According to Roadie, more than one billion cubic feet of excess capacity is available in passenger vehicles on the road in the U.S. at any time. Roadie launched in the southeast in 2015 as a gig economy sharing service connecting people who have thing to move or delivery drivers who are already planning to go in the destination direction.
Now expanded to all 50 states, Roadie periodically partners with national charities. Through February 28, 2017, Roadie will pick up or deliver Goodwill donations or purchases to or from the organization’s local centers. The offer is good for new Roadie users in the form of a discount up to $62 off the normal Roadie delivery fee, which means in many cases the delivery will be totally free.
Roadie matches people who want to send stuff to the appropriate drivers. People can ship boxes, furniture, and even pets. Pets have to be in kennels, but other items don’t need special packing or even boxing. Just protect the items as you would if you were hauling them in your own vehicle.
Shippers and drivers get to choose who they’ll work with based on personal profiles and what’s being shipped. Drivers who transport pets are screened to be sure they’re pet-friendly.
While the item (or animal) is in transit, both the sender and receiver can track the delivery via a smartphone app. All deliveries are automatically insured up to $500, with additional coverage up to $10,000 available through Roadie.
Roadie was designed as a way for people to earn money while they are on trips or driving around. Drivers set Gig Alerts to be notified of delivery gigs that start within 3, 10, 25, or 50 miles of their home address. Most local delivery gigs pay between $8 and $50 and long distance deliveries can pay up to $400. The Roadie website driver’s section FAQ also states “you can write off mileage on your taxes for places you were driving anyway,” but you should check with a tax professional to see if it would apply.
