Look at the whole route
Check where the new collection falls relative to your last delivery, where it takes you afterwards and whether the vehicle will have room. A job close to your route on a map may involve a long diversion once road access and collection times are included.
Work out the total additional mileage, including any final journey home or to the next job. The advertised collection-to-delivery distance is only part of the decision. A part load may fill spare space, but it also introduces another handling stop and another customer commitment.
Protect the deliveries already booked
Check the collection window, delivery deadline, loading arrangements and the time needed at each address. Leave room for traffic and realistic breaks. An extra job is unsuitable if it makes an existing customer’s agreed delivery impossible.
For furniture or bulky goods, check the loading order. An item for your next stop should remain accessible after another collection. Confirm crew and equipment requirements rather than treating every backload as a one-person job.
- Can the goods fit safely without obstructing earlier deliveries?
- Are the collection and delivery windows compatible with the route?
- How many extra miles and working hours does the job add?
- Are parking, tolls, waiting and extra handling allowed for?
- Is the payer, amount and payment date clear before acceptance?
An example: mileage alone does not tell the story
Illustration only: a return job offers £80 and adds 40 miles plus two hours. If you budget £20 for the extra vehicle costs and £30 for your time, £30 remains before other overheads and any applicable charges. Another hour waiting reduces that margin. These are example assumptions, not Drive It rates or an earnings forecast.
Compare that result with getting home earlier, serving a direct customer or avoiding a long detour. Empty miles are a cost, but an unsuitable load can cost more. Use your own measured costs when deciding what to accept.
Use Drive It to organise the work you choose
Review suitable Deliverate opportunities when they are available and decide whether they fit your route. Keep accepted work and your own bookings organised in Drive It with the stop details and customer instructions you need.
Update progress and complete proof of delivery for the correct stop. A return load deserves the same care and evidence as your first job of the day. Drive It does not guarantee a return load on any route, and this guide does not imply automatic matching or an integration with another exchange.
Build repeat journeys over time
Keep track of the routes, days and customers that work well for your business. When speaking with a repeat customer, be clear about the areas and collection times you can reliably cover. Predictable work can make return planning easier than accepting an unfamiliar job at the last minute.
Review your actual mileage and time after each run. Over several journeys you can see which detours and types of work are worthwhile, and which need a higher quote or a different schedule.