How to become a DoorDash driver – Benefits and requirements

According to a recent survey, approximately 40% of people in the country have a side hustle. This is because side hustling provides most people with increased flexibility and acts as a way to earn more money. So, if one is looking for similar opportunities, one can become a DoorDash driver. However, DoorDash has certain requirements for their dashers – the delivery agent. Continue reading this article to understand the requirements of becoming a DoorDash driver.

Who are Dashers?
DoorDash is a popular platform used by over a million people across the country to order groceries, convenience store items, and food. DoorDash drivers, also known as Dashers, aid in delivering the specified items to the correct delivery address. While a person can use any vehicle to transport the articles, the vehicle must have a valid driver’s license and insurance.

How to become a DoorDash driver?
If interested in the opportunity, one must first visit the official signup DoorDash website. There, they may come across the option of creating an account followed by a request for basic information. This may include the full name of the applicant, their residential area with zip code, vehicle type, email address, and phone number. Then comes the identification process, where interested drivers must upload a valid government ID. This must be followed by a selfie to match the image. After submitting the documents mentioned above comes the last step – consent for a background and vehicle check.

Typically, the company takes 1 or 2 days to conduct the required checks. Interested people can start going out for deliveries as soon as they are approved in the markets.

However, in rare cases, especially when there is an oversaturation of Dashers in an area, it may take DoorDash up to a week or 10 days to complete the process. In such circumstances, the company may put the applicant on a waiting list until an opening comes up.

In addition to the above, if one feels the need to update the information provided during the signup process, one can contact DoorDash support to get the job done.

If someone who has used DoorDash as a customer wants to become a new driver, they should be aware that their accounts could be combined.

What are the requirements to become a DoorDash driver?
When registering on DoorDash as a driver, one must ensure a few important requirements. Some of these are as follows.

Age
One must be aged 18 years or older to become a DoorDash driver. Additionally, the applicant must meet the minimum driving age requirement of the area of residence and have a valid driver’s license. Besides these requirements, the individual must have retained a clean driving record.

Vehicle
One can use any motor vehicle of their choice. This entails cars, scooters, and motorcycles. In addition to these, one can even utilize bicycles to make deliveries in select cities. But in the case of motor vehicles, the applicant must possess auto insurance.

Documents
When applying to become a DoorDash driver, one must have a valid Government ID. On top of this, the Dasher must have a Social Security Number and a valid driver’s license number to make it through the application process.

Smartphone
The applicant must own a smartphone – either an Android or an iPhone. This is one of the most important requirements to become a DoorDash driver, as it can help an individual run the DoorDash partner application.

As soon as one’s application is approved, one can start making the deliveries and earning within a few days. Typically during the delivery, the Dasher has to follow 3 steps that have been mentioned in the application. First, they must drive to the pick-up point or a restaurant. Then, pick up the items mentioned in the order details. The DoorDash driver then has to safely drive to the customer’s address and drop off the articles to complete the delivery.

What are the top benefits of becoming a DoorDash driver?
If one decides to become a DoorDash driver, there are several benefits that come with it. Here are a few of them:

Increased flexibility
DoorDash drivers can choose their working hours and even the days of the week they wish to work.

Weekly pay
In most cases, when one becomes a DoorDash driver, they receive weekly payment for the deliveries. Moreover, the company also provides an option to the Dasher to cash out on the day the delivery is made.

Ability to decline an order
When an order comes in on the DoorDash app, the delivery agent is provided with 2 clear options – accept and decline. This is followed by the order details that include the traveling distance and the income that can be earned for the particular order. So, after going through all the details, one can either accept the delivery or decline it according to their schedule.

For the deliveries, a Dasher can earn a base pay ranging from $2 to $10 per order. In addition to this, the Dasher also gets to keep 100% of the tip and the amount set aside for promotions. This adds up to become $15 – $25 per hour.