Top preferences were the ability to choose when to drive (78%), availability of opportunities (70%), and the ability to choose where to drive (69%)

The gig economy offers workers the opportunity to earn money by performing tasks across a range of categories. A new survey shows flexibility is the top priority for gig economy workers who choose to drive as a side hustle, aside from earnings potential.

The 2024 State of the Side Hustle Survey, conducted by Roadie, a UPS Company and a logistics management and crowdsourced delivery platform, found that 78% of respondents cited the ability to choose when they drive as the most important factor in selecting a side hustle. The availability of opportunities (70%) and the ability to choose where they drive (69%) were close behind.

Key findings: Driver opinions and preferences

The survey of more than 10,000 active drivers showed that 62% of respondents don’t have a traditional full-time job, and, on average, 55% of their income is from gig work.

Drivers show an overwhelming preference for some types of deliveries over others:

• 78% — Delivery of goods
• 8% — Restaurant delivery
• 7% — Ride-sharing
• 7% — Grocery delivery

The findings also offer insights into drivers’ financial needs and preferences. Drivers expressed the most interest in benefits such as cash back on gas and discounted vehicle rentals, with discounts on cell phone plans and vehicle maintenance ranking third and fourth, respectively. This is in line with the 65% of respondents who said they are very concerned about the impact of inflation on their income and expenses as gig workers.

Roadie’s survey shows SUVs and pickup trucks are the most and third-most common types of vehicles owned by drivers, with cargo vans ranking fourth. These larger vehicles make it easier to accept RoadieXL^TM deliveries.

Roadie: The app that puts side-hustlers in the driver’s seat

Roadie partnerships offer drivers an average savings of 20% on Hertz car rentals, reduced rates at Discount Tire and Jiffy Lube, and health and life insurance options through Stride. Roadie empowers drivers to take the wheel and earn big, no matter what they’re delivering.

“Roadie is an easy, flexible way to earn extra cash in a way that fits drivers’ lifestyles, offering more control, flexibility and transparency than other gig economy apps,” said Marc Gorlin, Founder and CEO of Roadie. “We know gig economy drivers have a lot of options, and we want the Roadie app to be their first stop when they set out to earn. That means we need to keep listening to driver voices to understand what matters most to them.”

The Roadie app offers a range of earning opportunities for drivers, including single-stop deliveries, multi-stop deliveries, oversized and specialized deliveries. Drivers can sign up on the platform in as little as five minutes and start driving the same day.

Roadie allows drivers to choose which deliveries work for them, enabling them to exercise sole control over their own schedule: when, where, and how often they want to drive. With Roadie, there are no “on” switches, and drivers are never assigned a delivery they don’t want to make. Additionally, there are never any penalties for choosing not to drive, which makes it a popular choice for side-hustle drivers. Drivers can even cash out their earnings same-day (when eligible).

Learn more about how to drive with Roadie.

About Roadie

Roadie, a UPS Company, is a logistics management and crowdsourced delivery platform. Founded in 2014, Roadie offers businesses fast, flexible, and asset-light logistics solutions for last-mile delivery. Roadie enables local delivery to more than 97% of U.S. households by providing access to more than 200,000 independent drivers nationwide – allowing businesses to offer their customers delivery optionality for almost any industry, from airlines to artisans.

Roadie’s solutions include: local same-day delivery, delivery from warehouse with in-house sortation, oversized delivery, sustainable delivery, returns and more. For more information, visit www.roadie.com.

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