Cycle Couriers

[claret73]

Started to think a bit more about this with a view to doing something a little different with it?...all just crazy thoughts maybe, but you've gotta have them.

A Large Town, having its own infrastructure that isn't reliant on a neighbouring City was what I had in mind, of which there are a few in realtion to me. I've found some software that I could adapt to auto send jobs to my Smart Phone. Impetus on getting the client to book online like you do with Parcel Force/Courier Cos...Perhaps a Cargo bike giving facility to carry larger loads which they'd normally need a van for...

Like most businesses, you have to market the S**T out of them to get noticed and thankfully I have previous exp in this and contacts whom can assist with areas of this too. Advertising is an extra source of income as would be contracting out a rider. Seen both of these done...

Found a company in New York who were featured in a Digital Lifestyle Magazine & they were no longer afraid of the digital age killing their business. Interesting article that itself stated Bike Messengers will never die out...

Noted on all the posts in response. I've never done it & am thinking of ways it could be done slightly different to make it attractive and whereby not relying on you killing yourself round London's roads for a pittance...there are a few company sites I've looked at & it is possible if you can do it right and different, be more than just a guy with a bag...

 

[claret73]

When you guys were in London, how'd you get on when you were starting out with directions to and from collection-drop off...reliant on an A-Z or very good local knowledge? Obviously no Sat Nav or Smart Apps back in the 90's...

 

[one-eyed_jim]

When you guys were in London, how'd you get on when you were starting out with directions to and from collection-drop off...reliant on an A-Z or very good local knowledge?

I'd been cycling in London for a couple of years already, so I knew the lie of the land fairly well. In the first month or so I was constantly checking the A-Z, and I used to spend a little time in the evenings checking my routes for the day against a map. Many of the jobs were for regular customers though (for example I had a pickup from Victoria nearly every morning with a wait-and-return at the Bank of England) so certain routes quickly became second nature.

 

[stewlewis]

Some of you may or may not have seen - http://www.digave.com/videos/

I think it's quite cool, the dodging and weaving in traffic (dead dangerous, but we've all done it!) exciting. I only saw one while in New York over Xmas, email must have taken over.

And I know you're all dying to watch http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1547234/

 

[claret73]

Great Link!
Have seen this a few times now, but it's still amazing riding! http://www.digave.com/videos/#top 3:15 is kinda interesting... :shock: :shock: :shock:

 

[Harryburgundy]

When you guys were in London, how'd you get on when you were starting out with directions to and from collection-drop off...reliant on an A-Z or very good local knowledge? Obviously no Sat Nav or Smart Apps back in the 90's...

A-Z...but after a while you get to know your accounts pretty well.

 

[The Ken]

Did it in Edinburgh in the Early 90's before cheap mobiles - I lasted less than 2 weeks - you did on average 60-75 miles a day - you didn't get a radio until you had been there 6 weeks, so at the end of each delivery you had to either return to base or use a payphone to get your next job. This made it very uneconomical on a job by job basis.

The best time of day was the rutland post - edinburgh's legal post system - you turned up there and were given around 10 jobs all at once to deliver within 45mins. Hectic but fun.

My last day was 6 inches of slush on the roads, pissing rain and dark at 4pm - Don't start a career like this in January in Scotland. But really the main reason I gave up was, I got sick of doing a 7 mile run to the outskirts and never getting a return job - at least 3 or 4 of these a day.


My Cousin is still a courier - started in edinburgh and is now in washington DC - he came 2nd or 3rd in the world courier champs in praque (I think) in the late 90's - he was ultra fast.