How to Build a Hivemapper Fleet and Recruit Drivers

An experienced fleet manager shares their time-tested strategies for creating a Hivemapper fleet.

Hivemapper is building the world’s freshest map with a network of everyday drivers mapping roads as they drive. Hivemapper fleets are critical to increasing the network’s ability to capture a wide range of data across different locations. Fleets enable managers to generate substantially more rewards than individual contributors while onboarding people who want to participate but can’t purchase a dashcam.

Bradley Meyer was drawn to Hivemapper due to its potential, deploying his own fleet in the early days of the network as a side hustle. “There’s a huge use case for the data that’s being collected when it comes to street-level imagery,” he says. He preordered a number of dashcams and started strategizing about how to build a fleet, which has since grown to 55 drivers across 15 cities — with even more queued up as he awaits his next shipment.

Now Bradley is helping others build fleets. “The more that we can deploy fleets and get people that are on the road a lot during the day, the better it is for everyone,” he explains. “We all win with more data collection.”

Here are Bradley’s strategies for recruiting drivers. (See his tips for operational fleet management here.) Dashcams may be backordered, but don’t wait to start recruiting. “You might be thinking, ‘Oh my gosh, I missed the boat.’ No — we are still so early in this,” says Bradley. “And even if you have to wait until May, you should have started recruiting yesterday.”

Interested in joining a fleet? Register here to be connected with a fleet manager. You can also join our Discord and visit #fleet-driver-matching.

Develop Your Elevator Pitch

Research Hivemapper thoroughly in order to explain its utility and potential persuasively. Conveying genuine, informed excitement is important.
Create a simple, straightforward pitch. Bradley explains that Hivemapper is building the world’s freshest map using street-level imagery by rewarding drivers for their contributions, unlocking value for businesses that need fresh and accurate map data.

Initiate Recruitment Outreach

A frequent traveler and Uber user, Bradley started by directly pitching rideshare drivers. He was also interested in Amazon Flex and DoorDash drivers, who have the capability to mount both front and side dashcams.
Target daytime drivers who drive full-time at least 4–5 days a week.
Focus on the simplicity and benefits of fleets. Bradley emphasized that his drivers don’t pay anything to participate. “It’s an easy sell. I made the capital investment, and I do a token split with the driver.”
Speak 20% of the time and listen 80% of the time. This approach helps build rapport and trust with potential recruits.
Having a business card helped in getting people to follow through. Bradley found physical cards more effective than virtual ones, serving as a tangible reminder for drivers.
Bradley also recommends creating a fleet member request form for drivers looking to join a fleet, and offers his own as a sample.

Land Recruits Effectively

Be patient. Not every pitch will be successful, so Bradley encourages aspiring managers to keep pitching drivers.
Bradley shares a picture of the dashcam setup to help visualize it. “I also tend to open up the Explorer,” an application that shows Hivemapper’s map coverage across regions. “I find that legitimizes it because it’s almost too good to be true, right? You’re going to place equipment with someone at no cost to them, and they’re going to be incentivized for what they’re already doing every day.”
Don’t be pushy. The opportunity is already attractive, Bradley notes. After presenting the opportunity, he suggests pausing to let the driver process the info and express interest.
Stay in touch with potential recruits. Bradley recommends checking in and providing updates about the project and shipment timelines.

Set Token Splits and Expectations

Decide on a fair token split with drivers. Bradley does a 50/50 split, believing it’s fair since “they’re the ones that are on the road driving.” He emphasizes fairness and mutual benefit in his approach to managing the fleet.
Be transparent about the long-term vision and avoid promising potential rewards to set proper expectations.
“Once the rewards actually hit their wallet, it becomes very real.”

Onboard and Train Your Drivers

Ensure that your drivers have the right equipment and understand how to use it effectively. Bradley provides his drivers with the necessary equipment, including the dashcam. He emphasizes the importance of camera setup for optimal data collection.
He’s also adapted his onboarding process for remote setups, including creating tutorials and guides for new drivers to get started.

Engage and Monitor Your Fleet

After onboarding new drivers, Bradley monitors their uploads and performance through Explorer to ensure that they’re mapping effectively.
Stay connected with your drivers, invite feedback, and provide regular updates on the project. This is crucial for maintaining a motivated fleet.

Implement a Referral Program

Leverage driver relationships to expand the fleet. Referrals from fleet members is a big part of Bradley’s expansion strategy.
“The referral program is where I’ve been able to expand the fastest,” notes Bradley. Some 35–40% of the drivers in his fleet were referred from drivers who he originally connected with. “That’s been the most effective way for me to really expand, and expand quickly.”
He offers a 10% override on the rewards of referred drivers.

Professionalize Your Fleet

Bradley’s fleet tips are not financial advice. He advises aspiring fleet managers to consider the legal and administrative aspects seriously, and suggests consulting with an accountant or lawyer about forming an LLC (limited liability company) for your fleet and understanding the implications of 1099 agreements for independent contractors.

By following Bradley’s guidance on fleet building and management, you can start to grow and manage an effective Hivemapper fleet that contributes quality mapping data to the network.

The insights he’s shared provide a blueprint for recruiting, onboarding, and retaining motivated drivers over the long term. For more from Bradley, follow DePIN Connection on X, YouTube, and TikTok. What are you waiting for? Start building your fleet today!**