I’m a DoorDash delivery driver who makes anywhere from $200 to $800 a week. Here’s what I wish I knew before signing up to drive for the company.
Mike Hayes likes the flexibility but wishes DoorDash — which just filed its IPO paperwork — would send PPE or offer hazard pay during COVID-19.
By Meira Gebel
Mike Hayes, 35, is a DoorDash delivery driver in Oregon. A chef for 17 years, he lost his job during the coronavirus pandemic and began doing deliveries two months ago to make ends meet for his family of four. This is his story, as told to freelance writer Meira Gebel.
In March, I was laid off from my full-time job as a chef due to the coronavirus pandemic. While I was job searching on Craigslist, I kept coming across ads to be a delivery driver for DoorDash, so I thought “Why not?” and decided to apply.
I wanted to do something other than cooking, I was a chef for over 17 years, and was feeling burned out by it. I decided to watch YouTube videos and find Reddit groups talking about what it was like to be a Dasher: how it worked, and how successful you could be. I saw promising things, so I was excited for my first day.
I was hired as a Dasher two months ago. The application process is fairly standard. You have to show that you have a driver’s…
