Uber Eats delivery can be a great means of earning extra income. But where do you go about it? This up-to-date guide has the answers you are looking for.
Are you looking for a means of making some money on the side? Have you considered joining Uber Eats to make bike deliveries? Or you are probably wondering how to get started with Uber Eats on a bicycle?
Uber Eats on a bicycle provides one of the best ways of generating a side income. But, to make money with Uber Eats, you will need to meet the requirements. In this case, you need to be over the age of 18 and possess a valid U.S driver’s license. You will also need to pass a background check.
In this Uber Eats on a bicycle guide, we will walk you through the pros and cons of Uber Eats on a bicycle, the requirements, the best places to deliver, the best times to deliver, and some helpful tips. So, if you are thinking of signing up for Uber Eats on a bicycle, this guide is specifically designed for you.
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Overview
If you own a bike and are looking for a means to make some money by the side, you should consider joining the Uber Eats food delivery service. While it may not be a full-time job, the Uber Eats food delivery service will help you earn some extra dollars, which you can use to fund your miscellaneous purchases.
But where do you start if you want to become an Uber Eats courier on a bike? This guide has all the information that you need to help you get started.
Uber Eats on a Bicycle Pros and Cons
If you are looking to join the Uber Eats food delivery service, you have two options to explore. You can either join as a delivery driver or use a car. The second option entails using a bike to deliver food. This section will walk you through the pros and cons of doing Uber Eats on a bicycle.
Pros of Uber Eats Bicycle Delivery
Low Operating Costs
One of the main advantages of doing Uber Eats on a bicycle is its low operating costs. Unlike a car, bike maintenance costs are extremely affordable. In most cases, you will be fixing consumer components like tires, wheels, brakes, and pedals. And, fixing these components will only cost you around $100 or so annually.
If you were to deliver using a car, you could expect to be spending close to $2,000 per year, assuming you will deliver full time. And this is approximately 20 times more than the annual bike maintenance costs. Furthermore, you also have to add the cost of gas to your expenses if you will be delivering using a car.
When it comes to doing Uber Eats on a bicycle, the only considerable cost you may incur is purchasing a bike if you don’t have one already. Even so, buying a high-quality and reliable bike for Uber Eats delivery will only cost you approximately $1,000 or so. And you can easily recoup this money after a few months of doing food deliveries.
Enjoy Better Health
Being an Uber Eats courier means you will constantly be pedaling your bike. Even if you are using an e-bike, you will still be pedaling it at some point. Hence, it’s more like you will be getting paid for exercising.
If you are using a car, you will be spending most of your time seated behind the wheel. And this means you will be inactive most of the time, which can be harmful to your health.
No Traffic Issues
If you use a car to do deliveries, dealing with traffic is unavoidable. Most eateries are usually located in cities, where traffic and parking will be a constant issue. At the same time, downtown and midtown core areas are the best places to deliver. And these places are densely populated. So, if you are in a car, you will be spending a considerable amount of your valuable time being stuck in traffic.
But when you are delivering with a bike, you don’t have to worry about traffic or parking issues. You can even park your bike inside a restaurant where you are picking up an order. And once you’ve picked the order, you will be able to navigate easily, even when there’s a serious traffic jam. In fact, you can make faster deliveries during the rush hour than someone with a car.
Cons of Uber Eats Bicycle Delivery
You Can’t Deliver Everything
If you are doing Uber Eats delivery using a bike, you are limited to the type and number of orders that you can deliver. For instance, it’s hard to deliver liquid-based foods like coffee or tea since they carry the risk of spilling. And, it’s highly likely you will be avoiding making such deliveries.
Also, you can only manage to deliver a few orders at a go with a bike. But with a car, you can deliver as many orders as possible. Furthermore, you are not limited to the types of foods that you can deliver.
Weather Can Be an Issue
Another drawback of using a bike to make Uber Eats food deliveries is it will be extremely challenging to make deliveries when the weather outside is bad. For instance, if there’s a heavy storm or it’s raining heavily, you will be soaked completely since your bike doesn’t have a mechanism for sheltering you.
And if the weather is extreme, you may even be forced to forgo making deliveries. For example, a heavy storm poses health and safety risks. And, it will be impossible to deliver with a bike on such days.
Distance Limitations
As an Uber Eats delivery rider, you will only qualify to make short-distance trips. And as you may expect, Uber pays a higher base fee for long-distance deliveries. The higher a delivery will take you from the restaurant to the recipient, you will earn.
Furthermore, long-distance trips can also be extremely physically demanding when you are using a bike. In short, distance can pose certain limitations if you are signed up on Uber Eats on a bike. However, if you are living in a densely populated area, you should still manage to earn something decent by taking short-distance orders.
Getting Started as an Uber Eats Bike Courier
Getting started as an Uber Eats bike courier is a straightforward process. As long as you meet the requirements, then you can get started right away. The requirements for doing Uber Eats on a bike include:
- Be at least 18 years old
- Possess a U.S driver’s license or state I.D
Apart from meeting the above eligibility requirements, you will also be subjected to a background check, which will take approximately three to five days to be completed.
After the background check, Uber will then conduct a final review to determine whether you qualify to work on its platform. From there, it will then communicate its decision via the app. If your application goes through, you can then begin taking orders.
Uber Eats Bicycle Delivery Equipment
Before you begin making deliveries, you need to ensure your bike is properly outfitted for the work. While you don’t need to outfit your bike with expensive equipment, it should at least have the following basics.
Food Delivery Bag
A food delivery bag is an absolute necessity to make Uber Eats deliveries. Fortunately, you can get a high-quality and affordable bag from the company’s shop. You can also check out other platforms like Amazon, and you will come across numerous options to choose from, depending on your budget and preferences.
Phone Mount
Whether you are making a delivery or waiting for an order to come through, you need to ensure your phone is readily accessible at all times. To this end, you will need to equip your bike with a sturdy phone mount. A phone mount will make it easy to access your phone easily while keeping it safe and secure.
Mobile Phone Charger
Uber Eats will require you to have your smartphone’s location turned on. And as you may have probably noticed, the location-tracking feature consumes quite a considerable amount of battery power.
Hence, you will need to be carrying a portable phone charger at all times. You simply need to find a means of attaching it securely to your delivery bike to prevent it from being stolen.
A Reliable Bike Lock
It will also be advisable to invest in a reliable bike lock. While you may be using it rarely, you may sometimes find yourself in a situation where you have to pick an order from a restaurant that you can’t access with your bike. Also, you may have to make a delivery in an apartment where bikes are not allowed. In such a case, you will have no option but to leave your bike outside and lock it.
Best Times to Deliver with Uber Eats
The best times to deliver for Uber Eats are during the lunch rush, which usually runs between 11 am and 2 pm, and the dinnertime period, which runs between 5 pm to 9 pm.
You can consider remaining active beyond 9 pm on Friday and Saturday since some people will continue placing orders until around 11 pm. Also, rainy days and the colder season come with a higher earning potential since the number of riders you will be competing with is lower.
Best Places to Deliver with Uber Eats
As earlier mentioned, Uber Eats will limit your deliveries to short distances only. Therefore, you need to ensure you operate within a densely populated area, where people are highly likely to place numerous orders. With this in mind, it will be highly advisable to operate within the midtown core and downtown areas.
In case you are operating in an area where the demand is not as high as you may have expected, you simply need to switch it up. You can continue doing this until you find an area where you are earning a good return.
Uber Eats on a Bicycle Tips
If you’ve decided to make the leap and become an Uber Eats courier, here are some tips that will come in handy along the way.
- Choose the right bike for riding terrain and the environment
- Maintain personal safety at all time
- Opt for short-distance orders that you can complete fast
- Ensure you have proper riding gear
- Avoid bad roads
Closing Remarks
With the right approach, Uber Eats on a bicycle can provide a great means of generating some extra revenue. And this guide has all the information you need to start working as an Uber Eats courier.
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