Many people drive for a living, but which job’s drivers have the cleanest records on the road?
The job market as we know it has radically changed throughout 2020. In late March, the onset of the coronavirus pandemic led to an economic shutdown when stay-at-home orders were enforced. While many companies shifted to a remote model, employees in certain industries that rely heavily on in-person transactions, such as restaurants and retail, saw an unprecedented surge in unemployment. As public transportation systems were largely vacated and the demand for at-home deliveries surged, different occupations that involve driving saw unanticipated and diverse outcomes.
For workers who drive for a living, the pandemic may have greatly increased or dramatically decreased their capacity to work. Delivery workers have been busier than ever, due to the lack of in-person shopping during quarantine — many large online retailers have had to quickly hire significant quantities of delivery workers to meet this growing need. However, drivers that work in transportation for travelers and commuters, such as in the rideshare industry, have had a decline in consumer demand as Americans have been advised against entering enclosed public spaces. Additionally, during a public emergency, rideshare companies are banned from implementing surge pricing, which increases the cost of a ride during peak hours — the difficulty to profit from driving, compounded with the public health threat of riding in an unknown vehicle, has decreased the number of rideshare drivers on the road.
Cities across the U.S. are in different stages of reopening and, for some, re-shutting down. The role of drivers in the American economy is likely to continue to see interesting and unpredictable shifts as the coronavirus pandemic remains a significant public health issue. To better understand the driving habits of different job sectors, the research team at Insurify looked to the data to determine the driving jobs with the best and worst records.