Planning to visit family and/or friends later this month? An app-based “shipping community” called Roadie could help you make the trip more profitable, or at least help pay for gas and tolls.
This app-based “shipping community” currently has more than 25,000 drivers in all 50 states. The premise is pretty simple: You sign up as a driver and wait to see if anybody wants you to deliver something to where you’re going.
Kind of like Uber or Lyft, except that drivers are transporting cargo rather than people.
How much can you earn? A surprising amount, actually.
A lot depends on whether the delivery is local or long-distance. “Local,” of course, means different things to different people; for example, the Municipality of Anchorage is about the size of the state of Delaware. Thus if someone at one end asks me to take something out toward the other end, it’s going to cost them.
Roadie can benefit both parties
Most local jobs range between $8 and $50. Of course, some cargo presents more of a challenge. “Take this tin of homemade fudge to my grandma in Pittsburgh” is a little easier than “take my dog to Florida.” Hence the price range.
And if you’re talking long-distance gigs, you could earn up to $650 for an oversized item – and even more if you’re delivering an animal.
Your comfort level may vary. Not everyone is cut out to listen to a yowling cat in a carrier for six hours straight. Or you might want to turn down delivery jobs in areas where you’d feel unsafe.
But since 91 percent of holiday travel takes place by private vehicle, this could be a great way to make a little extra money. Some people don’t trust the mail or even private shippers to get those handmade ornaments delivered safely. Others are procrastinators who really meant to get those gifts wrapped and packaged, but…
Or sign up to look for extra money all year long – during summer vacation, say, or regular visits out of your general area. Those of you who travel as part of your job might be able to make some after-hours funds, i.e., dropping off the whatever-it-is once your work day is through.
You can download the Roadie app in either the iTunes Store or on Google Play. Learn more at www.Roadie.com.
Well, dang! Back in my driving days, I’d have been all over this. In fact, I remarked more than once that my ideal job would be to become a long-distance courier.
Of course, there’s wear and tear on your car to consider, as well as insurance and liability concerns. But still…what a way to see the country!
Insurance and liability might be an issue; a certain amount is provided by Roadie.
To me, the smart thing about Roadie is that it’s designed for places you were going anyway. Thus if someone wanted a bunch of crafts delivered to a gallery in Talkeetna in December, I’d bring it along if I traveled to the Bachelor Auction and Wilderness Woman Competition. The delivery fee would help defray some of my costs. Win-win.
Fact is, I don’t have a smartphone so I’m not signing up. Maybe some day.
I’d be afraid I’d end up drug or gun trafficking. It sounds like the perfect Lucille Ball episode. Usually, what would happen to her would end up happening to me.
That could happen, I suppose, which is why I’d personally reject any jobs that seemed off somehow. But if I were asked to deliver artwork or food or a pet, I’d take the gig.
This is such a neat idea! I’m going to look into it.
I thought so, too. If your family does a lot of driving — and it’s my impression that distance means nothing to Texans — you could use Roadie to help pay for the trip. Good luck!