Becoming An Amazon Flex Driver: Requirements, Salary and Tips

If you are looking for a way to earn some extra income on your own terms and you have a suitable vehicle, Amazon Flex Driver might just be the perfect opportunity for you.

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What is Amazon Flex?

Amazon Flex is a program where people use their own vehicles to deliver Amazon packages. It offers a way for people to make extra money to help them reach their personal goals.

One of the key aspects of Amazon Flex is the independence it grants to drivers. They are not employees of Amazon. Instead, they work as independent contractors. The Amazon Flex app is the tool they use to select available delivery blocks, making the process smooth and personalized.

Amazon Flex, as one of the best paying options in the gig economy, has become a popular option for many. It caters to those who are looking for a temporary or part-time job that aligns with their needs. The ability to use their own vehicle for delivery further adds to the convenience and appeal of the program.

It’s a way to turn free time and a personal car into a source of income, making Amazon Flex an attractive option for many seeking extra cash opportunities.

How Much Do Amazon Flex Drivers Make?

Amazon Flex drivers typically earn between $18 to $25 per hour, with annual earnings in the United States ranging from $34,000 to $50,000. The pay fluctuates, especially in urban and rural areas, based on demand.

Earnings are based on a variety of factors. Amazon’s minimum pay rate varies by city/region, which means the location you deliver in impacts your hourly earnings. During high customer demand, Amazon’s pay rate may increase, which will translate into higher earnings.

For deliveries that give customers the option to tip, you always receive 100% of the tips. For every dollar a customer tips, your earnings will increase by that same amount, on top of Amazon’s base rate.

There are other factors, but these are the most significant ones.

How do earnings work?

When you see an offer, you will see the pick-up location, duration, and potential earnings. For programs with no tips, the amount you see in an offer is your guaranteed earnings: regardless of whether a block ends early or late, you will earn what you see in the offer.

For deliveries that give customers the option to tip, you will see an earnings range. The range shows potential earnings based on tips received for similar blocks recently completed in your region.

Most of these blocks (we’ll talk about delivery blocks and offers later in this article) earned tips within the range shown in your offer, and at least a quarter of delivery partners earned enough tips to reach the top of the range or exceed it.

In the event that you do not have any deliveries during your block or do not receive tips from customers, your guaranteed earnings are the minimum that you were shown in the offer. If you do receive tips, 100% of tips are added to your minimum earnings.

Getting Started with Amazon Flex

Amazon Flex Driver Requirements

To start delivering with Amazon Flex in the US, you must have some essentials. You need a valid driver’s license and must be 21 years or older. Your vehicle must be mid-size or larger. An iPhone or Android smartphone is also necessary. Plus, you need to be eligible to work in the US.

Signing Up As An Amazon Flex Driver

Joining Amazon Flex is a straightforward process. Start by going to Let’s Drive. If you fit the criteria to become a delivery partner, follow the simple instructions to download the Amazon Flex app. Inside the app, you will find everything you need to sign up.

You can use your existing Amazon account or create a new one. There’s also a collection of videos that teach you how to deliver with Amazon. You can set your preferences for where you’ll pick up and deliver packages.

Providing tax and payment details is part of the process. You can also choose a service area for picking up and delivering Amazon packages.

Types of Deliveries with Amazon

With Amazon Flex, you can take part in various delivery opportunities. For Amazon.com, you’ll pick up packages and deliver directly to customers in blocks of 3-6 hours. Prime Now and Amazon Fresh let you deliver groceries or household items in blocks of 2-4 hours. Store Orders involve picking up items from local stores and delivering them in 2-4 hour blocks.

Opportunities and Locations

Amazon Flex is always on the lookout for delivery partners in specific areas. They recruit where there’s high customer demand and sometimes during busy holiday seasons. Details about these locations are available on the Recruiting Cities page.

Smartphone Requirements

For Android users, a phone with Android 7.0 or newer is necessary along with 2 GB or higher RAM. It must have a camera with flash, GPS location services, and a SIM card. iPhone users need an iPhone 6s or newer with iOS 15 or higher.

Vehicle Requirements

The type of vehicle depends on your deliveries. For Prime Now orders, any reliable car will do. For Amazon.com orders, you need a 4-door, mid-sized sedan or larger vehicle that can transport orders safely. Motorcycles and scooters don’t qualify.

Insurance Needs for Amazon Flex Drivers

Having the right insurance is a must for delivering packages. Amazon also provides extra insurance for delivery partners at no cost, except in New York. This includes auto liability, uninsured motorist, and collision coverage. If you’re in New York, you might need extra commercial insurance, and if you’re renting or borrowing a car, ensure you have the required coverage.

Amazon Flex Onboarding

Onboarding for Amazon Flex is a process that takes place directly in the Amazon Flex app. In this phase, you will be asked to submit some basic details, authorize a background check, and finish tasks that prepare you for delivery duties with Amazon Flex.

The onboarding process is generally simple and fast. Most people wrap up the necessary paperwork in under an hour. After that, you can usually begin your journey with Amazon Flex in less than a week.

When you are ready to begin onboarding, it’s wise to have key documents nearby. These include your driver’s license, social security number, banking details, and auto insurance policy.

Once you provide all the needed details, be sure to double-check that everything is right. After you submit, you can’t make any changes.

The Amazon Flex team will take over from there. They will process your details and send you an email when everything is set or if they need anything else from you. Once you are approved, you can finalize your profile and begin looking for delivery blocks that suit your schedule.

After approval, you can look forward to an exciting journey as an Amazon Flex delivery driver. The app will showcase offers for available delivery blocks that you can plan according to your day. In some areas, you even have the option to mark yourself as “Available Now” to get notices for immediate delivery opportunities.

And the best part is, you’ll always know what you’ll earn before you schedule a block. So, with Amazon Flex, you’re in control, turning your vehicle and free time into an exciting and flexible earning opportunity.

Amazon Flex App

If you want to become an Amazon Flex driver, understanding the Amazon Flex app is essential. This guide is here to help you grasp everything you need to know.

What Is the Amazon Flex App?

The Amazon Flex app is the key tool for anyone interested in delivering with Amazon. It’s where you manage your shifts, earnings, and account information. It might have some glitches from time to time, but these are usually easy to fix by restarting or reinstalling the app.

How to Download and Install the Amazon Flex App

To get started, you need to make sure your smartphone is compatible with the Amazon Flex app.

For iOS users, the requirement is simple. Your iPhone must run on iOS 11.0 or newer, and from there, downloading the app is easy. Just find it in the App Store and tap “Get.”

For Android users, compatibility is more detailed. Your phone must run on Android 6.0 or newer, have 2 GB or higher RAM memory, and meet a few other specific requirements. If your phone meets these, the download process is slightly more involved, but with careful following of the steps provided by Amazon Flex, you’ll have it up and running in no time.

Additional Details and Features

The Flex app has two modes of operation, regular navigation and in-navigation. Both modes are similar, but in-navigation gives you extra features to make deliveries smoother.

In the regular navigation menu, you’ll find buttons like Home, Offers, Calendar, Earnings, Account, Videos, and Help. Each of these sections serves a specific purpose, from viewing your upcoming blocks to reviewing those pesky training videos or accessing the help menu.

In the Home section, you can check for available blocks and update your availability.

The Offers screen displays available blocks.

Calendar allows you to view and manage your scheduled blocks. Earnings lets you see the money you’ve made and when you’ll get paid.

Account is where you can update personal information.

Videos hold training content.

Help contains FAQs and contact information.

The Amazon Flex app is indeed a one-stop solution for your delivery needs. It’s not just about driving and earning; it’s a comprehensive platform that helps you manage your Amazon Flex career efficiently.

The only way to become an Amazon Flex driver is through the app. You’ll find the sign-up process in the app to be straightforward, provided you meet the basic requirements. Just create an account and follow the steps to provide your documents, tax information, and other necessary details.

Scheduling Delivery Blocks with Amazon Flex App

In the world of Amazon Flex, delivery schedules have a structure. They are organized into what’s called “blocks.” The Amazon Flex app shows you offers for these blocks. You can look at these offers and plan them from the Offers page. Each block gives you information like the date, type, what you might earn, the start time, and how long it might take.

Now, let’s talk about reserved offers. These offers are special, only for you, but not for long. When the time for a reserved offer runs out, other delivery partners can grab it. You can find these offers labeled as “Reserved” in the app’s Offers page.

Instant offers are a different thing. They are quick, ready-to-go offers for blocks that kick off in no time. If your region has instant offers, the “Available Now” option will show up on your app’s Schedule page. Want to know when these pop up? Just turn on “Available Now” and stay near a participating location.

So, how does one go about scheduling a block? It’s easy. On the Amazon Flex Schedule screen, just tap Upcoming Offers. Look for what you want, tap on it, and then tap Schedule. Once the offer request is confirmed, it’ll be on your calendar.

Finding offers that match your schedule might be your next question. Well, the app adds offers all day, based on customer orders. Just go to the Offers page and tap Filter. Then, set your filters and tap See results. You can even check other offers that don’t fit your filters by tapping Show other offers. Remember, though, offer availability can change and isn’t a sure thing.

If you earn Preferred Scheduling through Amazon Flex Rewards, things get even better. You can set your favorite station, day, and time in the app’s Settings page. Then you’ll see reserved offers tagged with your rewards level when they’re there. Your reward level might even give you more time to grab these offers before others get them.

Last but not least, knowing if you have a confirmed delivery block is simple. Once you plan an offer, the app will send you a message. To see your upcoming blocks, go to Calendar. Look for orange dots. These are your sign that you have a confirmed delivery block on that date.

All in all, scheduling delivery blocks with Amazon Flex is designed to be an adaptable and straightforward process, tailored to suit the needs of the delivery drivers.

Maximizing Earnings As An Amazon Flex Driver

Making more money as an Amazon Flex driver is something many people are interested in. Here’s how you can make it happen.

Understand Your Role and Be Smart About Gas

Being an Amazon Flex driver is different from other on-demand service platforms like Lyft, Uber or GrubHub. You often have to drive much further to pick up the orders assigned to you. This means you may spend a lot of money on gas, especially if the nearest Amazon fulfillment center is miles away.

Amazon does not compensate Flex drivers for their mileage, a common complaint among drivers. If you want to make a decent income, be smart about gas. One way is to drive a fuel-efficient vehicle.

Investing in an SUV may seem like a good idea to transport more packages, but some current drivers say that the company does not account for the size of your car when assigning orders. You may still receive orders that could fit in a small sedan, and you might end up spending more money on gas.

Take Advantage of Tax Deductions

Amazon does not pay you for gas mileage directly. However, as an independent contractor, you can write off business expenses on your tax return. Keep a log of all the miles you drive for Amazon Flex and use the IRS’s Standard Mileage Deduction, currently at 65.5 cents per mile. You can write off all repairs, maintenance, and any other money spent to keep your vehicle on the road. Consult a professional accountant at the end of the year to make sure all of your deductions are in good standing. This can save you a lot of money on your yearly income taxes.

Work Smart and Make the Most of Your Time

Amazon Flex offers two types of shifts: On-demand and reserved delivery blocks. On-demand is perfect for picking up a shift here and there, but reserved delivery blocks are pre-booked shifts that ensure you have work during that time. Refreshing the Flex app frequently helps you get offers for those blocks, and this can lead to earning more money.

Getting to the fulfillment center early is wise. Arriving at the start of the shift may lead to waiting for 45 minutes to pick up orders, which can harm your rating. Being there at least a half hour early will help boost your rating and get more offers.

Organizing your packages ahead of time by address also saves a lot of time on the road. Amazon does not do this for you, so spending a few more minutes at the fulfillment center to organize can make your deliveries more efficient.

Seize Special Opportunities

Working during the holiday season and inclement weather can boost your earnings significantly. The holidays are peak season for Amazon, and you can make as much as $30 an hour in December. Working during bad weather, when few people want to drive, means more delivery blocks open up, leading to extra cash.

While earning $25 per hour as an Amazon Flex driver may not always be easy, following these guidelines can help you earn more. Understanding the role, being smart about gas, taking advantage of tax deductions, working smart, and seizing special opportunities can increase your earnings. By adopting these strategies, you’ll hopefully earn at least a few bucks more than you are right now.

What Is Amazon Flex Rewards?

Amazon Flex Rewards is a unique program designed to thank Amazon Flex delivery drivers for their hard work. If you are a delivery partner, this program allows you to earn cash back with the Amazon Flex Debit Card. You can also enjoy benefits like Preferred Scheduling and access to thousands of discounts. These perks even include tools to help you with insurance and taxes.

Getting into this rewards program is simple. There’s no need to sign up. You start earning points when you complete blocks and make deliveries. The more points you collect, the higher the rewards levels you unlock. More rewards come with more points.

But what rewards can you actually unlock? With Amazon Flex Rewards, you can gain a variety of rewards. These include cash back with the Amazon Flex Debit Card and Preferred Scheduling. Starting at rewards level 2, you get increasing levels of cash back on fuel and eligible EV charging purchases. You’ll even get cash back on Amazon.com and Whole Foods Market purchases.

Amazon Flex Pros and Cons

Pros:

Flexible scheduling allows you to reserve time blocks that work best for you.
You get to work alone, offering independence.
You’ll know in advance how much you can earn.
The app simplifies your job by removing any guesswork.
Pay is attractive, averaging $18 to $25 per hour, including tips.
You can choose the specific days you want to receive your pay.

Cons:

The limited availability of slots might make it challenging to find work when you want it.
Open-bed pickup trucks and smaller cars might not qualify, restricting the type of vehicles that can be used.
If you don’t cancel your scheduled block at least 45 minutes in advance, you can face penalties.
The workload tends to fluctuate, and this instability might make it difficult to earn a steady income.
You will have to cover your own expenses for things like gas, tolls, parking, and any citations, as you won’t get reimbursed for these costs.

Is It Worth Becoming An Amazon Flex Driver?

Amazon Flex offers a flexible side job that pays around $20 per hour on average. But there’s a catch. You must keep an eye on gas prices, as Amazon does not pay you back for driving costs.

If your vehicle is good with gas, and you like delivering packages more than food or driving people around, this job could be a good fit for you.

Making Amazon Flex a full-time job can be tricky. The number of Flex drivers in your area will play a big part. Amazon Flex blocks are becoming more sought-after, and harder to grab. This leads to less steady money. Still, Amazon Flex offers a quick way to make extra cash with little trouble.

In the end, Amazon Flex stands out for paying more than the minimum wage on average. Plus, you don’t need past experience, a college degree, or special skills. It might be the right choice if you weigh all these things.

How To Become An Amazon Flex Driver: Guide To Amazon Flex Driving