I’ve traveled a lot of places, and there’s no better place than Seattle. I grew up here and I love everything from the outdoor activities to the welcoming culture. That’s one of the reasons I like delivering with Amazon Flex—I get to be out enjoying the city while earning some extra cash.
I’ve been delivering with Flex—Amazon’s program that puts independent businesspeople like me in the drivers’ seat by paying us for delivery opportunities that we pick up in our own time and on our own schedule—for six years now. It’s been a great source of income in addition to my business, building international rehabilitation centers. The money I earn from Flex helps pay for things for my two boys. One is 15 and the other is 17. It also helped me purchase my childhood home from my mom and she now lives with me there. She’s getting older so having a flexible work schedule is great because I can get home to help her when she needs it.
The Flex blocks I pick often allow me to visit various beautiful neighborhoods in Seattle with gorgeous views. One of my favorite routes is in the West Seattle neighborhood which has gorgeous views of Alki Beach and the Puget Sound.
Come along for a ride with me on this route to see what it’s like to deliver packages with Amazon Flex.
I usually pick my Flex block the day before. I use the Amazon Flex app to take a look at what’s available then choose the one that pays the best and fits my schedule. The flexibility is great because I like to keep my schedule free on days when I pick my boys up from school.
I can choose from blocks at a variety of facilities in the area. Once I arrive at the facility, I say hello to my friends who work there then I check in.
Today, I grabbed a fresh vest for the photos—I even wore shoes to match!
The block I chose today is a five-hour route in West Seattle. I start my route by scanning one of the packages with the Amazon Flex app on my phone, then head off to load them into my car.
I’m a car guy, and take my cars to shows as a hobby. I bought my Fiat specifically for Amazon Flex because it’s easy to park yet also spacious enough to fit a good number of packages.
Once the packages are loaded, I’m ready to hit the road. I like to use the Amazon Flex app’s navigation system, so that’s what I usually decide to do—it takes me to the exact location of each customer home, and sends me alerts when I’m approaching risky road crossings, or school zones. I like to listen to talk radio from the car stereo.
Once I arrive at a delivery location, I use the app to confirm the address and the package(s) that need to be delivered. The app will tell me if I’m at the wrong location which is helpful to make sure I’m getting the right deliveries to the right customers.
I’m careful to deliver packages in the most secure spot possible, following customer instructions, then I take a photo of the delivery so the customer can see where it was delivered.
I take a lot of pride in making sure customers get their orders delivered safely. Sometimes, I even get a pop-up from the app with a badge for exceptional service. That’s kind of fun motivation as I work along my route.
Today, I’m enjoying a nice, sunny route with beautiful views of Alki Beach.
Sometimes, I choose an early-morning or night block where I need to deliver in the dark. For those blocks, I have equipment like a headlamp to help me see my surroundings, and avoid safety hazards. I recently got to test out an Amazon smile light. It’s helping indicate to Amazon customers that I’m here to deliver their packages.
I’ve also worked with Amazon Flex to help the food bank deliver meals to people in the community. These are fun routes because I get to interact with friendly people and help Amazon feed the Puget Sound.
On a typical day, I finish up a bit early then head back home for the rest of the day. It’s great to get my route done early then have time to work on my cars or spend time with family and friends.
Delivering with Flex has been a great way to keep a good flow of money coming in while keeping my schedule flexible. I love what I do and enjoy spending time out in the community while I work.
