Member-only story
A Dash of Disappointment: My 3 Months as a DoorDash Driver
Examining the gig economy and all the pitfalls that come with it
There has been a lot of conversation recently about the gig economy. The success of companies that utilize apps to provide delivery services to consumers has exploded recently and has been both magnified (food delivery apps) and marginalized (ride-sharing apps) during the COVID-19 pandemic. As many Americans have been furloughed or laid off from jobs and industries have been impacted by the virus, becoming a delivery driver has become a viable option for many looking to make ends meet while they look for new opportunities.
In March of this year, I found myself in such a predicament. I had been furloughed from my position and learned that it would not be coming back. I started to look for new opportunities but needed to make some money in the interim as there were hang-ups in claiming unemployment. My solution was to become a DoorDash driver. I did that for three months — as my sole source of income — before getting another full-time job. My experience of being a ‘dasher’ and my inside look at the gig economy was eye-opening.
The Pay Structure
DoorDash and apps like it will often position their services as being incredibly flexible to allow for an…
