Earnings
How much can I really make driving?
Real numbers from real drivers, not advertised hourly rates. After gas, after wear, in 2026.
Realistic hourly ranges
What net hourly looks like by hour-type, on a 0 to $30 scale.
By job type
Each category pays on a different basis. Click through for the live listings.
| Job type | Typical pay | What drives it |
|---|---|---|
| Food & Grocery Delivery | $14–$22 | Restaurant, grocery and retail delivery by car, bike or scooter. The lowest barrier and fastest start in driving. |
| Trucking & CDL | $0.40–$0.75 | Local, regional and OTR trucking. The biggest paychecks in driving. No CDL? Paid training exists. |
| Courier & Medical | $24–$32 | Lab, pharmacy and legal routes. Time-sensitive work with a small driver pool and pay above delivery. |
| Box Truck & Movers | Per-job | Furniture, appliance and freight delivery with a regular license. Own a box truck or cargo van? You are the asset. |
| Parcel & Packages | $18–$25 | Package blocks in your own vehicle or W2 van routes with steady weekly hours. Always hiring somewhere. |
| Passenger & Shuttle | Hourly | Shuttles, paratransit, school routes and private cars. Set schedules, stricter screening, steady hours. |
By market
Where you drive matters as much as what you drive.
Phoenix · Tampa · Houston · Dallas · Atlanta · Denver · Charlotte
Lower cost of living, less driver saturation. Strong $/hr after gas.
Most of the Midwest, the Southeast, Texas mid-cities
Reliable $14 to $20/hr. Decent tips. Less peak-hour competition.
SF Bay · LA · NYC · Seattle · Boston
Higher gross but gas, parking, and saturation eat in. Be smart about category and hours.
The honest math
A typical full-time independent driver runs 30,000 to 50,000 miles a year. At the IRS standard mileage rate (67¢ a mile in 2026), that is $20,000 to $33,000 in deductions. Actual cash outlay for gas plus maintenance is usually 40 to 55% of that.
A driver grossing $50K typically nets around $35K to $40K after expenses, then owes self-employment tax on what is left. See the full tax breakdown. W2 driving jobs skip the mileage math: the employer carries the vehicle and withholds tax.
This is why drivers who track mileage carefully and pick the right category and hours make significantly more than the rest.
See what's hiring in your ZIP →
Earnings shown are typical ranges from public driver-reported and advertised data and are not a guarantee.