Things Your Delivery Driver Wants You To Know

As I mentioned in my posts about doing delivery side-gig apps, I realized there were some important things worth sharing from the other side of the experience. Being the delivery driver was eye-opening in ways I never expected, and many of these lessons didn’t fully sink in until I was the one trying to get packages to people’s doors.

Consider Our Position

When you don’t know an area well, or at all, finding some homes can be incredibly challenging. With delivery side-gig apps, you never really know where you’ll end up. We’ve started in one town and ended up hundreds of miles away from home.

Even if you know your hometown well, it can still be difficult to locate the correct house or apartment. Addresses are not always obvious, and navigation apps don’t always help.

I’ll use our own family property as an example. We own a large piece of land with multiple homes on it. There are currently four different addresses on the same property. One is on a corner lot with a different street name, but the house itself is set back and hidden by trees. The other three homes sit close together and are not clearly marked. Add in multiple business names receiving mail, plus a Jr. and Sr. living on the property, and it can quickly become confusing.

It wasn’t until I became a delivery driver myself that I truly understood how overwhelming this could be. Our home also has attached buildings, which can make it look like multiple residences instead of one.

Note: We are actively fixing this. I strongly believe you shouldn’t ask something of others unless you’re willing to do the same.

Now imagine navigating a camper park or housing area with units packed closely together, some hidden behind others, while it’s dark and pouring rain. Or driving down a long, narrow dirt road with no clear sign at the entrance, unsure if you’re even going the right way, and no safe place to turn around.

Since I no longer drive a truck, I don’t always have full confidence driving into unknown terrain, especially during heavy rain when getting stuck is a real concern.

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Things to Consider Doing

First and foremost, clearly mark your home with visible address numbers. If your house is set far back from the road, place signs with arrows and your address number at the entrance.

I’ve only seen this done once all year, and I cannot tell you how grateful I was. It made the delivery smooth and stress-free.

If you don’t want to provide gate access codes, please create a secure and obvious place for packages. I’ve seen people use mounted lockboxes, outdoor storage bins, or simple signs directing drivers where to leave items. All of these help tremendously.

Some ideas to consider purchasing: (Click on the image to view the product.)

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Disclosure: If you buy anything using my affiliate links, I do earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.

Additionally, what you consider your “front door” may appear as a side or back door to us. If you’re handicapped, we have no way of knowing that unless you tell us, and I would hate to place a package somewhere that makes it difficult for you to retrieve it. I vividly remember what it felt like to live in a wheelchair, and I do my best to be mindful of accessibility.

If you live in an apartment complex, please clearly state which side of the building you’re on and which set of stairs to use. I can’t count how many times I’ve climbed multiple flights of stairs only to discover the apartment was on the opposite side of the building.

Many apartment complexes lack clear signage. If you’re not receiving your deliveries easily, try finding your own unit without notes. If that’s difficult for you, it will be difficult for us too—so detailed delivery instructions matter.

Note: I’ve climbed an impressive number of stairs in 2025. It’s made me physically stronger and, surprisingly, helped rebuild my confidence that’s carried over into returning to the horse world.

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Behind-the-Scenes Reality

When drivers first start using these apps, especially Door Dash, it’s not always obvious how limited our flexibility is. Changing delivery locations or deviating from the app’s instructions can negatively impact our ratings.

If a delivery location is far from the listed address and lacks clear instructions, some drivers may choose not to deliver at all, causing delays. If you use a specific drop location or container, include detailed instructions and photos if possible.

Please double-check that your address is correct. I once had an order missing part of the address, and the customer almost didn’t receive it. Luckily, a neighbor helped—but remember, we’re on a timed schedule. Missing delivery windows hurts us.

Also, keep an eye out for texts or calls from drivers when you’re expecting a delivery. Not responding can slow things down or stop a delivery altogether.

Navigation systems within these apps are often unreliable. I used them exclusively for months before realizing I could use Apple Maps or Google Maps instead. Even those aren’t perfect, especially in clustered housing or camper parks.

Each app has different rules. Some require photos showing addresses clearly; others discourage it. There are also multiple steps needed before we can complete a delivery, which can limit what you see in confirmation photos.

Amazon Flex note: Learning how Amazon labels and organizes packages is crucial. It took me two long days of delivery to realize I was loading my car completely wrong. Once I understood their system, everything went smoother. I’m sure those early customers wondered why I lingered so long in their yards.

We also can’t always respond immediately to messages. We’re driving, navigating apps that don’t make multitasking easy, and safety comes first. Reckless driving can cost us our ability to work these jobs and put everyone at risk. I do my best to communicate, but once I’m en route, I focus on getting to you safely.

Final Thoughts

I’ve met some truly wonderful people through these delivery side-gig apps, and I’ve learned far more than I ever expected. It’s strengthened my body, broadened my perspective, and given me a newfound respect for delivery drivers and mail carriers.

I’m genuinely glad we took on this challenge in 2025.