How Long Are DoorDash Shifts?

If you’re new to the idea of scheduling on DoorDash it’s easy to want to know how things work. Perhaps they’re the same as you’d have in traditional shifts, or not. So how long do DoorDash shifts?

Let’s get to the nitty gritty…

How Long Are DoorDash Shifts?

Basically, DoorDash shifts can last as long as you schedule. The limit, however, is that you’re restricted to schedule shifts based on the available time slots the company shows you.

For instance, there have recently been a lot of complaints from drivers about having shorter available time slots like this…

While some other drivers have enough available time slots…

Why?

Well, firstly, these time slots are initially being awarded based on the number of drivers Doordash wants to drive in a location at a particular time. And this can get filled up really quickly, depending on your location.

Generally, the lesser the available time slots, the shorter the time range you can schedule shifts.

Usually, busy locations (based on customer demands) get bigger available slots, but can however get filled up faster due to the higher driver density.

Now, how can you have better available time slots? Of course, this would allow you to schedule longer shifts.

The answer is to schedule in advance – one tip from our scheduling hacks article.

And the idea is simple – DoorDash releases available time slots up to a week in advance (in reality), with each having the maximum number of available slots at the time.

However, with these being available to a large number of drivers, these slots can be filled up fast. Hence to fight the competition, you need to schedule earlier than most people. This is also important to avoid falling into scheduling problems.

Basically, the earlier you schedule the better the available slots you get.

Editors note: Keep in mind that the further you can schedule (e.g 1 week in advance) is locked into one of the company’s programs, the early access schedule, which we’ll talk about in the following section.

For further explanation, let’s cover how scheduling works in the next section.

How Scheduling Work On DoorDash

At the minimum, scheduling is just a way to guarantee you can dash at a time you set. It doesn’t give any delivery priority nor is it impossible to dash without the schedule.

However, it’s important you do so.

You don’t want to be stranded hoping you’d get the red heatmap (dash now) and be disappointed. It also doesn’t hurt to make schedules.

Now, how does scheduling work?

1. Start by opening the DoorDash app on your smartphone. You’ll see a map of your current location or your selected ‘home’ area.
2. Look for the ‘Schedule’ option in the bottom menu and tap on it. This will take you to a screen with a calendar, where you can see available slots for dashing in your chosen area.
3. In the ‘Schedule’ section, you’ll see different days of the week along with the corresponding available time slots. These slots are displayed based on demand predictions in your area. Simply select a day and then choose the time slot that works best for you.
4. Now, you will need to confirm it by tapping ‘Schedule’. This will lock in your dash for that period.

Understanding How Early access schedule Works

The idea behind the Early Access Scheduling program is pretty straightforward.

Dashers are allowed to view and pick up delivery shifts seven days in advance, with the schedules being released each day at 3 PM local time for the following week.

Let’s say it’s Friday. With early access, you can already see and select your dashes for next Friday.

Without it, you’d have to wait until midnight the day before to see available dashes. This gives early access Dashers a considerable head start in planning their schedules and ensuring they get the shifts they want.

So how do you qualify for Early Access Scheduling?

Unfortunately, there’s a specific criteria for Dashers to meet.

This includes having completed at least 5 dashes between 12 AM the previous Friday and 11:59 PM the previous Thursday, or having completed at least 500 lifetime deliveries.

Editors note: Just like other programs on DoorDash, the Early access scheduling status isn’t permanent; it’s evaluated weekly, every Thursday. If you meet the requirements this week, you’ll get early access next week. But if you don’t meet the requirements next week, you lose early access the week after.

Final Thoughts

The length of DoorDash shifts will generally depend on how long you’re able to schedule. And this also depends on the available slots you have while scheduling, which again is influenced by the time you schedule.