The Chief

Thought about being a self employed courier
I have a couple of questions.

1. Recommendations of a good reliable economical van?

2. Insurance issues a good insurer and what do i need to insure for?

3. typical costs per mile what to charge?

4. is the courier exchange website any good

5. typical earnings

6. any other things i need to know

thanks guys, i need a career change asap and yep trust me dont try and put me off courier work it really cant be as bad as where i am at

Thanks again


Carl

The Chief

Oh and one other thing.


Could i start out part time doing this i.e. evenings and weekends???

OllyK

I have a couple of questions.

1. Recommendations of a good reliable economical van?
What is your market? What sized van do you need (escort, luton, 7.5 tonner). Be aware you need tachos for a 7.5 tonner and can't go in to Europe with it on a car license. You also need a CPC (national or international) or a transport manager once you start messign with tacho's

2. Insurance issues a good insurer and what do i need to insure for?
Again, depends on the vehicle

3. typical costs per mile what to charge?
See above

4. is the courier exchange website any good
no idea

5. typical earnings
Depends on market, UK or international, type of goods etc etc etc etc


6. any other things i need to know
Yup - sort a business plan out and know what your market is, it takes more than buying a van to be sucessful in the courier market.

7. Could i start out part time doing this i.e. evenings and weekends???
Again - depends on your market, not much chance if you are doing stuff out to the south of spain. If you are doing local 1 man and his van stuff, then yeah.

The Chief

UK only i would imagine - europe can come later

Long distance work pref. not multidrop or is multidrop viable?

van no bigger than a transit or maybe a sprinter.

Thanks for your help!

Carl

OllyK

I'll happily tell you what I can, I have been out of the haulage industry for a few years so I may not be as up to speed as some others, however a mate is working for himself and doing well. He is doing well becuase he runs his own van (a citroen transit sized thing) but also sub-contracts international groupage. He has been in haulage all his life and knows how it works, companies that need his kind of services and will pay top dollar for quality and reliability.

In general go for a small number of drops, preferably one. Look for companies that need to get things to a given place a specific times other than the "9am" type. Companies making generators that have to be on site when the engineers get there and such like are a good place to look. Anything that requires that little bit extra is going to help you. You are not going to compete with TNT and such on price, you have to sell on flexibility and add value in otherway so you can chareg premium rates.

TBH unless you "know" the industry you may struggle. Try contacting some of the local small firms and see if they would be interested in giving you any overflow work they can't handle on a subcontract basis or owner driver arrangement, use thier knowledge and skill to help get you started.

Gillp95

Carl,

A mate of mine works at TNT and knows abit about this sort of stuff. They use subbies at his place and he has also been thinking of doing it himself. I'll ask him some stuff if you want?

The Chief

Cheers Paul

also cheers Olly very very much appreciated

Thanks for all your help


Carl

OllyK

Good luck!!

The Chief

Anyone else

Dazza01

Merc Sprinter, you can get 4 possibly 5 pallets in them,

Where r u based ??? i work for a freight fwder at East Midlands Airport and we use couriers all the time ? plus we have an office at LHR

The Chief

Gtr Manchester!