Rideshare Driver
Rideshare drivers use a booking app to collect passengers and drive them where they need to go, usually in their own car and on hours they choose.
- Median salary*
- $59,800
3.6%vs last year, before tax
- People employed
- 17,600
0.0%vs last year
- Projected growth*
- +6%
to 2035
- AI exposure*
- High
- automation risk
- Average hours*
- 42/wk
+2h vs all jobs
- Shortage status*
- Not in shortage
national
Rideshare drivers work for platforms such as Uber and DiDi rather than a single employer, taking trips one at a time and carrying their own vehicle costs. The work looks like taxi driving, but fares are set by the app, requests arrive by phone and there is no depot, radio room or shift roster. About 17,600 people work this way in Australia, and most are independent contractors.
How much do rideshare drivers earn?
The median full-time salary for a rideshare driver is $59,800 per annum, before tax, up $12,300 since 2018.
Rideshare pay moves with when and where you drive, because the platform sets fares by distance and time and adds surge pricing when demand is high. It also takes a commission from every fare, and as an independent contractor you carry fuel, insurance, registration and maintenance, so two drivers with the same gross earnings can take home quite different amounts. How many hours you accept and what the car costs to run matter as much as the rate.
What does a rideshare driver do day to day?
The list below is what fills most weeks; the exact mix shifts with seniority and whatever stage the current work is at.
- Accepting trip requests through the driver app and collecting passengers from the pickup point
- Driving the route the navigation suggests while watching traffic, road rules and passenger comfort
- Keeping the car clean, serviced and within the platform's vehicle standards
- Handling problems on the road, such as a rider who can't be found or a drop-off address that doesn't match the pin
- Tracking trips, fares and running costs so the money set aside for tax and expenses is accurate
What skills do rideshare drivers need?
Employers look for driving and transport operations, backed by Uber Driver app fluency and strong customer service.
Specialist skills
- Driving and transport operations
Software and tools
- Uber Driver app
- DiDi Driver app
- Google Maps
- Waze
- Apple CarPlay
General skills
- Customer service
- Digital literacy
- Safety and compliance awareness
- Written communication
- Problem solving
- Attention to detail
Is the job growing?
About 17,600 people work as rideshare drivers in Australia, and employment is projected to grow 6% over the decade to 2035. That's modest growth: demand is steady rather than booming.
How do you become a rideshare driver?
Here's the path most rideshare drivers take, step by step.
- 1Hold a full licence and a suitable car
Platforms ask for a full Australian driver licence rather than a provisional one, a car that meets their age and safety standards, and a clean driving record. You will also need to pass a national police check, since you are carrying passengers.
- 2Check your state's passenger transport requirements
Rules vary by state. New South Wales requires a passenger transport driver authority and Victoria a commercial passenger vehicle driver accreditation, and other states run their own authorisation process. Apply through the state regulator before you accept fares.
- 3Complete the platform's onboarding
Signing up means submitting your licence, registration, insurance and background check, and often passing a vehicle inspection. Some platforms also run a short online orientation before your account is activated.
- 4Set up as a sole trader
You'll need an Australian Business Number, a record of trips and expenses, and GST registration if your turnover passes the threshold. Comprehensive insurance that covers paid passenger work is essential, because a standard private policy will not cover a crash while you are carrying a fare.
- 5Start driving and protect your rating
Your star rating and acceptance rate affect the trips you are offered, so it helps to start in busy periods, learn the pickup spots in your area and keep the car clean. Treating the work as a small business, with a budget for fuel, servicing and tax, makes the income easier to manage.
Ready to apply as a rideshare driver?
Whether you're working toward becoming a rideshare driver or already are one and want a hand with the next step (sharpening your resume for ATS screening, tightening your cover letter, or knowing what you'll actually be asked at interview), here are examples grounded in this specific role, not generic templates.
What jobs can a rideshare driver move to?
Moving into Bus Driver typically comes with the biggest pay rise, worth $33,500 a year more on average.
| Move to | Typical pay change | Overlap | Retraining |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bus Driver A rideshare driver can step up to bus driving, using passenger handling and road awareness, needing only a bus licence. | +$33,500 | 62% | minimal |
| Tram Driver A rideshare driver's passenger focus and route awareness transfer to tram driving, which needs a short course for rail operations. | +$28,600 | 67% | short course |
| Driving Examiner Experience carrying passengers and knowing road rules helps a rideshare driver assess learner drivers, with minimal extra training. | +$13,000 | 67% | minimal |
| Chauffeur A rideshare driver's passenger service and navigation skills suit private chauffeuring, with a short course for commercial passenger licensing. | −$2,600 | 54% | short course |
| Taxi Driver A rideshare driver already carries passengers on demand and knows local roads, so moving into taxi driving needs little retraining. | −$5,200 | 67% | minimal |
Moves are chosen from Jobs and Skills Australia's Data on Occupation Mobility, which follows income tax records between 2011-12 and 2020-21, together with entry requirements and skill overlap. A known move is one people were seen making in that data. Pay change compares median full-time pay for the two roles.
Who works as a rideshare driver?
The typical rideshare driver is 39 years old; 94% are men, 39% work full-time, and full-timers average 42 hours a week.
- 39
- Median age
- 6%
- Female share
- 39%
- Full-time
- +2h
- vs all-jobs avg
What's it like being a rideshare driver?
Rideshare driving is taken on for its flexibility: you log on when it suits and stop when you want, which fits around study, caring or another job. The trade-off is that income arrives trip by trip and waiting time is unpaid, so the work rewards drivers who learn the busy hours in their area and run the car like a business. It suits people who are comfortable driving for long stretches, meeting a different passenger every few minutes and managing their own costs.
What people like
- You choose your own hours. There is no roster and no shift to swap. You open the app when you want to work and close it when you have had enough, which is what attracts most people to the job.
- No supervisor and no depot. Work is allocated by the app, so there is no manager to report to, no timesheet to submit and no commute to a depot at the start of a shift.
- A different passenger every trip. Most trips involve a short conversation with a local, a visitor or someone heading to the airport, which keeps the day varied for drivers who like people.
- You can start without retraining. There is no apprenticeship, degree or long course in the way. Once your licence, checks and vehicle meet the platform's requirements, you can be taking fares within weeks.
What people find hard
- Quiet hours earn nothing. You are only paid per trip, so a slow stretch in the middle of the day means sitting in the car with the app open and no income coming in.
- The running costs come out of your pay. Fuel, insurance, registration, servicing and depreciation all come off your gross earnings, and a breakdown or a repair can wipe out a week of driving.
- The best money is at antisocial hours. Demand is strongest on Friday and Saturday nights, at airport peaks and in the early morning, so the most profitable times cut into evenings and weekends.
- Ratings and deactivation. Passengers rate every trip, and a run of low scores or a complaint can see your account suspended or closed with little practical appeal.
Based on our synthesis of professional-body surveys and public accounts of the role, not first-person verified reviews.
Which industries employ rideshare drivers?
Transport, Postal and Warehousing employs the largest share of rideshare drivers.
Top employing industries
- 1Transport, Postal and Warehousing
Ranked by employment share; the source doesn't publish an exact percentage per industry.
| Bachelor degree | 38% | |
|---|---|---|
| Diploma / Advanced Diploma | 24% | |
| Certificate III/IV | 20% | |
| Postgraduate | 10% | |
| Other | 8% |
Will AI replace rideshare drivers?
This is a job where the core task is driving, so it sits high on the exposure scale. Dispatch, fare pricing, routing and driver ratings are already handled by platform algorithms, and driverless passenger services have run trials in several cities. What keeps the work with people for now is the physical car, the unpredictable passenger and the fact that driverless services are approved only in limited areas.
Share of typical working time by exposure level
- Steering, braking and controlling the carAutomated driving systems are the part of this job under most pressure, though fully driverless passenger services remain limited to approved areas.35%high
- Choosing the route and reading trafficApps already recalculate the fastest route as traffic builds, taking most of the route planning out of the driver's hands.25%high
- Handling passengers and problems on the tripFinding a rider who has wandered off, calming someone who is running late or deciding whether a trip is safe to continue all need a person in the car.25%low
- Tracking earnings, expenses and vehicle upkeepBookkeeping apps can categorise fuel and toll receipts, but deciding what to set aside for tax and when the car needs servicing is still the driver's call.15%moderate
Common questions about becoming a rideshare driver
Straight answers to the questions people ask most.
How much do rideshare drivers earn?
Rideshare drivers earn a median of $59,800 per year before tax. What moves that figure most is when and where you drive rather than how long you have been doing it, because you are paid per trip, so your take-home also depends on how much of your driving time has a passenger in the car.
How do I become a rideshare driver?
The main requirements are a full driver licence, a car that meets the platform's standards, a police check and any passenger transport accreditation your state requires. After onboarding and a vehicle inspection you can start accepting trips, then set up an ABN and business records before tax time.
Are rideshare drivers in demand?
Rideshare drivers are currently not in shortage, and employment is projected to grow 6% over the decade to 2035. Entry is quick and cheap compared with most jobs, so platforms rarely struggle to find drivers, and the more useful question for you is whether trip demand in your area supports the hours you want to work.
Will AI replace rideshare drivers?
The dispatch, pricing and routing that organise this work already run on platform algorithms, and driverless passenger services have been trialled in several Australian and overseas cities. Those services still operate in limited areas with regulatory approval, so human drivers cover almost all trips, particularly outside mapped zones. The driving itself is the exposed part; dealing with passengers and keeping a car on the road is not.
What else can a rideshare driver do?
Passenger handling and road knowledge transfer to several other transport roles, so moves tend to be sideways rather than up. Bus driving uses the same people-facing skills and typically pays $33,500 more, with a bus licence needed for the step. Driving examiner work draws on your knowledge of the road rules and pays $13,000 more.
Do I need my own car to drive for a rideshare platform?
Not always, because some platforms and fleet operators rent or lease vehicles to drivers, and a few allow a car you don't own if the owner consents and it is registered and insured for passenger work. Renting usually means a weekly fee that comes off your earnings, which is worth comparing against the cost of running your own car.
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