Driving for rideshare, whether for passengers or delivery, is a great way to make extra money. But what if you don’t have a car, or, you have a car and don’t want to put all the miles, wear and tear, and depreciation on it?
You simply want to drive, make money, and go home. Driving for a fleet company may be the answer you’re looking for. Although there are a lot of options, you may still be on the hook for the fuel costs with some of them.
Read on for a full breakdown to see if becoming a fleet driver is for you.
What Is A Fleet Company?
A fleet company provides vehicles for businesses that don’t want to manage the ownership of their vehicles.
Instead, a fleet company will lease or rent to these businesses while handling all the costs involved. Companies such as trucking, long-distance delivery, taxis, food delivery, etc., all can use fleet vehicles.
In some instances, they may even need fleet drivers, depending on their needs.
What is a Fleet Driver?
Fleet drivers are hired by companies to transport goods or drive people using company-owned or fleet vehicles.
Duties will vary depending on the company you work for, though a fleet driver’s main responsibility is ensuring the safe and timely delivery of goods or people.
Benefits of Being a Fleet Driver
Working for a fleet company can be a great way to drive without spending your own money on a new vehicle, maintenance, etc. It is a dream come true for many contractors.
You also don’t have to worry about getting into an accident. You’ll be able to continue to make money because while your fleet car is being repaired you’ll just be given a different one to drive in its place.
Another benefit is that if you don’t currently have a car for getting around, you’ll likely have access to a fleet vehicle when not “on the clock”, which means that you’ll be able to get your groceries, get to a doctor’s appointment, visit friends or family, or anything else that you would be able to do if you did have your own vehicle.
Finally, you’ll get continued support from others when it comes to your car. If you rent a fleet vehicle or work for a fleet company, they need you to do the work, but they also need the vehicle to be in good repair.
I’m very guilty of putting off needed maintenance because I need a good week of work first, or I need to wait for that promotion to hit my account in order to be able to pay for it. As a fleet driver though, you don’t have that issue as they take care of the needs of their vehicles.
Negatives Of Being a Fleet Driver
You’re working for someone. If you’re like me—and honestly most people nowadays—you want more freedom in your life.
That’s probably why you started driving for rideshare in the first place. Getting a job for a fleet company is a great way to make money, but you no longer have that freedom you had before.
Like rideshare drivers, fleet drivers are likely going to be driving during peak hours, nights, and weekends, when most people are out partying
This makes it a great way to make money, but not a great way to spend more time with friends and family.
Can You Get A Fleet Vehicle For Yourself?
Many fleet companies have a minimum number of cars they lease or rent out to a company. It varies from company to company, but for most of those, I found the minimum is five.
As rideshare drivers, we don’t need five cars, we need one, so we can get on the road and drive ourselves. However, there are fleet companies out there that will rent you just one vehicle, if you find them.
In addition to that, if you’re in the market to buy a new car, buying a fleet car may be a good option for you, as well.
These cars are typically well maintained and sell for a nice discount based on regular cars. Though I do hope you like white, as most fleet vehicles are simple base models with nothing added.
How To Find A Fleet Company In Your Area
There are many ways to find a fleet company. Simply Googling one is an option, but you’ll likely find national chains that won’t work with individuals in the way you’d want.
A better place to look is places like Craigslist, OfferUp, Facebook Marketplace, and Indeed.
These places have people who are renting vehicles out, as well as hiring fleet drivers.
I was able to find a nice car lot in my area that not only sells cars, but also rents them out, and will work with rideshare drivers. Not all areas will have places available, but look around and you might find one that works for you.
Other Ways To Get A Car
If you are unable to find a fleet company in your area, or they are just too expensive for you, there are other options to rent a car to get on the road and make money despite not owning a car.
1. Uber Rentals
Signing up for Uber even without a car is possible. They allow you to rent the car right through the app. Signing up is quick and easy, and you can set it up to have all the money come directly out of your earnings.
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2. Hyrecar
This is an absolutely great place to go if you don’t have a car but want to get started with rideshare. These are cars that other drivers have used—maybe even the owner. The owners rent out the cars to you to get on the road right away.
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3. Lyft Express
Similar to Uber rentals, you can also rent a car directly through Lyft. You won’t have to worry if the car is approved or not.
Whether you find a company that will let you rent a fleet car, or you rent a car through one of these other companies, this will require you to drive more than most drivers because you now have to cover the additional rental cost of your vehicle.
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Driver Takeaways
If you don’t own your own vehicle or don’t want to run it into the ground by taking on rideshare driving, you’ve got options.
Whether you find a fleet to work for or you rent a car from approved services, you’ll be able to find a vehicle to use for a fee as opposed to buying your own vehicle.
As with everything there are ups and downs to these options.
With a fleet, you won’t have to worry about maintenance or insurance.
With a service like Hyrecar, insurance is often included in the cost of renting the vehicle and the owner of the car is in charge of maintenance.
And with services like Uber Rentals and Lyft Express, you’ll get a vehicle that has basic maintenance covered and the cost to rent the vehicle can come out of your weekly earnings so you don’t have to think about it.
With a fleet vehicle, you’ll likely be confined to a set schedule. On the other hand, with Uber Rentals, Lyft Express, and Hyrecar, you’ll be able to follow your own schedule, as long as you make enough to at least cover your rental costs.
You’re in the driver’s seat. Shop around to find options that work best for you before you take that leap. Weigh the costs of your options, and see if there are short-term options you can try as you figure things out.
