Delivery Driver Jobs in Stockton: DoorDash, Uber Eats, Instacart & More (2025 Pay Guide)

If you're thinking about doing delivery work in Stockton, Modesto, Tracy, or anywhere in the 209 — this guide breaks down exactly what you can expect to make, which apps pay best in our area, and how to maximize your earnings.

I've talked to dozens of drivers in the Central Valley about what actually works here. This isn't generic advice — it's specific to the 209.

Which Delivery Apps Work Best in the 209?

DoorDash

Best zones: Tracy, Mountain House, Downtown Stockton, UOP area, Modesto (near Vintage Faire)
Realistic pay: $15-25/hour active time ($12-18/hour including waiting)
Pros: Most orders, widest coverage, consistent work
Cons: Oversaturated in some areas, base pay has dropped
Best times: Lunch (11am-1pm), Dinner (5pm-9pm), Late night weekends

DoorDash is the default app in the 209. Most restaurants here use it, and you'll get the most consistent orders. But that also means more drivers competing for orders.

Uber Eats

Best zones: Same as DoorDash — Tracy pays highest per order
Realistic pay: $14-24/hour active time
Pros: Shows tip upfront in CA, can do Uber rides too, good promotions
Cons: Fewer orders than DoorDash in most 209 zones
Best times: Dinner rush, weekends, special promos (check app)

Uber Eats is the best second app to run alongside DoorDash. The combination covers most restaurants and gives you more orders to cherry-pick from.

Instacart

Best zones: Modesto (lots of grocery stores), Lodi, Tracy suburbs
Realistic pay: $15-30/hour (highly variable based on batches)
Pros: Higher pay per order, tips are often bigger, less driving
Cons: Shopping takes time, have to wait for good batches
Best times: Sunday mornings, Monday mornings, early in day for best batches

Instacart works different — you shop for people, then deliver. It pays better per batch but takes longer. Good for people who don't mind being in stores.

Amazon Flex

Stations: Tracy (multiple), Stockton, Manteca
Realistic pay: $18-25/hour (set rate per block)
Pros: Guaranteed pay for the block, no tipping uncertainty
Cons: Blocks are hard to get, routes can be brutal
Best times: Grab blocks 24-48 hours ahead, check at :00 and :30

Amazon Flex can be solid money if you can get blocks. The Tracy stations have the most availability. Some drivers use bots to grab blocks (technically against TOS but common).

Walmart Spark

Coverage: Stockton, Modesto, Tracy, Manteca Walmarts
Realistic pay: $16-28/hour
Pros: Less saturated than DoorDash, consistent orders, good incentives
Cons: Waiting at Walmart can be long, heavy groceries
Best times: Mornings for curbside, evenings for grocery delivery

Spark is underrated in the 209. Fewer drivers know about it, so there's less competition. The Stockton Walmarts on March Lane and Trinity Parkway are usually busy.

Realistic Earnings in the 209

Let's be honest about the numbers. Here's what drivers in the Central Valley actually make:

Scenario	Hours/Week	Gross Pay	After Expenses*
Casual (weekends only)	10-15	$200-400	$150-300
Part-time (evenings)	20-25	$400-600	$300-450
Full-time (multi-app pro)	40-50	$900-1,400	$650-1,000

*After gas, car maintenance, and self-employment tax set-aside. Doesn't include health insurance.

Best Zones in the 209

Tracy / Mountain House (Best Overall)

Highest tips in the area. More affluent customers, less competition than Bay Area, but close enough to get overflow demand. If you live in Tracy, you're in a good spot.

Downtown Stockton / UOP Area

Consistent dinner demand, especially around University of the Pacific when school is in session. Good restaurant density means less driving between orders.

Modesto (Vintage Faire / McHenry)

Solid middle-ground. More spread out than Stockton but steady orders. Instacart does particularly well here because of all the suburban grocery stores.

Lodi

Smaller market but less competition. Can be good for Instacart. Food delivery is hit or miss depending on time of day.

Manteca / Ripon

Growing area but orders are spread out. Best as overflow when Tracy is slow, not as a primary zone.

Multi-App Strategy (How to Make Real Money)

The drivers making $25+/hour in the 209 are all running multiple apps. Here's how to do it without screwing yourself:

Run DoorDash + Uber Eats simultaneously — Keep both apps on, take the best offer that comes up
Only accept orders worth your time — $1.50-2/mile minimum, or $6-7 minimum total. Decline the rest.
Pause one app when you accept an order — Don't stack orders from different apps unless you're sure you can make both on time
Add Instacart or Spark during slow periods — When food delivery is dead, grocery batches might be available
Track your acceptance rate on DoorDash — It doesn't affect your ability to dash, but too low and you won't get priority offers

The Real Costs (What They Don't Tell You)

Before you think you're making $25/hour, subtract these:

Gas: About $0.15-0.25 per mile in the 209 (varies with your car's MPG)
Car maintenance: More miles = more oil changes, tires, brakes. Budget $0.10-0.15/mile
Self-employment tax: You owe 15.3% for Social Security/Medicare, plus income tax
No benefits: No health insurance, no retirement matching, no PTO
Car insurance: Some policies don't cover commercial delivery — check yours

Rule of thumb: Take your gross earnings and multiply by 0.65-0.75 for your actual take-home after expenses and taxes.

Requirements to Get Started

Every delivery app has slightly different requirements, but here's the general checklist:

Valid driver's license (at least 1-2 years old for some apps)
Car insurance in your name
Reliable vehicle (most apps have age limits, typically 15-20 years old max)
Smartphone (iPhone or Android)
Clean background check (no major violations in 7 years)
Social Security number for tax purposes
Bank account for direct deposit

Pro Tips from 209 Drivers

"Don't chase promos" — If there's a $3 peak pay bonus, every driver is out. You might make more on a regular night with less competition.
"Learn the restaurants" — Know which places are fast and which are always 15 minutes late. Avoid the slow ones.
"Costco Instacart is a trap" — Looks like good pay but takes forever and the parking lot is chaos.
"I-5 corridor is gold" — Deliveries along the I-5 from Stockton to Tracy can stack nicely because restaurants cluster near exits.
"Cash out weekly" — Don't let money sit in the app. Cash flow matters.

When Delivery Driving Isn't Worth It

Real talk: gig delivery works great for some people and terrible for others. Consider a traditional job if:

Your car gets less than 25 MPG (gas will eat your profits)
You need health insurance (ACA marketplace costs $200-500/month)
Your car is on a loan (added miles = faster depreciation = underwater on your loan)
You need consistent, predictable income for rent/bills
You're working 40+ hours already — at that point, a W-2 job often pays better

The Central Valley has a lot of full-time jobs that pay $18-25/hour WITH benefits. If you're doing delivery as your main income, compare the total package.

Getting Started Today

Sign up for DoorDash first — Fastest approval, most orders
Add Uber Eats while waiting — Run both for better order selection
Download Stride app — Track your mileage automatically for tax deductions
Do your first 10 deliveries to learn the flow — Accept most offers at first to learn the area
Then get picky — Once you know the good zones and restaurants, only take profitable orders

Questions about delivery work in the 209? Email us: hello@209.works