Why We Love It
-
$27,890Potential Avg. Salary
-
4.7%Job Growth Rate
-
Growing DemandJob Outlook
-
Don't Take Work HomeCareer Attribute
Postmates drivers earn a living by delivering food, convenience items, and small office goods to local consumers. Most of the time, Postmates’ customer service reps place delivery orders, so the driver’s responsibility is to pick up and deliver items; other times the driver must make the necessary purchase.
Recommended Schools
What is a Postmates Driver?
The following job responsibilities are common for individuals in Postmates driver roles:
- Navigate a city or local area in a personal vehicle to pick up goods and/or food ordered by a customer and deliver orders to a customer’s home or office
- Make purchases on behalf on the customer when Postmates’ customer service representatives are unable to complete the purchase remotely
- Navigate city streets, traffic, and varying weather conditions to fulfill deliveries
A Day in the Life of Postmates Driver
Postmates drivers choose their own hours and can either schedule shifts for the future or pick up shifts spontaneously. Most of their administrative work is conducted using the Postmates driver app. Using the app, Postmates drivers can schedule their shifts, let representatives know they’re available to work, receive and accept/decline delivery orders, and receive important details about the delivery, including order pickup location, delivery destination, and order details.
One major convenience of being a Postmates driver is that the company’s customer service representatives place the order for you on behalf of the customer when possible. This means orders are placed for you for almost all restaurant deliveries, and you are only required to make the purchases at convenience or other stores/fast food restaurants when carry-out orders are not taken over the phone. Customer service reps place the orders and notify drivers the estimated time for orders to be ready.
In major metropolitan areas, drivers must sometimes deliver to large apartment complexes, which can sometimes be a difficult feat. At times, navigating to delivery areas will be simple and conducted just by following the GPS guidance of the Postmates app. At other times, navigating will be less clear if gates block entry to a complex, complexes are large, or entry to the complex isn’t obvious. Additionally, drivers may be required to navigate traffic and varying weather conditions to make deliveries.
Typical Work Schedule for Postmates Drivers
Postmates drivers choose their own hours and work when they want. Certain blocks of time will be more desirable—between 6 and 9 p.m. for example—so driver’s may choose shifts where they’re likely to make the most money, or they can choose shifts to cover non-peak hours if that fits better with their schedules. Drivers are needed for all hours of the day, all days of the week.
Projected Job Growth for Postmates Drivers
Rideshare positions—be it driving people around or delivering food and goods—continue to grow in popularity, so the job outlook for a Postmates driver is good. Even if Postmates business declines, drivers will be able to easily find another rideshare position with another company with the experience gained delivering for Postmates.
Recommended Schools
How To Become a Postmates Driver
A high school diploma, valid driver’s license, and working personal vehicle, are all that’s required to become a Postmates driver—no formal postsecondary education is necessary. Drivers are able to sign up with no formal delivery driver experience, but they are required to pass a background check.
The first step in becoming a Postmates driver is to apply for a driver position through the Postmates website. If your application is approved, you’ll be invited to attend a short orientation where Postmates representatives will tell you more about the position so you can decide if it’s right for you or not. If you want to continue applying after the orientation, you’ll need to complete a background check form.
Within a couple of days, you should receive notification that your background check was approved, and you’re then invited to participate in an onboarding session. At the onboarding session, you’ll set up your direct deposit information, provide required tax documentation and fill out a W-9 form, and learn the details of using Postmates systems to accept and conduct deliveries. At the end of the session, you’ll officially be a Postmates driver and will be able to start scheduling and picking up shifts.
Postmates Driver Salary Data
We’ve provided you the following to learn more about this career. The salary and growth data on this page comes from recently published Bureau of Labor Statistics data while the recommendations and editorial content are based on our research.
National Anual Salary
Low Range
$18,740Average
$27,890High Range
$47,410National Hourly Wage
Low Range
$9/hrAverage
$13/hrHigh Range
$23/hrHow do Postmates Driver salaries stack up to other jobs across the country? Based on the latest jobs data nationwide, Postmates Driver's can make an average annual salary of $27,890, or $13 per hour. This makes it an Above Average Salary. On the lower end, they can make $18,740 or $9 per hour, perhaps when just starting out or based on the state you live in.
Salary Rankings And Facts
#730 Nationally for All Careers
Highest Education Among Postmates Drivers
- 0.2% Doctorate
- 0.7% Masters
- 4.8% Bachelors
- 5.6% Associates
- 22.7% College
- 48.2% High School
- 17.8% Less than High School
Job Growth Projections and Forecast
2014 Total Jobs
445,3002024 Est. Jobs
466,100Job Growth Rate
4.7%Est. New Jobs
20,800How does Postmates Driver job growth stack up to other jobs across the country? By 2024, there will be a change of 20,800 jobs for a total of 466,100 people employed in the career nationwide. This is a 4.7% change in growth over the next ten years, giving the career a growth rate nationwide of Below Average.
Growth Rankings And Facts
#449 Nationally for All Careers
What Companies Employ The Most Postmates Drivers
| Industry | Current Jobs | New Jobs Needed | % Increase |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grocery and related product wholesalers | 70,300 | 3,000 | 3% |
| Self-employed workers | 35,000 | 800 | 1% |
| Full-service restaurants | 27,700 | 1,400 | 1% |
