Setting a wide range of availability lets you get matched with more shifts and can help you earn more!

A typical shift ranges from three to five hours. To get the most shift options, you’ll want to have available openings of at least five hours. Remember to set your weekly availability by Wednesday at midnight.

We build weekly courier schedules — released every Thursday — to make sure there are enough couriers in areas anticipated to have high activity, and fewer couriers in the areas projected to be slower. This means that whenever and wherever you have a shift, you have the potential to receive offers.

How your schedule is determined

Customer demand fluctuates from week to week, even day-to-day, and is affected by the time of year. To make sure you don’t miss out on shifts with high earning potential, consider setting a wider range of hours for your availability.

In your Courier App, you can set a repeating availability and the app will automatically reset to your repeating availability each week. You can also set a wide range of availability as a default, and only identify when you’re not available to take shifts.

Beginning your shift

When it’s time to start your shift, it’s best to begin within the zone you’ve been scheduled* and to check in on time or a few minutes before your shift. Sometimes you may have to drive to a new area to start a shift, so give yourself enough time.

If you’re checked in early and ready to deliver, we’ll sometimes offer to start your shift early if demand is high. This gives you time to accept more offers and earn more on your shift.

Checklist for Success

• Best practice is to confirm your shifts at least 48 hours prior to check-in.
• Before you check-in, you should have all your tools like a full tank of gas, a car phone charger, and your thermal bags.
• Check-in for your shift within your zone.
• All deliveries across the Skip Network are now contactless. Be sure to check if the customer left any special delivery instructions.
• While on shift, keep your thermal bags inside your vehicle and not in the trunk so that food is delivered fresh and at the correct temperature.
• Restaurants have started drive-through and curbside pickups for couriers due to COVID-19. To save time, look for signage, designated counters and instructions by restaurant partners when picking up orders.
• Once you arrive at the customer’s location, keep the food in the thermal bags until you deliver it. Check the customer’s special delivery instructions when delivering food.
• After dropping the food package at the customer’s specified location, you can contact the customer to confirm they’ve received the order.
• Keep your thermal bags clean by using a washcloth and soapy water from time to time. It’s best to sanitize the thermal bags in between runs.

Following these tips will help you complete deliveries faster, provide better service to customers and restaurants, and increase your overall earnings.

More information

If you want to know more about setting your schedule, getting the most out of every shift, or how to drop and pick up open shifts, check out our FAQ page or our recent article, Getting The Most From Your Skip Schedule.

* You control what zones you prefer to be scheduled and you can try out as many zones as you want — it’s up to you! Check out this article about self-serve functions in the app for more information.