FINDING IT HARD TO GET WORK AS A COURIER.

[mr logistics]

Hi,
I recently set my self up as a courier, I was told by a friend there was loads of work to get out there via the exchanges, and I have to tell you this is NOT the case, work is limited and the work the big companies offer want you to drive across country for less than your petrol costs! I'm actually in shock by the rates they offer? baffeling!.

I am now looking else where for work and companies who are looking for a punctual driver.

I would appreciate if anyone could shed some light on my situation and share any tips of the trade or put forward any sites or companies who require drivers please as I am struggling to find any.

thank you.
Lucas

 

[RjMaan]

Well, i am surprised too after reading that courier companies are not paying good amount of salary packages to their employees. I think you should register yourself in Uber or any related company that may exist in your country.

 

[Mark T Jones]

I expect @JEREMY HAWKE can she’d more light on this

However., reading your post it would appear that there is no lucrative work rather than no work

Te appaling pay rates at the bottom of the courier market are well documented with drivers often failing to make minimum wage I suspect as a newcomer you are being passed the jobs that even the desperate drivers don’t want

You need to be looking higher up the chain to specialist delivery companies

 

[JEREMY HAWKE]

Lucus It looks like you have a concrete business plan with an aggressive marketing strategy that is simple to understand A friend told you !

I have just been to see my friend too and he advises me that there is nothing going due to us leaving the EU

Have you tried hedge funds a lopper and a chopper is a lot cheaper than a new van

 

[Maxwell83]

There are tens of thousands of people who have heard the same thing and as there is very low barrier to entry, you just entered an over saturated market filled with people who are more desperate than you. If you don't have a plan to separate yourself from the competition in such an over saturated market, you are going to fail unfortunately. That is just basic economics.

By the way, the rates are going to be less than petrol costs because you are competing with people who already have other deliveries going that way, so they can afford to do an additional job for less than the fuel cost.

 

[stuartm1962]

Come on Jeremy, lets help the guy out here.

If you are looking for return loads, backloader etc, then no, you will not get great money. The idea is that it is a contribution to your costs. You didn't mention what type of work that you were hoping to get, Sameday, multi-drop, runs to Europe etc?

I would forget multi-drop, a lot of work for not much money. You can read on any forum about the complaints from DPD drivers etc, on the rate of pay after all costs have been taken out.

Sameday, Jeremy can advise better, but in my experience, there are companies like City Sprint and Rico that have cut it to the bone, by grouping the deliveries and dropping them off en-route, so it is difficult to charge "workable" prices.

An option might be to approach a smaller logistics company or wholesaler and see if they use sub-contractors. You might get long runs from them,as it saves them having their drivers tied up for hours.

To be totally honest, your friend has not given you good advice.

 

[JEREMY HAWKE]

@stuartm1962 I would help anybody on here but what is the point in offering the Op help when around 14 in every 15 start ups fail in this game

Starting a post saying I'm doing this because my Freind said do it is hardly a focused approach to starting a business

 

[MBE2017]

Used to be in this industry, and your main problem is the constant supply of new start ups who like the idea of driving around in a van, without thinking how to fill it up.

As one lot go bust, most do, a new lot replace them and so it continues. My first tip is forget the exchanges, their job is making money off you, the people posting the jobs will also make money off you. Unless you are heading back or going to the same area you will not make much more than the fuel costs.

Hard to advise anything else since you have not indicted what your capabilities are, ie size of vehicle, area and so on.

 

[14Steve14]

Seeing as though you have the van and the insurance is there not something else you can be doing with it in the quiet times. Dont ask me what though.

 

[mr logistics]

I expect @JEREMY HAWKE can she’d more light on this

However., reading your post it would appear that there is no lucrative work rather than no work

Te appaling pay rates at the bottom of the courier market are well documented with drivers often failing to make minimum wage I suspect as a newcomer you are being passed the jobs that even the desperate drivers don’t want

You need to be looking higher up the chain to specialist delivery companies

Hi mark
thanks for your reply, yea its bad, the jobs are awful, I think i need to defiantly approach the bigger companies.

 

[HomeWrking]

Brexit will either make or break this industry. You make have to be niche to make it worth your while!

 

[mr logistics]

Lucus It looks like you have a concrete business plan with an aggressive marketing strategy that is simple to understand A friend told you !

I have just been to see my friend too and he advises me that there is nothing going due to us leaving the EU

Have you tried hedge funds a lopper and a chopper is a lot cheaper than a new van

Hello JEREMY........
there was no need to be come here to be and be sarcastic, if you have nothing constructive to say then just don't join my chat.
I was looking for some constructive advice, I see where I went wrong, and there was no way of looking at the workloads from the app without purchasing it, and you can't truly judge the customers and get a feel for the industry without being in it.
we all make mistakes in life, and its about what lessons are take from them and how you make the most out of those situations that matter.

 

[mr logistics]

Seeing as though you have the van and the insurance is there not something else you can be doing with it in the quiet times. Dont ask me what though.

hi Steve, that is a good idea, and I am fully utilising my van, through the days.
thanks for your advice pal.

 

[mr logistics]

Used to be in this industry, and your main problem is the constant supply of new start ups who like the idea of driving around in a van, without thinking how to fill it up.

As one lot go bust, most do, a new lot replace them and so it continues. My first tip is forget the exchanges, their job is making money off you, the people posting the jobs will also make money off you. Unless you are heading back or going to the same area you will not make much more than the fuel costs.

Hard to advise anything else since you have not indicted what your capabilities are, ie size of vehicle, area and so on.

Hi, I totally agree, I need to cut out the middle men, I have a swb van by the way.
thank you for your response it was very helpful.

 

[mr logistics]

Come on Jeremy, lets help the guy out here.

If you are looking for return loads, backloader etc, then no, you will not get great money. The idea is that it is a contribution to your costs. You didn't mention what type of work that you were hoping to get, Sameday, multi-drop, runs to Europe etc?

I would forget multi-drop, a lot of work for not much money. You can read on any forum about the complaints from DPD drivers etc, on the rate of pay after all costs have been taken out.

Sameday, Jeremy can advise better, but in my experience, there are companies like City Sprint and Rico that have cut it to the bone, by grouping the deliveries and dropping them off en-route, so it is difficult to charge "workable" prices.

An option might be to approach a smaller logistics company or wholesaler and see if they use sub-contractors. You might get long runs from them,as it saves them having their drivers tied up for hours.

To be totally honest, your friend has not given you good advice.

Hi Stuart,
thank you for your reply, its very true City sprint have taken it to another level, and are constantly reducing our loads and rates!
its Same Day delivery I am offering.

 

[JEREMY HAWKE]

If you came on here and said you had entered the commercial finance industry or factoring industry by accident and you are not getting any business the forum would have had you like big pack of wolves

What's the difference ?

 

[MBE2017]

Hi, I totally agree, I need to cut out the middle men, I have a swb van by the way.
thank you for your response it was very helpful.

So, you need to decide a few things before you can work out how to get to where you wish to be.

How much pa do you wish to earn after tax?
How much are your overheads, diesel per mile, maintenance, depreciation, purchase costs etc.
How much per mile or hour, day are you able to charge?
How many hours do you need to work to get to your target.
How many hours WILL you actually work?
What sort of work will you get?

Until you can truly answer those basic questions you might realise you are working at a loss or for nothing. Charging a rate based on what competitors are charging is not the correct way to decide your own rates.

Unfortunately a swb van is not ideal for much work, so your options will be limited.

 

[MBE2017]

If you came on here and said you had entered the commercial finance industry or factoring industry by accident and you are not getting any business the forum would have had you like big pack of wolves

What's the difference ?

None, the OP is just the latest in thousands who liked the idea of driving for an easy living, only to find out the reality too late.

 

[Mr D]

Hello JEREMY........
there was no need to be come here to be and be sarcastic, if you have nothing constructive to say then just don't join my chat.
I was looking for some constructive advice, I see where I went wrong, and there was no way of looking at the workloads from the app without purchasing it, and you can't truly judge the customers and get a feel for the industry without being in it.
we all make mistakes in life, and its about what lessons are take from them and how you make the most out of those situations that matter.

Most industries you can do some research before committing.

A friend of mine got left a van in his uncle's will - rather than do courier work he does rubbish removal, business local deliveries and item collections. Earns a decent income doing all that but took him a couple of years to get to decent income level.

 

[Darren_Ssc]

Most industries you can do some research before committing.

A friend of mine got left a van in his uncle's will - rather than do courier work he does rubbish removal, business local deliveries and item collections. Earns a decent income doing all that but took him a couple of years to get to decent income level.

Local removals and 'man and a van' type businesses are everywhere but not marketed very well. A recent example was my dad asking for a friend if I knew anyone with a van who could move a bed. As it happens I did, the bloke who lives 2 doors down from him.

 

[Mr D]

Local removals and 'man and a van' type businesses are everywhere but not marketed very well. A recent example was my dad asking for a friend if I knew anyone with a van who could move a bed. As it happens I did, the bloke who lives 2 doors down from him.

Depends on the individual as to whether marketed very well.
If you want to earn money doing something and it requires people know of you to hire you then you will market your work - and perhaps when you reach a comfortable level, not market yourself to death.

 

[Chris Ashdown]

Many small companies have there own delivery vans sitting around unused most of the day, There maybe be room for a self employed driver and van to be able to work with say three or four companies and enable them to get rid of their vans and make it more cost efficient to just use you especially if the vans are only used for local work

You could select some likely firms and sound out the management

 

[HomeWrking]

Can I just add that as a private citizen it would be great to have someone local who can collect these parcels for me when I want rather than a 'ring and run' from DPD etc. Also I am sure many small businesses will be looking for a face to put a name to to go down to the ports and retrieve their imports from the shambles post BXit

 

[Mr D]

Can I just add that as a private citizen it would be great to have someone local who can collect these parcels for me when I want rather than a 'ring and run' from DPD etc. Also I am sure many small businesses will be looking for a face to put a name to to go down to the ports and retrieve their imports from the shambles post BXit

Plenty already do collecting from a port using courier vans travelling in the right direction...