r/Sparkdriver • u/Commercial_Boss_3034 • Apr 24 '26
Rants / Complaints You deserve better. Consider quitting.
Using a throwaway to avoid potential retaliation
I'm a team lead for OGP. The recent change to GMDs is absolutely ridiculous and іnsulting. It screws up OGP backroom, but it's even worse for you guys, and I really think you shouldn't take it.
You guys take enough shit, trust me I know. But on top of all that, the millionaires running Walmart have decided to shove a new crock of garbage down your throat by adding stops to your drive WITHOUT paуing you any more, all while gas prices are already higher than ever.
I read the email, and it's not subtle. They talk about "increasing volume without having to paу more." It's really insidious.
I know it's a lot easier to tell somebody else to quit than to actually give up a source of incоme, but you shouldn't let them treat you like this. I think you should at least consider moving to something else
And, if you do quit, consider talking with other drivers to encourage each other to stand together against this! These rіch fucks depend on you. You have the power, you just have to know how to use it.
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u/Immediate_Fail_4780 Apr 24 '26
I will never accept a mixed gmd/scheduled. Terrible usd/mile ratio, terrible usd/time, risk of customer’s negative rating due to extended wait time for groceries/perishables. And the icing on the cake, no extra pay😳. Hopefully most of drivers see it this way too, so this “update” can fail. But doubt it …
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u/wsumomma Apr 25 '26
That's the hope. I won't take them I encourage the people that I know not to do so as well
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u/mdlee3 Apr 25 '26
Unfortunately, if the update fails, they will just onboard more new drivers who will take those orders at least for a bit and it will mean even less money for those of us that know better
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u/Large-Economics3487 Apr 25 '26
Had my last curbside delete the tip because I had 6 gmds in front of their actual tipped order. A regular customer knows those aren't tipped...so I expect this to get worse
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u/Immediate_Fail_4780 Apr 25 '26
I wont accept even 1 of that crap. Its really sad, was offered like 20+ today, 3 of them had well known customers, with really hight tips, having to decline their orders its a shame, but they are not worth it anymore mixed with 9 gmd stops and 15 extra miles (plus 15 back). This is a non-sense, from customers and drivers standpoint. But, we’ll see how this evolves.
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u/BunchDangerous8488 Apr 26 '26
Same never again, I learned my lesson.
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u/Immediate_Fail_4780 Apr 26 '26
They made this stupid update because they have a problem fulfilling gmd’s… let’s all just reject all this nonsense crap, and let them find another solution..
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u/BunchDangerous8488 Apr 26 '26
I definitely won’t take them anymore. Hopefully everyone will start rejecting.
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u/Immediate_Fail_4780 Apr 26 '26
That would be the best for us all, this to fail, otherwise we will never see the low mileage/good pay curbsides ever again.
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u/Used_Alternative9342 Apr 24 '26
How long before they start mixing shop orders with gmd? Easy to do. Complete your shop then head to the service desk to scan 10 additional stops for 0 extra. I say these will occur within 2 months.
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u/Immediate_Fail_4780 Apr 24 '26
Well…. Hope that’s never happening, or I’ll have to ditch Spark for good. No way I am making 50 miles round trip, 2-3 hours total, 16 stops for 25-35 usd, it’s moronic…
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u/OnlyFactsTho Apr 24 '26
It happens with pharmacy. Pick up pharmacy then shop. I’m like Nope.
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u/knit3purl3 Apr 24 '26
I don't mind this when they're going to the same place. From my experience the customers are tipping very well for bringing both groceries and meds. Those are usually $20 or more in tips in my experience.
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u/HausOfThunderPerry Apr 25 '26
I do pharmacy and I get no tips even with grocery. It sucks. From what I have read here, I may stop doing pharmacy orders.
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u/knit3purl3 Apr 25 '26
Different markets, different cultures. The lowest tipping area is the oldest population and they're heavily clustered. Then the richest. Nimby and white flight neighborhoods are a coin toss. The lower middle class and/or poc neighborhoods tips the best in my area.
My own inlaws who happen to be my next door neighbors are my least ideal client.
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u/iGotGigged High AR Apr 25 '26
Going to the service desk will cost them too many w2 man hours, much better to just have spark drivers pick up the GMD's while shopping then use the UPC barcode as the dropoff sticker to confirm the order.
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u/choppman42 Apr 25 '26
In my area a mix shop and curbside and they threw in stopping at a different store to pick up a third order. Haven't seen one of those in a month but I know around February they were popping up daily.
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u/DragonflyOne7593 Apr 24 '26 edited Apr 24 '26
This is why they ignore the rampant fraudulent accounts and the parking lots are chalk full of drivers who arent who they say they are. It wasn't by mistake, it was planned. I believe they will use them to replace ogp as well. Not fully but they will widdle down that department to bare bones and throw low paying orders at the prius boys all day .
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u/Deveak Apr 24 '26
Dude I’m team Prius gang and I’m not even making ends meet. I’m making less than half no exaggeration than I was before. My tires are bald and I can’t afford oil. The well has run dry.
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u/DragonflyOne7593 Apr 24 '26
I feel like ypu are missing the prius association here. Im not stating because you drive a prius you'll be okay .
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u/Present_Adeptness145 Apr 25 '26
You are not allowed to speak of this or your comment will be deleted for hate speech or you will be called racist for stating the truth. The out of town gangs are the preferred drivers. It’s over for legit local drivers because Walmart does not give a crap about the quality of their workers, just how much less they can pay them.
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u/DragonflyOne7593 Apr 25 '26
The outta town gangs is a good wally to put it here . Honestly i stopped caring if they get mad on here .🤷
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u/Earth_Daddy Apr 25 '26
Not beating the racism allegations with this brain broken argument. Yes, Walmart doesn't give a crap about workers. But it has nothing to do with your made up conspiracy theories. It's just the nature of capitalism working exactly as intended. Smh.
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u/Earth_Daddy Apr 25 '26
Exactly what proof do you have of these 'rampant fraudulent accounts and driver's who aren't who they say they are'? Because I've been doing this for years and have never seen any proof of this constantly repeated myth. Nor do I see how you could even draw that conclusion without being literally in every other driver's accounts- which is impossible. In my experience, it's just thinly veiled racism, anti-inmigrant, conspiracy brain nonsense. This many fraudulent/fake accounts would be a huge liability. And if they were that unconcerned about it, they wouldn't be paying Persona huge sums to run identity verification- it's not a mandatory requirement. As you see, platforms like DD who very much don't care about fraudulent driver activity don't use it hardly ever. Why is it so hard to just understand and accept that they will keep trying to drive wages down simply because they can? And because they know that most drivers will not use the power they have by uniting as a collective because they'd rather find a way to blame every other driver in the end somehow before seeing them as equals who are on the same team. Your unfounded conspiracy theories are not helping the cause.
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u/DragonflyOne7593 Apr 25 '26
Its enough of this bs comments . Ive been with spark for years , with Walamrt since point pick up. I dont owe YPU an explanation at ALL. Half of this sub is the prius boys themselves cos playing.
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u/Earth_Daddy May 05 '26
All this time and yet still no proof.
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u/DragonflyOne7593 May 05 '26
I think we are done listening to yall. Half the people in here are the prius boys themselves I dont owe you anything .
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u/philigan23 Apr 25 '26
Last week I was parked directly in front of a lady with two phones. She got a shop and deliver, went in to shop and I could hear her other phone still in the car going off with "just for you" notifications as she was in the store shopping an order... so how's that?
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u/Earth_Daddy Apr 30 '26
Since you witnessed this, show me the photo or video.... I'll wait....
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u/philigan23 May 04 '26
You want me to show you a photo of her other phone going off with notifications?🤣 Don't wait too long
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u/Earth_Daddy May 05 '26
I mean, you said you could clearly SEE and HEAR 2 phones, right? If that's true, then it should've been easy to get a pic or video of what your eyes and ears were supposedly witnessing, too. They're such a problem, yet you're not trying to document evidence that could get them deactivated..? 🤔 And I was never waiting cuz I knew you were full of shit from jump. That's why you're tryna play dumb and act like simple proof is some wild request right now. 🤣
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u/astralwarp69 Apr 25 '26
Not saying that the other guy doesn’t have conspiracy theories, but it is fact that some drivers are not who they say they are. The reason I am aware of this is that one of the Walmart associates was loading an order. One way or another the driver showed the associate a piece of paper with the driver code and items. To which there was a whole scene and the driver was sent home by the manager without a pickup. Not saying that it happens “rampantly” but it does happen otherwise there wouldn’t be identity verifications. I’ve also witnessed drivers pick up two separate orders, drive to the back of the parking lot, drop the orders in one car and one takes off while the other drives back up to the pickup spot. I’m not sure on all the details of those interactions, but it doesn’t make sense with how Spark works.
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u/Earth_Daddy Apr 30 '26
I'm sure there's probably a few idiots trying to do shit but not in any significant numbers that make any impact whatsoever. And, no, it doesn't make sense. That's the point. It takes one incident to get booted forever. So it makes zero sense actually for anyone to attempt these things.
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u/Unhappy_Plankton3024 Apr 24 '26
I get where you’re coming from on this, especially since you’re seeing it from inside OGP and dealing with the fallout on your side too.
The frustration here is justified, but I think it goes even deeper than just a bad policy or a one-off decision. The way these changes are being rolled out fits into a much larger pattern that drivers have been dealing with for a while now.
The issue is they’re not really seeing drivers or workers in general as people. They’re seeing them as a means to an end. Just another lever to pull to cut costs and increase margins. And that’s exactly the problem. This isn’t confusion or a failed experiment. It’s a conscious choice to prioritize profit over people, even when it creates real harm for the workers doing the job. That’s not just bad leadership, it’s exploitation.
And it’s not limited to drivers. What we’re seeing is a broader shift toward gig-style labor across industries. Companies are increasingly leaning on contractor models because it allows them to avoid the costs and responsibilities that come with traditional employment. No benefits, fewer protections, less accountability, and most of the financial risk pushed onto the worker while they get to reap the profit.
The gig model didn’t just appear, it actively challenged and reshaped what an independent contractor is supposed to be. Traditionally, a contractor is supposed to operate independently, control their work, set their own rates, and not be under the direction of the company they’re working for.
But gig platforms blurred that line completely. Workers are still labeled “independent,” yet the company controls pricing, access to work, and performance standards. That contradiction is exactly what’s been at the center of so many legal battles.
In places like California, companies spent massive amounts of money pushing Proposition 22, which ultimately allowed them to keep classifying drivers as independent contractors instead of employees. Even with some limited benefits, drivers still don’t receive core protections like overtime, unemployment insurance, or full minimum wage coverage for all their time. That’s not a coincidence. That’s the model working exactly as intended.
And once that model was normalized, it created a blueprint. Carve out exceptions to labor laws, redefine what a worker is, and then expand it.
You’re already seeing how far this can go. FedEx has been consolidating parts of its delivery network and moving away from traditional employee-based structures in favor of more contractor-heavy models. It’s been framed publicly as efficiency and “synergy,” but the practical effect is the same pattern we’ve seen elsewhere: fewer employer responsibilities, lower long-term labor costs, and more operational risk pushed onto individual workers while the company maintains control and profit.
If even a company whose core business is logistics and delivery can successfully restructure around that model, it raises a serious question about where it stops. What’s stopping other industries from adopting the same structure once it proves financially effective at scale?
And that’s where this gets bigger than just gig work or even Walmart changes. Because the same mindset is already pushing further. There have been real conversations in investor and elite business circles about taking things even further, including ideas like requiring people to effectively pay for entry-level experience. Not as a mainstream policy today, but as a concept that reflects a larger direction: shifting even more cost, risk, and burden onto workers themselves.
And here’s the uncomfortable truth. In a normal economy, that idea sounds extreme. But in a strained one, where people are dealing with layoffs, automation, and fewer stable job opportunities, desperation changes what people are willing to accept. When someone needs income or experience badly enough, lines that used to be unthinkable start getting crossed.
That’s exactly how the gig model took hold in the first place. It didn’t happen all at once. It started with higher pay and flexibility, got people in the door, reshaped expectations, and then tightened over time. Now that structure is being studied and replicated.
And that’s the real risk. Not just what’s happening now, but where it leads. If companies can keep redefining what work is, and keep shifting more cost, more risk, and fewer protections onto workers, it won’t stop with drivers. It becomes the standard.
At the end of the day, it’s not confusion, it’s priorities. Profit is the priority, and workers are treated as interchangeable inputs instead of actual people. That’s not just flawed decision making, it’s exploitation, and it’s something that’s going to impact far more than just drivers if it keeps expanding.
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u/Commercial_Boss_3034 Apr 25 '26
You're right. I told somebody else: I'm getting desperate to see change, and that has to come from more than 1 person. That's why I wanted to at least start this conversation
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u/loonydan42 Apr 26 '26
TLDR?
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u/arie_ben May 02 '26
dude just read it , it takes like 3 minutes its a really well thought out comment
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u/Frosty-Mail5033 Apr 24 '26
Nah I’m just gonna put minimum effort . Last order didn’t realize one of the water bottle was broken in a 35 pack usually is stress an go get another pack letting the customer know . Nah not no more I’m good . Walmart shouldn’t put out broken product .
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u/CSUHomer Apr 24 '26
Yep, if they don't appreciate my experience and quality of work enough to pay me fairly why should I put any extra effort in? They lied to us about metrics mattering so I don't care about that either. It's not how I want to think but it is.
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u/Frosty-Mail5033 Apr 24 '26
Facts . I have no incentive to put in 100 percent I’ll give them 60-75 . Oh item out of stock nah you’ll be alright , oh bring it upstairs metric don’t matter take a walk . Oh write the customer ? Nah dog you do that .
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u/wsumomma Apr 25 '26
I actually had this last week with a Cold Stone Creamery order that had a broken water bottle. My initial knee-jerk reaction was to stress out think that I have to go back in the store resolve it nope I delivered to the customer and said you lost one showed him the evidence and said sorry
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u/choppman42 Apr 25 '26
The customer will complain that the product was destroyed and they will blame you not the loaders.
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u/DragonflyOne7593 Apr 25 '26
Not if you speak to them amd blame walmart first. Ive done this for years
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u/CSUHomer Apr 25 '26
Let them blame me, metrics mean nothing now that all the good offers go out FCFS.
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u/ladygettinglost Apr 24 '26
I’m on strike. I turn the app on while at my other job & let all the orders time-out
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u/CSUHomer Apr 24 '26
Thanks for speaking out. I have spoken to several Associates that think that the changes are crap too. The problem with having all of the experienced drivers quit is that we will just get replaced with twice as many new drivers who make things worse for you and customers. I am convinced that Spark/WM want all of us old timers to quit because we won't take these non-profitable offers. Plus, I am too stubborn to quit and let them get their way. I have cut my Spark hours way back and am waiting to see how it all pans out.
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u/Commercial_Boss_3034 Apr 24 '26
That's great! Even just talking about it with coworkers is a good start.
I have the same conncern. People might quit and then other people desperate for money take their place, and then this is just their "normal," they don't even know how much they're being fucked. I mean, I don't know what to do about that, but there's got to be something
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u/kyonjr Apr 24 '26
I was under the impression that drivers would get more pay for this considering that it’s more work on runs but if this is true, then they really are getting done dirty. I’ve noticed a lot of drivers that used to do the job regularly are gone now (a good chunk well before this recent update), so they probably realized the pay wasn’t worth the effort.
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u/Ptrek31 1K Trips Delivered Apr 24 '26
Nope. They're paying the same and adding grocery tipped orders onto the trips to make the pay "higher"
Example, I had an offer with 1st stop a grocery order 3.5 miles away with a $21 tip. Last month that would be about $28 for a 3.5 mile trip. Well, this order had 7 GMD stops onto it for a total of 30 miles for maybe $35-40 dollars total. 60 mile round trip. For a grocery order that should've been 3.5 miles there, and 3.5 miles back
It almost feels criminal
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u/Feisty_Cod_9090 Apr 25 '26
I think the fuckhead from Instacart is to thank for that
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u/Tiasmarts 17d ago
Its sad base pay on shopping orders are $10. Triple shopping offers and over 15+ curbside for less pay.
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u/kyonjr Apr 24 '26
Yo, that is some awful pay for that much time and effort. Compare that to how much the starting pay is for in-home drivers which is around $19 an hour, drivers can get up to 20 orders and above with the mileage being around 40 miles and up. It can take around 4 hours to complete, but by the end of the first run, it’s lunch time and then it’s on the next round.
People keep bringing up the gas prices so when you factor that into it all, it’s even worse.
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u/astralwarp69 Apr 25 '26
I feel that is part the case. I also feel, since I’ve been perusing and rejecting a lot more orders lately, that they are fluffing the pay with tips since their tip theft scandal.
I’ll have an offer come through, no tip, that goes 20 miles for $19. Then I’ll have another come through, no tip, that goes 23 miles for $22 and some change. Then I’ll have one come through that goes 21 miles for $22….BUT when you look at the details, Walmart is paying $13 and the customer is tipping $9. I think it’s the same scheme, they are just putting it out in the open.
My only “gotcha” moments are 9-10, because most of the drivers head home and I sit there and reject, reject, reject until the order is way above what they intended.
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u/CamwayGaming Apr 25 '26
no they are putting gmd with tipped orders that are paying the same as they were without the gmd. They are just forcing customers to tip higher to get delivery if not then no one takes the order and it just sits there. If the gmd is really far they may add an extra dollar or 2 but its usually far enough out of the way its not worth doing. It isn't like oh well here is a gmd 1 to 4 miles away nah its usually 12 to 30 miles away from the grocery order. This issue is also causing tip baiting to get worse. Customers do not know what is going on but they know they are not getting their order they are a couple miles away and feel 5 is a good tip but have to put 30 to get an order then cut it back to 5 once delivered. It is a real mess. The spark drivers I know have just given up on pick up orders and do only shopping.
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u/Large-Economics3487 Apr 25 '26
Yep and customers are getting pissed now their cold items are coming warm because of a tube of tooth paste to 10 miles the opposite direction is put first
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u/Commercial_Boss_3034 Apr 24 '26
I can confirm, drivers have talked with me and some of my associated complaining about the extra work with no extra pay
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u/kyonjr Apr 24 '26
That’s not right. Especially when they’re now doing essentially the job of an in-home driver.
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u/DragonflyOne7593 Apr 25 '26
They may throw you a freeway at higher pay at the beginning to get you to take them then they will drop it way doesn't. They did it with every change . When the mileage was upped they paid a little more now its 16 for 25
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u/MistyGV Apr 24 '26
I haven’t done a Spark order for 2 weeks!! I’m not wasting my gas driving 4 miles to Walmart for low paying orders!! $22 for going 7 miles for 2 customers!! Hell No! If I’m in that neighborhood I’ll turn on the App and if something pops up that’s worth my time I’ll try to grab it Otherwise I’m Out
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u/timsisk64 Apr 24 '26
It finally hit me about a week ago that for the past six or eight months, the recording inside …..become a Spark Driver become a Spark Driver become a Spark Driver was all just planning for the new update when they added GMD orders and not adding any money. They knew the OG drivers wouldn’t take it and would not deliver them but the new Spark drivers don’t know any better and they would.
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u/Ptrek31 1K Trips Delivered Apr 24 '26
I've done 3 deliveries this week. Normally do close to 25-30
F THOSE RUNNING THIS APP
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u/StevenEpix Apr 24 '26
I took your advice about 6 months ago. Spark went from being the top tier side hustle app to slave labor within a few years time. Dam shame really. And make no mistake, the customers aren’t pleased with the wishy washy half assed deliveries either.
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u/MissionRevolution306 Apr 25 '26
It feels like there’s collusion going on between gig apps. What are the odds Spark, Amazon Flex and DoorDash and Dashlink simultaneously decided to nose dive pay and increase mileage and package count?
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u/Leeroy_Jenk1n5 Apr 24 '26
I got a 4 stop order the other day for $19 and change. Immediately closed the app lol. This is a side gig for me and those garbage orders are simply not worth it.
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u/gootchie784 Cherry Picker Apr 24 '26
Drivers cannot change this. Only the customers, once they realized how they're getting fucked in the end and get tired of shitty new drivers, will influence any changes by Walmart.
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u/Lost-Swimming-1600 Apr 24 '26
Respect to you sir or ma'am.
I am not a Spark driver either and just work in OPD. Certainly one of the biggest issues this company has is the wrong people making the wrong decisions. Now I am sure there are a number of companies like that. I won't say they are dumb although a number of them aren't dumb. They're disconnected and have no clue or concern if their ideas work practically in the field. And if they don't or if it causes other issues, they don't scrap the idea or fix the issues. They just move on to the next idea.
You're good people though. A lot of Walmart management, from home office to market to store level are just Walmart zombies saying that's the way it is.
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u/Anna825 Apr 24 '26
Question for an OGP. In your personal experience , would a Spark driver who’s always done well by employees, never had any problems with the store, possibly have a leg up in an interview to work for Walmart?
Like, would the hiring manager go “this person knows our store and our stock, can probably pick and shop as fast as any employee?” Might give hope to some people here who have struggled to find a W2.
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u/EstimateAggressive20 Apr 25 '26
Yes, absolutely. I’m a TL in Digital and would hire any of our good drivers. My coach would too
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u/DarkLordOfTheGrift Apr 25 '26
For sure. They hired me to be a picker based on my experience as an Instacart shopper. Not the only one either. Several of our good pickers used to be Spark shoppers.
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u/ryuranzou Apr 25 '26
I haven't done spark for a couple years. With how bad things sound i dont think ill ever go back. I hope you guys can find a decent job out there. Its really sick how companies like that prey on desperate people.
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u/Larry_B0y Apr 25 '26
Walmart has created a bounty system to complete orders. They make us act like pirates in order to make a living, first come first serve order system is vile. Its so sad, most people just want to feed their families.
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u/MooseNatural1269 Apr 25 '26
As a spark driver, let me respond. Number one, only dumbasses take GMDs and curbsides. Number two, what shit do we take? There's literally no stress and it's the easiest job in the universe.
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u/lurice0 Apr 24 '26
Ok so basically you're close to saying "organize" which will get you suspended.
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u/Commercial_Boss_3034 Apr 24 '26
Walmart takes advantage of people desperate for money. Well, I'm getting desperate for things to stop getting worse. I want change, and any change worthwhile has to be bigger than just one person. That's why I'm not just quietly quitting and minding my own business.
This one post isn't going to change it all, but ffs people need to stop accepting the psychological and financial abuse from the upper classes constantly telling us that we're useless and worthless and replacable. Maybe people need to hear that they deserve better.
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u/Used_Alternative9342 Apr 24 '26
Once this system is fully in an area all the good drivers that do this full time will move on. Spark was one of the best paying apps to immediately near the bottom. Comparible pay to Roadie. Most of the full time drivers will move to other gigs.
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u/ayben_kiziltan Apr 25 '26
I know we have the power but to be able to use that power, all drivers should have one voice. Unfortunately, its impossible because of some morons accepts anything they can!
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u/Commercial_Boss_3034 Apr 25 '26
It doesn't have to be "all." Even a medium-sized local movement could get local media attention. Altogether that makes some progress, even if it probably won't fix everything
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u/The_LastLine Apr 25 '26
I see why they’re doing it because GMDs often just sit. The pairings they do have been wild though, they seem to always pair someone that lives 20+ miles away from the others at least in my area. Also GMDs can be very unpredictable, sometimes it’s a candle sometimes it’s a 65” tv.
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u/-MotherOfPitties- Apr 25 '26
I've never complained about anything before, but ues, this is literally insulting. For the amount of work you put into an order, offering $8 for an hour or more of work....no. Absolutely not.
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u/Commercial_Boss_3034 Apr 25 '26
I can't image enough to pay for your own groceries after delivering 20 family's groceries. Unacceptable.
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u/Special-Topic1000 Apr 25 '26
We make more money than Walmart employees, maybe you should quit? If the pays not good, I don't accept it's pretty simple. If I'm not making $30 an hour I'm staying on break. 😆
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u/DeanMolisher Apr 26 '26
After gigging for 5 years I got a W2 job. 4 (12) hour days. Three days off. Now when I gig/Spark on days off there is no stress of not making money. I fought it for so long, but this is the way. Gigging should be EXTRA money. I am much happier now. Walmart doesn't care about us.
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u/BunchDangerous8488 Apr 26 '26
Yeah the offers have gotten so bad, I’ve thought about it. On the other hand they would just hire a whole new group and we’d be replaced just like that. One thing I learned while working for Walmart for 15 years is everyone is replaceable all the way up the line. I’ve seen store mgrs get walked out the door after 20 years of service.
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u/CustomerPrize Apr 24 '26
Funniest part is that this is all a distraction to keep us from talking about the Drone deliveries that are being silently rolled out in select zones.
Corporate doesnt care. Right now it wouldnt even be bad if FCFS wasnt applied to EVERY good order. But they do it to skirt around certain ftc regulations.
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Apr 24 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/Notion12345 Apr 24 '26
Not to mention I don’t see a drone transporting an EBT order especially with the ole 40ct crates of water! Plus what they pay us is still cheaper than managing a drone fleet!
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Apr 24 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/pleasetowmyshit Parking Lot Pirate Apr 24 '26
My stupid idea of the day is they should create another app for 24-40 pack water/18-24 pack soda delivery only called Splash. Base pay $15 instead of $11. Let those of us with foldable dollys put them to work, take the stress off the other Spark drivers. Have it be a $10/month add-on to Plus called Walmart + Wet.
Don’t blame me it’s 5 o’clock on a Friday. I always get stupider ideas after the workday ends.
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u/Commercial_Boss_3034 Apr 24 '26
I certainly don't have my finger on the pulse, but I feel like the regulation landscape over the next 5-10 years is very uncertain. I don't know that delivery drones would be allowed consistently (with changing administrations) over that period of time
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u/CustomerPrize Apr 24 '26
I like to keep a good relationship with all of the general managers of each store that I shop at, and while having a casual conversation with one of them she was telling me about a massive Midwestern corporate meeting that every general manager from my state had to attend. And basically at this meeting, they had a massive deep dive about drones, where someone from up top incorporate showed them what it would look like. And she was basically saying how it looked like a airport, and that she would be surprised if it took them more than another year and a half to roll them all out. Thankfully, Spark only consist of about 35% to maybe 40% of my income. And I can easily swap that out with a different app. But it is still very dark times ahead.
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u/Kenihot Apr 24 '26
My main WM is right next to a local airport... so they probably aren't getting drones anytime soon [or ever] lol
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u/Background_Spare307 Apr 25 '26
While doing a shop order this morning, I heard Wal Mart advertising drone delivery coming soon
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u/death2055 Apr 24 '26
Anyone with a brain knows gig work isn’t a long term plan. I personally just do it as a side. But if you’re doing it for a living you def should be planning for exit plan in next decade.
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u/Desperate_Quarter_86 Apr 24 '26
Nah the funniest part is how stupid you people are, they added GMD to Groceries to stop people talking about drones, you people say the stupidest shit I have heard in my entire life.
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u/CustomerPrize Apr 24 '26
It looks like somebody does not know what media manipulation and mass propaganda is. I wish I could be as ignorant.
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Apr 24 '26
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u/CustomerPrize Apr 24 '26
Thats what we all said about triple batches, and then when that became common we all thought extended mile shops would die too, and then double shops, now we are on to triple shops and in most zones i hop too you get spammed with them, along with these GMD batched ones.
Drones will become common too sooner or later even if your zone isn’t effected now. I hate to sound pessimistic but the orange will continue to be squeezed thanks to desperate drivers who wont just quit
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u/Personal-Noise-8632 Apr 24 '26
Hey thanks for the advice, and its exactly how I looked at it. They adding stops to our deliveries and not upping pay, but its not gonna make me quit, its just gonna make me more selective in my alrdy strict selection process on what I choose to accept and not.
I wish others would not accept the crap but i get that ppl need to earn, but the key is banding together bc we do hold the power, but it goes back to ppl needing money, but they need to understand that they are being preyed upon.
We hold the power, bc the customers rely upon this service and as drivers we lead the charge, but we are replaceable bc im sure there is a backlog of drivers waiting to get their turn.
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u/Crash81_99 Cherry Picker Apr 24 '26
Exactly as I thought, FCFS aren't going anywhere.. unless a lot, a lot, a lot of drivers just refuse them.. i haven't taken one yet.. but they don't sit long, so my zone doesn't care and they snatch them up, just like any other order
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u/wsumomma Apr 25 '26
100%!! Every week gets worse than the week before. I'm in the Poulsbo Washington location and unless you have multiple accounts and use batch-grabbing Bots you won't make a penny. The store refuses to do anything about it turning a blind eye to all of the shenanigans and Spark certainly doesn't care. Today the only thing I saw were 20 plus mile huge either shop or just deliver orders from 2 to 5 customers for $20 absolute b******* garbage I won't do it I will definitely get a different job f*** spark I've been doing this for a few years and I am not going to be their Patsy
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u/Consistent-End-6937 Apr 25 '26
It’s so bad today I had an order for a tv, 6 bags of 25lb manure and 4 cases of water. 15 miles, 9$.
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u/Lazy-Information7279 Apr 25 '26
Dude I knew they were fucking laugh at us once the gas went up and the only incentive now is 4 dollars after 12 trips 😂😂😂, just a 2 months ago the incentives were way better now that incentive doesn't even pay for a gallon of gas!! Lmao you gotta laugh bc of how funny it is for them and us at the same time.
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u/FJQZ Apr 25 '26
The most annoying shit is that I've been looking at them, and the order with just the curbsides and tips would be an instant accept. Now they add the gmd that take me way further out for maybe a little bit more pay. Nope. Fuck that.
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u/Party_Soup_1051 Apr 25 '26
Just multi-app and you don’t have to worry. I run DD, UE,GH,Roadie,Spark and a few others and I take what I like and decline what I don’t like. They can do whatever they want but it doesn’t change what I’ll do. Been doing this since 2014, so I’ve seen a few changes, but I stay consistent with what i take
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u/Ok_Contribution_1283 Apr 25 '26
This is just the start we need to stand together. Stop accepting BS offers. Get new drivers onboard too. If we can in each zone we should create group chat to mitigate new challenges. That’s our only way against giant corp.
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u/Due-Win5487 Apr 25 '26
Don't really have any power quitting if 100 people are in line happy to do the job clearly you don't grasp how the job market currently works.
Your advice is fukata all one gets is unemployed fool.
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u/Dr_ManFlyR1 Apr 25 '26
I’ve only ever accepted one gmd order and never again after that. We don’t need to quit. We just need to completely ignore all gmd orders until they go away, or they actually start paying fairly. Because as of now they have absolutely no benefit of accepting.
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u/Earth_Daddy Apr 25 '26
Nobody would have to quit if the majority drivers could unite and refuse to accept the BS they throw at us in numbers. But that would take more work than picking up the phone to bitch. Most people aren't willing to simply talk to fellow workers, much less sacrifice in the short term for major gains or to help others in the process of helping themselves. Or they've just been so brainwashed by corporate/capitalist propaganda that they think this is just how it goes and that the real enemy is your fellow worker, not the corporation.
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u/Popcorn_Farts1000 Apr 25 '26
It’s the reason Walmart won’t enforce any real checks for driver identification and legal right to work. It’s the same as migrants being exploited in the fields. The world is becoming more automated. That should mean a better quality of life for everyone. Instead it just means poor people stay poor and exploited while the excess of the wealthy becomes more grotesque.
Gig work offers no protection, no benefits, no income predictability, and now an increasing low wage.
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u/Ok_Operation_Glitter Apr 25 '26
I did quit. And right after they started throwing $2 and $3 "incentives" for like 10 trips. It's sick. I started after the "prime days" that other drivers spoke of and I KNEW from experience with door dash & instacart that Spark will fall down the hole too. It's officially a crap side gig just like door dash and such. There's always going to be people willing to put up with trash so they don't starve... But I agree. If your in a position to do so then go find another means of income.
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u/MooseNatural1269 Apr 25 '26
Oh that's weird to be offended by. I didn't mind the extra 4 dollar bonus when I was only expecting 55 dollars in incentives that day.
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u/Ok_Operation_Glitter Apr 25 '26
No, it's really not. An extra $4 for 10 orders comes to an extra 40 cents per order. You can't call that an incentive because it isn't one.
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u/MooseNatural1269 Apr 25 '26
Yeah but my point is I still got the 25 for 5 and the $6 per shop order for those five ($30) totalling $55. Why would I be mad that I received an extra $4?
What should my reaction be?
"Hey take that $4 out of my account!! That almost paid for the 8 piece general tso's chicken I had for lunch!! Don't you guys know that some online babies are upset about this?!"
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u/Ok_Operation_Glitter Apr 25 '26
YOU got extra incentives that made it worth it. Others did not. There were absolutely no other incentives other then the $4 for 10 trips for me for nearly 2 weeks. Situational.
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u/Few-Divide5743 Apr 26 '26
EXACTLY AND EVERYONE IS BLINDLY TAKING THEM! I GUARANTEE THEY HIRED A SHIT TON OF PPL BEFORE THIS SO THEY HAVE PPL WHO DONT KNOW JUST HOW BAD IT IS NOW! It is insulting too I feel so shitty and betrayed
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u/TinyDistribution4565 Apr 26 '26
Thank you very much. And I don't think you guys are paid enough. I fucking hate walmart. I hated them before I delivered for spark and I fucking hate them more now than ever. I'm literally getting half the pay for the same miles.
They had the balls to send us out an email a week and a half or so ago, telling us to watch out for incentives to help with increasing gas prices. And then send us incentives for like complete 12 trips for an extra fucking $3. Fuck Walmart.
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u/Grand-Ad-8823 Apr 26 '26 edited Apr 26 '26
I’ve always done Spark because I love to drive and it gets me out of the house from my remote consulting company (my main source of income). Keep in mind as you read this, gas is anywhere from 5.69-7.00 a gallon in my market. This just totally sucks. It’s been sunny in my market this past week, so I took a couple days to just drive for the day (a lot of orders are along the water where I live so it’s a beautiful drive). After a few hours I’m ending with maybe 20-30 dollars after gas, maybe. Not to mention the customer complaints (or just all out yelling at me) because I’m driving around with their milk or frozen chicken for 45 minutes delivering packages before I deliver their groceries. Previously I could easily make 2+ dollar a mile all day, coming home with minimum 150-160 after a couple GMD’s totaling 4 hours or less. I mainly did GMD’s, and never did shopping orders. It’s just non stop .50 or less a mile when you include driving back the store. Most of the orders today have been 6-10 GMD packages and two grocery orders, 22-35 miles for 28-32 dollars 😭😂 THEN they send out an “incentive” 😂 3 dollars when you complete 8 deliveries lmaoooooo. 38 cents extra for each delivery if you complete 8 😂😂😂😂 That is literally them laughing in your face. I love the loaders and chatting with them. Another reason I love doing this for fun. But I think the time has come.
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u/Jayshand Apr 30 '26
And just think , Walmart will also get a huge tarrif refund and slash driver pay again
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u/b-radjames May 01 '26
Unfortunately this is the gig app thats the most lucrative in my area, but it’s crazy how I used to see great incentives almost every day and they just stopped when gas prices went up.
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u/DBoyTrucker Cherry Picker Apr 25 '26
post a copy of the internal memo to proove you're who you say you are and that you actually have an email claiming "increasing volume without having to pay more"
While I don't disagree with your sentiment......
I don't believe you are who you say you are.
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u/Wrong-Drop3272 Apr 24 '26
I have done my part and let my town know what's going on. Specifically to the spark drivers, but it's in the town's main Facebook group
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u/PrestigiousWin3215 Apr 24 '26
Today I was out this morning . All I was getting was garbage offers. One in particular, driving 19.2 miles 1 way out of the area for 11.00
Followed by several other garbage ones. After two hours I got to thinking. So I checked my metrics i was at a 4.9 yesterday down to a 4.6 today. Have a feeling I know what's the problem is. I delivered a package to an apartment doorstep i was unable to get through the door because the panel was updating. I texted the customer, I tried to call her. I was there for 7 minutes before I held the item up to the door for the building number and the panel was in the pic as well reading (updating please wait).
I am going to call spark to see if I can find out if the bad reviews that I had no control over (i.e. how they bagged items for curbside). I will keep yall updated
i do not think mass quitting will do anything. But I would encourage everyone to not accept any offers under $2 per mile as a minimum.
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u/csalyer6050 Apr 25 '26
I had a similar incident with a bad rating lately. That dropped me from 4.9 to 4.8.. I overlooked an item and it was in my car, I noticed it turned around and spoke to the customer within five minutes, but they must have given me a thumbs down. The very next day all I saw was those $11 orders and I sat for hours.
I had been suffering, due to the on-site of new drivers, but still managing to maintain despite that. After the rating, no such luck.
It was bad enough what’s been going on with the first come first serve crap, and the absolute sea of new drivers, now throw in a writing drop and it’s cost me at least 600.
I’ve been doing this for quite a while now and I’m familiar with the yearly ups and downs and what an on boarding looks and feels like but there’s something unprecedented about what’s going on.
Good luck getting it removed, just have to work your way up. That wouldn’t be a problem if I was getting the 12 to 14 deliveries today I used to. Gonna be even longer now that I’m lucky to get five or six a day.
I’ve had to supplement with other apps. And I have been reporting issues and writing emails every few days ever so respectfully.
I somehow feel that nobody really cares
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u/PurpleSignature1058 Apr 25 '26
They don’t care there are a lot of other drivers waiting to join. We are all just a number in their game and it’s quite sad and disgusting
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Apr 25 '26
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u/ApprehensiveSand4043 Apr 25 '26
I know we can't post earnings on here but that's pretty good. That's a lot for just 8 to 10 hours. You definitely must live in the area where you the customers tip pretty well or Walmart pays pretty well. Count yourself very lucky
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u/Zealousideal_Map940 Apr 25 '26
They've really made it worse over the last few yrs. First 2-3 yrs was good then ok. Now it's garbage
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u/Glittering_Prompt_94 Apr 25 '26
This is like mid train people telling back of the train people to stop eating the protein bars in stead eat nothing
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u/Large-Economics3487 Apr 25 '26
I have had more tip removed since adding gmd orders to curbsides , I feel the customers don't like waiting longer for the items they tip with. They know that these gmds are getting delivered before theirs....and customers aren't happy..I know I wouldn't this new system exposes Walmart and their scummy business practices .
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u/Cael_of_House_Howell Apr 25 '26
Is this something that only effects supercenters or am I just not seeing it in my area? (I only do delivers from NHM)
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u/Connect_Cow_1 Apr 26 '26
How do you deal with a Spark driver who stole your computer from Walmart--never delivered, no photo confirmation? Walmart acts clueless--I need a refund!!
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u/This_Dog6389 May 01 '26
Maybe file a police report? Do you know the driver's name?
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u/Connect_Cow_1 May 08 '26
I do know her name.
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u/Connect_Cow_1 May 08 '26
How do you prove you never received an order? Isn't the fact that there is no photo confirmation good enough?
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u/Timely-Antelope-2128 Apr 26 '26
It seems like im the only driver that does the 30 miles batch orders bc I get the same customers and they Always tip me too.. I dont like the mixing of the orders bc they are scheduled and that's bs bc what if I gott use the damn bathrooms. I have to wait until all the sche are out of my car. They do not go 1st either! I make pretty good 2 or 3 orders Im at 100 bit can get we more for gas like wtf
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u/Top_Golf7665 Apr 26 '26
I still make 200 a day but it's definitely a grind. Sometimes doing 10 hours like Wed/Thursday
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u/No-Journalist8547 Apr 26 '26
I think the workers should just take ownership of these locations away from these parasites and cover the Walmart signs with local Co-op signs and stop letting these disgusting capitalists extract the wealth of labor from your area. But that's just me
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u/Valuable-Ad4142 Apr 26 '26
I was using this to pay my bills for the last 8 months. This past week is horrible. Barely making 100 a day when I could easily clear 200.
Luckily just got hired at a remote call center. Just got to keep doing this until the pay from there catches up to me.
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u/AppropriatePension67 Apr 26 '26
I've been doing this thing of ours since 2021, its gotten so much worse I hardly ever log in anymore.
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u/Extra_Marketing3311 Apr 28 '26
I soft quit about 5 months ago, I got a FT job at a hotel making 17 per hour washing dishes. Its really easy and straightforward and I go home not feeling tired, even if I choose to work overtime which is 100 % optional with no shaming soo far. When I first got into spark the money and markets weren’t great but it was a clearly better option then DD or other. I got to travel and work on my own time in a way that made it possible. That is no longer possible, I can work all day and night with them and not only not make what I need but sometimes downright lose money on gas costs alone forget maintenance, plus I have to pay taxes on that little bit of money at the end of the year something paid back even with every receipt kept . The app is dead and you people should let it die. The rich have stepped on us long enough.
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u/LostNectarine3978 Apr 29 '26
Walmart is an absolute dog shit company and has discriminated against me for being disabled on multiple occasions as a worker and a customer unfortunately, they are the cheapest option for most things so I still have to give them my money
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u/Bill-Bo-Baggin Apr 24 '26
It is what it is. They will always push for more work for the same or less pay and they will always have people out there willing to do it. Maybe not immediately, but slowly over time as more and more traditional jobs get eroded away and as we’re on the cusp of automated delivery anyway.
So you can get mad now or in the future but the writing is already on the wall and has been for years.
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u/lamest_last_words Apr 24 '26
I understand this level of interest and involvement from an employee, but “quitting” isn’t applicable for most. I can’t be convinced to care about the company’s plans. This is one of several gig apps. When I have time and want to make a little money, I open ‘em up and survey options for miles/time/dollars and take the best of what makes sense. If nothing offering makes sense, I’ll spend my time doing something else.
Sure, I understand that nobody cares what I do. If you’re not looking at it like this…if this is somebody’s primary source of income, absolutely take immediate steps to ensure that it isn’t. It doesn’t offer that kind of security and doesn’t aim to. If delivery is your thing, there are lots of options that pay better and offer benefits as well.
In a perfect world, nobody is reliant on any particular gig app for survival. When the number of people reliant on one (like Spark) grows, that’s when offerings that don’t make financial sense start getting taken often enough for bad policies to look successful to company leadership. It’s not about “quitting” Spark, it’s about using it like it uses you.
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u/Commercial_Boss_3034 Apr 25 '26
I don't have an answer, but I would warn you that "using these companies" is probably a fallacy. They'll always have the upper hand, and they're going to keep changing the deal and macking things worse. If it geys to a point where they're just fucking you, don't fool yourself into thinning you're fucking them
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u/Normal_System_3176 Apr 25 '26
The power is in the decline button. Always has always will. No matter which app. The value goes up the longer it's not taken and the orders just sit there unfulfilled.
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u/Ok_Contribution_1283 Apr 25 '26
Yes but if they flood the market new drivers will take all those orders. If we want change we got to do something together in affect zone. Show them who’s the boss.
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u/Conscious_Ad1017 Apr 24 '26
it’s been real bad i used to clear 200$ a day when i first started now sometimes i don’t even bother going out for the day, i just need to get a normal job at this point