Courier'ing

[Irezumi aka Reuben]

As, i've finished college and only got one A-level i'm struggling to find full time work next to all the posh boys, cutting me hair might help but that ain't gonna happen as going through the shit stage (probably still happening) went on for far too long.

So now i'm curious about doing courier work, I used to ride my pushbike around London and never got knocked off once (though it got dicey but thats all part of the fun ) so thats a good omen i guess.

Anybody on here a courier? What would the pay be like and any good companies to work for? Any other tips, as i've just turned 19 I accept the dangers but i've got too much fun to have before getting killed so wont ride like a complete lunatic.

Thanks for any help

[iCraig]

Well the money is meant to be OK, but if you use your own bike you have to take expenses like servicing as you'll be doing a fair few miles, petrol and insurance is a killer too out of what you get paid!

And having to ride a bike through the city when its pouring with rain or really icey wouldn't be fun either!

[Ste]

Before looking much further get yourself some insurance quotes, courier insurance is very expensive to start with and insurance at 19 is also expensive, so if you can find places to quote you you'll be looking at very expensive insurance.

Not getting knocked off your pushbike doesn't mean much in terms of how suitable you would be for being a courier. You'll need a good local knowledge and be happy riding in any conditions quickly.

As for companies and what the pay is, it is probably worth having a look through google as there are pages about it.

[Sadie]

Having done the tax return for a couple of couriers, my advice would be - don't do it.

The costs of maintaining your bike plus insurance plus petrol plus tax etc are huge.

You will also probably be self employed as most courier companies don't tend to operate payroll systems, so you will be responsible for your own tax and NI etc.

Not worth the aggravation, IMO.

There are other jobs out there and you can always work and go to night classes to improve your qualifications. Decide NOW what you actually WANT to do with your life, and work out how to go about getting it.

It may be hard work for a while, but worth it in the end.
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With experience comes age.

[Irezumi aka Reuben]

I know what I want to do, I just can't afford to do it.

Hopefully in 2 years i'll go back to studying design at degree level but need to save up the cash, hence the work.

And yes, im about to start an evening class tomorrow night, just need the job part now Hence looking at all options, I havent tried going back to Sainsbury's et all yet but may have too as they will be hiring christmas staff, oh well Bluewater it is

[tgabber]

Friend of mine was a pushbike courier in Central London for a few years.

Pay was good and it got him extremely fit. There's not much in the way of overheads if you use a pushbike. He did tend to be knackered by the end of the day though...
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"It's all about dislocating expectation"
Kawasaki KMX125 -> Aprilia RS125 -> Kawasaki ZZR600

[hellkat]

Couriers have a love-hate relationship with their job
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Not nearly as interesting in real life.

[Irezumi aka Reuben]

Found some more info but would like to hear from someone who does actually does (or has) done it.

What are the hours like (ie do you work late alot etc). Is it fun at all? Must be at times, like when I saw 2 bikes and Ferrari 360 race near blackfriars (with one bike going round the other side of the bollards).
So anything really. Is it worth doing it due to insurance, and can I ask how much roughly (percentage?) extra it costs?

Anything like this, can e-mail me if its better.

Cheers

[Tarmacsurfer]

I was a dizzy for upwards of 12 years, it's not worth it nowadays. You can still make a living, but it's subsistance at best. And that's assuming you're well clear of 30 with a decent no claims bonus.

As far as fun goes, not really. That's why they call jobs "work" and not "fun" I suppose. You're dealing with arsehole cage drivers all day, the hours are whatever the circuit has that day (varies from 4 to 15, it's a how long is a piece of string kind of thing) and more importantly, whatever the controller will throw to you. More often than not the pickup won't be ready when you get there, then you'll get crucified at the far end when the client wants to know why it took you so long (I actually started getting a signature and timestamp after one encounter, the drop had been told that I was given a package at 9am, when in reality I'd got there at 0930 and been given the package at 1100).
Also, don't make the usual mistake, couriering is not just about riding a bike around and reading a map. It does in all honesty take a certain mindset. If you have that mindset it can be an OK job, if you don't then it'll all fall apart quicker than a Bandit midwinter. Hellkat makes a good point, it is a love hate thing. Not every day was a dull dismal grind, but believe me, it will detract from your love of bikes and riding.
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I'm immortal. Well, so far.

[MarJay]

I feel sorry for you!

The top three careers with the highest premiums for life insurance are:

1. Bomb Disposal Technician.

2. Oil Rig Underwater Technician (diver)

3. Motorcycle courier.

The thing is, do you /really/ want your favourite passtime (biking) to become your career? If I did it as a job I know I would end up hating it, and I never want to be in that situation.

And its dangerous (see above) and the bike insurance will probably be as much as you earn in a year.

Avoid IMO.
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British beauty: Triumph Street Triple R; Loony stroker: KR1S; Track fun: GSXR750 L1; Commuter Missile: GSX-S1000F
Remember kids, bikes aren't like lego. You can't easily take a part from one bike and then fit it to another.

[Irezumi aka Reuben]

Oh well thanks for the tips. I might follow up the motorbike bit, but probably look into the cycling courier. Or as mentioned try Bluewater

I think there was a job listing/countdown where it said that a courier was expected to live on average 6 years from starting the job. I believe that was for motorcyclists, not cyclists.

Thanks Tarmacsurfer, just what I was after. To be honest though doing anything at the moment would be good, ive become a housewife

[Andy99]

I did it for six months and wouldn't do it again.Some days it was great riding down to Brighton on fast A roads in the sunshine and getting paid,great Other days freezing fog going to Gloucester,hell You will end up not liking your bike and not enjoying riding anymore,some days you will look at your bike and really hate the idea of riding it ever again.
I've had a few mates try it and none of us lasted more than a year before we just had to get another job.
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Nothing gets the point across quite like a raised middle digit.

Just call me General Crazypaws.

[sickpup]

I used to earn £20 an hour when I was at Securicor. TNT has a contract with same bank now that pays the same but in general unless your real good you're gonna earn NOTHING.

Just got fired from my last controller job for pissing off the Boss but was pulling in £25k for 8 hours a day driving a desk.

If you want to try it do it on a push bike and £60 a day is pretty easy.

The highest paid courier I know off pulls £40k a year and works for Anderson young down in Fulham.

Now the bad bit.

Had a lot of crashs and did the following damage.

Several concussions.

Wrenched right shoulder now with limited movement.

Broken left knee with the following damage... ACL PCL LCL perennial nerve. cartilage and a bit more. 26 months off work still don't walk perfect 7 years later. The other knee is giving up now and so are my hips. Looking at a double knee and double hip replacement in the next 10 years. I'm only 30.

Still think it's a good idea?

[ZRX61]

Do the job in Los Angeles, 80% of yer wage is tax free & ya get paid by the hour AND the mile....

[Andy99]

[hellkat]

Tarmacsurfer and sickpup sum it up pretty well.

* When the money and the weather is good, its a fantastic job.
* When its a summer evening and he comes home to say "Just got a job down to Cornwall, fancy a ride out?", its a great job.
* When the sun is shining and the road is clear, its a great job.
* When you can find on the map where you need to be going, its a great job.
* When YOUR BIKE IS WORKING PERFECTLY, its a great job.

When the money is rubbish and its pissing down, its a crap job and all couriers wish they had never started doing it in the first place.

When the controller wants to send you five miles east for a job that is going one mile west of where you are, its a crap job.

When its dark, you're lost out in the countryside, you have a flat tyre and a leak in your boot, and you STILL can't find the bloody address, its a crap job.

When everyone on the radio is talking crap and you can't get thru to the controller to get more work, its a crap job.

When he phones in the middle of the day, calling to let you know he's in the back of an ambulance AGAIN and the bike is on the side of the road somewhere waiting for you to go collect it (or worse, if its been taken away to a yard by the police) . . .

. . . work it out for yourself.

Having said that ... probably nearly 50% of my best mates are couriers
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Not nearly as interesting in real life.

[hellkat]

What I hate about it is that you wanna go out riding on the weekend with him and he goes "I don't fancy it, luv ... I've been riding all bloody week".


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Not nearly as interesting in real life.

[Tarmacsurfer]

[Irezumi aka Reuben]

Thanks for all the tips.

Problem is i've been going for interviews and twice now i've been asked if I would cut my hair (it's shoulder length), i've said no, and then not got the job. Not having great qualifications isn't helping either.

So couriering was going to be a stop gap before finding a 'proper job', which i'd then ditch after a couple of years and then go off to get drunk at Uni. Might do some work whilst there too. And learn how to do rolling burnouts.

I'll phone some places up and see what happens.

Thanks for all the tips/advice, even if I do appear to be ignoring it.

[Robby]

You could just get a haircut and stop trying to look like a girl.

[ZRX61]

[Ste]

Generally they won't consider you for smart office responsible jobs if you turn up looking really scruffy and messy. If you keep it kept neat (or just for the interviews and when going to work) then you should be okay without needing to get it cut.