Anybody used courierexchange

[arcon5]

Website: http://www.courierexchange.co.uk/

Hello,

Has anybody used this website before I known somebody that has used/using it?
I am a private hire vehicle driver but considering using this for extra work and variance - maybe even doing this primarily if it works out well.
But I imagine it to be like some others I have previously been told about, not enough jobs for all the drivers, bad quality work, wase of money...

Anybody had any experiences they wish to share?

 

[MH1]

Been out of the game for a few years and used to generate my own business, but from memory as you think, too many guys chasing too little work, many taking back loads just for the cost of the diesel.

It also takes a while to build a rep, so even a low quote might not secure the work.

 

[JEREMY HAWKE]

We are a Courier Exchange company we put a lot of work on there and find loads for empty legs of journeys

But !!!

Its is really only for those that are looking for return journys or people that co load .
Courier Exchange vet the membership carefully and will only allow established people with the correct insurances ..

As MH1 says the rates are competitive .For an example if we put a job on there we know we are going to get a good service no matter what so we are only looking for the lowest quote in order for us to make a good profit

 

[JPFCampaign]

no i haven't, not sure of anyone i know!

 

[C.J.Couriers Professional]

It is extremely hard to make a decent money when you rely only on CourierExchange. The pplm have gone dramatically down so there are people taking hotshots for a back load prices, sometimes you cannot win, well, unless you are happy to do 200 miles for around £50. It starts to look like Shiply.co.uk, people outbiding each other for how little they can do job.

 

[same day city courier]

Hi Arcon 5,

I'm a freelance courier i looked in to courier exchange very expensive don't think you'd get your money back as most the jobs on those sites are people looking for back load prices. a good one i found is couriers on call much cheaper at £100 a year, i have got some good work from them but you cant count on it, again 90% of jobs on there are looking for back-load price which just don't pay. Having said that the good thing about them is they put you on their map and if a same day job comes up in your area they ring you and you get it at a good rate. Worth checking out if you after extra work, but as all these sites DONT rely on them.
www.samedaycitycourier.auto.officelive

 

[oberta]

i had a courier company and was a member of courier exchange.

the winners on that site are the companies that have thier own customers, as they have a reverse auction going for all work they put on there.

companies looking for loads have little or no chance of making profit, merely covering some of thier own costs.

Furthermore we had a problem with one of our drivers who went part AWOL for a day, messed up a couple of loads, Courier exchange got complaints and immediately revoked our membership, no parlay, no appeals.

Fair enough we botched a couple of jobs, but they kicked us out completely with little or no opportunity to defend oursleves.

So overall i'd say caution is required.

 

[AT82]

It is extremely hard to make a decent money when you rely only on CourierExchange. The pplm have gone dramatically down so there are people taking hotshots for a back load prices, sometimes you cannot win, well, unless you are happy to do 200 miles for around £50. It starts to look like Shiply.co.uk, people outbiding each other for how little they can do job.

what is the difference between hotshot and backload. (I know backload is return journey at cheaper rate) it's more the hotshot I would like clarifying.

 

[AT82]

i had a courier company and was a member of courier exchange.

the winners on that site are the companies that have thier own customers, as they have a reverse auction going for all work they put on there.

companies looking for loads have little or no chance of making profit, merely covering some of thier own costs.

Furthermore we had a problem with one of our drivers who went part AWOL for a day, messed up a couple of loads, Courier exchange got complaints and immediately revoked our membership, no parlay, no appeals.

Fair enough we botched a couple of jobs, but they kicked us out completely with little or no opportunity to defend oursleves.

So overall i'd say caution is required.

So if you have a bank of say 10-30 customers it could be worth joining,

When trying to get a job covered how quick are the replies etc?

 

[AT82]

We are a Courier Exchange company we put a lot of work on there and find loads for empty legs of journeys

But !!!

Its is really only for those that are looking for return journys or people that co load .
Courier Exchange vet the membership carefully and will only allow established people with the correct insurances ..

As MH1 says the rates are competitive .For an example if we put a job on there we know we are going to get a good service no matter what so we are only looking for the lowest quote in order for us to make a good profit

What sort of membership fee do they charge? Do they take a cut of sales as well?

Thanks and sorry for all the questions.

 

[MH1]

what is the difference between hotshot and backload. (I know backload is return journey at cheaper rate) it's more the hotshot I would like clarifying.

Hotshot is a term used for urgent, where speed and service are more important than the price, but.... still open for offers, so even then you might not get "normal" rates.

Most couriers will as mentioned before only get the cost of the diesel half the time.

 

[JEREMY HAWKE]

The urgent/hotshot work has become less and less in these new and challenging times Who wants to pay £150 to run a small box from London to Birmingham!!!
The idea of being a courier and expecting to gain work from other companies these days is a fruitless task and most defently unviable as a business
Most of our business used to be urgent sameday work but we have moved with customer requirements and mostly do distribution and non urgent groupage ..When a sameday job comes in now it can sometimes be an unplanned pain in the neck that eats into the day .!!!

Sameday urgent courier work is becomming like the work the local blacksmith used to do !!!!!...Anybody that has plans now to service this type of work knows very little about the industry and even less about what the customer wants !!!