Not only are e-bikes fun, they’re also a great way to make more as a delivery driver!
If you’re working in food delivery, you know that speed matters. You know that safety matters. You know that economic efficiency matters. Weighing all of these factors is a must in your line of work, why not give yourself a boost by riding an electric bike instead of driving a car?
Let’s take a closer look at some of the many advantages of food delivery on an electric bike.
1. Efficiency and Time
Sydney-based startup Bolt conducted research on the efficiency of e-bikes and found that “couriers on e-bikes have been able to make as much as 30% more an hour than someone in a car because they’re able to make more deliveries because of not being stuck in traffic.” The same principle applies to food delivery workers, too; riding an e-bike allows you to avoid traffic and ride in multi-purpose cycle lanes, which are often faster than busy thoroughfares.
In fact, this is precisely the reason why UPS, Amazon, and other delivery companies have been experimenting with delivering packages on e-bikes. These companies have found that e-bikes “can easily fit in places where other trucks can’t,” and can consequently save time.
Food delivery professionals who work for companies like Doordash and Grubhub are paid by the delivery, so it’s important they choose a vehicle that can facilitate as many deliveries as possible in the shortest period of time. Every minute spent sitting in traffic is a minute that could be spent completing another delivery. Also not to be overlooked: Fresh, hot food leads to greater customer satisfaction and potential for extra tips!
2. Economic Benefits
Using your own car for food delivery often comes with a bevy of hidden expenses. Not only will you shoulder the cost of gas but repairing the routine wear and tear on your car is your responsibility as well—and those required repairs only increase the more you drive and deliver.
What’s more, there’s no reserved parking spaces for delivery folks; as evidenced by Doordash’s driver policy (“Any tolls or parking fees paid or parking tickets or traffic tickets received are at your expense.”), delivery professionals must endure the hassle of searching for spaces, paying for parking, and avoiding tickets, just like any other metropolitan-area car-owner. All of these extraneous costs can come as an unwelcome surprise to new delivery drivers—especially after they’ve dropped a pretty penny on the car itself.
According to Credit Karma the average car costs almost $1,000 a month to own and manage. Given this, some food couriers even go so far as to say that food delivery is not worth your time if you are driving a car. Conversely, delivering on an e-bike costs as little as $100 a month in monthly financing, plus a few cents a day in electricity costs for charging your e-bike. For anyone looking for an affordable way to get started delivering food in the gig economy, e-bikes are simply a no-brainer
3. Delivering in the City
For delivery professionals in metropolitan areas—like New York City or Los Angeles—e-bikes are often the vehicle of choice. Why? On top of the economic and productivity benefits, it’s simply easier to navigate the urban landscape on an e-bike. For one thing, the big cities in which the food delivery industry thrives are also more likely to have the multi-purpose cycle lanes and bicycle crossings that make riding an e-bike significantly more straightforward than driving a car. Furthermore, a city-based delivery rider will likely only need to travel a few miles one-way in order to complete an order. These quick jaunts are exactly what e-bikes were made for, and food delivery companies know that.
Financial Panther reports that food delivery apps “adjust the distances for orders based on the type of vehicle you use,” and “most bike orders won’t be more than a few miles away.”
Since most restaurants are located in high traffic areas, often with scarce parking for cars, e-bike riders are better positioned for success.
4. No Sweat
It probably goes without saying that operating the electric-assisted pedals of an e-bike is significantly easier than pedaling a manual bicycle. This feature is a particular highlight for delivery riders, as it allows them to reach their destinations without breaking a sweat. Sure, a rigorous bike ride can be a good way to burn a few calories, but pumping those pedals for delivery after delivery, all day long, can lead to extreme exhaustion.
E-bikes are tremendously helpful for those marathon shifts, as well as the occasional long-distance trip. E-bikes are also a godsend for delivery riders who can’t pedal as quickly due to an injury or disability. In fact, Class 2 and Class 3 e-bikes have throttles and don’t require pedaling at all. According to the National Conference of State Legislators, one can travel between 20 to 25 miles per hour on a Class 2 or Class 3 e-bike, ensuring safer and speedy deliveries for any and all riders.
Ridepanda’s Promise
One last message to the delivery professionals reading this: On behalf of all hungry people, thank you!
You’re out there hustling, putting in long hours in all kinds of weather in order to get us our food, fresh out of the oven. Your work is truly essential, and we believe you should choose your transportation with the utmost thought and care. To that point, investing in an e-bike is a proven way to cut down expenses, save time, and perform your job without backbreaking labor.
Investing in the right e-moped or e-scooter also offers the same benefits. To shop for one in the smartest way possible, we humbly recommend our collection of ebikes and electric scooters we have curated for delivery drivers. Our site offers a wide, curated selection of durable, affordable products with monthly financing. In other words, Ridepanda was built with delivery workers like you in mind.
