Houston Uber Lyft Driver Guide

Houston Lyft & Uber Guide

/in , /by

As the fourth most populous city in the United States, Houston has a healthy demand for rideshare services.

Whether working full-time or as a side gig, Lyft and Uber drivers in Houston can make some serious cash when driving during the busiest times of the week or picking up and dropping off riders at some of the city’s most popular destinations.

But if you want to maximize your earnings with Lyft or Uber, you need to know the ins and outs of being a rideshare driver in Houston. That’s why we’ve put together a helpful guide to driving Lyft and Uber in Houston. Below, you’ll find information on the best times and areas to pick up riders as well as some insider tips for avoiding traffic and getting to your destination as quickly as possible.

Best Areas to Drive Lyft and Uber in Houston

Some areas are more popular than others when it comes to rider demand. If you want to make the most out of your Lyft or Uber driving experience while maximizing your earnings, focus on the areas of town that will allow you to increase the number of rides and earn higher fares.

Downtown Area

One of the hottest spots in Houston is the downtown area, which boasts both an active business community and vibrant cultural scene. During the week, you have the opportunity to pick up riders traveling to and from work, but during the weekend, you can take advantage of those who are enjoying Houston’s downtown nightlife.

Here are just a few of the busiest venues that have high demand during special events:

  • Toyota Center
  • George R. Brown Convention Center
  • Discovery Green
  • Minute Maid Park

The Heights, Montrose and Rice Village

The charming, upscale Heights neighborhood is a great walking area, with wonderful restaurants, great architecture and nightlife, and the off kilter Art Car Museum.

Houston Uber Driver Guide - The Heights
Stephanie A Sellers / Shutterstock.com

 

Montrose is an eclectic area where you can find riders who just visited the museum district, an art gallery or one of the areas many antique stores.

Rice Village is a great shopping and dining area just West of Rice University. If you’re looking for a lot of short hops to satisfy a Lyft or Uber bonus requirement, this is a good spot to try.

TDECU Stadium

Texans love their football, and this is never more apparent than on a University of Houston gameday. As thousands of fans gather to tailgate and watch the Cougars play, rideshare drivers have the opportunity to make some serious cash. The designated pickup and drop-off area is located on the west side of Calhoun Road just off of University Drive.

Smart Financial Centre at Sugar Land

Smart Financial Centre at Sugar Land is another popular event venue for those living in Houston. From concerts and cultural events to comedy shows and dance performances, there is something going on every week at this venue. To avoid heavy traffic during special events, both Uber and Lyft drivers should navigate to the designated rideshare pickup zone, which is outside the box office on Lexington Boulevard.

NRG Park

NRG Park includes the NRG Stadium, NRG Center, NRG Arena, and NRG Astrodome. With 5.6 million people visiting NRG Park every year for a variety of different events, this is certainly a hot spot for Uber and Lyft drivers. When traveling to NRG Stadium during Texans games, traffic can be a challenge. Use the designated lots for rideshare drivers to pick up and drop off passengers before and after the game, located on the right side NRG Parkway.

Houston Lyft driver NRG Stadium
Image Credit: digidreamgrafix / Shutterstock.com

 

Best Times to Drive Lyft and Uber in Houston

The most successful Lyft and Uber drivers focus on driving during the busiest times of the day to take advantage of Uber’s Surge and Lyft’s Prime Time, which allow drivers to earn higher fares during peak rider demand. If you want to maximize your earnings and complete more rides during your shift, focus on these peak hours for Houston:

Morning Rush Hour: Monday – Friday from 6-9 a.m.

Lyft and Uber drivers can expect countless requests during morning rush hour, especially in the downtown and Galleria areas. Many riders would rather rideshare to work then deal with parking costs. This is also when you’ll experience high traffic volumes in Houston, so check traffic and identify alternate routes before you head out.

Afternoon Rush Hour: Monday – Friday from 3-8 p.m.

There is also a high demand for Lyft and Uber drivers during afternoon rush hour in the downtown and Galleria areas as riders are heading home from work. Again, this is also when you can expect to encounter peak traffic times, so plan accordingly by knowing your route ahead of time.

Weekend Late Night: Friday and Saturday from 5 p.m.-3 a.m.

The nightlife rush in Houston can start as early at 5 p.m. on Friday and Saturday afternoon, and rider demand usually continues on through 3 a.m. The highest demand areas include downtown, midtown, and Montrose.

Uber and Lyft Houston Airport Drop-Offs and Pickups

With two major airports in the Houston area, there’s a good chance you’ll be picking up or dropping off riders at George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) or William P. Hobby Airport (HOU). When dropping riders off at IAH or HOU, you can proceed to the arrivals area of their designated terminal.

When picking up riders at IAH or HOU, you will need to proceed to the designated rideshare waiting area. For both Uber and Lyft, there is a first-in-first-out policy when waiting for requests. This means that the first drivers who enter the rideshare lot will be the first drivers to receive a request. Here are the pick-up instructions for each airport:

  • IAH – The rideshare waiting area for both Uber and Lyft is located near Lee Road and Will Clayton Parkway. Once you have received a passenger request, you will proceed to one of the four designated pickup points at the terminal.
  • HOU – The rideshare waiting area for both Uber and Lyft is located off of S. Rent Car Road. Once you have received a passenger request, you will proceed to Pickup Zone 5 at the terminal.

Here are some other important things to keep in mind when picking up passengers:

  • You can lose your place in the queue if you leave the waiting area, turn off your driver app, or cancel multiple rides.
  • If a rider cancels the ride, you will maintain your place in the queue as long as you proceed back to the waiting area.
  • If there are no drivers in the waiting area, the trip requests will be sent to other Uber or Lyft drivers in the area.

Navigating Houston Traffic: Route Tips and Shortcuts for Uber and Lyft Drivers

When it comes to getting from the pickup to drop-off location as quickly as possible, you’ll need to know the most efficient routes and shortcuts in Houston.

Houston Uber driver guide

 

Keep these in mind during your next Houston Uber or Lyft driving shift:

  • To avoid traffic congestion on 610, take Hardy Street to Cavalcade and turn right to get on I-45. Alternatively, you can also take the left access to US-59.
  • To avoid traffic and slow drive times, avoid the West Belt at all costs, and instead take San Felipe when traveling to Galleria or Downtown.
  • To get downtown faster, avoid 610. Instead take Hardy Street, which turns into Elysian and then Crawford. Turn onto La Branch and you’ll end up on the east side of downtown.
  • If you’re trying to get to HOU quickly, bypass the Gulf Freeway or I-45 by taking SH-288 southbound to the 610 south loop eastbound ramp. Then take a right on Telephone and onto Airport Boulevard to get directly to the terminal.

Whether you are driving Uber or Lyft (or even both), there’s never been a better time to be a rideshare driver in the city of Houston. With an abundance of riders both local and visiting, rideshare services are always in demand. Use some of the tips above to get the most out of your rideshare driving experience and maximize your earnings in Houston.

 

Looking For The Best Rideshare Company To Sign Up With?

Sign up to drive with Lyft today and get a sign up bonus.

With Lyft, you can sign up to drive even if you don’t have a car!

Lyft Sign Up Bonus

 

Doordash Driver Delivery Tips

Doordash Dasher Tips: How to Maximize Your Income

/in , , /by

Being a Doordash dasher and making food deliveries on DoorDash is a great way to make some extra cash in your spare time.

Earning potential depends on your location as well as how much you work and when you work.

If you want to maximize your earning potential, you’ll need to work efficiently and be smart about which deliveries you take on and how you complete your trips.

(Disclosure – We independently research our content to provide free advice for you. We may get compensation if you sign up with services, or purchase products through our affiliate links.)

Doordash Driver Tips For New Dashers

You’ve probably already seen the How To Dash page on Doordash (if not, go check it out). Below, we’ve put together some helpful pro tips for maximizing your Dasher income with DoorDash.

Work as efficiently as possible to maximize your delivery numbers.

At the end of the day, your earning potential rests in the number of food deliveries you take on. That’s why it’s important for you to work as efficiently as possible to maximize your order numbers and improve your potential pay.

As a Doordash dasher, the more that you can compress your delivery times, the more orders you will be able to squeeze into your shift.

One way to work more efficiently is to cut down on your drive time. Here are a few insider tips for getting to the restaurant and delivery destination as quickly as possible:

  • Know where you’re going. Driving in the wrong direction is a big waste of time. Make sure that you take an extra few seconds to review your route before getting in the car.
  • If you can’t find the restaurant, call them. If you have a hard time locating the restaurant, don’t un-claim the order. Call the restaurant and ask for cross streets.
  • Check traffic before you leave. Making sure that you take the fastest possible route to your destination helps you save time so you can take on more orders. Always check the traffic, and choose the less busy route.
  • Read customer instructions before delivery. Customers will often leave additional instructions on their order to help you locate their home faster, such as the location of their building or a gate code. Check these out before you head their way.

Another way to improve efficiency is to keep things like extra napkins, straws, and utensils in your vehicle. That way, if the restaurant does not include these items when you pick up the delivery, you can slip them in before you drop the order off at the customer’s house.

Letting the customer know that you’ve added these items is a great way to earn extra tips.

Be strategic about the orders you pick up

Another way to boost your earning potential on DoorDash is to be more strategic about the orders that you pick up.

Doordash dasher on foot

 

Each time you get a DoorDash order request, the app lets you know where the restaurant is (including the distance from your current location) and what the order value is. You then have 60 seconds to accept or decline the order.

You do not have to accept every order that comes your way.

If you are more strategic about the orders you pick up, then you are able to increase your chances of maximizing earning potential during your shift. Typically, larger orders come with bigger tips and are more likely to be worth driving a further distance for.

Additionally, picking up orders that are closer to one another allows you to take on more deliveries in the same shift.

For example, you may decide that any orders under a certain order-total threshold are not worth your time unless they are in the immediate vicinity. Taking on smaller orders that are further away uses up time that you could be using to focus on larger orders that are likely to pay more.

Similarly, you may decide to only pick up orders that are in a certain mile radius from your current location. That means you won’t have to drive too far to complete the order, which takes time away from the rest of your shift.

That said, it’s important to note that, if you don’t accept an order, there is no guarantee that the next order that comes your way will be bigger or closer. Similarly, not every large order will lead to a big tip. You could end up spending a significant amount of time picking up and delivering a large and difficult food order only to walk away with no tip at all.

 

Join Doordash

 

Dash during the busiest hours for higher earning potential

Another way to maximize your earning potential is by dashing during the heaviest order times of the day and the most busy delivery days of the week. Though the busiest order days and times will depend on your particular location, there are patterns in nearly every area:

  • Weekend nights tend to be the busiest and most lucrative delivery times.
  • The sweet spot for lunch deliveries is between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. on weekdays.
  • The dinner rush takes place during anywhere from 4:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. during the week.
  • Breakfast time is less busy for DoorDash deliveries and may not be worth your time.

The only way to know for sure when the busy hours and days are for your location is to experiment a little. Try picking deliveries during different times of the day and days of the week to see when the greatest demand is in your area.

doordash driver app schedule dash

 

Not only will there be the potential for more orders (and tips), but you will be able to make more money per hour as you won’t have to wait and waste time between order requests.

In addition to the standard Doordash dasher busy times when people are likely to order, you should also take into account the weather when choosing your DoorDash shifts. People are more likely to order food to be delivered when it’s raining or snowing out.

Picking up deliveries during poor weather periods is a great way to earn big tips since most customers will be happy to have a convenient way to get their food.

Another thing to mention is that DoorDash provides incentives for dashers who make deliveries during the busiest times of the day, typically during the lunch and dinner rushes. Known as “Busy Pay,” this incentive will vary depending on demand in your area. However, you will be able to see the amount before you accept the delivery.

Check to make sure the order is right before you leave the restaurant

The amount of earning potential for DoorDash dashers is not just a matter of how many deliveries they can take on.

Tips also play an important part in how much DoorDash drivers can earn in a typical shift.

For this reason, it’s important to make sure that the order is correct and complete before you make the delivery to the customer. Even though it may technically be the fault of a restaurant that an order is incorrect, the customer may take it out on you by not giving you a tip.

Checking to ensure that the order is correct does take some extra time. However, it’s worth it in the end when you are able to provide a satisfying experience for the customer, especially if they decide to reward you with a larger tip.

To save time in making sure the order is right, you can review the order on the app before you enter the restaurant. That way, you can quickly scan the order in the restaurant to ensure that everything is there.

If you find that something is missing in the order, you can then request it from the restaurant before heading to the delivery location. Veteran dashers know that restaurants often forget to include drinks with the order.

Always check the app to see if any drinks were ordered so that you can ensure that the drinks make it to the customer.

Bonus Tip: Refer other Doordash dashers to earn extra cash

As a bonus tip, another easy way to make money through DoorDash is by referring new drivers. DoorDash makes it easy for drivers to refer others to the company, allowing both the referring Dasher and the referred Dasher to benefit from special bonuses. The DoorDash referral bonus amounts vary by location and tend to change depending on the market in the area. To see the referral rates for your area, check out your local DoorDash city page.

You can refer new Dashers through text message, email, Facebook (and Facebook Messenger), and Twitter. In order to get credit for a referral, you’ll need to make sure that the new Dasher has included your phone number on the sign up page under the “Referrer Phone #” field. These referral bonuses are then added to your weekly pay once the referred Dasher completes a certain number of deliveries within their first 30 days.

 

Join Doordash

 

 

Lyft driver lease, rental and pay questions

Common New Lyft Driver Questions – Lyft Car Leases, Payments & Account Issues

/in , /by

Does Lyft Lease Cars To Its Drivers?

It does, through Avis, Hertz and Flexdrive. Known as the Lyft Express Drive Program, it provides Lyft drivers with rental vehicles on a week-to-week basis. Priced at around $200 a week (prices may vary by market), the Express Drive Program also covers insurance, unlimited miles, and routine vehicle maintenance.

Provided you meet all the other driver qualifications for Lyft, you can apply to Express Drive through the Lyft website.

You’ll need to provide a $250 deposit, which you’ll receive back when you return the vehicle. Additionally, while you can renew your vehicle lease weekly through your app, you’ll need to visit the rental lot at least once a month to renew the lease as an extended rental.

You are also required to complete at least 20 rides per week – and here’s where things get really interesting.

Lyft Express Drive Weekly Lease

 

If you complete enough fares in a week and maintain a 90% or higher acceptance rate, you become eligible for Lyft’s Rental Rewards Program. This can reduce or even eliminate the weekly rental fee for your vehicle.

Note that with Rental Rewards, you do not qualify for any of Lyft’s other earnings milestones or bonuses.

The biggest drawback of Lyft’s Express Drive Program, aside from the cost, is that due to high demand it can often be difficult to secure a rental vehicle.

Additionally, Hertz and Flexdrive each have different requirements and a different rental process – you need to be 25 or older to rent from Hertz, and must sign a paper agreement; Flexdrive allows you to rent at 21 or older and access the agreement within the app.

However, the addition of many car in the Avis rental fleet over the next few months should alleviate some of the supply issues in the Lyft Express Drive program.

Finally, it may be obvious to some, but you generally cannot use your Lyft rental to drive for Uber.

Can Lyft Help Me Buy A Car?

Unfortunately, no. At the time of writing, Lyft does not offer any means of purchasing a vehicle through its platform.

It only allows you to lease/rent cars, as described above – this means that, depending on where you live, it may be more cost-effective to simply purchase your own vehicle.

What Is Lyft Amp?

A Bluetooth-enabled, LED device that magnetically attaches to a vehicle’s dashboard, Lyft Amp serves a few purposes. First, it’s intended as a replacement for the front emblem of a Lyft driver’s vehicle – the front side of the screen displays the Lyft logo.

Lyft Amp
Lyft Amp

Second, it allows drivers to further enhance the experience of their passengers.

Let’s say a passenger is leaving the bar at one in the morning and isn’t sure which Lyft is theirs. If their driver has Lyft Amp, they can open their app and cause the driver’s amp to display one of a range of different colors – a feature known as ‘beaconing.’

Lyft Amp can also display one of several different personalized messages to riders within a vehicle, can serve as a clock, can provide ETA details to passengers, will announce who’s being picked up next in Lyft Line, and flashes when a driver receives a new ride request.

Does Lyft Accept Two Door Cars?

Unfortunately, no. To use Lyft, you must have a four-door vehicle. The platform does not make any exceptions to this rule.

Does Lyft Reimburse For Toll Roads?

Yes and no. If your Lyft route will pass through a toll bridge, tunnel, or turnpike, the cost is automatically added to the passenger’s fare.

This means that although you will still need to pay tolls at each of these locations, you’ll receive that money back from the passenger once their ride is paid for.

Currently, Lyft’s tolls are calculated based on the pricing of each individual city’s electronic toll collection system. This means that if you pay with cash, you may actually end up overpaying. As such, it’s recommended that you keep a debit or credit card on you at all times – just in case.

How Do Lyft Drivers Get Paid?

Lyft drivers can get paid in one of two ways.

Lyft Weekly Pay

The first option is through a weekly deposit into their checking account, which can be set up through the Driver Dashboard.

You’ll need to have your bank routing number, transit number, and account number available.

You will also need your tax information. For most drivers, this consists of your full name, current address, and social security number.

Some drivers, however, may have a registered corporation/LLC – in this case, you’ll need your business name, business address, and EIN or ITIN.

The Lyft work week starts on Monday morning and ends late Sunday evening. Payments are generally delivered to drivers on Wednesday.

Lyft Express Pay

The second option is known as Express Pay. In the Lyft Driver App, navigate to Payment Info under Settings. Note that you will need to have added at least one debit card to your Lyft account, and you will need to have reached at least $50 in ride earnings. Tap on the card you want to use for Express Pay, and then tap “Get Paid.” – it’s as simple as that.

Lyft Driver Express Pay
Lyft Express Pay

 

Remember that some banks may delay your Express Pay transactions – call your bank and ask them if they support immediate transfers or push to debit transfers.

Do Lyft Drivers Get Paid Daily?

As noted above, Express Pay allows you to be paid immediately after completing a trip. Otherwise, you are paid on a week-to-week basis.

How Do I Get Lyft Amp?

To be eligible for Lyft Amp, you must first reach Gold or Platinum Accelerate Reward Status – a fancy way of saying ‘complete a certain number of rides.’ This varies by city, but it’s usually somewhere around 250-300.

Once you’ve done this, and provided you’re in a city where Amp is available, Lyft will send you an invite with instructions on how to receive the device.

If you’re curious as to whether or not you qualify, you can check your status under the Amp tab in your Lyft Driver App.

Once you’ve received your invitation, you’ll need to confirm your shipping address with Lyft. At that point, all you need to do is wait. Your Amp should be delivered to you within two to three weeks.

How Does Destination Mode Work In Lyft?

Destination Mode is a unique feature available to Lyft Drivers which allows you to specify a destination for yourself after completing a trip. You can also set a time by which you would like to arrive at your destination.

Until you reach that destination, you will only be matched with passengers along your route, who are traveling in the same direction as you. To enable Destination Mode, simply tap the filter icons in the top right corner of your Lyft Driver App, select “Add Destination Mode,” and configure your destination.

Lyft Destination Filter
Lyft Destination Filter

 

You can disable Destination Mode by tapping the “x” next to your destination’s address. Destination Mode will automatically turn off once you reach your destination. Note that Destination Mode rides do not count towards certain Lyft bonuses such as Average Hourly Guarantees or Power Driver.

Where Do I See My Lyft Reviews?

You can view your Lyft Driver rating by tapping on your profile picture in the Lyft Driver app. To see actual reviews and comments, you’ll need to open up the email associated with your Lyft account and check your weekly summary. Note that as with tips, reviews are anonymized.

How Do I Update My Lyft Driver Profile?

The process for updating your driver profile on Lyft is basically the same as the process for updating your passenger profile.

First thing’s first, if you signed up to Lyft with a Facebook account, good news – it’ll automatically populate your profile with your most recent photo. If you wish to change this for any reason, simply do the following:

  1. While in the Lyft Driver app, tap on your profile photo in the top left corner.
  2. Tap “View Profile” then “Edit Profile.”

It’s pretty self-explanatory from here – you can edit your “About Me” section, update your profile photo, and so on. Note that certain details, like your phone number, email address, and login data must be changed through the “Settings” tab.

How Do I Turn Off Lyft Line?

Unfortunately, there’s no way to opt out of Lyft Line requests. If you’d rather not pick up passengers using Lyft Line, the only thing you can do is ignore or reject them. However, if you’re drive a vehicle that qualifies for Lyft Lux, you can switch off requests from regular Lyft and Lyft Line.

Looking For The Best Rideshare Company To Sign Up With?

Sign up to drive with Lyft today and get a sign up bonus.

With Lyft, you can sign up to drive even if you don’t have a car!

Lyft Sign Up Bonus

 

Doordash Driver Questions

Common Doordash Driver Questions

/in , , /by

What Is DoorDash, Exactly? How Does It Work?

(Disclosure – We independently research our content to provide free advice for you. We may get compensation if you sign up with services, or purchase products through our affiliate links.)

If you’ve ever wanted to pick up food from your favorite restaurant but found yourself frustrated that they didn’t deliver, apps like DoorDash are a match made in heaven for you. Available on iOS and Android, DoorDash is a third-party delivery service that connects its users with restaurants in and around their area.

The app is designed to determine both delivery time and delivery distance for its fleet of drivers. Doordash developers continually work to more accurately predict how long each of the restaurants it works with will take to prepare food and how long it will take the driver to arrive at their address.

It also uses these predictive services to determine the maximum delivery radius for a particular restaurant; this varies by location, however.

DoorDash distinguishes itself from other delivery services like Caviar and Amazon Flex in a few ways.

First and foremost, it’s not solely open to people who own a car. Cyclists are also able to sign up for the delivery service. It also features Group Ordering, which allows multiple DoorDash users to collaborate with one another on a single order, splitting the check and keeping all their orders to a single delivery driver.

If you want to try ordering through Doordash, use our promo code and get a few bucks off your first delivery by clicking the button below.

 

Try Doordash!

 

How Does DoorDash Make Money?

Like most delivery services, DoorDash adds a small premium to each delivery order. Though it varies by restaurant, city, and delivery distance, this fee is usually somewhere between $3 and $7. It also has a few sources of revenue aside from this service fee.

Participating restaurants must generally pay a commission (usually around 20%) on orders delivered by DoorDash’s drivers. Though this may seem somewhat steep, it’s worth remembering that this is business those restaurants might not otherwise enjoy.

Doordash Restaurant Partner Deliveries Dashboard
Doordash Restaurant Partner Deliveries Dashboard

 

Aside from commission, DoorDash also charges restaurants for marketing and advertising through the app. Like on yelp, a business owner can choose to pay a fee to move itself to the top of the list of restaurants.

How Much Do DoorDash Drivers Make?

The short answer is that ‘it depends.’ When DoorDash first launched, Dashers, as delivery-people are known, were paid a flat rate per order, plus whatever they received as a tip. More recently, DoorDash has changed to a more flexible, scaling payment model.

For each delivery, a Dasher makes a certain amount, plus their tip, along with what’s known as a “pay boost.” This boost accounts for various factors, including delivery distance, order size, and traffic.

Rates are also subject to the city in which you operate – as you might expect, larger cities mean better pay. Generally speaking, this averages out to an hourly rate of between $14 and $20. Hourly rates can be higher in certain markets during busy hours. Click here to see the rates in your Doordash market.

That said, it’s also important to consider additional costs that might crop up for you as a Dasher. First, it’s important to remember that you’re a contractor, not a full-time employee – that means taxes are entirely your responsibility, and ignoring them can be quite costly.

Other costs you’ll want to consider are gas and insurance.

Does The DoorDash Delivery Fee Go To The Driver?

Generally, no. The delivery fee is part of DoorDash’s revenue stream. As already described, Dashers receive a pay boost, though Door Dash is somewhat mum on the specifics of where the money is drawn from.

How Do I Become a DoorDash Driver?

To work with DoorDash, you need to be eighteen years of age or older, own an iPhone or Android device, and be willing to volunteer your social security number and submit to a background check.

Unlike many other delivery services, DoorDash does not require its employees to own a car, and no vehicle inspection is required.

What’s Required To Become A DoorDash Driver?

Depending on where a Dasher is located, they may be able to use a motorcycle, bicycle, or scooter. In some scenarios, they may even be able to deliver on foot. DoorDash provides more information about the different vehicle types in each market on their website.

Note that you will be required to have an auto insurance policy, and DoorDash also provides its own commercial auto insurance policy covering up to $1,000,000 in bodily injury or property damage from accidents while on active delivery.

How Do I Start Delivering For DoorDash?

To sign up to become a DoorDash driver, simply click the button below to start your application.

Join Doordash

 

How Do I Complete A Delivery Through DoorDash?

Generally speaking, there are two ways to deliver through the DoorDash app. The first is known as scheduled delivery. Though the interface is slightly different depending on your operating system, the basic steps remain the same between both iOS and Android.

First, open up your menu, and click on “Schedule.” On this page, you can see all available dashes and can sign up for whichever happen to catch your attention.

doordash driver app schedule dash
Doordash Driver Schedule

 

Once you’ve signed up for a Dash, you’ll see it at the bottom of your app’s homepage.

You can also Dash without using the Schedule. Open up the DoorDash map, and press “Dash Now.” Before hitting “Dash,” be sure to look at your map; if the area you’re in is gray or yellow, DoorDash does not require more dashers. If, on the other hand, it’s pink or red, that means more dashers are required.

Doordash driver app dash now
Doordash - Dash Now

 

Note that during breakfast, lunch, and dinner, there will almost always be work available for you. You can learn more by watching this video.

 

How Do I Get Paid Through DoorDash?

Configuring your payment information in DoorDash is relatively simple. From your smartphone, launch the Dasher app and navigate to the Earnings tab.

In the top right corner of your screen, you’ll see a red bank symbol – click on it, and fill out the following information:

  • The name on the bank account you want to use
  • Your Social Security Number
  • Your bank’s routing number – you can generally find this by contacting your branch.
  • Your bank’s account number. This can be found on a check, or through online banking.

From here, just tap Submit Bank Details. Verify that the information you’ve entered is correct, and you should be good to go.

Doordash Driver - Setup Bank Information
Doordash Driver - Add Bank Info

 

Once you’ve made 25 deliveries and worked with DoorDash for two weeks, you’ll have access to a service known as Fast Pay. This allows you to cash out your earnings daily for a withdrawal fee of $1.99. To configure Fast Pay, navigate to the Earnings section of your app, and click on “Use Fast Pay.”

This will immediately transfer your earnings to the debit card you’ve configured with your account.

How Does the DoorDash Rating System Work?

DoorDash rates its employees (known as Dashers) based on three categories, each averaged from your 100 most recent deliveries. Each DoorDash market has a different minimum score for each of these ratings. Check on the DoorDash website to determine what the minimum is where you work.

Customer Rating is essentially what it sounds like. When a customer receives an order through DoorDash, they rate both the driver and the restaurant separately, giving each a score between one and five stars. The rating is only applied once it has been received, so a Dasher may see their overall score change long after they’ve completed a delivery.

If your Customer Rating drops too low, you may be removed as a Dasher.

Acceptance Rate measures how often you accept delivery opportunities you receive. When a delivery is assigned to you by DoorDash, it’s because you’re the best choice for the job. Consistently declining such orders leads to a low Acceptance Rate.

As with customer rating, if this gets too low, it can potentially impact your access to the platform.

Completion Rate is exactly what it sounds like. It’s the number of deliveries you have completed, divided by the number of deliveries you’ve accepted. Canceled orders count as completed deliveries for the purposes of this statistic.

Not surprisingly, it’s somewhat difficult to lower your completion rate. The only way to really do it is by removing yourself from a delivery after accepting it. It’s generally expected that you’ll cancel a delivery every now and then, so you needn’t stress too much if you need to ditch a job because of an emergency.

Acceptance Rate and Completion Rate are fairly easy to control. Accept the majority of the deliveries that come your way, and don’t cancel jobs once you’ve picked them up. Customer Rating can be a bit trickier.

To keep your customers happy and get your rating up, the most important thing is communication. Be friendly and personable, and always serve people with a smile. You might also consider texting your customers when you’re on the way – keep them up-to-date about where you are and what you’re doing.

Avoid accepting orders that are already late, and where possible, avoid contacting customers to ask for directions or further instructions on where to deliver their food. But most importantly, understand that sometimes, you’re going to get a low rating. Some people will be unpleasant to you through no fault of your own.

Don’t stress about that – as long as you’re pleasant, quick, and capable, you’ll be just fine.

Join Doordash

 

Driving Uber On Thanksgiving

Driving For Lyft or Uber on Thanksgiving Weekend

/0 Comments/in , /by

Thanksgiving weekend is usually a great weekend for rideshare driving. With the exception of the day before Thanksgiving, traffic should be pretty light.

Also, most drivers take most of the weekend off, so the drivers that are out should be pretty busy.

Here’s what to expect, along with a few tips, if you’re planning on driving Uber or Lyft this weekend.

Drive Prepared – What To Have In Your Car

  • One or two bath towels
  • Some paper towels, plastic bags, and Clorox wipes

Besides the items above, your trunk should be pretty empty.

What To Expect Wednesday – The Day Before Thanksgiving

Driving Lyft or Uber on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, expect a few airport runs. This is one reason why you’ll want a pretty empty trunk. You’ll also have an above average number of rides to and from grocery stores.

If you get a request going to the grocery store, on occasion, the passenger may ask you to wait while they shop. Do not wait, even if they say they’re just getting a couple of things.

Why You Don’t Wait At Grocery Stores: By the early afternoon, most grocery stores will be crowded. Even if the passenger is just getting a couple of things, you will be waiting for twenty minutes because of long checkout lines.

The day before Thanksgiving, the afternoon rush hour will start earlier than normal. Traffic will start getting heavier around 1pm. Expect more airport runs in the afternoon through the early evening.

When the evening rolls around, expect a lot of requests going to bars.

Thanksgiving is the beginning of the holiday season, which for many people means dealing with their family. In order to prepare for this, many choose to drink the night before.

While most people don’t get too drunk the day before Thanksgiving, you want the paper towels and plastic bags handy just in case.

What To Expect – Thanksgiving Day

In the morning, the airports are sometimes still busy. Flying on Thanksgiving morning is often cheaper than the day before, so you may be able to catch a rider going to or from the airport.

From the late morning until the early afternoon, you’ll mostly be taking passengers to Thanksgiving gatherings.

Often, they may be bringing containers of food to that gathering. This is why you want to have a bath towel to lay across your trunk, or the floor of your car.

People are generally pretty good about making sure the food containers are sealed or covered. However, stuff happens. If you have to stop short, and some food gets shaken out of the pan or baking dish, it’s better that it lands on a towel, as opposed to the floor of your car or trunk.

What To Expect – Friday to Sunday

The rest of the holiday weekend will be pretty busy, although there may be a few lulls. With the exception of Sunday afternoon, traffic should be very light.

On Friday, expect a lot of runs to and from malls. You want to keep your trunk empty because people really love to buy appliances and large electronics on the Friday after Thanksgiving. Make sure you have room in case someone needs to transport a television or other large item.

You’ll also have some airport runs, especially on Sunday. Throughout the weekend, expect an above average number of rides from the city to the burbs, and vice versa.

Other than that, it really won’t be much different from your average rideshare weekend, with people going to movies, restaurants, and stores.

Alright, that’s about it.

And if you know other drivers who could use these tips, share this article with them.

Have a safe, happy, and profitable Thanksgiving.

Driving Lyft On Thanksgiving

 

 

Lyft New Driver Questions

Common New Lyft Driver Questions – Lyft Driver Approval And App Policies

/in , /by

Lyft may not have quite the market penetration of Uber yet, but it’s getting there. And plenty of Uber drivers are choosing to try out Lyft, reasoning that it’s better to have two income sources. Maybe you’re considering joining them, or maybe you’re completely new to the platform

Either way, you’ve probably got questions – and we’ve got answers.

How Does Lyft Work?

Using the Lyft app, passengers put out a request for a driver to take them wherever they need to go. Any nearby driver can accept this request and travel to the passenger’s pickup point.

After a ride is done, the passenger and driver then rate one another on a scale of one to five stars. Passengers are also given the opportunity to tip and can write an anonymous comment which is sometimes shared with the driver.

How Does The Driver Approval Process Work For Lyft?

The Lyft driver approval process is relatively simple. First, you will need to consent to a full background check and driving record check. You should be fine here, as long as you meet the following qualifications:

  • Fewer than eight demerit points on your licensing record, in most markets.
  • No convictions in the past five years for failure to stop at the scene of a collision, driving with a suspended license, impaired or dangerous operation of a motor vehicle, or negligent driving.
  • No convictions for any violent crimes, drug-related offenses, sexual offenses, certain types of theft, or property damage.
Lyft Application - Federal Background Check
Lyft Application Background Check

 

It’s important to note that Lyft also conducts random background checks on current drivers. They also pay attention to rider complaints. Even if you are approved as a Lyft driver, if you suddenly start practicing unsafe driving, you could be removed from the platform. Should this happen, you’ll receive an email notification, at which point you can dispute the results. However, the decision is usually final.

Finally, in most states, you are required to submit your vehicle for an examination at a registered mechanic to ensure it’s road-safe. Said inspection mostly focuses on safety features, so provided you’ve been taking the necessary steps to keep your car in good shape, you should be fine. The cost of the examination can vary, but it should usually be around $20 and take a few days or so. Lyft is also opening a number of new driver hubs in 2019 that may include discounted or free inspections.

Beyond this, your vehicle must also meet the following requirements:

  • Four doors, with seats for four passengers not including the driver. This does not include jump doors.
  • In fair condition, free of obvious damage. This does not include minor scratches, hail damage, or scuffed paint.
  • A clean, stain-free, odor-free interior.
  • Registered and insured, as per the law. Note that the vehicle does not have to be registered to your name.
  • Meets the vehicle age requirement for your market. If you’re in the U.S., check our our post on Lyft Vehicle Requirements. In Canada, this means that your vehicle must have been manufactured in 2011 or later;

How Do I Contact Lyft Management?

At the moment, there’s no way to reach out directly to Lyft management – all you can do is submit a help request to Lyft’s support team.

How Can I Email Lyft Support?

You can contact driver support through the app. Lyft will respond to the email connected to your driver account.

Generally, contacting Lyft driver support through the app is the best way. But you can also try emailing Lyft support at support@lyft-new.zendesk.com.

If you’re experiencing an issue with a trip or a passenger, the fastest way to get help from Lyft is through the Lyft Driver app. From the Ride History tab, select the trip you have an issue with, and tap “Get Help.”

Lyft Phone Number
Lyft driver help

Alternatively, you can contact Lyft through the Lyft Help Center on their website.

How Old Do You Have To Be To Drive With Lyft?

To become a Lyft driver in the United States, you need to be at least 21 years old with at least one full year of licensing history. It’s important to mention that this licensing history must be based in the United States. Even if you have held your driver’s license from another country for several years, you won’t be able to Drive With Lyft if you don’t have a US license.

Does Lyft Allow Dogs?

Lyft does not have an official stance on pets – whether or not you allow dogs in your vehicle is entirely up to you. The one caveat to this is service animals. If someone has a service dog, you are obligated to allow them into your car.

What’s A Lyft Mentor?

The Lyft Mentor program was originally intended as a way to help applicants learn the ropes of the platform. Completing a session with a Mentor was part of your approval process. Mentors showed new applicants how the app worked and took them on a test drive.

How Do I Become A Lyft Mentor?

As of July 2017, the Lyft Mentor program has been discontinued – you can no longer become a Lyft Mentor, as they no longer exist.

How Do I Return a Rider’s Lost Item?

There are several options to return lost items to riders. Lyft drivers are free to contact riders on their own and set up a meeting to return lost items. Additionally, you can contact Lyft Support and they’ll help get the item shipped free of charge if you provide them with the basic information of the ride (destination and pickup, time and date, rider’s name, item lost).

Drivers in Boston, Las Vegas, New York City, San Francisco, Seattle, and Washington, D.C. can also drop off items at Lyft Hubs where the rider can come to pick them up at their convenience.

 

Drive With Lyft

 

Cannabis delivery driver

What to Expect When Driving for a Cannabis Company

/in , /by

Considering a career in cannabis? Welcome to the club. Weed delivery is a concept that conjures up lots of pre-conceived notions, and most of all, opinions and judgments. Luckily, this is all about to change. Many are looking to jump on the bandwagon as the multi-billion dollar industry explodes, while others are still scared of having anything to do with cannabis. This is understandable considering it is still considered illegal on the federal front. So, before you get started on your side hustle (or full-time hustle) here are some fast facts to guide you.

What Types of Delivery Services Are There?

There are several different types of cannabis delivery companies (with new companies jumping into the business every day). Let’s start with the most important question you should look for when considering a company: Are they licensed?

If they are, you will most likely find the information listed on their website or on Weedmaps. Currently, there are hundreds of cannabis delivery services operating illegally in the Los Angeles area alone.

This is scary for several reasons. You could be arrested even though you aren’t knowingly doing anything wrong (however, the law won’t see it that way), you have no protections in place if you are robbed, as the company is not insured whatsoever, and chances are, the company doesn’t have proper safety precautions in place to prevent you from being robbed or injured.

Do you really want to work for an employer who doesn’t care enough about your safety? While this isn’t a deal breaker, if you are being paid in cash — as many cannabis companies are having trouble finding banks to work with them — your employer may not be operating legally. That said, if you are delivering for a mom and pop type operation that doesn’t have Silicon Valley investment backing, cash is often a standard form of payment.

Now a Caveat

If you are working for a cannatech delivery company (for instance, Eaze, Meadow, SpeedWeed, Nugg, Grassp, or GreenRush) they may not have a cannabis license, and this is currently acceptable. Again, this is subject to change due to evolving state regulation. So, how do companies get around this? They don’t grow or distribute the product directly themselves. They are considered a technology service that connects brick and mortar dispensaries with drivers (who are paid by a third party).  These companies are complying with strict laws, which are detailed below in Hiring Protocols.

Where They Differ

Okay, so let’s say you found a delivery company that is compliant and operating with a state-issued non-storefront license. How will this experience differ from delivery with a cannatech company?

Broadly speaking, the less stringent the vetting process, the less they’ll trust you with a bunch of their product at once. You should expect to put extra mileage on your car, as you will pick up each order separately, unless the dispensary receives several orders at one time that happen to be going to the same part of town. You’re also likely to make a low hourly wage, if you even get one. Many delivery companies only pay per delivery. So, if you’re waiting around on a slow shift, you’ll make nothing until you fulfill a delivery request.

With a cannatech company like Eaze, you’ll make an hourly wage, usually between $15 and $24 an hour, which is much more than the majority of non-tech delivery services. That said, if you are used to the “driving whenever you feel like it” practice that is standard in the Uber, Lyft, and DoorDash world, you should know that working for Eaze is different. They give you a set schedule, where you are expected to be punctual and reliable. If you cannot cover your shift, you find someone to cover you.

Where They Converge

To deliver for any type of cannabis service you must be 21 or older. Period. Depending on the thoroughness of the vetting process, you may have to submit to a criminal background check and show a clean driving record. Again, these requirements are out the window if the company is operating illegally without a license.

Hiring Protocols

With a cannatech company that is complying fully with the law, you should expect a complex questionnaire along with your application to drive. Questions will include what type of phone model you’ll be using for work (to see if it’s compatible with their operating software), proof of car registration, a clean driving record, a background check, and proof that you are legal to work in the United States. Then, you’ll have not just a phone interview, but also an in-person interview. For those of you new to the delivery game, this is largely unheard of.

On the less rigorous side of things, you could experience a watered down version of any of the above requirements. Things may be as casual as replying to a Craigslist ad or 420careers ad, submitting your driver’s license, and then showing up for your first shift. If this is the full vetting process for a company, you may want to be more cautious about working for them.

Problematic Patients

Yes, sadly you will run into problematic patients. However, it is generally the budtenders who deal with them. Some will try to give you an ID with an image that clearly doesn’t match their face. Some have expired IDs. Some will grab the product and run away without paying (this does NOT happen often… especially with a compliant company who has fully collected personal information from the patient). Some like to complain with hopes of receiving free product (like in any customer service industry).

You’ll usually receive (along with the order) a note stating if the delivery is for a returning patient or a new patient. Be wary of any new patient requesting cash change for a large amount of money. If you are working with a reputable dispensary, they should be aware of this as a red flag, and will ensure all safety precautions necessary. Now, with all of that said the majority of your patients will be…

Sweet Patients

You’ll hear a lot of griping about cranky patients who are handicapped, chronically ill, in pain, or elderly. This may be the case if someone is promised delivery within the hour, and it takes three hours to arrive.

The reality is, these patients are the sweetest, often shy and nervous, and so grateful. They will often be so happy to see you because they might not have a lot human contact and socialization. It isn’t out of the question for your dispensary to give you permission to go to their door to deliver if they are unable to walk out to your car.

Safety Protocols

Your cannatech company will likely install a camera in your car, and will constantly be tracking your location through their GPS-enabled app. They’ll also equip you with a securely hidden device to store your day’s worth of product while driving around the city. This differs from smaller operations that hand off each delivery to you individually. While there aren’t soundproof protections in place for these types of delivery, the amount of product you are transporting at a time is much smaller.

Still Interested?

So, while your new job delivering a newly legalized, controlled substance may feel illicit and strange at first, it isn’t. Be wise, and don’t hesitate to report suspicious behavior or anyone who makes you feel strange. And remember, you’ll likely be on camera for a large part of your shift, depending on the company you work for. For those looking for a thrill, delivering cannabis is no more exciting than Postmates delivery or Uber, there are just more precautions set in place and potentially better earnings.

 

Get $20 Off Your First Eaze Marijuana Or CBD Order Today With Our Eaze Promo Code!

If you’re in California and are looking to order cannabis or related products, or if you’re outside California and wish to order legal CBD (Cannabidiol) or related products, click the button below to receive $20 off your first Eaze or Eaze Wellness order.

$20 Off Eaze