Setting up as a Courier

[Feldon]

I am sure this has been asked before but I am looking for advice on setting up a courier business or becomming a freelance courier driver as I am not too sure where to start.

Is there a lot of call / work for freelance courier drivers at the moment?

What would start up costs be, ie. second-hand van, insurance be etc?

Can you earn a reasonable living within a fairly short period of time?

Any information or recommended web sites appreciated.

 

[KidsBeeHappy]

Its a very tough market at the moment, on both sides. Firstly your costs are rapidly increasing as fuel continues to spiral upwards (how expensive will it be a vat increase too?). Secondly, the demand for the higher paying sameday work is declining as the recession has forced customers to consider cheaper overnight/carrier solutions. Customers are struggling in the recession to get their products sold, and one of the first costs that they're continually looking at triming is what they're paying for couriers. Thirdly, it's harder to get credit for things like vans. (Couriers have some of the worst credit ratings you can imagine!).

Yes, demand from private customers for the cheaper backloads is increasing, but you've got to work really hard if these are your only jobs. Websites such as ours are designed to get "top up" work on paying routes you already have- backloads/return loads etc. You can make a living on the backload/hotshot jobs, but its a lot of work and a not a lot of profit. A lot of couriers I know are sleeping in their vans and lucky to be taking home minimum wage some weeks.

Bear in mind that running a van costs around 85p a mile. When you take ALL of your costs into account. And that 85p doesn't actually include anything for your time.

Over the past year I have seen a large number of new courier startups. Its relatively easy to get going. But a very high percentage of those are no longer in the industry today.

I would say that it's not an industry that I would encourage anyone to make an investment in unless they have certain work agreed/sourced before spending.

Maybe not the most positive reply for you, but I hope it helps.

 

[AT82]

It is tough i agree with boxby, unless you have a contract(s) set up then you will find it tough. Sameday jobs are not what they were. My business failed last year and I am now starting again but only as I have won a contract recently that will make profit straight away.

 

[Feldon]

Thanks for the quick reply and I appreciate your honesty.

There seem to be various websites and promises of earning £250 a day from this type of work and to be honest I am always scepital. However I am the work it self appeals to me, as long as I could make a reasonable living.

Can you susgest any geniune websites / forurms aimed at freelance courier drivers.

Only researching at the moment, I currently have work as a freelance sales agent but it involves selling direct to public at various venues i.e. supermarkets, service stations etc and I am dreading working another winter standing out in the cold.

 

[KidsBeeHappy]

The various carriers are looking for franchisees/operators. These guys are doing upwards of 70 drops per day. - ie less than 7 minutes to drive to destination, find parcel, unload parcel, ring doorbell, wait for person to hangup the phone and answer door, get signature, fill in paperwork etc, get back in van, before doing it all over again. Plus customers nagging you all day long because it's not their parcel, your late collecting/delivering, finding a next door neighbour that will take it in. It's not exactly stress free work, but there are usually vacancies for these reasons.

Don't touch fastways unless you take some really good advice. Its a very tough business model to turn a long term profit on.

Go and sit in a truck stop at lunch time and go and have a natter with couriers, best way to find out current market conditions.

 

[KidsBeeHappy]

£250 per day is a perhaps an acheivable income. But to get this you'll have to do in the region of 400-500 miles.

 

[Jerry D]

I am sure this has been asked before but I am looking for advice on setting up a courier business or becomming a freelance courier driver as I am not too sure where to start.

Is there a lot of call / work for freelance courier drivers at the moment?

What would start up costs be, ie. second-hand van, insurance be etc?

Can you earn a reasonable living within a fairly short period of time?

Any information or recommended web sites appreciated.

veryy good idea

 

[Hedgie]

Its a very tough market at the moment, on both sides. Firstly your costs are rapidly increasing as fuel continues to spiral upwards (how expensive will it be a vat increase too?). Secondly, the demand for the higher paying sameday work is declining as the recession has forced customers to consider cheaper overnight/carrier solutions.

Bear in mind that running a van costs around 85p a mile. When you take ALL of your costs into account. And that 85p doesn't actually include anything for your time.

Unless you are on a bike

 

[MH1]

Best advice is not to do it. Thankfully I sold my old company four years ago, and it was tough then, it is probably three times as hard now.

Regarding regular contract work, don't put too much faith in them, if your client goes under you still ahve the same overheads and probably a huge debt, many couriers go under from poor cash flow, there are plenty of companies surviving by doing this, not just clients but other couriers not paying their sub contractors on time.

Costs are spiralling and rates are plummeting, look at something else or simply get a driving salaried job for the moment.

 

[vaness3]

Hello My partner started his sameday courier company 3 months ago
He was doing multi drop tasks and then move to same day courier as he wishes to do so- he bought a brand new van to do the job
and i think he s struggling to meets the end now as van insurance van finace petrol adding to it...HE GETS SOME WORK AS A SUB CONTRACTOR WORKING FOR A BIF COMPANY but payment run are not the greates and everything seems so hard in the end.. he has done some leaflets developed a website/ business cards how can we get more work? to be honest..
your help would be appreciated