If you own a car, there is a great way to find a job or supplement your income through a bevy of new apps. By allowing you to set your schedule and take jobs when you want, you can leverage your car to make money driving people around town or delivering goods.
There are more and more apps being launched each day, providing services to get food, packages, and people where they need to go. You can do a quick search online or through the app store to see the variety of driving jobs that are on the market.
How to Get Started
Getting a driving job seems like it should be easy, but where do you start? First, you need to make sure you have a smartphone because most driving jobs are found through apps. Since they are location-based, you’ll need a device that can track your location.
Second, while it can become a lucrative career, you’ll need to put in the work. Many companies, like Uber, Lyft, Amazon, GrubHub, and Postmates have different requirements for driving commitments and the age of your car. Do a quick search online to see which service you best qualify for and which works best for your schedule.
Lastly, you’ll have to be prepared to invest some time. While it can be easy to get started, you’ll have to work to get your rating up so that you can continue to make money as a reliable driver.
Here are some of the best driving jobs that are currently out there, based upon the type of app and service they provide
Food Delivery
Food Delivery apps have boomed in recent years, letting anyone with a smartphone and a vehicle become a delivery person. Apps like DoorDash and Postmates require you to be at least 18 years old, have a valid driver’s license, and submit to a background check. Once those are met, you can expect to earn between $8 – $15 per hour, depending on where you live.
It’s a great way to make if you’ve got a few hours to kill while also helping out local businesses. When many restaurants are struggling, it’s the perfect way to make money while supporting your local economy.
Ride-Sharing
As long as you have a four-door vehicle and a smartphone, you can download Lyft or Uber and become a driver. You must also be at least 21 years old, have a valid driver’s license, and have had at least one year of driving experience. If you’ve got all five of the above, then it’s easy to apply for Uber and/or Lyft to get started on your path to becoming a driver.
The amount you’ll end up making is entirely dependent on how much you drive, and what city you drive in. It also depends on which app you use. NerdWallet has reported that the national average per ride for Uber is $15.97, while independent studies have shown that you’d need to complete 60 rides per week to make $50,000 per year. Lyft is harder to earn money for, as reflected in the national average of $11.48 per ride, according to NerdWallet, and the need to provide 84 rides per week to earn $50,000 a year, per the independent study.
Many people drive for both companies, allowing you the freedom and flexibility to decide both where you work and how often. Either way, Lyft and Uber provide the opportunity to earn more than the minimum wage in most major cities.
Truck Driving
The trucking industry has been around for decades, but that doesn’t mean it’s no longer a way to earn a solid living. This route is more difficult than through the food delivery and ride-sharing apps. The first step to driving a semi-truck in the U.S. is to pass a commercial driver’s license test. This requires extensive training and repeated certification. Truck driving school is a common requirement for people looking to become truck drivers.
Once a commercial driver’s license has been received, you can either drive a truck owned by an employer, lease your truck, or buy your truck to drive. The last option is the best way to make the most as a truck driver, letting you set your schedule and take the high-paying jobs you want. This can be riskier because you’re financially responsible for any repairs and replacements, but you’re the boss and set your hourly rate.
Most truck drivers choose to work for an existing company because owning a truck is too expensive. But there’s still a lot of options. According to AllTrucking, there are over 3.5 million truck drivers in America, averaging a rate of $20 per hour, which translates to $43,464 per year. Depending on which company you work for, your salary can rise above the national average. For example, Walmart pays their truck drivers $73,000 a year. Do some research on costs and salaries to see which truck driving option works best for you.
Bus Driving
This one you won’t need your personal vehicle for because you probably don’t own a bus. It doesn’t seem like it fits on this list, but it is a surprisingly great way to grow your bank account. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, bus drivers can make an average of $15.87 per hour. In major cities, it can be even more than that. In New York City, for example, bus drivers make an aver of $47,350 per year. Driving a bus means many different shift schedules, so it’s possible to work on the side or part-time.
There’s also the option to work as a shuttle bus driver. According to PayScale, a shuttle bus driver can make an average of $23,000 a year. A good thing about driving a shuttle is that you don’t necessarily have to have a commercial driver’s license to work. Shuttles that carry less than 15 passengers don’t require a CDL, so you’re normal driver’s license works well enough. Best of all, if you work for a company that has a fleet of vehicles that require a CDL, many of them cover the cost of the coursework required to attain it.
Even though you’ve learned about the different types of driving jobs in the gig economy, it’s still best to do your own search of apps and see what works best for you. You should plan on researching at least 3 or 4 apps before deciding. Through your phone, you can do a quick search from anywhere, even finding your next opportunity while waiting to pick up a rider from the airport.
