SIERRA VISTA, Ariz. (KGUN) — It's no secret gas prices have increased over the last few months.
Brenda Luna, a Sierra Vista resident, is feeling extra pressure from the increased price since driving her car is how she makes a living.
Luna is a delivery driver for DoorDash, Spark and Uber Eats. She said she chooses to be a full-time delivery driver because she needs the flexible schedule to help take care of her husband and mother. They have health conditions that require them to see different doctors. Luna also likes that she is able work anywhere — whether she's in her hometown or in Tucson.
Luna needs to make more than $100 a day to cover her out-of-pocket expenses. She said she needs to make between $50 and $60 just to cover her costs for gas—and she fills up two to three times a week.
“I’m worried [the gas prices are] not going to go back down," she said. "With the gas prices going back up it’s kind of ridiculous. There’s nothing you can do about it. [You] gotta have gas to do what you’re doing.”
Luna said she receives between $2.00 and $2.50 as a base pay per delivery. She and other drivers rely on tips to help cover their out-of-pocket expenses. Luna said if she doesn't make the base pay amount per mile that she has to drive, she's not making the money she needs to.
“During the day the tipping...helps, um, to bring you up," Luna said. "Because if I only made $2.50 every trip I would literally make like $20 a day and it wouldn’t be worth it then.”
When she has bad day, such has not enough orders or orders without tips, she travels to Tucson to try and make more money. But the extra travel means she needs to earn more money by taking more orders.
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Alexis Ramanjulu is a reporter in Cochise County for KGUN 9. She began her journalism career reporting for the Herald/Review in Sierra Vista, which she also calls home. Share your story ideas with Alexis by emailing alexis.ramanjulu@kgun9.com or by connecting on Facebook.
