Couriers

[Darky]

Anyone here work(ed) as a courier?

I'm budgeting to buy a panel van in May, and am thinking about taking over one of the delivery runs for the company I work for.

The bulk stuff would still be sent via Star Track, which is who we use at the moment for all country deliveries. Our overnight security guard who lives in Geelong, has a stationwagon and takes all the small parcels with him when he finishes his security shift at 7am, and delivers them after 8am.

I'm thinking of putting in an offer similar to that, to do a localised area between say 8am-12 noon, then head to my normal job which starts at 2pm and finishes at 10.30.

Does this allsound like too much work, and how hard a job is courier work exactly? Any answers would be appreciated.

 

[knuckles]

Depends what your 2PM -10.30 is., but couriers seem to work very hard.

I kept this schedule for several years, many years ago.

0800-1800 M-F Sit on my butt and make lots of money for people
1900-2100 tues and thurs MBA
2000 Friday to 0700 Sat ..work at nite club
2100Sat - 0900Sun..work at nite club
2100sun - 0500 Monday work at nite club..to day job at 0800 and continue

Mondays I was frigged, and fell asleep at my desk once and toppled a fishbowl over.
Squeezed study homework there also
Being practical I worked at clubs b/c I would get plenty and still earn $.
I was young then, I'm not now.

 

[Docker_Brat]

Depends on what area you end up with and how much per item. Couriers working the CBD and surrounding inner suburbs do quite well, others can slog all day for little return.

Some of our drivers were getting upwards of $2000 a week, the rest were just scraping by.

 

[Darky]

Originally posted by Docker_Brat
Depends on what area you end up with and how much per item. Couriers working the CBD and surrounding inner suburbs do quite well, others can slog all day for little return.

Some of our drivers were getting upwards of $2000 a week, the rest were just scraping by.

It's got its possibilties... I'm looking at the Ballarat area, where we certainly have enough business to justify it. If we stuck to fairly small boxes and satchels, it could easily be 50-100 parcels a day. There are also a few towns along the way which have businesses we supply to.

If this works out, I would either have to drive to Ballarat every day (about an hour from Melbourne), or relocate there or somewhere in between - which has the added bonus of moving out of the shared house I have now.

One thing I am thinking, is that if this plan is successful, I could ditch my 2-10.30 job (jack of all trades in a warehouse) to take up a courier run and return to part time or off-campus study - even if it's only say $300-400 a week, which is what I think our security guy gets for his run. I've got a hastily arranged RDO today, so I won't get to chat to him until tomorrow, but he would be the main man to ask about this stuff seeing I'm basing my plan on what he's got going.

All this requires a lot of thought and planning, so I've put the question to you lot because basically I'm willing to listen to everyone for their opinions.

ie - what are couriers paid on average per hour/parcel/delivery, so I can compare and determine what is a reasonable rate
- how much do conditions depend on the individual company that employs you
- what are some of the problems you might encounter along the way

etc, etc

 

[Spidergirl~RiCkChiCk]

moving to Ballarat gee thanks for telling me on bigfooty enjoy your midlife crisis!

 

[ozzult]

Ha.. Ha.. Ha.