DoorDash launches hourly rates and location sharing for couriers

DoorDash is making a big change to the way couriers get paid. In an announcement on Wednesday, DoorDash says it will start giving couriers the ability to earn hourly rates on top of tips.

With the update, couriers will now see the option to “earn by time,” which offers a guaranteed hourly minimum rate for the time they spend on making deliveries. According to DoorDash, the clock starts as soon as a courier accepts an order and ends when it’s dropped off.

That marks a big shift from the way things are currently set up, which has couriers earning a base pay based on various factors about an order, like time, distance, and desirability. Not every order will have the option to earn hourly rates; however, as DoorDash states, couriers can only enable it at the “start of every dash where Earn by Time is available.”

Additionally, DoorDash is rolling out a location-sharing feature that lets couriers share their real-time location with up to five contacts. This should help give couriers peace of mind as they go about their routes, as friends and family members can track their location and call for emergency assistance if needed. It also builds upon DoorDash’s existing safety features, including reminders for customers to turn on their porch lights when they’re expecting an order, as well as a way for couriers to ditch rude customers without consequence.

One other handy update is a “Dash Along the Way” option that lets couriers pick up orders on the way to a specific destination. There’s also a new tipping option that lets customers add a tip — or boost the one they’ve already given — after checkout, which should hopefully remind shoppers to properly tip their couriers.

On the user-facing side of things, there are a few notable updates coming to the DoorDash app. That includes a new search option that lets you look for items across restaurants, grocery stores, and retail locations. Meanwhile, a new Browse tab lets you sift through categories of food, drinks, pet supplies, beauty products, and other products if you haven’t decided what you’re looking for.

But my personal favorite feature coming to DoorDash is the multiple carts option. This means you can fill up multiple carts with different products, and DoorDash will save your progress each time, which could come in handy when preparing orders throughout the week. DoorDash is also adding support for online SNAP / EBT payments at supported stores, including Aldi, Safeway, Meijer, and 7-Eleven.