Gig Driving Math: Make Uber and DoorDash Actually Profitable Per Hour

  1. Benchmark With the Current IRS Mileage Rate
    10 min

    Open this entry whenever you need a fast sanity-check on weekly driving costs before building detailed math. The IRS sets a standard business mileage rate by notice each January — and occasionally revises it midyear, as it did effective July 1, 2026. One bundled figure covers fuel, maintenance, depreciation and insurance per mile, so a single multiplication prices a week’s miles.

    As of August 2026 the rate is 76 cents per business mile (72.5 cents applied January through June). To benchmark your week:

    • Note the current business rate from the IRS page linked below.
    • Pull last week’s total gig miles from each app’s weekly summary screen.
    • Multiply miles × rate for the benchmark weekly cost.

    Treat the result as a tax yardstick, not a guarantee of your actual expenses.