I have recently started delivering food through Postmates.
As a former Lyft driver, I want to share with you why this gig is so much
better.
1. Listen to whatever you want in your car
Do you like to listen to podcasts? Do you ever listen to
things that others may be offended by (think politics or religion)? If you are
a Lyft or Uber driver then you want to make your car a welcoming, affirming
place for your paying customers. With Postmates, the only “passengers” you ever
have are stuff, usually food. I’ve never once played music that I thought the
cheeseburger I was transporting enjoyed, even if I didn’t.
2. Personal safety
While it is true that there is some level of risk when
making a delivery at someone’s home, this level of risk is much less than
carrying someone in your back seat for several miles. Most people you deal with
are most likely law abiding citizens. For those few who aren’t, I’d rather
spend as little time with them as possible.
3. Tidiness of your car
With Postmates, you want your car to be sanitary. I don’t
advocate driving a filthy car. You are carrying food, after all. However, with
Lyft or Uber, your car needs to be spotless inside and out, or you risk getting
a low rating on their app. I like to have a few books with me lying on the
seat. It’s even possible I may have my child’s booster seat in the back. Those
would be “no-nos” with a ride sharing service.
4. No need to carry “freebies” with you to give away
In hopes of getting a 5 star rating with Lyft or Uber many
drivers will carry water bottles, hand sanitizer, Kleenex, and even motion
sickness bags for their passengers. The only thing you need to carry with
Postmates is the order you have picked up.
5. Rating system
Speaking of “5 star ratings” (in the last point), Postmates
has simply a thumbs up or thumbs down on your delivery driver. So unless you
really mess up, or you’re dealing with an exceptionally cranky customer, you
can pretty well count on getting a thumbs up. Contrast that with Lyft (which I
have done in the past). There, if your rating drops below 4.6 you risk getting
canned by Lyft. So someone could give you 4 stars, having no problems with your
service, but they just have the (correct) attitude that “there’s always room
for improvement.” They may not realize that they are hurting their driver when
they do that.
6. Age of your car
I drive a 2005 Ford Crown Victoria. For Lyft, your car has
to be 12 years old or newer. For Uber it has to be 10 years or newer. I drove
for Lyft in 2017. So I barely squeezed in under the limit. I’m not sure if they
would have kicked me out in 2018 or not. I stopped before that. But with
Postmates, they don’t care. If your city isn’t too spread out they even support
you doing deliveries on bicycle or foot. My now 14 year old car is just fine.
7. More consistent earnings
I have been surprised at the demand for Postmates on
weekdays. I suppose a lot of people like to have food delivered home on
weekdays and like to actually go out in the weekend. In my experience, Postmates
seems to be busier on the weekdays than the weekend.
8. No left wing commentary
When I drove for Lyft I received an email from them condemning
President Trump’s immigration policy and making it clear that Lyft did not
agree with it. Regardless of your position on the policy, why interject it into
your business? Why risk alienating conservatives? Here in Oklahoma,
conservatives are the majority of your customers.
9. People are quirky, objects are not
When I drove for Lyft it was interesting to read comments
from passengers. Some would complain that I was too talkative, some would say I
did not talk enough. Some wanted silence. Others wanted music, but none told me
their preference while in the car. It was always just left in the feedback. I
would grow frustrated trying to please whoever was in my car, not knowing what
would please them. Postmates eliminates that frustration.
10. The smells!
I love to enjoy the smell of a container of fajitas in my
back seat, or a cheeseburger and fries next to me. Contrast that, however, with
the unpredictable smell of passengers with Lyft or Uber. I can’t stand the
smell of cigarettes. I could always tell when my passenger was a smoker, even
though they didn’t smoke in my car. They would reek of cigarettes to the point
that I couldn’t wait to drop them off at the their stop. Or you may have a lady
who surely used a whole bottle of perfume when she was dressing up to go out.
Postmates gets rid of the people smell and leaves you with the soothing aroma
of grease. J
If after reading this short article I have convinced you to
sign up with Postmates, be sure and use me as a referral. By doing so, you will
gain a guaranteed income of $725 for your first 65 deliveries in the Oklahoma
City area (your city may differ), and I’ll earn a little bonus of $150. That should
perk up your ears, because you’ll have the chance to do the same when you refer
your own friends later.
Here’s the link:
