How to Track Mileage for Gig Work (Delivery, Rideshare, and Local Gigs)

What miles count for gig work

Generally track miles driven for business purposes: between deliveries, to busy zones, between clients, and back from a route. Commuting from home to your first stop can be nuanced; many drivers log from first paid task to last. Confirm rules with a tax professional for your situation.

Minimum viable log fields

• Date
• Total miles for the shift or client run
• Purpose (DoorDash block, Instacart batch, client name)
• Gross earned that shift (ties miles to pay)

Odometer method vs app miles

Odometer start and end per shift is hard to argue with. App miles are convenient but can miss repositioning. Many drivers photograph the odometer at shift start and end until they trust their process.

Turn miles into cost in your calculator

Pick a maintenance-plus-gas cost per mile you can defend (many planners use a range; your car and fuel prices matter). Multiply weekly miles by that rate and feed it into DoorDash, Uber Eats, Instacart, or Uber/Lyft calculators. Net hourly should move down when miles go up. That is the point.

Weekly habit

1. Sunday: sum miles and gross per app.
2. Recompute net hourly; compare to prior week.
3. Note outliers (surge night, dead zone).
4. Store logs with payout screenshots in one folder.

What this guide does not do

It does not tell you which mileage method to claim on a tax return or whether the standard mileage rate applies. It prepares you to estimate net hourly honestly and to have records if a preparer asks. See side hustle taxes basics and understanding 1099-NEC side income.