Delivery seems to be one of the fastest growing sectors in the on demand economy these days. And whether you’re driving around packages, groceries or meals, there are some unique challenges and opportunities that differentiate it from being a rideshare driver. Today, we’ve got resident RSG delivery expert Dash Bridges on the podcast to talk all about his experience with DoorDash and a recent foray into the world of Postmates.
If you’d like to read a transcript of this podcast, please click here.
Intro
- Welcome to episode 53! Today we’re talking with Dash Bridges, one of our writers here at RSG
- Dash has written about earnings potential of both DoorDash and Postmates, some of our most popular articles
- Did you know Triplog offers IRS compliant mileage logs? I didn’t either, but it’s really helpful – especially now! If you use the code ‘RSG‘ when you sign up, you’ll save an additional 20%
- Stay tuned until the end – Dash was able to take his earnings and make a pretty big purchase!
- Don’t want to wait? Sign up to drive for DoorDash here!
An Interview With Dash Bridges
- Dash has a full-time job in Silicon Valley working in operations
- Over the past few years, he’s done almost 2,000 deliveries and is always looking to maximize his income
- Had some free time to make extra money, started driving for DoorDash
- DoorDash is low stress – deliver food and you’re done, you never have to bring work home with you
- Started tracking data to see which times were most profitable
How Much Money Can You Make as a Delivery Driver?
- Dash has been tracking his deliveries for more than a year, recent average is $20 per hour
- Delivery can depend on where you are, though – wealthier, bigger cities where DoorDash is common are going to be more lucrative than smaller cities or in places where DoorDash is brand new
- It makes sense to diversify with Postmates, Amazon Flex and UberEATS
- Turnover is more important than size of order – 3 KFC orders in one hour is better than 1 order from a fancy restaurant – fees and, yes, even tips, add up
- You may have to pass on some of those longer orders that take you out of your way and would be unprofitable
Tips for Delivery Drivers
- DoorDash isn’t a full-time job – you can probably drive for a couple hours and make good money, but people don’t need food delivery 24/7 like they need rides
- Lunch, dinner and weekends generally most profitable for delivery
- Figure out your region – best areas to park, get in and get out quickly
- Find out which restaurants are the best – for Dashers. Some restaurants get their food out quickly, which helps you make more money by turning over orders quickly. Avoid restaurants that take a lot of time or ignore Dashers
- Dashers should definitely use a phone mount of some sort – helpful when reading the map and keeping your eyes on the road
Challenges for Delivery Drivers
- Miles! You will put a lot of miles on your car
- Bigger vehicles are tougher to park than smaller vehicles, especially for delivery drivers that need the ability to quickly hop in and out
- It’s sometimes tough to keep your car smelling fresh and looking clean – but the salad you’re delivering doesn’t care if your car isn’t brand new
DoorDash Vs. Postmates
- Signed up for Postmates recently, very similar to DoorDash
- Postmates seems to have fewer delivery opportunities than DoorDash
- Postmates is more cumbersome for delivery drivers than DoorDash – have to take a picture of your receipt, for example
- Postmates does have positives, though, and it will be around for a while – but Dash will stick to DoorDash
Outro
- Dashing, as it’s called, enabled Dash Bridges to purchase a condo in Silicon Valley – not bad, especially for driving part-time!
- Dash and I have the same type of background – we like analyzing numbers and seeing what’s the best way to maximize our earnings
- But you don’t have to be an expert or even enjoy tracking numbers – let us at RSG do that work for you! That’s why we try to provide spreadsheets and videos walking you through how to calculate your earnings
- Don’t forget to track your miles with Triplog! Use the code ‘RSG‘ when you sign up to save an additional 20% – you get a free 30 day trial to try it out, and then it’s just $30/year
- Feel free to reach out to me at harry[at]therideshareguy.com or follow me on Twitter @TheRideShareGuy
- Have a question for Dash we didn’t cover? Leave your comments or questions below!
Show Notes
- Want to start tracking your profitable delivery times? Check out Dash’s strategy here.
- 11 Products Every Rideshare Driver Should Be Carrying – phone mounts are a must!
- You can sign up for DoorDash here, Postmates here, UberEATS here, and Amazon Flex here – why not try them all?
- Maximum Ridesharing Profits – learn how to employ the best strategies to make more money as a rideshare driver
- Subscribe to iTunes and never miss an episode!
- Connect with me on Twitter
If you’d like to read a transcript of this podcast, please click here.
-Harry @ RSG
