Here at The Rideshare Guy, we strive to bring you different perspectives from fellow drivers all around the country. Today, we have a very unique perspective from a Nevada delivery driver who not only drives for a variety of gig work jobs, but has also embraced a new platform where drivers set their own rates.
Delivery driving can be fairly lower-paying work – depending on when and where you drive, earnings can be significantly less than driving for Uber or Lyft. However, delivery driving offers a lot of perks, including: the ability to bring along a partner, kids, or pets; lack of vomit in your car; and not having to deal with drunk people in your vehicle.
Below, we interview Kristin from Nevada about her experience, earnings, and top tips for delivery drivers. Plus, she shares with us a new platform for delivery drivers that could seriously increase delivery driver earnings.
Quick tips:
- Make sure to sign up for a variety of best gig jobs to find out which ones you like and which ones pay the best in your area
- Kristin’s favorites? Instacart, Grubhub and Dumpling
- Even more of the best food delivery jobs
- Always chat with other delivery drivers and make sure to advocate for yourself – no one else will!
Getting Started with Delivery Work in Nevada
Born and raised in Carson City, Nevada, I spend much of my days listening for my phone to make the all too familiar sound that tells me it’s time to go to work. My name is Kristin, and I am part of the new gig work economy that is emerging.
There seems to be one thing that every gig worker has in common, and that is they want or need the flexibility that this type of work offers. That is how I too came to be contracted with my first delivery service app.
In March of 2019, I suddenly lost my job, and I was desperate to work. Determined to find a way to juggle work and my home life, I took to the internet. A Google search for ‘work from home jobs’ led me to Postmates. This would be the delivery service that started it all.
The Best Delivery Companies for Delivery Drivers
I am now contracted with Postmates, Instacart, Grubhub, and most recently, I started my own delivery business through Dumpling. In reality, I’ve applied to and driven for a lot more than that, but these are the ones I’ve stuck with. It is pretty safe to say I’m quite familiar with the gig work economy.
Some platforms are better than others and it shows. Instacart has been my favorite platform to use in my town since I began last July. Although it wasn’t the first I had signed up for, it was perfect for what I needed.
Learn more about Instacart at our Instacart earnings article here.
Instacart offers flexibility as well as the option to schedule shifts when I want to work, and I like the idea that they would soon be releasing shopper perks. These Instacart shopper perks include access to Stride health benefits, which means I would be covered for injuries that occurred while on a shopping/delivery trip!
Unfortunately, after pay decreases and a flood of new shoppers, I found my pay had been drastically reduced on Instacart simply because the demand was substantially lower than the supply of full-service shoppers. I was averaging roughly $15.50 per hour in October of 2019 and now I’m lucky to make minimum wage.
When you account for gas, insurance, and all other upfront, out of pocket expenses, it’s simply not enough. Once again I had found myself in need of supplementing my income, which led me to Grubhub and Dumpling!
Driving for Grubhub and Dumpling
Enter Grubhub! This delivery service has many perks, and best of all they have what the other platforms are lacking. Grubhub in my area offers a minimum of $13 per hour of any scheduled shifts as long as you meet the acceptance requirements.
I’m sure others in my position will agree when I say, let’s all give a big round of applause for GrubHub! Now using both platforms (Instacart and Grubhub) I am able to average $15 to $20 per hour and sometimes more.
Becoming Your Own Delivery Courier Business with Dumpling
Dumpling, on the other hand, is a platform that has the ability to change the way gig workers work!
With Dumpling you are your own boss – period. You market yourself, obtain your own clients, and you’re considered your own delivery company. It’s not always as easy as it sounds, and it’s not for everyone, but if you have the ability to gain your own customers, the potential here is endless.
In a short description written by Dumpling, they stated they realized many of us would start our own businesses delivering, but we were lacking one thing: the capital. Delivery drivers simply can not afford to put forth the capital necessary to start a business like this as well as purchasing grocery orders prior to receiving payment. This is where Dumpling comes in!
Dumpling offers you a website and an app that your customers can use to make orders, much like the Instacart platform for groceries, or Grubhub for food. The main difference though is that delivery drivers pick which stores or restaurants, and they also set their own rates for service!
Dumpling also sends you a prepaid business card that you use at check out just like Instacart, making the entire process fairly simple. I have just begun my business with them, but it looks very promising and the benefits for me definitely outweigh the work required to succeed.
Strategies for Delivery Workers
My suggestion for anyone considering gig work as their sole form of income or even to supplement income, don’t be afraid to try new platforms! Sign up for them all, I know I have!
In my area, I have found that while one service may be slow, the other is busy. The best time to pick up an Instacart order is 8 am – 11 am!
The best time for Grubhub seems to be 6 pm-9pm, well after Instacart has died down.
At times, orders overlap and I find myself accepting offers for both. I don’t suggest this if you are new to any platform! Take orders one at a time until you get comfortable enough that you know you could handle overlapping orders (multiple pick ups and drop offs within a certain timeframe).
Top 8 Tips Specific for Nevada Delivery Drivers
There are five simple yet effective “rules” I have adopted that I wish someone would have shown me prior to delivering in my area, and I am willing to share them with you.
- If you are in Carson City, and pick up a full-service batch, always check the order first for heavy items as well as the distance you have to travel to deliver!
- If you can, park next to a cart return, as this takes time off of your average.
- Avoid College Parkway during lunch hours and rush hour if at all possible!
- Take your phone with you when delivering groceries.
- Some customers prefer you to bring groceries inside, so for safety reasons I generally leave my car running, and if possible my driver door or trunk open.
- Ask questions – a lot of them! Store clerks are usually very helpful.
- Talk to other delivery drivers, and don’t be afraid to stick up for yourself and for what you feel is right.
- Most importantly, don’t be afraid to advocate for yourself – if you don’t, no one will.
Yes, some of those delivery tips were for all drivers, but I wanted to make sure my fellow Nevada and Carson City drivers had some extra help!
When she is not working as a delivery driver, Kristin enjoys spending time with her daughter, painting, and working on her home-based business creating custom-painted plant stands and tables.
Would you be interested in learning more about the Dumpling delivery platform, where you are your own delivery business and set your own rates? Let us know – and feel free to ask questions in general – below!
Resources:
- Make sure to sign up for a variety of gig jobs to find out which ones you like and which ones pay the best in your area
- Kristin’s favorites? Instacart, Grubhub and Dumpling
- Check out these food delivery jobs too!
