If you started out as a rideshare driver, you might know that having a friend or family member onboard when picking up passengers will get you into hot water with apps like Uber or Lyft. One of the reasons cited is that all rideshare contractors must have background checks, but there are others, like having a personal argument that causes you to take your eyes off the road or simply make your rideshare passenger uncomfortable.

So it may come as a surprise that as a third-party delivery contractor, you’re allowed, even encouraged to have a colleague help.

You may have already noticed that your car-sharing career requires four hands – two to drive and two to jump in and out of the car with the order – to make delivering food orders easier and more economically feasible. This is particularly true in areas like New York City, while parking often comes at a premium. It’s also fun to have someone riding along, pointing out spaces and sharing the legwork that comes with third-party delivery. 

As they say, many hands make light work. But there are a few things you should consider when sharing the workload:

 

Pick the right “buddy.”

You never know someone well until you share a task with them. Be wary if they show you a completely new side of their personality, like

  • refusing to wear a mask and use cleanliness protocols. It’s your responsibility to find out if your friends obey these protocols in order to keep the pandemic from spreading. (And you’ll be sharing a small enclosure with them.)
  • having a less than professional attitude about delivery. 
  • “sampling.” NOBODY wants a food order that someone has helped themselves to!

 

Leave the kids at home with a minder.

Some people like to take their kids along on their side hustle for company and to catch up. There are many reasons why isn’t wise, such as

  • it’s a violation to leave a child under 10 alone in a car. Even if your child is older, their age may not be apparent and cause undue concern – especially in New York City. 
  • having your child help you deliver food orders can be construed as child labor.
  • food delivery involves meeting strangers – probably not the best way to spend time with your kids – and we didn’t even mention COVID spreading.

Either of these scenarios is likely to earn some below-par reviews, and that will affect your contractor status.

Once you have a great working relationship, keep it great by remembering:

 

Your ride-along is your subcontractor.

You may be the one contracted for third-party delivery, but if your friend is doing half the work, they deserve half the reward. Share and share alike! Split the gas and other expenses as well.

 


Author: Kyle Freedman is a partner at Tower Auto Mall focused on building a rental platform for delivery and rideshare drivers in NYC and its metropolitan area (non-TLC rentals). He has brought insight and know-how from his background in marketing and technology to help facilitate low cost, long term vehicles solutions for drivers with bruised or virtually no credit.