Direct Local Eats - Driver 1.3.3

Direct Local Eats (www.directlocaleats.com) is a food ordering application catering to restaurants, grocery stores, and food-service businesses. It presents an opportunity for individuals to become drivers, offering 90% of the delivery fee and membership in a regional driver-owned cooperative known as Local Driver Co-op.

Local Driver Co-op is a member-owned cooperative that comprises various drivers, including rideshare operators, taxi drivers, fleet operators, delivery couriers, and truck drivers.

What is a Cooperative?

A cooperative is an autonomous association where members voluntarily unite to meet their collective economic, social, and cultural needs through a democratically-controlled enterprise. The foundation of cooperatives lies in the principles of self-help, self-responsibility, democracy, equality, equity, and solidarity. Members uphold ethical values such as honesty, openness, social responsibility, and caring for others.

Cooperative Principles

1. Voluntary and Open Membership: Cooperatives operate on a voluntary basis, welcoming individuals who can utilize their services and are willing to assume membership responsibilities without discrimination based on gender, social status, race, political beliefs, or religion.
2. Democratic Member Control: Cooperatives are governed by their members who partake in policy-making and decision processes. Elected representatives are accountable to the membership. Each member has equal voting rights (one member, one vote), ensuring democratic organization at all levels.
3. Member Economic Participation: Members contribute equitably to the cooperative's capital and have democratic control over it. Often, part of this capital is common property. Members may receive limited returns on their investment and can allocate surpluses to develop the cooperative or benefit members based on their transactions.
4. Autonomy and Independence: Autonomy is crucial for cooperatives; they maintain self-help principles while engaging with external organizations or raising external capital on terms that preserve their democratic control.
5. Education, Training, and Information: Cooperatives offer education and training to their members and representatives to enhance effective participation in cooperative development. They also seek to inform the public about the benefits of cooperation.
6. Cooperation among Cooperatives: By collaborating through various structures at local, national, regional, and international levels, cooperatives can better serve their members and strengthen the overall cooperative movement.

Membership in Local Driver Co-op

To join Local Driver Co-op, a one-time contribution of $100 is required from each driver. However, the first 55,000+ drivers in the USA and 9,000+ drivers in Canada are welcomed at no initial cost. Membership grants each driver a share in the cooperative; medallion holders receive one share for every $100,000 invested in their medallion (e.g., five shares for $500k). Over time, the value of this investment is expected to grow. Should a member choose to cease driving or leave the co-op at any point, they are entitled to a full return on their investment based on their driving hours contributed throughout their membership.