7 Part-Time Jobs for People Who Love to Drive

Some public transportation agencies offer paid, on-the-job training, so you can earn income while also working toward your CDL. These jobs also tend to be unionized, so you might have stronger protection from layoffs than in many fields and institutional support on issues like benefits and working conditions.

Keep in mind, the job has challenges. In addition to driving your routes safely, you will need to ensure passengers pay fares. That’s generally straightforward, but it can get contentious when passengers don’t have the cash or their smartphone apps or farecards aren’t working.

Delivery truck driver

Average wage: $20.56 per hour

By next year, nearly 23 percent of retail purchases are expected to take place online, according to Forbes Advisor, and someone will have to deliver those packages to doorsteps. That’s why the BLS projects the number of jobs in this field will increase by 118,000 over the next eight years.

Amazon is one of the big employers in this field, and it generally partners with local companies for its deliveries. That makes most of these jobs contract positions, which means you apply directly with what Amazon calls its “delivery service partner” rather than Amazon. That company sets your hours, wages and benefits. For many of these positions, you will need a CDL. Other companies that offer these positions include UPS and FedEx, though both have recently announced layoffs.

If you’re not prepared to drive a truck or van, consider becoming a delivery driver for an app such as DoorDash, Instacart or Uber Eats. You’ll need to use your own insured vehicle, but you’ll have more flexibility with your hours. Another benefit: You won’t need a CDL to do these jobs.  

Rideshare driver

Average wage: $21.12 per hour (per ZipRecruiter)

If you’re generally interested in driving for a living, you’ve probably considered (or tried) this option. There’s a reason for that: Working as a rideshare driver for a service such as Hitch, Lyft or Uber is one of the most accessible ways to earn income behind the wheel. 

A standard driver’s license and a clean driving record are usually enough to get started; you don’t need a CDL. However, you will need to provide your own insured vehicle that meets the rideshare company’s standards.

Something else to consider: Rideshare drivers are not directly reimbursed for gasoline. If your car doesn’t get good gas mileage, much of what you earn driving might disappear at the pump. 

Amid the recent spike in gas prices, rideshare companies are taking steps to ease this burden. In March, Uber added a 45- or 55-cent surcharge per passenger trip, with the fee going directly to the driver, and increased the discounts it offers drivers on gas purchases through its Upside, Shell Fuel Rewards and Uber Pro Card services. Lyft also increased the cash-back benefits it offers drivers through its Lyft Direct debit card and Upside program.

School bus driver

Average wage: $23.26 per hour

Pandemic-era school closures thinned the ranks of school bus drivers, creating a shortage that has only recently started to abate, according to research from the Economic Policy Institute. There were 21,200 fewer school bus drivers in August 2025 than in August 2019.

That’s good news for older workers. A few hours of work early in the morning followed by a few more in the afternoon isn’t a workable schedule for many people, but for older adults downshifting into retirement, those hours can be appealing. The average age for school bus drivers is 56, and 57,000 drivers are 65 and older, according to the BLS.

The job offers the opportunity to connect with younger generations and perhaps exercise some skills learned in other fields. 

“When you pull out of the parking lot, you are the captain of that yellow ship with wheels on it,” Vietnam veteran-turned-school bus driver Bill Goodbread told AARP in 2024. “Some people find that a challenge, but I enjoyed it because I had experience leading older men, not schoolchildren, and as a result of my Marine Corps training and my discipline, I run a pretty tight ship on the bus.”

Shuttle driver

Average wage: $17.62 per hour

If school and city buses seem too stressful, shuttle driving might offer an easygoing alternative. Typical options for shuttle drivers include transporting students, faculty and staff around the campuses of larger universities, carrying travelers between airports and hotels, and carrying fans and concertgoers from parking lots to stadiums and arenas. 

Many shuttles are free to ride, or customers book rides in advance, sparing drivers the hassle of making sure every rider has paid.

Tractor-trailer truck driver

Average wage: $27.62 per hour

According to one projection from the American Trucking Associations, the trucking industry needs to recruit nearly 1 million new drivers by 2031 to offset retirements and other departures. Demand for workers is high in this profession, especially if you’re willing and able to take on longer hauls.

While long-haul assignments — also known as “over-the-road” jobs— can last weeks at a time, shorter routes with local or regional companies offer part-time hours. There’s also the option of working for yourself as an owner-operator, though that route requires more financial investment and risk, especially if you’re new to the profession.