Last Updated: September 8, 2026 | Eligibility: Uber Eats, foodpanda, Lalamove, delivery partners across all platforms, and part-time workers during the second week of the new school year.
According to data from CPC Corporation, Taiwan and the Ministry of Economic Affairs, from 12:00 a.m. on September 7, 2026, through 12:00 a.m. on September 13, domestic gasoline and diesel prices will remain unchanged, with 92 unleaded at 30.5 NTD per liter, 95 unleaded at 32.0 NTD, 98 unleaded at 34.0 NTD, and Super Diesel at 29.3 NTD. For food delivery drivers, the most immediate takeaway today is this: just because fuel prices haven’t gone up doesn’t mean they can ignore the cost of running deliveries this week. What they really need to recalculate are the fuel costs per order, their service radius, empty return trips, the risks associated with rainy weather, and traffic conditions during the second week of the new school year.
This marks another week in a row of frozen gas prices, which on the surface is a stabilizing sign for motorcycle delivery riders, as those using 95-octane unleaded gas can use 32.0 yuan per liter as their estimated baseline for this week. However, delivery income isn’t determined solely by gas prices. The daily costs faced by delivery riders also include waiting time for orders, red lights and traffic jams, finding parking spots, delays in meal preparation at restaurants, dealing with spilled drinks, wear and tear on rain gear, and tire and brake pad wear. Even if gas prices remain unchanged—eliminating just one variable—fuel costs per order will still rise if delivery distances increase or empty return trips become more frequent.
The most important adjustment to make this week is your delivery radius. As we enter the second week of the new school year in September, traffic around schools and in office districts is starting to return to normal, and the dinner rush will stabilize again. At this point, don’t just focus on whether the pay per order is high—consider whether the order will take you away from high-demand areas. For example, a long-distance order across zones might seem to pay a few dozen yuan more than a short one, but if there are no restaurants nearby after completing the delivery and you have to drive three to five kilometers back empty, the difference will be eaten up by gas costs and time. Delivery riders shouldn’t ask, “Can I take this order?” but rather, “Will I be able to get the next order after finishing this one?”
| Cost Items for This Week | Recommended Use | Key Considerations |
|---|---|---|
| Oil Price Benchmark | 95 Unleaded gasoline can be estimated at 32.0 yuan per liter for now. | In practice, you should still rely on the type of fuel you actually put in and the information posted at the gas station. |
| Service Area | For familiar areas, prioritize short-radius runs; for long-distance cross-district runs, consider the return trip. | When there are no return trips, high unit prices may lead to low efficiency. |
| Waiting time | Record your login time and the number of tasks completed each day. | If the unit price remains the same but the quantity decreases, the net hourly wage will be driven down. |
| Risks During Rainy Weather | Check the weather and radar information from the Central Weather Bureau before heading out. | The additional charge must take into account road conditions, vehicle damage, and meal protection costs. |
To calculate it the simplest way, just jot down three numbers every day after you finish work: how many hours you were online, how many orders you completed, and an estimate of your gas costs. If you have gas receipts, divide this week’s total gas cost by the number of orders completed this week to get the fuel cost per order; then divide this week’s total gas cost by the number of hours online to get the hourly fuel cost burden. You need to keep an eye on both of these figures. The fuel cost per order helps you determine whether the distance traveled per order is getting out of hand, while the hourly fuel cost helps you assess whether you’re spending too much time waiting for orders or making empty runs.
The Ministry of Labor’s guidelines on delivery riders’ compensation and rights provide clearer explanations regarding the base pay per order, minimum guaranteed pay, and how overlapping orders are calculated, which helps riders verify their platform statements. However, these guidelines do not account for your fuel costs, vehicle maintenance, insurance, cell phone data plans, rain gear, or the cost of your time. In other words, the base pay provided by the platform is part of your income, while motorcycle-related costs are part of your expenses. You should track these separately and then combine them to determine your net income. If you only look at the total income shown in the app, it’s easy to overlook the fact that your motorcycle and your time are covering those costs for you.
Today is Tuesday, so for practical purposes, we can treat September 8 through September 13 as a short cycle. From Tuesday through Thursday, use a conservative radius to test frequently visited areas, and then decide on Friday evening and over the weekend whether to extend the delivery hours. If you can consistently complete a certain number of orders in one hour during weekday dinners without an increase in fuel costs per order, you can keep that route; if the unit price in a certain area seems high but you have to make an empty run back to the business district after every delivery, you should downgrade it. This kind of adjustment is more effective than chasing group chat screenshots every day, because it reflects your own vehicle, your city, and how well you know the routes.
You still need to factor in extra time on rainy days. The Central Weather Bureau provides information on county and city weather, radar echoes, rainfall, and weather advisories and warnings. Delivery riders don’t need to predict the entire day—they just need to check the current rain bands and the risk for the next hour before going online. When it rains, orders may increase, and platforms may offer bonus pay, but if the rain causes poor visibility, longer braking distances, difficulty operating your phone, and makes drinks and paper bags more prone to spills, your actual take-home pay shouldn’t be based solely on the bonus amount. In particular, bridges, underpasses, low-lying areas, school zones, and intersections with roadwork are not suitable for rushing through in rainy weather.
Road Safety Month is still underway. Both the 168 Road Safety Portal and the Highway Bureau are raising awareness about motorcycle safety, yielding at intersections, and the concept of “zero violations.” For delivery riders, this isn’t just another issue—it’s part of the cost of taking orders. Illegal parking, using a cell phone while riding, rushing through yellow lights, and driving against traffic in alleys may seem like time-savers in the short term, but they actually increase the risk of fines, accidents, and platform account suspension. When gas prices remain stable, it’s even more important to focus on these risks that could wipe out an entire day’s earnings.
When accepting orders this week, you can use three questions to filter them. First, are there any potential orders near the delivery location for this one? Second, does this route pass through high-risk intersections, school drop-off zones, or areas prone to standing water during rain? third, does the restaurant frequently experience meal delays or have parking issues? If the answers to two of these three questions are unfavorable, even if the pay per order looks decent, it may not be worth accepting. What delivery riders can truly control is avoiding orders that will hold them up—not treating every order as something they absolutely must accept.
If you're new to this, there's no need to create complicated spreadsheets today. Start by jotting down screenshots of your app earnings, gas expenses, and hours worked in a single note. After three days on the job, you'll see a clear difference: some areas may not offer great pay per trip, but they have a steady volume of orders and often have return trips; in other areas, the pay may seem high, but you’ll actually face long wait times, difficulty finding parking spots, and empty runs on the way back. Once you have your own data, you can decide whether to expand your service radius—this will be a more reliable strategy than relying solely on the platform’s recommendations for “hot spots.”
For further reading, you may also want to check out August 31: No Change in Gas Prices and Back-to-School Cost Review, the basic methods for tracking gas expenses; then take a look at Actual Hourly Wages and Hidden Costs in Food Delivery...taking into account maintenance, tires, cell phone data, and time costs. If there’s an afternoon rain shower today, you can check Afternoon Thunderstorms: Delivery Status and Radar Echo Checks; If you'll mainly be running around the school, we recommend you also check out Schedule for the First Week of SchoolThe
Frequently Asked Questions: Will there be any adjustments to gasoline and diesel prices from September 7 to September 13?
According to announcements by CPC Corporation, Taiwan and the Ministry of Economic Affairs, gasoline and diesel prices will remain unchanged from 12:00 a.m. on September 7, 2026, through 12:00 p.m. on September 13, 2026. Actual retail prices are subject to the announcements at individual retail locations.
Frequently Asked Questions: If gas prices haven't gone up, do delivery drivers still need to recalculate their gas expenses?
Yes, it does. The fact that gas prices haven’t gone up simply means the base rate per ride is stable; however, factors such as the distance of each ride, empty trips on the way back, wait times between rides, and detours due to rain will still affect the fuel cost per ride and your net hourly income.
FAQ: What is a reasonable radius for accepting orders?
Start by focusing on areas you're familiar with and routes that have orders on the way back. It's not that you can't accept long-distance orders across districts, but you should first check whether there are commercial districts or areas with a high concentration of restaurants near the delivery destination; otherwise, you might end up driving back empty-handed.
Frequently Asked Questions: Should I use 92, 95, or 98 to estimate costs this week?
Use the actual type of fuel you fill up with. If you usually fill your motorcycle with 95 unleaded, you can estimate 32.0 yuan per liter for this week; however, it’s best to calculate the cost per fill-up based on your own fuel receipts.
Frequently Asked Questions: Can the rain-day bonus cover gas costs and vehicle damage?
Not necessarily. The rain surcharge should be calculated only after accounting for waiting time, detours, poor visibility, brake and tire wear, meal protection, and accident risks. When the rain is too heavy, it’s more practical to suspend deliveries or reduce the delivery radius.
FAQ: What's the most important thing to note after finishing work today?
At the very least, record your hours online, the number of jobs completed, the amount spent on gas or an estimate of gas costs, and whether you have time to make a return trip. These four figures will help you determine whether this week’s stable gas prices have actually stabilized your net income.
Source:References for this article Ministry of Economic Affairs, CPC Corporation: Fuel Price Announcement for September 7–13,CPC Corporation, Taiwan Press Release,Ministry of Economic Affairs Oil Price Information Management and Analysis System,Ministry of Labor Statement on Delivery Workers' Compensation and Rights,Weather Information from the Central Weather Bureau與 168 Traffic Safety PortalThe
Delivery Reminder:Before going online today, write down this week’s fuel price benchmark, then decide on your order-acceptance radius. It’s good that fuel prices haven’t changed for a while, but what really affects your income is whether you can minimize empty runs, avoid waiting at the wrong stores, and steer clear of high-risk routes. This article is intended for general informational purposes only. Gas prices, weather conditions, platform rules, and traffic safety information are subject to change; please refer to the latest official announcements and use your on-site judgment regarding safety.