Delivery Driving evidence: 67 quotes from 8 creators
Every quote, figure and source behind our delivery driving guide: 67 quotes from 8 creators, grouped by claim, with the full source list.
Every quote, by claim
Accepted figures: each is backed by the creators quoted under it, verbatim and linked to the moment they said it.
Certifications: Alcohol server certification (Walmart Spark alcohol orders)
“like if you're serving like at the white caps I have to have this certificate. So Walmart's the same thing.”
Hourly earnings: $20–$50/hr
“This equates to $30 an hour regardless of how long this shift is. 2 hours for 60 bucks. 8 hours for 240 bucks.”
“This equates to $30 an hour regardless of how long this shift is. 2 hours for 60 bucks. 8 hours for 240 bucks.”
“only 49 minutes of active time for $83.80”
“This is $22.46 per hour.”
“One delivery. 49 minutes for $76.”
“they are all right at pretty much $20 an hour.”
“$23.15 on a stack. So, two assignments, 47 minutes, making 23 bucks in 47 minutes”
“started door dashing. Dude, I was making 30 bucks an hour.”
“30 bucks an hour with no experience, no reviews, nothing.”
“I hopped in my truck and started door dashing. Dude, I was making 30 bucks an hour.”
“I probably worked like seven hours and did 180.”
“it's $21 an hour and top off at $23 a yearly take home, around $45K.”
Full-time or part-time: part time or full time
“I realize not everyone's doing this full-time. So, even for you part-time workers, figure out the best hours”
“For some people DoorDash might be their full-time income. For somebody else it might [music] be a side hustle.”
“pair that with the other gig apps if you are doing this full-time. And if you're doing this part-time, you can match it with your work schedule.”
“while I don't do it every single day because I am a part-time worker now, for those of you full-timers, you can definitely do it.”
“So, you're a full-time DoorDashers and it comes time where you need a new car.”
Income volatility: high
“catering is some of the you like best margin pay, I think, you can get in the gig economy.”
“I got offered 70 trips, trips or deliveries, because I didn't do any ride share.”
“That was so fast to get that first 50 within the first hour, then suddenly it was just like very hard.”
“There are hours which I make 30, 40, 50 dollars just off of DoorDash per hour, and there's hours where I don't hit past 10 bucks.”
“one thing that sucks about gig work is nothing's really ever guaranteed. You go out there blindly, you don't really know what you're going to make.”
“You're going to have amazing days, you're going to have average days, and you're going to have days where you just want to turn the app off [music] and go straight home.”
Insurance: state minimum auto insurance
“most gig economy drivers only have minimum insurance if you're needing to drive Uber or Lyft or Instacart”
Payout methods (spark-driver): ONE Card
“as much as I we should on spark they're one card. I mean again, I I think they own it I would maybe not I haven't researched it, but the one card is great, man I'm really loving the the features on that and getting the earnings like right away”
Physical demand: med
“They're not going to be super heavy. It's just more in out in out park in out up down the stairs up down It's a lot more stops per hour.”
Schedule control: own schedule
“Select pick up time. You'll need to be online at least 30 minutes before pick up.”
“Select pick up time. You'll need to be online at least 30 minutes before pick up.”
“My pickup time is from 10:44 a.m. to 10:49.”
“This is a dedicated scheduled delivery routes from what? 2-3 hours to 5 hours.”
“Remember, there's 5-minute windows here when you can arrive, pick it up, and then you take a proof of pickup picture, and then drop off”
“Arrive by 8:30 a.m. to a 15-minute window to 8:45 a.m.”
“Reserve a pickup time the day before and see your estimated earnings.”
“It's just cherrypicking picking the best offer.”
“I was done at seven. I was like, I've been out almost eight hours, like I'm done.”
“I'm used to just starting around like, you know, when it's cooler, the weather and everything”
“We got a lot of freedom with these apps. We're able to leave, come back, go home, whatever.”
“That information gives you the ability to optimize your schedule instead of just guessing.”
Vehicle required: yes
“All packages should fit in a standard sedan. Also nice to see. You don't need a truck, SUV, cargo van.”
“All packages should fit in a standard sedan.”
“So here I am in transit to this client with my catering in tow and I arrive.”
“those of us that are calculating the vehicle efficiency.”
“Back in the car. Okay, let's go to the client's location.”
“you go there, you load your vehicle with the packages.”
“Before you hit the road, see the exact fare you'll earn for completing the routes estimated to last 3 to 5 hours.”
“So, $2060, 10.9 miles. It's a single pickup for 20 bucks.”
“I'm driving in a severe weather storm to go get some B dubs”
“gas prices keeps going up again it's inevitable it's life you know we got to keep driving regardless we can't just park you know our cars at home”
“So, this is like car labor, like car using gas and maintenance and my labor.”
“That's on top of gas, maintenance, the cost of putting miles on our vehicles.”
Single reports, not yet confirmed
What one creator said, before a second independent source backs it. Not used as a fact anywhere on the site.
Hourly earnings
“This equates to $30 an hour regardless of how long this shift is. 2 hours for 60 bucks. 8 hours for 240 bucks.”
“only 49 minutes of active time for $83.80”
“This is $22.46 per hour.”
Startup cost
“it's a one-time $15 purchase”
Typical hours per week
“see the exact fare you'll earn for completing the routes estimated to last 3 to 5 hours.”
“I ended up working nine hours.”
Common pitfalls
“something I made a mistake with back when I first started DoorDash, is I would work the dead hours or I would work all freaking day long.”
“But if you're not tracking your expenses, [music] you don't really know how much money you're keeping.”
“And guys, waiting is one of the biggest killers when it comes to gig work.”
Income volatility
“That was so fast to get that first 50 within the first hour, then suddenly it was just like very hard.”
“There are hours which I make 30, 40, 50 dollars just off of DoorDash per hour, and there's hours where I don't hit past 10 bucks.”
“one thing that sucks about gig work is nothing's really ever guaranteed. You go out there blindly, you don't really know what you're going to make.”
Schedule control
“We got a lot of freedom with these apps. We're able to leave, come back, go home, whatever.”
“This is a dedicated scheduled delivery routes from what? 2-3 hours to 5 hours.”
“Arrive by 8:30 a.m. to a 15-minute window to 8:45 a.m.”
Vehicle required
“You are out here driving your own car. You're taking your own money to put gas in your own vehicle to go and deliver these orders.”
Employee pay in the related job, nationally and by state
BLS figures describe employees in the closest related occupation, not side-hustle income.
| Related occupation | Median pay | Middle 80% | People employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Driver/Sales Workers | $18.64/hr ($38,770/yr), BLS OEWS, May 2025 | $22,590–$59,980/yr | 409,180 |
| Couriers and Messengers | $18.85/hr ($39,200/yr), BLS OEWS, May 2025 | $31,550–$50,330/yr | 68,640 |
| State | Median annual pay |
|---|---|
| Alabama | $39,190 |
| Alaska | $48,420 |
| Arizona | $38,440 |
| Arkansas | $39,820 |
| California | $45,600 |
| Colorado | $43,420 |
| Connecticut | $36,730 |
| Delaware | $31,200 |
| District of Columbia | $41,600 |
| Florida | $36,260 |
| Georgia | $40,040 |
| Hawaii | $31,270 |
| Idaho | $35,770 |
| Illinois | $38,960 |
| Indiana | $36,250 |
| Iowa | $47,120 |
| Kansas | $43,180 |
| Kentucky | $37,030 |
| Louisiana | $36,290 |
| Maine | $39,900 |
| Maryland | $38,500 |
| Massachusetts | $46,870 |
| Michigan | $39,610 |
| Minnesota | $32,980 |
| Mississippi | $35,480 |
| Missouri | $40,200 |
| Montana | $27,580 |
| Nebraska | $34,950 |
| Nevada | $31,760 |
| New Hampshire | $41,520 |
| New Jersey | $44,720 |
| New Mexico | $29,770 |
| New York | $42,730 |
| North Carolina | $36,540 |
| North Dakota | $38,610 |
| Ohio | $35,720 |
| Oklahoma | $29,120 |
| Oregon | $41,080 |
| Pennsylvania | $37,330 |
| Puerto Rico | $22,220 |
| Rhode Island | $34,230 |
| South Carolina | $22,240 |
| South Dakota | $45,050 |
| Tennessee | $42,220 |
| Texas | $35,850 |
| Utah | $26,590 |
| Vermont | $46,300 |
| Virginia | $37,180 |
| Washington | $41,570 |
| West Virginia | $28,790 |
| Wisconsin | $27,560 |
| Wyoming | $26,940 |
All sources
- The GIG Economy Podcast, Ride Cancelled Mid-Trip, Here’s How Drivers Lose Money Fast | Ep 288 (podcast, 9 Feb 2026, at 27:22)
- Your Driver Mike, Uber's NEW Package Delivery Routes Are Already a Disaster (YouTube, 22 Oct 2026, at 1:58)
- Your Driver Mike, I Made $83.80 on ONE Delivery (But There Was a Problem) (YouTube, 30 Oct 2026, at 9:19)
- Your Driver Mike, I Tested Uber's NEW Package Delivery Routes (Worth It?) (YouTube, 27 Oct 2026, at 6:29)
- Your Driver Mike, This Should NEVER Have Happened... (YouTube, 25 Oct 2026, at 9:26)
- Your Driver Mike, Shipt Is Paying Drivers $100+ to Deliver Target Packages (YouTube, 21 Oct 2026, at 7:04)
- Your Driver Mike, I Tested DoorDash's NEW Driver Rewards Program (YouTube, 18 Oct 2026, at 4:11)
- Chris Koerner, The Best Side Hustle for Beginners (Any Age) - Ep. #302 (podcast, 22 May 2026, at 1:45)
- Chris Koerner, How a Regular Guy Started a 1-Person Business with AI (YouTube, 1 Jun 2026, at 31:15)
- Chris Koerner, The Best Side Hustle for Beginners (Any Age) (YouTube, 25 May 2026, at 1:41)
- The GIG Economy Podcast, Real-Time Gig Work Strategies On DoorDash Uber Eats And Grubhub (podcast, 15 Jun 2026, at 16:44)
- The GIG Economy Podcast, Uber Eats Just Changed Tips. Drivers Are Already Losing Money | Ep 292 (podcast, 9 Mar 2026, at 58:09)
- King DoorDash, 5 Things I Do to Make MORE Money on DoorDash in 2026 (YouTube, 22 Sep 2026, at 2:30)
- King DoorDash, What I've learned as a DoorDash driver after 16k deliveries (YouTube, 6 Oct 2026, at 13:26)
- King DoorDash, 3 Gig Apps That Pay MORE Than DoorDash in 2026! (YouTube, 3 Sep 2026, at 6:26)
- King DoorDash, How to Outsmart the DoorDash Algorithm in 2026 (YouTube, 29 Sep 2026, at 0:48)
- Nicholas Earle - Doordash Advice, Doordash: 10 Things To Know Before Buying A Car (YouTube, 19 Oct 2026)
- Journey Ride Along, Friday Night Uber Eats Delivery and This BAD Paying Order Was A Pain In The 🚗 💨💨 Los Angeles County (YouTube, 25 Oct 2026, at 25:48)
- King DoorDash, I Made $200+ in ONLY 2 HOURS With Catering Apps! (NOT Clickbait) (YouTube, 31 Aug 2026, at 10:57)
- The GIG Economy Podcast, If Uber Gets Sued For This, Driver Safety Could Finally Change | Ep 289 (podcast, 16 Feb 2026, at 11:25)
- The GIG Economy Podcast, The Waymo Car Needs A Water Cannon, The Best of the GIG Economy Podcast (podcast, 30 Jun 2026, at 14:16)
- Your Driver Mike, He Almost Ruined Everything... (YouTube, 23 Oct 2026, at 8:44)
- Your Driver Mike, Uber Just Announced a NEW Earnings Opportunity for Drivers (YouTube, 20 Oct 2026, at 0:39)
- Journey Ride Along, Delivering Uber Eats and The Goal Is To Make More than $50 Today! L.A Gig Hustle! 🚗 💨💨 (YouTube, 9 Sep 2026, at 20:45)
- Journey Ride Along, I Delivered My First Catering Order On Uber Eats!! 😱 🚗 Los Angeles County Food Delivery & Spark! (YouTube, 19 Sep 2026, at 10:28)
- King DoorDash, 5 things DoorDash NEEDS to fix in 2027 (YouTube, 27 Oct 2026, at 10:31)
- Paid to Drive!, THOUSANDS of Dashers LEFT DoorDash THIS WEEK for THIS OTHER APP! AND YOU SHOULD TOO!!! (YouTube, 29 Oct 2026, at 17:11)
- Ride Along With Bri, What REALLY Happens to DoorDash No Tip Orders? (YouTube, 6 Oct 2026, at 1:26)
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.
- BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35.
- O*NET 31.0 Database, 31.0.
All data
| Fact | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Certifications | Alcohol server certification (Walmart Spark alcohol orders) | The GIG Economy Podcast, Feb 2026 |
| Demand trend | growing | BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35 |
| Hourly earnings | $20–$50/hr | Your Driver Mike, Oct 2026; Chris Koerner, May 2026; Chris Koerner, Jun 2026; The GIG Economy Podcast, Jun 2026; The GIG Economy Podcast, Mar 2026 |
| Full-time or part-time | part time or full time | King DoorDash, Sep 2026; King DoorDash, Oct 2026; Nicholas Earle - Doordash Advice, Oct 2026 |
| Income volatility | high | Your Driver Mike, Oct 2026; The GIG Economy Podcast, Jun 2026; Journey Ride Along, Oct 2026; King DoorDash, Sep 2026; King DoorDash, Aug 2026; King DoorDash, Oct 2026 |
| Insurance | state minimum auto insurance | The GIG Economy Podcast, Feb 2026 |
| Nearest occupation | Couriers and Messengers | O*NET 31.0 |
| Nearest occupation | Driver/Sales Workers | O*NET 31.0 |
| Nearest occupation | Light Truck Drivers | O*NET 31.0 |
| Payout methods (spark-driver) | ONE Card | The GIG Economy Podcast, Jun 2026 |
| Physical demand | med | Your Driver Mike, Oct 2026 |
| Schedule control | own schedule | Your Driver Mike, Oct 2026; The GIG Economy Podcast, Jun 2026; Journey Ride Along, Sep 2026; King DoorDash, Sep 2026; King DoorDash, Oct 2026 |
| Vehicle required | yes | Your Driver Mike, Oct 2026; The GIG Economy Podcast, Jun 2026; Journey Ride Along, Sep 2026; Journey Ride Along, Oct 2026; King DoorDash, Oct 2026 |
| Median hourly wage, employees: driver/sales workers | $18.64/hr | BLS OEWS, May 2025 |
| Median annual wage, employees: driver/sales workers | $38,770/yr | BLS OEWS, May 2025 |
| Annual wage, 10th percentile: driver/sales workers | $22,590/yr | BLS OEWS, May 2025 |
| Annual wage, 90th percentile: driver/sales workers | $59,980/yr | BLS OEWS, May 2025 |
| People employed: driver/sales workers | 409,180 jobs | BLS OEWS, May 2025 |
| Projected employment change, 10 years: driver/sales workers | 7.9% | BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35 |
| Share self-employed: driver/sales workers | 7.3% | BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35 |
| Median hourly wage, employees: couriers and messengers | $18.85/hr | BLS OEWS, May 2025 |
| Median annual wage, employees: couriers and messengers | $39,200/yr | BLS OEWS, May 2025 |
| Annual wage, 10th percentile: couriers and messengers | $31,550/yr | BLS OEWS, May 2025 |
| Annual wage, 90th percentile: couriers and messengers | $50,330/yr | BLS OEWS, May 2025 |
| People employed: couriers and messengers | 68,640 jobs | BLS OEWS, May 2025 |
| Projected employment change, 10 years: couriers and messengers | 8% | BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35 |
| Share self-employed: couriers and messengers | 69.9% | BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35 |