Parcels

[roydo]

Impossible to get your 20 parcel drops a hour?

Yer does seem abig call for it

just lookin at luton vans as we speak

If you have 150 parcels, that will most likely include 10 to 20 multi drops, (more than one parcel for one address). And most drivers operate in a number of ajoining post codes, I covered 2. So you deliver more per hour than say with 60 cos the biggest time factor is driving, and there are only so many roads in a post code area.

If that makes sense. I once dropped 130 plus in 5 hours for example. Edit. No, 4 hours in fact.

 

[YoboCopter]

If you have 150 parcels, that will most likely include 10 to 20 multi drops, (more than one parcel for one address). And most drivers operate in a number of ajoining post codes, I covered 2. So you deliver more per hour than say with 60 cos the biggest time factor is driving, and there are only so many roads in a post code area.

If that makes sense. I once dropped 130 plus in 5 hours for example. Edit. No, 4 hours in fact.

Yer i get ya mate, it actually sounds quite stresfull to me, dosent sound easy at all, good money like but you wont get a minute to yaself will ya through your shift

 

[roydo]

Yer i get ya mate, it actually sounds quite stresfull to me, dosent sound easy at all, good money like but you wont get a minute to yaself will ya through your shift

Its magic. I loved it.

But I operated from home, not a depot, and had a really good Lead and Milk Runner.

 

[ClausThomsen]

Yer i get ya mate, it actually sounds quite stresfull to me, dosent sound easy at all, good money like but you wont get a minute to yaself will ya through your shift

Pros and cons. You're paying for the petrol and wear and tear on your vehicle.....which is getting hammered with constantly stopping / starting and doing most of your driving down back streets with speed bumps. Not many smooth motorway miles!

See how many parcels you're knocking out per hour once it's dark, your struggling to see house numbers (or street signs in an unfamiliar area!) and trying to find somewhere to park anywhere near the address once people are coming back from work. And if you have a breakdown or a crash then forget about it - it's your problem to solve as a "self employed" driver.

Or if a town centre is part of your area, or anywhere near a school around start and finish time. Mate of mine was still doing it last Christmas and he was going the depot at 6am and only getting done after 9pm....no set hours as he was self employed and contracted to clear whatever was due in his area.

Add into that having to have your mobile phone as the customer service line with people from your area ringing you with various enquiries when you're at home and supposedly done for the day - plenty of firms like that.

If I was working for a delivery company like that now I'd sooner do long distance large goods than stop/starting round some rough arse estates with lids constantly eyeing up my van full of catalogue gear.

 

[PaddyJames]

Pros and cons. You're paying for the petrol and wear and tear on your vehicle.....which is getting hammered with constantly stopping / starting and doing most of your driving down back streets with speed bumps. Not many smooth motorway miles!

See how many parcels you're knocking out per hour once it's dark, your struggling to see house numbers (or street signs in an unfamiliar area!) and trying to find somewhere to park anywhere near the address once people are coming back from work. And if you have a breakdown or a crash then forget about it - it's your problem to solve as a "self employed" driver.

Or if a town centre is part of your area, or anywhere near a school around start and finish time. Mate of mine was still doing it last Christmas and he was going the depot at 6am and only getting done after 9pm....no set hours as he was self employed and contracted to clear whatever was due in his area.

Add into that having to have your mobile phone as the customer service line with people from your area ringing you with various enquiries when you're at home and supposedly done for the day - plenty of firms like that.

If I was working for a delivery company like that now I'd sooner do long distance large goods than stop/starting round some rough arse estates with lids constantly eyeing up my van full of catalogue gear.

And that fat get from lapland only does one night shift then takes a year off. Its a complete joke

 

[Joey66]

This morning, a DHL fella knocks and asks if I can take a parcel in for a house a few down.

Sound, it's the season of goodwill and all that.

Turns it, it's quite a big parcel.

Anyway, they've been home since about 15 minutes after I took said parcel.

Now, who is the onus on in this great Mexican standoff?

Should I be the bigger person here and take the parcel over like a peasant to them?

Or should I stand my ground and make them bastards come and collect their parcel.

At this point I probably don't need to add that I think the particular household are bad, bad kopites.

@JamesEFC recently discovered I live near him so don't grass me up lad x

With Covid 19 about mask plus rubber gloves and put it on his doorstep ......

 

[roydo]

Add into that having to have your mobile phone as the customer service line with people from your area ringing you with various enquiries when you're at home and supposedly done for the day - plenty of firms like that.

Amen to that.

I had random calls from customers in Cardiff, Liverpool, even a North Sea oil rig, (I kid you not), asking what time their parcel will be. I am near Bristol.

Add in the stupidity of folk.

By text, this was not uncommon.

What time will my parcel be?

Me. Address?

Portishead.

Me. Address?

Bellend Road

Me. House number?

#10.

Me. 2.00 ish.

Can you make it 6.00pm?

Me. I can leave it somewhere safe if thats ok, or with a neighbour.

I will unlock the shed.

Me. Ta. Will leave a card to remind you.

I work locally. Does that help?

Me. Shed will be fine, its your OU books, so will be dry.

Oh, I thought it was some shoes, do you have them as well?

Me. Where do you work?

Titheads R Me.

Me. Then I have the shoes as well.

Can you bring the books as well?

Me. Yes, no problem. Be about 11.00 then.

But you said 2.00.

You get the idea. And thats while you are trying to load 100 parcels into a car.

 

[YoboCopter]

Back to the drawing board then

 

[roydo]

Back to the drawing board then

No joy?

 

[Methuselah]

I think DPDS are salaried, but they are also a nightmare to work for.

I was, like most are, "self employed", and had a service agreement with the company. 90p a drop, but with a van, that would be more like £1.20. (I used my car).



Once you nail your area, £20 an hour was easily doable.

I'm knackered after an hour, so I'd need more than £20. lol

 

[YoboCopter]

No joy?

Just dosent sound as good as i thought tbh... id prefer a driving job where its just one or two drops but longer distance

do any of them exist without driving a artic?

 

[roydo]

Just dosent sound as good as i thought tbh... id prefer a driving job where its just one or two drops but longer distance

do any of them exist without driving a artic?

A few, but rare.

GP surgeries use drivers to shift case notes around, even in these digital days. Solicitors as well. But I would imagine they use agencies that do just that.

Dont think many folk would pay the postage for a bloke in a van to do 2 drops 100 miles apart, when there are dozens of courier businesses who do it for pennies.

 

[The binman chronicles]

Someone needs to tell me why 3 different amazon drivers delivered to my house the other day. That's not cost effective.

 

[roydo]

Someone needs to tell me why 3 different amazon drivers delivered to my house the other day. That's not cost effective.

They will have 3 drivers in the same post code area. Quite normal. Especially this year/time of year.

The depot lads will lob the parcels at the area in the warehouse for the post code, and the drivers will load them.

Early days when I was doing it, I saw that my pal in the same post code would deliver to my neighbours, so we arranged that he would put those parcels into my lot.

 

[LEONARD]

Brown paper packages, tied up with string.

One of my favourite things.