# Tax Year 2021 Revenue per Mile



## Seamus (Jun 21, 2018)

I never file my taxes until the very last day (4/15) because I always owe money (because of W2 job and other revenue sources) and figure that it is a symbolic victory that they won't get my money even 1 day early! However, in preparing to file I completed my schedule C for food delivery already.

This thread isn't about bragging or feeling bad, so please be honest. I'm always curious what a good benchmark should be for food delivery, how much revenue per mile is realistic. Of course I've had 5 years of practice and keeping data so I know for myself what I expect (for me).

Revenue=Total 1099 payments you've received
Total Mileage= all your tracked mileage driveway to driveway.

We don't need to know your gross revenue or your actual mileage (including dead miles).

For those of you who actually track your mileage driveway to driveway, what was your Revenue per mile for 2021? Again, please be honest or just don't participate. It would be interesting to understand. It's important to use Total mileage, which includes all the dead miles.

After 5 years of data, my goal every year is $1.50/mile. Not to beat a dead horse again but including dead mileage.

For 2021 my gross revenue per mile for food delivery was $1.54/mile. Based on my personal data I'm happy with that.

For those willing to post, what was your revenue/mile for 2021? The more who are willing to give honest answers the more interesting the results will be.


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## Rickos69 (Nov 8, 2018)

Seamus said:


> I never file my taxes until the very last day (4/15) because I always owe money (because of W2 job and other revenue sources) and figure that it is a symbolic victory that they won't get my money even 1 day early! However, in preparing to file I completed my schedule C for food delivery already.
> 
> This thread isn't about bragging or feeling bad, so please be honest. I'm always curious what a good benchmark should be for food delivery, how much revenue per mile is realistic. Of course I've had 5 years of practice and keeping data so I know for myself what I expect (for me).
> 
> ...


2021
DD + GH Total = $30,971.11
*Recorded* Stride Miles - 25,655.39
Approximately $1.21/mile


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## Invisible (Jun 15, 2018)

Rickos69 said:


> 2021
> DD + GH Total = $30,971.11
> *Recorded* Stride Miles - 25,655.39
> Approximately $1.21/mile


Hi Rickos, glad you’re still doing both. That’s a lotta miles for food. Hope all is well!


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## Rickos69 (Nov 8, 2018)

Invisible said:


> Hi Rickos, glad you’re still doing both. That’s a lotta miles for food. Hope all is well!


I haven't done GH since right after New Year.
As for the miles, that is what I had Stride record. Helloooo!!!
And BTW!!!! Where have you been????


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## Rickos69 (Nov 8, 2018)

And here is my latest milestone. 3,000 DD deliveries.
Along with GH, and my early UE days, I'm around 10,000 total deliveries.
I quit UE a few days after the $3 McD orders started. I actually had them delete my account.
And they said, if we delete your driver account, your customer account will also be deleted. And I said, I don't care.


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## Invisible (Jun 15, 2018)

Rickos69 said:


> I haven't done GH since right after New Year.
> As for the miles, that is what I had Stride record. Helloooo!!!
> And BTW!!!! Where have you been????


Helloooooo! You must be doing well at DD then. I’ve been Invisible. Not sure how long I’ll be on here (days, weeks). Working from home is getting to me, along w/ the gloomy, overcast days, so needed an outlet. And came to read the wacky stories! 😀


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## Rickos69 (Nov 8, 2018)

Seamus said:


> I never file my taxes until the very last day (4/15) because I always owe money (because of W2 job and other revenue sources) and figure that it is a symbolic victory that they won't get my money even 1 day early! However, in preparing to file I completed my schedule C for food delivery already.
> 
> This thread isn't about bragging or feeling bad, so please be honest. I'm always curious what a good benchmark should be for food delivery, how much revenue per mile is realistic. Of course I've had 5 years of practice and keeping data so I know for myself what I expect (for me).
> 
> ...


Question.
Why do you always owe taxes? Don't you do any ES payments?
I send in
$300 / month to the IRS ($3,600 per year)
$100 / month to Illinois ($1,200 per year)
This year I am getting back $99 federal and $241 State.
And if you aren't sending in any ES payments, aren't they penalizing you for not?


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## Stevie The magic Unicorn (Apr 3, 2018)

Don't forget the cash.

You need to include your _cash tips_ and cash illegal fares you take.

Just kidding, I know those don't exist, the cash tips anyway.


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## Seamus (Jun 21, 2018)

Rickos69 said:


> Question.
> Why do you always owe taxes? Don't you do any ES payments?
> I send in
> $300 / month to the IRS ($3,600 per year)
> ...


I have lot going on: W2, Rental properties,1099, Capital Gain/Losses, investments, etc.etc.. I understate quarterly estimates. I don't recall ever being penalized although I may have and don't remember.

Also, I am of the philosophy that getting money back from the IRS is because you used the government as a non interest bearing savings account and could make much more holding your own money and using that to invest in something. However, what you are getting back I wouldn't put into that category, it's so little money it's basically breaking even. I cringe when I hear people bragging about getting back thousands, that's financially stupid.


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## Rickos69 (Nov 8, 2018)

Seamus said:


> I have lot going on: W2, Rental properties,1099, Capital Gain/Losses, investments, etc.etc.. I understate quarterly estimates. I don't recall ever being penalized although I may have and don't remember.
> 
> Also, I am of the philosophy that getting money back from the IRS is because you used the government as a non interest bearing savings account and could make much more holding your own money and using that to invest in something. However, what you are getting back I wouldn't put into that category, it's so little money it's basically breaking even. I cringe when I hear people bragging about getting back thousands, that's financially stupid.


Yup,
I try to keep it near break even.


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## Rickos69 (Nov 8, 2018)

Stevie The magic Unicorn said:


> Don't forget the cash.
> 
> You need to include your _cash tips_ and cash illegal fares you take.
> 
> Just kidding, I know those don't exist, the cash tips anyway.


In fact, I honestly report my cash tips. I really do.


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## Seamus (Jun 21, 2018)

Rickos69 said:


> In fact, I honestly report my cash tips. I really do.


Do you report all those free shirts, cups, hats and other trinkets you received from being on the DD Drivers Council as income?


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## jaxbeachrides (May 27, 2015)

Seamus said:


> Do you report all those free shirts, cups, hats and other trinkets you received from being on the DD Drivers Council as income?


That sounds more like a charitable deduction.


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## Ted Fink (Mar 19, 2018)

Seamus said:


> I never file my taxes until the very last day (4/15) because I always owe money (because of W2 job and other revenue sources) and figure that it is a symbolic victory that they won't get my money even 1 day early! However, in preparing to file I completed my schedule C for food delivery already.
> 
> This thread isn't about bragging or feeling bad, so please be honest. I'm always curious what a good benchmark should be for food delivery, how much revenue per mile is realistic. Of course I've had 5 years of practice and keeping data so I know for myself what I expect (for me).
> 
> ...


@Seamus you're talking gross revenue before expenses? I don't do food but my gross per mile for PAX trips in 2021 was $1.34. It would be SO much higher if I lived in the market I drive in. 50 mile commute, and I measure my miles from the time I leave my house until I return. So far this year I'm a little higher... YTD average $1.49/mile. Gross. Also Gross! LOL


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## BrainDead Driver (Dec 15, 2021)

Seamus said:


> I never file my taxes until the very last day (4/15) because I always owe money (because of W2 job and other revenue sources) and figure that it is a symbolic victory that they won't get my money even 1 day early! However, in preparing to file I completed my schedule C for food delivery already.
> 
> This thread isn't about bragging or feeling bad, so please be honest. I'm always curious what a good benchmark should be for food delivery, how much revenue per mile is realistic. Of course I've had 5 years of practice and keeping data so I know for myself what I expect (for me).
> 
> ...


one mile per dollar earned will over lap your tax owed . It worked for me for the last 6 years . How ever in the 2021 for some reason i could not find where to add the miles ??? I put the code in for rideshare driver it was not there .
Well i ended up putting in all my fuel car washed details body work auto repairs so on . I did not ow anything .
But i infated it a bit more then normal. lol. All good i think it will be ok with out being audited .


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## Seamus (Jun 21, 2018)

Ted Fink said:


> @Seamus you're talking gross revenue before expenses? I don't do food but my gross per mile for PAX trips in 2021 was $1.34. It would be SO much higher if I lived in the market I drive in. 50 mile commute, and I measure my miles from the time I leave my house until I return. So far this year I'm a little higher... YTD average $1.49/mile. Gross. Also Gross! LOL


That’s an excellent gross/mile for Rideshare!


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## Frontier Guy (Dec 27, 2015)

Between rideshare, w2 and some misc., Colorado was nice enough to give me back $680, so I could pass it along to the IRS


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## TheOnly5StarDriverinUSA (Apr 1, 2017)

Don't know what market you guys live in or work at, I just don't know how to set a goal of $0.99/mle.

Just two nights ago, I was tired, ready to go home. I received a rush of offers, here are the examples from 23:39 to 23:41 in the 2 minutes span.


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## Seamus (Jun 21, 2018)

TheOnly5StarDriverinUSA said:


> Don't know what market you guys live in or work at, I just don't know how to set a goal of $0.99/mle.
> 
> Just two nights ago, I was tired, ready to go home. I received a rush of offers, here are the example from 23:39 to 23:41 in the 2 minutes span.
> View attachment 652248
> ...


Everyone gets bad offers, that's what the "Decline" button is for. On DD my acceptance rate ranges from about 5% to 30%, and about the same on GH. Also, I stop at 9:00 pm usually because after that it's pretty much all Fast Food lame offers. Unless of course, someone is drunk or high and in their altered state gives a big tip because they're really hungry!


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## Rickos69 (Nov 8, 2018)

Seamus said:


> Everyone gets bad offers, that's what the "Decline" button is for. On DD my acceptance rate ranges from about 5% to 30%, and about the same on GH. Also, I stop at 9:00 pm usually because after that it's pretty much all Fast Food lame offers.


Take last night for example.
Between 5 pm and 8 pm I did $80. I was going full speed.
And I intended to ride the wave as long as it lasted.
Just after 8 the $2.75 offers began.
After the third in a row, I went home.


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## smithers54 (Jan 7, 2019)

off the top of my head . I went super part time. 2600 miles and made around 3700. about 1.39. moved to a small town with way to many drivers. I stopped delivering this year. otherwise it was a hour one way to hit a decent market. It doesnt pay driving that far. In the end if I wouild of kept driving it would of been at a loss


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## smithers54 (Jan 7, 2019)

Rickos69 said:


> And here is my latest milestone. 3,000 DD deliveries.
> Along with GH, and my early UE days, I'm around 10,000 total deliveries.
> I quit UE a few days after the $3 McD orders started. I actually had them delete my account.
> And they said, if we delete your driver account, your customer account will also be deleted. And I said, I don't care.


I hit 2999. I missed my 3000 delivery by 1 and dont have the desire to even go back out


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## Judge and Jury (Oct 19, 2019)

Seamus said:


> I never file my taxes until the very last day (4/15) because I always owe money (because of W2 job and other revenue sources) and figure that it is a symbolic victory that they won't get my money even 1 day early! However, in preparing to file I completed my schedule C for food delivery already.
> 
> This thread isn't about bragging or feeling bad, so please be honest. I'm always curious what a good benchmark should be for food delivery, how much revenue per mile is realistic. Of course I've had 5 years of practice and keeping data so I know for myself what I expect (for me).
> 
> ...


Driveway to driveway;

2019: $0.92
2020: $1.09
2021: $2.23

Started with PostMates.

Drove all around Los Angeles and Orange Counties in SoCal to find the most profitable spots. A lot of commuting miles, trying to find high income areas that might tip extravagantly.

Finally realized that the best area for DD, GH and UE 
In a market with millions of customers was less than three miles from my driveway.


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## Seamus (Jun 21, 2018)

Judge and Jury said:


> Driveway to driveway;
> 
> 2019: $0.92
> 2020: $1.09
> ...


Wow 2021’s numbers are awesome!


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## Judge and Jury (Oct 19, 2019)

Seamus said:


> Wow 2021’s numbers are awesome!


Thanks.

I know you understand the actual two bucks per mile offers actually gotta average $4 per mile over the duration of a shift.

Seems it took me awhile to figure it out.

Experiment, learn and adapt is my mantra. However, it seems that the adapting part takes me a couple of years for implementation.


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## Judge and Jury (Oct 19, 2019)

.


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## Jumpin Jim (Mar 4, 2018)

Seamus said:


> I never file my taxes until the very last day (4/15) because I always owe money (because of W2 job and other revenue sources) and figure that it is a symbolic victory that they won't get my money even 1 day early! However, in preparing to file I completed my schedule C for food delivery already.
> 
> This thread isn't about bragging or feeling bad, so please be honest. I'm always curious what a good benchmark should be for food delivery, how much revenue per mile is realistic. Of course I've had 5 years of practice and keeping data so I know for myself what I expect (for me).
> 
> ...


For you guys that are multi-apping, how do you even know your miles for each of the 2 or 3 apps that are running simultaneously at various times?
Also, L/U give you a statement of earnings with mileage. Does anyone know if their mileage estimate is total online miles or just miles after accepting a ping?
DD sent me a 1099-NEC which shows earnings but not estimated mileage. Does anyone know if DD provides a year end mileage estimate somewhere? Can’t find it. For tax purposes I just estimate it. Thanks in advance.


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## Seamus (Jun 21, 2018)

Jumpin Jim said:


> For you guys that are multi-apping, how do you even know your miles for each of the 2 or 3 apps that are running simultaneously at various times?
> Also, L/U give you a statement of earnings with mileage. Does anyone know if their mileage estimate is total online miles or just miles after accepting a ping?
> DD sent me a 1099-NEC which shows earnings but not estimated mileage. Does anyone know if DD provides a year end mileage estimate somewhere? Can’t find it. For tax purposes I just estimate it. Thanks in advance.


I multi app but I track my own mileage with an app called TripLog. The mileage that L/U give is notoriously on the low end. DD tried giving mileage one year and it was embarrassingly way off so I believe they stopped.

Don’t rely on the apps to track your mileage. You’ll get the maximum mileage deductions tracking your own.


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## Jumpin Jim (Mar 4, 2018)

Seamus said:


> I multi app but I track my own mileage with an app called TripLog. The mileage that L/U give is notoriously on the low end. DD tried giving mileage one year and it was embarrassingly way off so I believe they stopped.
> 
> Don’t rely on the apps to track your mileage. You’ll get the maximum mileage deductions tracking your own.


Great info, thanks!!


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## Seamus (Jun 21, 2018)

Rickos69 said:


> aren't they penalizing you for not?


I looked back and I did get small penalties some years. This year I will also pay a small penalty.


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## Ted Fink (Mar 19, 2018)

Jumpin Jim said:


> For you guys that are multi-apping, how do you even know your miles for each of the 2 or 3 apps that are running simultaneously at various times?
> Also, L/U give you a statement of earnings with mileage. Does anyone know if their mileage estimate is total online miles or just miles after accepting a ping?
> DD sent me a 1099-NEC which shows earnings but not estimated mileage. Does anyone know if DD provides a year end mileage estimate somewhere? Can’t find it. For tax purposes I just estimate it. Thanks in advance.


If you are multi-apping it's nearly impossible to exactly allocate your mileage to a particular app - but for tax purposes you don't need to. Your schedule C will include all apps and so the mileage can be one figure encompassing everything.

What I do is real simple. When I leave my driveway I take a picture of the odometer, and I take another one when I return. I enter those into a daily spreadsheet. So I report total miles for all apps and I report income for each app on the same schedule C. 

Always track your OWN mileage (whether you use a spreadsheet or write them on paper or whatever)... because the apps only track miles when you are on a trip, and your allowed deduction includes all miles you drive for business (so your pickups and your repositioning count for tax purposes).


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## Seamus (Jun 21, 2018)

Ted Fink said:


> If you are multi-apping it's nearly impossible to exactly allocate your mileage to a particular app


Not really, you could using TripLog. However, you are correct when it comes to Delivery or Rideshare there isn't any need to because it can all go on the same schedule C. However, if you (like me) have to do more than one schedule C because you have another dis-similar 1099 business going, then you absolutely must track mileage separately amongst different schedule C enterprises. That's another reason I use TripLog as it can easily do that.

People don't always realize you can only use 1 schedule C if the activity is "close enough" to the business code you're using. If they aren't close enough to use the same business code then you have to do completely different schedule C's for each business code. It can get complicated and that's where the value of TripLog really comes in handy.

You can also even track your business expenses on TripLog by schedule C type. I know I sound like a TripLog salesman, but it's just a fantastic product.


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## Judge and Jury (Oct 19, 2019)

Seamus said:


> Not really, you could using TripLog. However, you are correct when it comes to Delivery or Rideshare there isn't any need to because it can all go on the same schedule C. However, if you (like me) have to do more than one schedule C because you have another dis-similar 1099 business going, then you absolutely must track mileage separately amongst different schedule C enterprises. That's another reason I use TripLog as it can easily do that.
> 
> People don't always realize you can only use 1 schedule C if the activity is "close enough" to the business code you're using. If they aren't close enough to use the same business code then you have to do completely different schedule C's for each business code. It can get complicated and that's where the value of TripLog really comes in handy.
> 
> You can also even track your business expenses on TripLog by schedule C type. I know I sound like a TripLog salesman, but it's just a fantastic product.


I use pen and paper and then transfer the info to an Excel file.

No need to worry about app glitches or inaccurate data.

The only worry is spilling the entire contents of my coffee mug onto my records. A glitch of another type.


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## Daisey77 (Jan 13, 2016)

Judge and Jury said:


> I use pen and paper and then transfer the info to an Excel file.
> 
> No need to worry about app glitches or inaccurate data.
> 
> The only worry is spilling the entire contents of my coffee mug onto my records. A glitch of another type.


I use the old pen and paper method as well but I keep two copies LOL I have one notebook in the car that I jot everything down daily on and then at the end of the month I bring it in and copy that info over into a notebook I keep in the house. One reason being it's more legible and looks more professional in the event of an audit. Second reason is it calms my "what if" anxiety- what if my car gets stolen? What if The Notebook grows a pair of legs and runs away or somehow goes missing? That's a lot of Records to recreate. Especially if it's in November or anything past March pretty much😂


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