How To Become a Roadie Driver | Is Roadie Worth It?

If you’ve looked into side hustle apps before, you are probably familiar with delivery driver gigs such as DoorDash, Instacart, Shipt, and Spark. Roadie is a package delivery platform that helps drivers make extra money by delivering packages heading to their destination.

In this guide, we will explore how much Roadie pays drivers, how to become a Roadie driver, and whether it is worth pursuing. 

Let’s get started!

Is Roadie Worth It? (How To Get Started in 2024)

Roadie is worth it if you’re looking for a side hustle to make extra money on the side. Even though it’s not one of the highest-paid courier options, you can still make significant income after driving expenses.

Roadie is an ideal option for college students or people with a part-time or 9-5 job who still want to increase their income. Roadie won’t fully replace your full-time job, so it’s important to view this as an opportunity to make extra income, as it may not be a stable gig.

If order demand is good in your area and you can use Roadie to hit a monthly earnings goal, it might be worth it for you.

What Is Roadie?

Roadie is a delivery platform for packages and heavy items in the United States. It was acquired by UPS in 2021 to expand its same-day delivery services. This makes it a good contender to other delivery companies such as Spark (owned by Walmart) and Shipt (owned by Target). 

Roadie’s main difference from other courier platforms is that it connects drivers with deliveries that need to go in the same direction, making it one of the most efficient courier services.

Here’s a list of items Roadie drivers may deliver: 

• Home decor
• Large appliances
• Electronics
• Groceries
• Luggage
• Vehicles
• Furniture
• Heavy equipment
• Small packages

How Does Roadie Work?

1. Sign up for Roadie: It’s easy to sign up for Roadie! As long as you are over 18, have a vehicle, and have auto insurance, you’re already halfway there. If accepted, you can start delivering on the same day!
2. Find and accept orders: Roadie doesn’t have a schedule for drivers, so you can accept orders at any time you want. Available orders will be shown on the Roadie app. If you are interested in a gig, you can see all the delivery information and the amount you will be paid for that delivery. Roadie will try to match you with orders heading in that direction to ensure that your deliveries are more efficient.
3. Complete deliveries: Once you’ve accepted an order, Roadie will help you navigate to the dropoff location. Some gigs will have a certain time when the package needs to be dropped off. Delivery options will be matched to your vehicle size to ensure you make the most of your vehicle’s space.
4. Getting paid: Once the delivery has been completed with all instructions, you will get paid directly in your roadie account for each delivery. You can choose to use Instant Pay and cash out instantly or wait until Roadie deposits your earnings each Tuesday.

How Much Can You Make as a Roadie Driver?

Your earnings are largely determined by the city (or market) you are in. Some of the cities with the highest earnings include San Francisco, San Jose, and Vallejo in Northern California; Seattle; and Lebanon, New Hampshire. 

According to ZipRecruiter, the median salary for a Roadie driver in the U.S. is around $35,294 annually. For that reason, Roadie is a great side hustle alternative and not a full-time job option for most cities.

Roadie Driver Earnings per Trip

On average, Roadie drivers make about $12 per local delivery, and it is much more on long trips. You can also accept multi-stop deliveries, which will increase your total earnings. Roadie will offer orders and pay you more depending on the distance and item size, paying more for larger items.

Roadie Driver Earnings per Hour

According to ZipRecruiter, the average hourly earnings for a Roadie driver are $16.97. While some hourly wages can range as high as $25.48, others are on the lower spectrum at $9.86. This is highly determined by the city and demand in your area.

Do Roadie Drivers Get Tips?

Yes, Roadie drivers can receive tips, and they get to keep 100% of them. Many deliveries will have a Guaranteed Minimum Tip tag. Customers have up to 14 days to submit a tip or not. If they leave a tip, Roadie will use $3 of the customer’s tip to cover the upfront guarantee. Any money remaining will be transferred to you afterward to ensure you keep your full tip amount.

Roadie Deliveries per Vehicle Size

Roadie matches your car size with the type of order you can deliver. The more spacious your vehicle, the bigger the items you can deliver, and the more money you’ll earn.

Roadie categorizes vehicles into 5 different sizes: small, medium, large, x-large, and huge.

If you want more detail on what items you can deliver with your car’s size, here’s a chart Roadie provides:

When Does Roadie Pay Drivers? 

Like most delivery apps, Roadie pays once a week. The earnings are deposited weekly on Tuesday, but you can choose to cash out your earnings using the Instant Pay option.

If you choose to use Instant Pay, there are a few things to keep in mind:

• Drivers have completed 5+ deliveries in over 7+ days
• Link your bank and debit card
• One day waiting period for security
• $1.99 processing fee deducted
• Payment happens in minutes
• Earnings are automatically deposited on Tuesday if you don’t use Instant Pay

How Do I Sign Up For Roadie?

Step 1: Open the Roadie signup page here to fill out the driver signup form

Just click on that link, and you’ll enter your name, email address, and mobile phone number.

Step 2: Enter your driver information

Roadie asks for your driver’s license number, mailing address, and vehicle type. They do this to categorize the types of deliveries you can fulfill depending on your vehicle’s size.

Step 3. Download the app to complete the application. You must download the Android or iOS application to register as a driver and verify your identity. It’ll require you to capture a photo of the front and back of your driver’s license and take a selfie photo.

Once you sign up as a driver, Roadie will run a background check before you accept your first delivery. The whole signup process takes minutes, and in many cases, you’ll be able to deliver on the road the same day.

Roadie Driver Requirements

To become a Roadie driver, you must meet a few requirements. These are similar to those for other side hustle apps like DoorDash and Uber Eats.

Roadie driver requirements:

• Must be 18 years old
• Social Security Number
• Valid U.S driver’s license 
• Auto insurance
• Spacious vehicle
• Driving certification for certain deliveries
• Pass background check 

Alternatives To Driving With Roadie

If you like the idea of making money driving your car, here are a few other options:

1. DoorDash: Dashers focus on delivering food, groceries, and other convenience items. This is the largest food delivery service by market share. The order volume on DoorDash can help you make this your part-time job or even replace your full-time income.
2. Uber Eats: A food delivery service owned by the most popular rideshare app. Uber Eats specializes in food deliveries from a wide variety of businesses. It is the second most popular food delivery service behind DoorDash.
3. Instacart: If you don’t like picking up orders at restaurants, Instacart can be a good option for you. As an Instacart shopper, you can earn money by delivering groceries and convenience items to customers.
4. Shipt: Owned by Target, Shipt focuses on delivering fresh foods and household essentials from many local businesses.

Final Words

Delivering for Roadie is a great side hustle if you want to make extra money with your car. It’s also a great option if you want to supplement your current income or save for something important. Although Roadie is not as well-known as other courier services like DoorDash, it is still a solid option due to its schedule flexibility and variety of options in terms of delivery.

Roadie is worth it for people who work part-time, have a 9-5 job, college students, or anyone who wants to increase or replace their current income.

If you are looking for other ways to make money using your car, check out this detailed list of Best Food Delivery Services for more ideas.