How to Get Paid to Drive

If you own your own car and live in the United States, you have a money-making machine at your disposal. There are countless ways to get paid to drive!

It’s just a matter of finding the opportunity that’s right for you. Fasten your seatbelt, it’s time to start making money driving.

9 Ways to Get Paid to Drive

Here are the 9 best ways to make money driving:

  1. Drive for a Delivery Service
  2. Drive for a Rideshare Service
  3. Rent Your Car for Driving
  4. Advertise on Your Car
  5. Help People Move
  6. Drive a Bus
  7. Drive the Elderly or Disabled
  8. Plow Snow
  9. Drive a Big Rig

1. Delivery Service

Carting passengers around isn’t for everyone. If you’re not a people person or uncomfortable letting strangers into your vehicle, consider delivering items to customers on demand. 

One of the most popular options today is to drive for a delivery app like:

This is similar to working for Uber or Lyft, as the apps connect you with multiple restaurants in your area, giving you more ways to make money. 

Many of these companies are giving out gift cards to new customers to try and generate more business, so it could be a great time to get involved.

2. Rideshare Service

One of the most flexible ways to get paid to drive is to work for a rideshare service like Uber or Lyft

Driving for a rideshare lets you create your own schedule and work at your own pace. You can work early mornings, late afternoons, or even late at night. You can also choose to work only on holidays and around big events to take advantage of surge pricing. It all depends on your availability and desire to make money. 

The best part is that rideshare services make the process pretty easy by automatically connecting you with drivers, processing payments, and making direct deposits in your account.

Just keep in mind that rates can change depending on where you drive when you pick up passengers, and how often you drive. 

3. Rent Your Car 

What if you could get paid without driving at all? As it turns out, you can collect passive income by making your car available to renters through a service like:

These companies are online services where you can list your car for short-term rentals.

Here’s How it Works: You list your car and arrange for someone to come by and pick up the keys. Then the person uses the car for a specific period of time and returns it to you.

For example, someone may need a car for a job interview. Or they may need a pickup truck for a few hours to transport a large item. 

They are all quick and convenient ways to make a few bucks. The services also provide car insurance that protects your vehicle.

4. Advertise on Your Car

Another way to make money from your car is to advertise on your car. This involves partnering with advertising companies and local businesses and allowing them to put their logo on your vehicle.

With car advertising, you essentially turn your car into a moving billboard! Here are some popular options to explore:

  • Wrapify: You can use a third-party service like Wrapify to connect with local campaigns in your area and place advertisements on your car. Just make sure to research and see if Wrapify if it’s right for you. 
  • Carvertise: Once you download the Carvertise app, you will be connected with brands that want advertising in your area. The sign-up process is easy and allows you to make money driving your branded car around town!
  • Free Car Media: Once you sign up with Free Car Media, it will match you with brands wanting advertising services in your area. Then you will simply get paid for driving around. (Note that they maximize earnings to $400 per month)

5. Help People Move

There’s nothing worse than needing to move a large object like a dresser or a lawnmower and rifling through your phone book to find a friend with a truck. 

If you have a pickup truck or a van, consider making your vehicle available by offering to help people move. You can advertise on Craigslist if you’re willing to take the risk or simply put up signs around town on local message boards. 

People are constantly moving around, and you can make decent money helping people move. This is especially true at the end of the month or semester when apartment leases are expiring.

  • TaskRabbit: TaskRabbit is a platform that allows you to search for side gigs. You can set your own hourly rate and choose the contracts you work. Help with moving is a common gig listed on TaskRabbit.
  • Craigslist: You can advertise your services on your local Craigslist.
  • Dolly Helper: With Dolly, you can list your services as a Helper and earn up to $40 per hour if you own a truck.
  • Bellhop: Bellhop is a moving service where you can make up to $21 per hour.
  • Lugg: With Lugg, you can apply to become a Lugger and if you own a truck can make up to $2,500 per week!

6. Drive a Bus

If you’re comfortable with the idea of moving a large number of people around at a time, you should consider driving a bus. 

There are several ways to make money driving buses. You can work for a school system, where reliable drivers are often in demand, or for a city. Or you could work for a private organization — like a hotel or a transportation company. 

Driving a bus can result in steady work, and you can make decent money part-time or full-time. It’s also a fun way to meet interesting people. If you work for a company that offers long-distance touring, you can get paid to travel. Suffice it to say that there are a variety of benefits that comes with driving a bus. 

Just make sure that you are comfortable sitting for long stretches at a time and that you have the patience to deal with rowdy passengers — especially if you decide to work for a school system.

7. Drive for the Elderly or Disabled

Yet another way to make money driving is to offer your services to the elderly in your community or those who have difficulty driving due to disabilities. 

This is a great way to help others and make money at the same time. Consider partnering with local community centers, Veterans associations, or nursing homes and offering to shuttle members to and from doctor’s offices, grocery stores, work, or school.

8. Plow Snow

Living in an area with a significant amount of snowfall has its benefits. You can bring in a lot of money if you have a truck and a plow — or if you learn how to operate the equipment, you can plow for another business.

Plowing often requires working in the early morning or in the middle of the night. However, it’s a great way to make extra money. Homeowners are always looking for people to plow who are reliable and do a good job. 

9. Drive a Big Rig

If you have a love of the open road and a sense of adventure, you may want to look into driving a semi-truck. Long-haul trucking can be highly lucrative — especially if you buy your own rig and work as an independent contractor. 

Buying a tractor-trailer can be a tremendous investment if you have the means to purchase one. You can also drive other companies’ big rigs and not have to worry about owning and maintaining one yourself. 

You can live out of your truck, saving money on rent and going wherever business takes you. Plus, you can travel all over the country, delivering items and making extra money as you go.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is getting paid to drive a good side hustle?

The short answer is yes. Driving can be an excellent side hustle — if you find something that pays well and you enjoy doing. Explore the above-mentioned opportunities and look for creative ways to make money on the open road. There are countless opportunities worth exploring.

Do you need a background check to get paid to drive for Uber?

Uber performs background checks on drivers on an annual basis. If you want to drive for Uber, you need to have a clean driving record. If you drive for Uber without a clean driving record, you’ll risk having your account deactivated.

Do you need a nice car to get paid to drive for Uber?

You don’t need to drive a luxury automobile to drive for a rideshare service like Uber or Lyft. As long as your car is clean, safe, and not more than 15 years old, you should be able to use it to make money. Most people care more about getting to and from their destinations on time than the type of vehicle that’s picking them up. Plus, Uber offers luxury car services for people who want to pay for a high-end experience. 

Should You Get Paid to Drive?

When you boil it all down, getting paid to drive can be an awesome side hustle. For many driving jobs, you don’t even need driving experience or a degree to get started. All you need is the right type of driver’s license and a clean driving record.

Driving can be a great way to bring in extra cash and it’s something that you can do on your own time in many cases. You can use the money to pay for car payments and save or invest whatever’s left over at the end of the month. 

Just remember to always be professional and practice safe driving habits. The last thing you want is to waste your time or get into an uncomfortable situation.

Now that you know your options, it’s time to get behind the wheel, buckle up, and start securing your financial future.

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