The popular food delivery service DoorDash has launched a temporary assistance initiative to help its drivers manage the burden of escalating fuel costs across the United States and Canada.
The California-based company revealed the relief program on Monday, coinciding with the national gas price average reaching $3.96 per gallon in America, as reported by AAA. This represents a dramatic 35% increase from prices just four weeks earlier.
Under the new program, American drivers who possess a DoorDash debit card will receive enhanced cash back rewards of 10% on all fuel purchases, a significant jump from the standard 2% rate. The company reports that more than half of its driver workforce currently uses these cards.
Additionally, drivers who log 125 miles or more during their delivery shifts will qualify for weekly fuel assistance payments ranging from $5 to a maximum of $15, according to the company’s announcement.
North of the border, Canadian DoorDash drivers will be eligible for weekly payments up to $36 Canadian dollars, calculated based on their delivery mileage.
Both relief programs will continue operating until April 26, DoorDash confirmed. The company recently implemented a comparable fuel assistance program in Australia.
Whether competing delivery services will introduce similar driver support measures remains uncertain. GrubHub indicated last week that it is monitoring fuel price trends closely. Uber has not yet responded to requests for comment regarding potential driver assistance programs.
