Roadie is a flexible delivery marketplace that pays you for trips already on your calendar.
It suits rideshare and food delivery work that needs an add-on income without fixed shifts, especially when carrying luggage, bulky purchases, medical items, or marketplace orders.
Earnings vary by distance, size, urgency, and metro demand, while disciplined routing, surge windows, and strong ratings raise hourly results.
What Roadie Is and Who It Suits
Roadie is a gig delivery marketplace that connects senders to nearby drivers for same-day, next-day, and urgent deliveries.
The platform lets you accept individual “gigs” that match your route, schedule, and vehicle capacity, making it a practical add-on to rideshare or food delivery work.
Flexibility and Control
Schedule control remains the strongest draw, since you decide which gigs to accept and when to drive. Extra income also stacks well when errands, commutes, or long drives already sit on your calendar.
Typical Use Cases
Local store runs, misrouted airport luggage, bulky retail purchases, medical items, and marketplace pickups fit well, especially when your car, SUV, or truck has space for odd sizes.
How Roadie Works, Origin, and Scale
Gig requests appear in the app showing pickup, drop-off, size, timing, pay, and any special instructions.
After making an offer and getting assigned, you complete photo-verified pickup and delivery, communicate professionally, and protect items during transport.
The Origin Story and Growth
Founder Marc Gorlin conceived Roadie in 2014 after seeing unused cargo space in millions of passenger vehicles.
The company now serves roughly 90% of the U.S. population with more than 200,000 drivers, and UPS acquired Roadie in September 2021 to strengthen same-day local logistics.
Multi-App Example
In practice, pairing a luggage run between Newark and JFK with a long rideshare trip can turn a deadhead drive into paid time, provided commitments never conflict and customer service stays intact.
Earnings: Median and Top Performers
Drivers often ask what a realistic hourly rate looks like and how top earners differ; the tables below summarize reported quarters so you can benchmark expectations quickly.
Median Driver Snapshot:
| Quarter | Total Earnings (Median) | Hours (Median) | Hourly Rate (Median) | Earnings/Delivery (Mean) |
| 2022 Q1 | $140 | 5.04 | $27.78 | $12.73 |
| 2022 Q2 | $177 | 6.30 | $28.10 | $14.75 |
| 2022 Q3 | $132 | 6.15 | $21.46 | $14.67 |
| 2022 Q4 | $181 | 6.42 | $28.19 | $12.93 |
| 2023 Q1 | $146 | 6.72 | $21.73 | $13.27 |
Top-Performer Snapshot (≈90th Percentile):
| Quarter | Total Earnings (Mean) | Hours (Mean) | Hourly Rate (Mean) | Earnings/Delivery (Mean) |
| 2022 Q1 | $1,241 | 33.87 | $36.64 | $13.64 |
| 2022 Q2 | $1,695 | 44.64 | $37.97 | $16.62 |
| 2022 Q3 | $1,341 | 28.77 | $46.61 | $15.41 |
| 2022 Q4 | $1,486 | 32.76 | $45.36 | $11.43 |
| 2023 Q1 | $1,197 | 42.68 | $27.90 | $11.73 |
What Drives Pay and How to Boost Your Income
Rates vary by metro, distance, size and weight, and delivery timeframe, so dense cities and time-sensitive jobs can pay more.
Corporate retail sends a large share of gigs, which typically limits tipping; average tips trend below ten percent of earnings. Periodic surge opportunities lift payouts when demand spikes or capacity tightens.
Ways to Boost Income
Slow periods and idle miles drain hourly rates; the quick tactics below help you stack earnings without adding chaos.
- Optimize routes to chain multiple pickups and drop-offs along the same corridor and reduce empty driving between stops.
- Target busy windows and surge listings that boost base pay when capacity tightens in your area.
- Maintain high ratings through punctuality, careful handling, and clear communication to win more assignments.
- Leverage referrals and new-driver bonuses when offered to add low-effort income.
- Combine Roadie with other apps only when plans are conflict-free, service standards stay intact, and safety is never compromised.
Payouts, Mileage, and Taxes
Roadie processes weekly payments on Tuesdays for the prior week, and an Instant Pay option may be available for faster access.
Independent contractor status means self-employment taxes, quarterly estimates, and diligent record-keeping remain your responsibility.
Mileage tracking and expense categorization protect profits; tools such as Solo or Gridwise help capture deductible miles, organize multi-app income, and reduce the need for manual spreadsheets.
Requirements and Sign-Up
New drivers want a fast start and clear criteria; confirm the basics below before applying in the app.
- Minimum age of 18 and a valid driver’s license matching the state of operation.
- Active auto insurance and a background check that clear platform standards.
- Social Security number for verification and tax reporting in the United States.
- Reliable smartphone and consistent in-app communication during gigs.
- Vehicle type is generally flexible, although senders can require a truck, van, or specific capacity for large items.
Certifications and Gig Matching
Roadie previously highlighted certification tiers such as Cargo Trailer, Extra Equipped, and TSA Certification; these and similar markers still help the matching algorithm select drivers for jobs requiring special handling or access.
Gig Matching weighs factors including vehicle size, driver rating, proximity, current route, and active gigs, and it may bundle several deliveries that head in the same direction.
ScriptDrop pharmacy runs identity checks, including required photos, at pickup and drop-off.
What You Can Deliver
Scope ranges widely and often favors items that challenge traditional shipping; the categories below capture common work.
- Airline-misrouted luggage between airports or to traveler addresses under strict timing.
- Oversized goods such as furniture, appliances, grills, and awkward retail purchases.
- Electronics and medical supplies that require careful handling and photo confirmation.
- Perishables and food items for same-day local runs that reward speed and reliability.
- Marketplace and specialty items, including art, collectibles, and Craigslist or eBay purchases.
Driver Support, Ratings, and Tips
Support options include a 24/7 hotline, in-app chat, a detailed online FAQ, periodic driver newsletters, and occasional local meetups.
Ratings use a five-star scale, and accounts falling below four stars risk suspension, so punctuality and communication carry real financial consequences.
Tips flow through the app but average under ten percent, reflecting the high share of corporate-funded deliveries. A formal driver rewards or incentive program has not been verified.
What Drivers Report
Feedback commonly highlights schedule freedom and clean app design, and strategic gig selection can reach $100–$200 in a strong day.
Availability varies by market and hour, so some areas see inconsistent listings that limit volume. Overall driver sentiment trends positive, and consistent professionalism raises assignment rates over time.
Pro Tips for Reliability and Ratings
Service quality directly influences earnings and access to better gigs; focus on these simple habits that compound results.
- Make frequent, targeted offers so attractive routes stay on your radar and your acceptance odds improve.
- Arrive on time for pickup and meet delivery windows to avoid penalties and rating hits.
- Avoid cancellations unless unavoidable, since patterns trigger reduced access or temporary suspension.
- Take clear photos at pickup and drop-off, secure items to prevent movement, and note special handling.
- Plan multi-app workflows so no customer waits while another task gets completed first.
Simple Workflow Upgrades
Compact organizing bins or a folding box keep multi-order trunks tidy, reduce mistakes, and speed drop-offs.
Periodic experimentation also helps: dedicate blocks solely to Roadie when clustered routes appear, then compare hourly results against mixed-app blocks to decide which pattern wins in your market.
Concluson
Roadie works best as a flexible complement that monetizes unavoidable driving and fills gaps between other gigs.
Strong ratings, disciplined routing, clean documentation, and reliable mileage tracking push hourly earnings higher and reduce tax friction, while multi-apping safely can turn unproductive miles into paid time.
