In an announcement made earlier this week DoorDash said it will be changing the way couriers are paid. The new payment system is part of the app's biggest update in a decade and lets couriers earn a guaranteed hourly rate including tips.

Couriers will be able access the new payment system through “Earn By Time,” which can only be enabled at the “start of every dash where Earn By Time is available.” As soon as an order is accepted, the hourly rate begins and only ends after it’s received by the customer. 

The new system differs from the previous, where couriers earned pay based on a range of factors like time it takes to deliver, distance traveled, and rating. While this is great news for Dashers, it won’t be a complete overhaul just yet, and not every order will have the option to use Earn By Time. Nevertheless, this could be the beginning of a new trend for food delivery services, as it comes on the heels of New York City announcing a minimum wage for their delivery drivers. 

Along with Earn By Time, DoorDash is adding a location-sharing feature. It will let couriers share their real-time location with five contacts. The company hopes it will increase safety and help alleviate any concerns that family or friends may have. It additionally includes a reminder for customers to turn on their porch light as an order is arriving and interestingly, an option for couriers to cancel orders without consequence if customers are being rude. 

While DoorDash hasn’t shared when the updates will be rolling out, the news itself was initially unveiled during this year’s Dash Forward 2023 product showcase, so you’ll probably see them popping up soon. Check out the video below to learn about additional updates coming to the app.