Road guide
The gig driver's road kit.
For delivery and rideshare drivers whose office is the front seat: twelve things that make a long shift easier and safer.
One page. Read it here, save the image to your phone, or print it for the fridge.
A ten-hour shift in the car wears on the phone, the tires and the driver, in that order. This kit is built around what actually goes wrong on a delivery or rideshare day: a dead battery at the far end of a zone, a slow leak, a long hot afternoon, a stop that does not feel right. It sits on top of the basic car kit, not instead of it.
- 1
A solid phone mount
- Mounted where you glance, never in your lap
- Set the route before the car moves
- No texting while driving, even at lights
- 2
Power all shift
- A fast car charger and a spare cable
- A charged power bank for long walks to doors
- Low-power mode when the battery dips
- 3
Water and real food
- In heat, about a cup every 15 to 20 minutes
- Skip high-caffeine and sugary drinks
- Regular meals usually cover your salt needs
- 4
Sun protection
- SPF 30 or higher, again every 2 hours
- Wide-brim hat and UV-blocking sunglasses
- Strongest sun: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
- 5
Know the heat signs
- Headache, dizzy, nauseous or weak: stop
- AC on, sip water, loosen clothing
- Confused or passing out: call 911
- 6
First aid kit
- Bandages, gauze, tape, pain reliever
- Blister pads for a day of walking to doors
- Your own medicine in the cabin, not the trunk
- 7
Jump pack
- Starts the car with no second car
- Doubles as a phone charger
- Save the app's roadside help number
- 8
Tire gauge and inflator
- Check before the first trip, tires cold
- Use the door-edge label, not the tire
- A 12-volt inflator for slow leaks
- 9
Cleaning supplies
- Wipes, paper towels and trash bags
- Hand sanitizer between orders
- A towel for spills before the next rider
- 10
Park in the light
- Lit, open spots near the entrance
- Look around before you step out
- Doors locked while you wait for orders
- 11
Share your trip
- Live location to someone you trust
- DoorDash SafeDash allows up to 5 contacts
- Know where the in-app 911 button is
- 12
Trust your instincts
- Confirm the rider's name before you leave
- You can cancel or end a ride that feels wrong
- Leave first, report it after
The car is your office. Stock it like one.
More guides
Gear Lab guide
Backup power, ranked by what actually works.
Twelve ways to keep phones, lights and a fridge going, from best to barely.
Open the guide
Kit guide
The car kit, in buying order.
Twelve things for the trunk, cheapest and most important first.
Open the guide
Scenario guide
Twenty minutes to evacuate.
What actually goes in the car, in the order it matters.
Open the guide