Shared shifts
Drive a DEPartner car on shared shifts. The local team helps you arrange the schedule, car handover and settlement.
Driver guide
Is taxi driving worth it in Poland
How to work it out
Is taxi driving worth it in Poland? There is no single answer for everyone, and general market statistics will not tell you what you will earn. What counts is your city, your hours and the full costs of the cooperation model you choose. Here is how to work it out before you start, and how to check it after your first weeks.
What you need to start
Driving with Uber, Bolt or FREENOW through a fleet partner is open to many foreigners living in Poland. With DEPartner the basic requirements are simple:
- you are at least 18 years old;
- you hold a Polish category B driving licence;
- you have an identity document and, as a foreigner, a document that confirms your right to stay and work in Poland;
- you have a criminal record certificate (zaświadczenie o niekaralności, issued by the Polish National Criminal Register) and valid medical and psychological certificates for drivers.
We reimburse the cost of the medical and psychological tests once you present an invoice issued to the company (DEPartner). You do not need fluent Polish: our team speaks Polish and English at all 14 offices.
A taxi licence (licencja) in Poland belongs to the carrier, and every car used for transport needs an extract from that licence (wypis). When you drive with a fleet partner, those documents are on the partner's side. Read more in our guide to taxi licensing in Poland.
Plan your availability honestly
Start with time, not money. Write down when you can really drive: which days, which hours, and how long it takes you to get to the car and back. Plan your breaks too.
Then split your time into three parts:
- time with a passenger, which generates turnover;
- waiting for the next order;
- empty driving to the pickup point or back to a busy area.
The share of each part depends on your city, the time of day and the day of the week. Evenings and weekends usually look different from a quiet weekday morning. Your local office knows the patterns in your city and can help you choose hours that fit your life.
Compare the full calculation, not just turnover
The figure shown in the app is turnover, not your payout. To see what really stays with you, look at the whole settlement:
- Turnover from trips in the Uber, Bolt and FREENOW apps.
- Platform fees charged by each app.
- Costs of your cooperation model: the car, if you use one from the fleet, and the partner's settlement fee.
- Fuel and other running costs, depending on who pays for them in your model.
- Taxes and social security contributions (in Poland paid to ZUS, the Social Insurance Institution), depending on your contract.
Ask for every item in writing and compare models using the same turnover and the same driving hours. Our office will explain how fuel, fees, taxes and contributions are settled and how your weekly payout is calculated.
Choose the model that fits you
Exclusive car
A car assigned only to you, so you can plan your hours freely. We will compare it with shared shifts for your situation.
Your own car
Drive your own car with DEPartner. We help you prepare the car and its documents for the platforms.
Our fleet has more than 500 cars, so you can start even if you do not have your own vehicle. See how driving without your own car works or car options for Uber and Bolt.
After your first weeks: check real data
The best answer to "is it worth it?" is your own report. After the first settlement period, look at the actual weekly statement: turnover, hours online, costs and which side of the agreement each cost belongs to.
Only then decide whether to change your hours, your city zone or your cooperation model. Treat any forecast as a planning tool and base your decisions on your real results. Many drivers find that moving a few hours to busier times makes a bigger difference than driving longer.
Why drivers choose DEPartner
DEPartner is a fleet and settlement partner for Uber, Bolt and FREENOW with 14 offices across Poland. Drivers rate us 4.9/5 on Google, with more than 3,000 reviews. Coordinators are available Monday to Friday, 8:00-16:00, and the call centre 8:00-17:00. Tell us your city, your availability and whether you have a car, and we will walk you through the calculation for your situation.