# Is $1/mile extinct?



## Ms. Mercenary (Jul 24, 2020)

My memory sucks. I remember stuff.

I remember when I started deliveries, the goal was $1/mile or above. That was easy enough. Then gradually, I saw that target simply vanish, and it just went straight to $2/mile.

So what happened here? I’m genuinely curious to know.

And I ask that we all put away our peepees and not compare them - I getthat some markets allow for it, and some don’t.

It almost seems like bullying if someone accepts lower pings.

Now, I’m not saying anyone should accept $2 pings (not even for 1-2 miles), but realistically speaking, the vast majority lives and drives in areas where $2/mile doesn’t really happen all that often.


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## jaxbeachrides (May 27, 2015)

To me its more about the time vs mileage.

You have a prius right. Miles are cheap.

Time is not cheap. Time is expensive.

I want to make 50 cents a minute. Not per mile.


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## Ms. Mercenary (Jul 24, 2020)

jaxbeachrides said:


> To me its more about the time vs mileage.
> 
> You have a prius right. Miles are cheap.
> 
> ...


So for me to do that, I have to do $1/hour. I screenshot all the pings I got yesterday between 3:30 and 6:30. One day, I’ll summarize them and post them. And we’ll see how much one could realistically earn in those 3 hours. I’m considering the format, as screenshots are heavy (1-2 megs) and I don’t want to trash the wall. It’s an idea I had for a long time. Maybe I’m doing something wrong and just don’t see it.

You, @Seamus, @Rickos69 and some others should do ride-alongs and charge for them. 😂


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## jaxbeachrides (May 27, 2015)

Ms. Mercenary said:


> You, @Seamus, @Rickos69 and some others should do ride-alongs and charge for them. 😂


Our only fee is that sweet lovin baby.

Set yourself up for that one.


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## Ms. Mercenary (Jul 24, 2020)

jaxbeachrides said:


> Our only fee is that sweet lovin baby.
> 
> Set yourself up for that one.


Geez you’re horny for an old dude. Aren’t you tired? 😳


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## jaxbeachrides (May 27, 2015)

Ms. Mercenary said:


> Geez you’re horny for an old dude. Aren’t you tired? 😳


It's only 2 30 eastern. I'll be passed out by 5.

Still waiting for the alligator attack so I can throw the beer.


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## reg barclay (Nov 3, 2015)

My usual target is around $1.50 a mile. But could be higher or lower depending on other factors. For example, I'd be quicker to accept $10 for 10 miles (especially highway driving) than $5 for 5 miles. Also, is it a restaurant that's usually ready straight away, an easy looking delivery, a delivery address in the middle of nowhere, etc.


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## Jumpin Jim (Mar 4, 2018)

I’m lucky to be in a market where $1.50 to $2.00 per mile is consistent. My AR is about 10-12%. I watch for the “magic numbers” where there’s a high occurrence of tip hiding, and always take those orders.


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## Grubhubflub (Jun 16, 2018)

I'll tell ya' what. If I accepted every $1.00 or $1.50 order GH and Uber threw at me, I'd be wasting a lot of gas and doing a lot more driving than I already am. I have gone a whole day without taking a single offer, but I just can't risk it. I've gone as low as $1.62 a mile, but that's it and I try not to even do that. I understand how it is with DoorDash, though. I'm glad I have other options.


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## Rickos69 (Nov 8, 2018)

Grubhubflub said:


> I'll tell ya' what. If I accepted every $1.00 or $1.50 order GH and Uber threw at me, I'd be wasting a lot of gas and doing a lot more driving than I already am. I have gone a whole day without taking a single offer, but I just can't risk it. I've gone as low as $1.62 a mile, but that's it and I try not to even do that. I understand how it is with DoorDash, though. I'm glad I have other options.


When I leave my day job, I zero out my miles and begin tracking until I park at night at home.
This includes dead miles after delivery. In the end, these are less than, up to much less than the money I have made (gross) How do you view this?


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## Grubhubflub (Jun 16, 2018)

Rickos69 said:


> When I leave my day job, I zero out my miles and begin tracking until I park at night at home.
> This includes dead miles after delivery. In the end, these are less than, up to much less than the money I have made (gross) How do you view this?


It's always going to end up that way, but the most important point is your earnings-to-fuel ratio. 
Ideally you want to keep your fuel expenditures as close to ten percent as possible. So what you should do is fill your tank at the end of each day and compare your fuel consumption to your earnings for that day. I realize ten percent is a little unrealistic, though. These days, it ends up being twenty to thirty. Even on weekends, it's rare to hit ten percent.


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## Toby2 (Jun 16, 2018)

Jumpin Jim said:


> I’m lucky to be in a market where $1.50 to $2.00 per mile is consistent. My AR is about 10-12%. I watch for the “magic numbers” where there’s a high occurrence of tip hiding, and always take those orders.


What are these “magic numbers” that you speak of?


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## Toby2 (Jun 16, 2018)

Fuel used to be around 15% of the income. I don’t even want to know what it is now. Been doing about $1.75 a mile, give or take


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## Judge and Jury (Oct 19, 2019)

Ms. Mercenary said:


> My memory sucks. I remember stuff.
> 
> I remember when I started deliveries, the goal was $1/mile or above. That was easy enough.
> 
> ...


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## Judge and Jury (Oct 19, 2019)

Ms. Mercenary said:


> My memory sucks. I remember stuff.
> 
> I remember when I started deliveries, the goal was $1/mile or above. That was easy enough. Then gradually, I saw that target simply vanish, and it just went straight to $2/mile.
> 
> ...


Don't know why my previous post disappeared.

However, 

I upgraded from a buck a mile to $2/mile.

Two dollars per mile from my house until I return to my driveway.

A little more complicated than than $2/mile per offer.


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## Jumpin Jim (Mar 4, 2018)

Toby2 said:


> What are these “magic numbers” that you speak of?


I had read several posts about DD tip hiding, which I was skeptical about at first. As time went on I had maybe 75% of my deliveries where the customer “increased” the tip after I completed the delivery. I thought well, I must be doing an outstanding job with my quick deliveries and usage of hot food bags. Then I noticed some customers would stand in the doorway to have their food handed to them, no phone in sight-yet still increased the tip right away. So, first point being, I agree with other posters that SOME tips are being hidden, presumably to avert cherry picking. Obviously there’s nothing to hide with a $2.25 offer. THEN I started taking screen shots of every delivery that had an increased tip after delivery. After going back and reviewing several dozen screen shots, there were a couple of original offer amounts that consistently resulted in larger tips after the delivery. I almost always take those offers if the miles are acceptable, and voila, bigger tip at the end.


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## Ms. Mercenary (Jul 24, 2020)

I’ve noticed something. When I answer a ping begrudgingly - meaning it’s borderline $1.50/mile (maybe $1.30 or so), it almost always turns out to be at least a couple bucks more. Fair warning: I have a reputation among people who know me to be insanely intuitive to the point that they ask me “what is your intuition telling you?” and always slowing down right before a speed trap.

Why I’m bringing this up: after prepping my taxes, I noticed I earned way more when my standards were lower. I never took any truly bad pings, but coasted on “over $1/mile” - could be $1.25 even.

I’m just wasting a lot of time sitting waiting for pings. Way too much time.

Yesterday accepted $4.25 for 0.3 miles. And I’m torn. Took me 5 minutes, but the customer only tipped $1.50. So am I encouraging them to tip low (which I certainly don’t want to do), or am I just being realistic?

I left the apps running (I usually pause) and no better pings came in in tose 5 minutes or the hour after it. 😂

So lets normalize taking lower pings. Those of us who do aren’t doing it because we’re stupid. It’s because our neighbors are cheap mofos.


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## WI_Hedgehog (Aug 16, 2021)

Grubhubflub said:


> It's always going to end up that way, but the most important point is your earnings-to-fuel ratio.
> Ideally you want to keep your fuel expenditures as close to ten percent as possible. So what you should do is fill your tank at the end of each day and compare your fuel consumption to your earnings for that day. I realize ten percent is a little unrealistic, though. These days, it ends up being twenty to thirty. Even on weekends, it's rare to hit ten percent.


Maybe consider if doubling the fuel expense is somewhat close to covering insurance, buying a new vehicle, tires, all that stuff. Try getting a new vehicle nowadays...the ones we're sitting in are almost worth their weight in gold...


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## Ms. Mercenary (Jul 24, 2020)

I couldn’t find amore appropriate thread, so going to post this here. I’m curious - would you guys take this ping BEFORE THE SMALL $5 UNICORN? I admit, I took it strongly suspecting there was a unicorn - the numbers were clicking - but this represents exactly the kind of pings I pause over. It’s not bad, but all things considered - it takes me to an area I don’t love - lots of cheap busy places, and the opposite direction of my ultimate target - so I tend to pause pings for about 3 miles before I can resume and expect worthwhile pings - I’m always stumped. 









So 6.5 miles for $11. (I got stuck behind a moron; would be faster).

Now I need serious honest answers, not a demonstration of a pee pee. In other words, if your reply is “no less than $50 a mile and no more than 2 miles” - thanks, we know. 😏


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## 80sDude (Jul 20, 2015)

2.00 a mile is minimal in Chicago or I don't drive. Even though the RS gods are still taking a lot of the fares. I'm still averaging 2.50 to 3.00 a mile.


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## Ms. Mercenary (Jul 24, 2020)

80sDude said:


> 2.00 a mile is minimal in Chicago or I don't drive. Even though the RS gods are still taking a lot of the fares. I'm still averaging 2.50 to 3.00 a mile.
> View attachment 654520


PAX is different. I’m talking deliveries. And not just UE, DD too.


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## MHR (Jul 23, 2017)

It has to be at least $1/mile. This is for UE and DD.

Every territory is different and I'm quite envious of those that say they take nothing below $8/order or $2/mile. If I were to ONLY take orders that were above that threshold my acceptance rate would be close to zero. As it stands now I'm at 44%. 

That does NOT mean that I will take a $2.50/.5 mile McD's order even though it hits my threshold. Orders without a tip still get ignored.


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## jaxbeachrides (May 27, 2015)

I don't think you would envy 2-3$ a mile if it were in NYC.

I throw out the $1 a mile anytime an elevator is involved.

Otherwise, $1 a mile on the freeway is easier than hustling busy streets.


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## Grubhubflub (Jun 16, 2018)

I would've passed. If it had shown $16.83 upfront, I would've pounced. But 6.5 miles for $11 is no good.


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## Ms. Mercenary (Jul 24, 2020)

jaxbeachrides said:


> I don't think you would envy 2-3$ a mile if it were in NYC.
> 
> I throw out the $1 a mile anytime an elevator is involved.
> 
> Otherwise, $1 a mile on the freeway is easier than hustling busy streets.


Elevator?!?!? What is that?!?!? 😂


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## jaxbeachrides (May 27, 2015)

Ms. Mercenary said:


> Elevator?!?!? What is that?!?!? 😂


It's a magical place where you can go up, down, get stuck and not go anywhere, or go down really fast. You can also get stuck in a fire, or be surprise attacked, assaulted in many ways or robbed. It's a really fun place.


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