Listen to podcasts or learn a language

Some drivers listen to music when they drive. Others enjoy podcasts. If you’re a history buff or have some other interest, there is a podcast for you. 

You might consider a new language. The popular phone apps, such as Babbel and Duolingo, come in 10-minute lessons. You can breeze through two or three a day during down periods. There are also numerous YouTube videos and mobile-enabled websites. The Spanish Dude is a good one, and he’s still running his coronavirus special where you can name your price for a lifetime membership. Of course, watch these only when you are parked. Choose a language common to the region you drive in and practice with your passengers. They’ll get a kick out of it. 

Learn where the restrooms are

If you are doing food delivery, you can use a restaurant bathroom, but having to go to the bathroom while driving rideshare is miserable. Learn where you can rely on an available bathroom. 

Fast food restaurants are always good for restrooms. If you drop off a passenger at a nice hotel, there is typically a restroom in the lobby. Park your car out of the way, leave the flashers on, and let the valet know you will be back in a few minutes. You can also check the app store on your phone for bathroom finder apps; there are several of them. 

Take care of your mental health

Gig drivers taking care of their mental health? Really?

Yes, really. This is especially true when you consider that rideshare drivers are dodging other drivers, fighting traffic, dealing with dozens of riders on a shift (some of whom might not be sober), working all sorts of hours, driving in all conditions, and all the time wondering if they will make enough money to cover the rent. 

If you are a food delivery driver, there is the angst of hoping that the restaurant got the delivery right and that the food was warm enough or cold enough when you delivered it, not to mention a plethora of other things that can go wrong. 

And of course, grocery and package delivery drivers have to worry about speedily picking up and delivering bags and packages without crushing the items. Finding grocery substitutes on the fly is enough to raise your blood pressure when shopping for yourself, let alone dozens of customers!

Last month, there was a post on the Gridwise blog, How to Maintain Mental Health as a Rideshare or Delivery Driver. Check it out to make sure you are taking proper care of yourself.

Another thing you can do is to mix it up a little. Drive rideshare for a few nights, then switch over to food delivery. You might even want to inquire about something different, such as applying for temporary FedEx and UPS delivery driver jobs or other package delivery driver gigs in advance of the holidays.

Carry emesis (throw up) bags

Every rideshare driver’s nightmare is a drunken passenger getting sick in the back of their car. There may still be a handful of good rideshare hours left, but your night is over if your car reeks of vomit. The rideshare companies will pay you to clean the car and then charge the customer for it, but that doesn’t make up for the lost business.  

One way to make this a less frequent occurrence is to carry emesis bags. These are, to put it bluntly, heavy-duty, large-capacity barf bags. Place a few in the side pockets in the back seat of your car. If you suspect a passenger might get sick, make sure they know where the emesis bags are located. You can buy them on Amazon. 

Have business cards

These are not very expensive, and two reasons immediately come to mind for having them. If someone does want to tip you off the app and they don’t have cash, you can give them your card, which should include the codes for leaving money on your various cash apps. Secondly, Uber and Lyft and many food delivery apps offer bonuses if you refer someone to drive for them. When that person signs up, they need to use your incentive code, which you retrieve from the app and include on the business card. Most of the gig companies provide artwork for the cards from their website.

Tracking rideshare and delivery miles and earnings

Tracking everything with Gridwise is one of the smartest things you can do as a rideshare or delivery driver. Gridwise's free mileage and earning tracking will keep you organized for tax season and help you maximize your tax deduction. And that's not even mentioning Gridwise's gas discount which gets you up to $50/month off at the pump.

With features like When to Drive, Where to Drive, Airports, and Events, gig drivers can find the best places and times to drive, and know exactly when to head to the airport or pick up passengers from events.

Save more and earn more with Gridwise

As a rideshare driver, you spend hours behind the wheel. Many full-time drivers report 60,000 miles a year and even more. With all those miles, and given that rideshare drivers are out at all hours of the day and night, driving in all sorts of conditions, the chances of an accident are considerably greater than the average driver. 

Knowing what to do in case of an accident while driving Lyft or Uber is essential. Both rideshare companies have car accident insurance, but you should be aware of the extent of the coverage, what it covers, and what it doesn’t.

First things first, though. The information in this article is for informational purposes only. In no way should it be considered legal advice from Gridwise. If you feel you need to speak with an attorney regarding a rideshare accident, it is your decision to select an attorney and how to use their services.

You should also know that insurance requirements and laws regarding accidents vary from state to state. Some jurisdictions are no-fault, and others are at-fault states. You should check your specific state and know the laws.

Topics we’ll cover in this blog post

• What you need to do if you get in an accident.
• Both Lyft and Uber insure drivers.
• What about your car?
• Your personal insurance: requirements and recommendations.
• A dash cam is your friend.
• How can Gridwise help?

What you need to do if you get in an accident

If you get into an accident while driving for Uber or Lyft, know that both rideshare companies provide coverage. Still, there are things you need to do at the accident scene.  

Is anyone injured?

If you have a passenger or passengers in your car, your first responsibility is to them. Make sure they are okay. Call 911 and request an ambulance and law enforcement if there is an injury. Even if the passenger objects, if you feel they are injured, make that call. The Mayo Clinic reports that trauma and head injuries can leave a person unable to make decisions for their well-being. This includes injuries that are not visible. The individual can be belligerent and unreasonable. When in doubt, call an ambulance.

Also, check the other driver and all other parties and see if they are injured. 

Call law enforcement 

If it is a minor accident, no one is hurt, the damage is negligible, and the cars are drivable, don’t be surprised if law enforcement tells you to exchange driver information and report it to your respective insurance companies. This is especially true on a Friday or Saturday night or any other time when the police have bigger problems. Still, make the 911 call and request them to come to the scene. If this accident were to end up in court someday, you would look a lot better if you could say under oath that you reported the accident to the police, and they said they wouldn’t come out. “I didn’t think it was worth reporting” is not the statement you want to hear yourself saying in court, especially in front of a jury. 

Stay calm and don’t accept blame

Accidents are traumatic, and people can get rattled and upset. Do your best to stay calm. Bottles of water are an essential part of any rideshare driver's must-have list of items. Offer one to all parties involved, including yourself. 

Be careful not to accept blame or make statements that might be used against you. You may not be thinking clearly. If your passenger or the other driver presses you, and it is appropriate, say something innocuous such as, “Hey, the important thing is that no one is hurt, everyone is insured, and this will all turn out okay.”

Get as many names as you can

If law enforcement refuses to come out, get the name of the person you’re talking to at the police station. If law enforcement comes to the scene, get their names and business cards. Also, get a report number. The officer should be able to give that to you at the scene. Do not be surprised if it takes as long as three or four weeks to get a copy of the report.

If law enforcement does not come out, you should also consider going to the police station and reporting it. Again, get names and business cards.  

Do not settle privately with the other driver

If you are at fault and it is a minor fender bender with no injuries, it may be tempting to offer to settle privately between yourself and the other driver. Another version of this scenario is if the other driver seems like a nice person and pleads with you to settle privately. They may say they are uninjured and agree to a private settlement. But if they wake up the following day with a crick in their neck, they may report it to the rideshare company. The rideshare company will in turn come to you to verify what happened, putting you in a bad spot. 

Contact the rideshare company

The aftermath of an accident can be chaotic, especially if someone is injured, there is significant damage, or the other driver is belligerent or under the influence. Regardless, you should try to reach the rideshare company while you are still at the scene. 

Both Uber and Lyft make this possible through the app. It is a good idea to look through the app during your downtime so you know where to find this particular function. As best as you are able, respond to all the requests and instructions of the rideshare company while at the scene. 

Exchange information and be cooperative

Be cooperative with the other driver if the police don’t come out. Exchange information, including your driver’s license, registration, and insurance. This is another place where your cell phone camera comes in handy. Rather than write the information down, take photos. Take a picture of the license plate of the other car, too. Make sure the information in all the photos is readable. 

Try to preserve the scene

If there are no serious injuries and the vehicles are driveable, drivers often want to pull the cars over to the side of the road, especially on a busy street, intersection, or freeway. This is understandable, but you should use your cell phone to take photos of the immediate scene, especially skid marks, crash debris on the road, damage to the cars, and the positions of cars. Make sure your photos show evidence of what the weather was like, too. Be careful, however. The last thing you want is to have your photography efforts result in another accident or injury. Be sensible and reasonable about it. 

Beware of possible memory loss

Retrograde amnesia (before the accident) and anterograde amnesia (after the accident) are common, especially if the accident was severe, according to Florida Physical Medicine. The memory may return, or it may not. Look for this in your passengers, too. It is another sign you should call for medical assistance.

Get the names and contact information of witnesses

Witnesses are important, especially if you suffer from the amnesia we just discussed. In an accident where both drivers refuse to accept blame and there is no evidence otherwise, a witness statement may make the deciding difference. 

Both Lyft and Uber insure their drivers

That’s good news. The other important fact for you to know is to what degree and under what circumstances you are insured. The easiest way to understand the coverage is to look at what was happening with your app at the time of the accident. 

Scenario #1 – You are a rideshare driver, but the app was not on 

The other way to view this is that you were not working at the time of the accident. In this case, your personal insurance applies. 

Scenario #2 – The app was on and you were waiting for a ride request

During this time, you are covered by a basic policy from Lyft or Uber. Coverage includes

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

Scenario #3 – You have received a ride request, you’re on your way to pick up a passenger, or you have a passenger(s) in your car

In these scenarios, your coverage from the rideshare company includes

• $1,000,000 for 3rd-party auto liability 
• uninsured/underinsured motorist bodily injury 
• contingent comprehensive and collision up to the actual cash value of your car ($2,500 deductible) 

As you can see, Uber and Lyft offer similar levels of coverage, with some variables. Uber car accident insurance includes optional injury protection at a nominal cost to the driver. In some states, Lyft may also offer additional coverage. This Lyft accident insurance can include uninsured motorist, underinsured motorist, personal injury protection, MedPay, and occupational accident coverage. Check Lyft and the laws in your state to verify how it applies to you.

Remember that Uber, Lyft, and other ridesharing companies always evaluate their insurance coverage and procedures in the event you get into an accident. Check their website regularly to see if there is a change in coverage or how you go about reporting an accident. 

What about your car?

In most cases, if you were on your way to pick up a passenger, or have a passenger in the car at the time of the accident, and if the accident was your fault or you were hit by an uninsured motorist, a $2,500 deductible applies to damages to your car. That means you’re responsible for that $2,500 to get your car repaired. That is a lot of money. You need to be aware of that exposure. 

If you are waiting for a ride and have an accident, the rideshare company insurance is third-party liability only. This means you are likely responsible for all the damages to your car. 

Your personal insurance: requirements and recommendations

To become a rideshare driver, you have to submit proof of car insurance, but this doesn’t mean you’re covered in all instances. You should check with your insurance company and verify your coverage. Don’t be surprised if your basic policy does not cover rideshare activities. Some insurance companies will deny you coverage and cancel your policy if they discover that you are a rideshare driver. 

Other insurance companies offer a special addition or rider to your policy that covers rideshare activities, but get specific answers about what’s covered. Will they, for example, cover you and damage to your car in the event of an accident when you are waiting for a ride? Does their policy offer gap coverage to make up for the $2,500-deductible? 

Take the time to shop around for a policy. You might have to change insurance companies. Prices vary from carrier to carrier, ranging from “Are you serious?” to “Eh, that’s not bad.”

While you may think you don't need rideshare insurance, remember: it's better to have and not need than to need and not have. Paying for an accident without insurance is much more expensive than making regular payments for insurance coverage.

A dashcam is your friend

Dashcams are an important part of every rideshare driver’s list of must-have essentials. They are an unbiased, independent witness of what happened. Consider making this investment - it could save you a lot of money.

How can Gridwise help?

Gridwise is dedicated to helping rideshare drivers realize the most from their gig driving activities. This includes offering access to legal assistance, accident medical expense insurance, and accidental death and dismemberment insurance. Download the app here to get access to the following accident related benefits:

• Legal assistance (Gridwise Legal Help)
• Accidental death and dismemberment insurance (Gridwise Dollar Benefits - AD&D)
  • $20,000 in emergency cash for you or family members after a major accident.
• Accident medical expense insurance (AME)
  • $1,000 in emergency cash for medical expenses and deductibles from an accident.

More important, Gridwise is the best app for rideshare drivers and includes a free rideshare and delivery mileage tracker, along with many more features that keep rideshare drivers informed and profitable.

Download Gridwise to drive smarter, not harder

Have fun and stay safe out there!