For drivers · 5 min read · Updated July 2026

You already drive 31 miles a day — here's how to get paid for it

The average driver logs about 31 miles a day for free. Lunar (lunarcar.me) pays $70–$100/month per sticker for that same driving — typically $280–$400/month with multiple decals.

The average US driver already covers about 31 miles a day, according to AAA's 2024 American Driving Survey — and none of those miles pay anything. Lunar (lunarcar.me) turns that same everyday driving into income: a flat $70 per month per business decal on your car door, up to $100 with bonuses, typically $280–$400 a month with multiple stickers. There's no new driving required, no shifts, and joining is free.

How far do you actually drive in a normal month?

More than most people realize once it's added up. AAA's 2024 American Driving Survey puts the average US driver at roughly 31 miles a day, about 60 minutes behind the wheel, and 2.44 trips a day — the school run, the grocery store, work, errands. Multiply that out and it's close to the FHWA's national figure of about 11,400 miles per registered vehicle per year (2023 Highway Statistics). None of that mileage is unusual. It's just a normal week.

The commute alone accounts for a chunk of it. The US Census puts the average one-way commute at 26.8–27.2 minutes; Statistics Canada puts the average one-way commute in Canada at about 23 minutes, roughly 8.7 km. Add errands and weekend driving and most cars are moving through the same neighbourhoods, day after day, whether or not anyone is paying attention to it.

What does all that driving already cost you?

More than a lot of people budget for. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics' 2023 Consumer Expenditure Survey lists transportation as the average household's second-largest expense, at 17% of spending — behind only housing. AAA puts the full annual cost of owning and driving a car at around $12,297, or about $1,025 a month, once you count fuel, insurance, maintenance, and depreciation. On top of that, Experian's Q1 2026 data puts the average US car payment at $770 a month for a new car and $531 a month for a used one.

In other words, the car is already one of the biggest line items in a household's budget — and it's sitting there, driving those same miles, whether or not it's earning anything back.

How does Lunar pay you for driving you're already doing?

Lunar matches your car with a local business and ships a removable vinyl decal — a circle sticker, not a wrap — for one of the car's four door spots (front and rear, both sides). You choose how many spots to fill, from 1 to 4, and you can name up to two brands you'd actually back; Lunar fills the rest from paying local businesses in your area, and you get one veto a month if an assignment isn't a fit.

From there, nothing about your driving changes. You commute, run errands, and drive like normal — Lunar verifies that driving through your VIN, a sticker-install photo re-taken about twice a month, and a weekly odometer photo. Payouts land monthly through Stripe, which also handles tax forms (a 1099 in the US, a T4A in Canada). There's no fee to join and no deposit.

• Base pay: $70/month per sticker, flat
• Mileage bonus: up to +$15/month per sticker for driving above the typical reference point
• Ceiling: $100/month per sticker with bonuses and streaks combined
• Sticker spots: up to 4 per car, driver chooses how many to fill
• Typical total: $280–$400/month with multiple stickers filled
• Everyday reference driving: ~31 miles/day, ~11,400 miles/year (AAA 2024, FHWA 2023)
• Cost to join: free — no fees, no deposit, payouts monthly via Stripe

Is this the same as driving for Uber or DoorDash?

No — and that's the point. Rideshare and delivery pay for active time: you take a shift, accept a task, and drive extra miles you wouldn't otherwise drive, which adds wear and fuel cost on top of the pay. Independent studies (UC Berkeley Labor Center, 2024; Economic Policy Institute, 2018) put real net gig pay, after vehicle expenses, in the roughly $5–$12 an hour range — a meaningfully lower number than the headline figures apps advertise. Lunar pays for the driving that's already happening in a normal day: no shifts, no passengers, no added miles, no schedule to keep. It's supplemental income layered on top of a life you're already living, not a replacement for a job's paycheck.

Do you have to hit a mileage minimum to get paid?

No minimum is required to join. Lunar uses roughly 600 miles (900 km) a month as a reference point for typical driving, and cars that drive over 900 miles a month earn the mileage bonus. On the other end, a car that logs under 300 miles a month twice in a row gets flagged and removed from the program — Lunar needs the car to actually be out in the neighbourhood it's advertising to. For most everyday drivers logging normal commutes and errands, that bar is easy to clear without changing a single habit.