Giving up.

I have just lost my last customer, ( ceased trading ) They had the decency to pay me up and wish me well. So I have decided that at the end of the tax year if things have not improved in this indusry I will be ceasing to operate as a self employed courier. The reason  I am saying end of tax year is so I can start applying for full time employment.

Last year I had a company go under on me owing 3k and had to struggle to come back, Now having to rob peter to pay paul just to survive ( as I think a lot of other couriers are doing ) After 8 years within this industry it,s a very hard decision to come to.

Is anyone else thinking about giving up or is there light at the end of the tunnel ? Comments please. Budgie.

Exactly the same situation I have had two companies cease on me with

Hey guys sorry to hear your dilema but you are right there are more guys in the same boat and it is sad that you have to give up due to other people not paying! Pitfall of this industry it seems. Good luck in your futures if you do decide to give up.

Don.t want to give up but do not think I will have any choice, I am still doing subbie work for a couple of co,s for the MOD but not enough to make a decent living. Still got end users phoning me to cover work asking for silly prices. Basingstoke to Leicester could I do it for £85?  How can any courier make a profit on them prices especially if they have to sub it out for any reason.

You Carnt yesterday I had a heated moment with another member over price coz it weren't cheap enough for him, but in another thread he banging on about he gets no bids on he's work think I solved that prob for everyone he wants it done at foreign driver uninsured  rates 

Vat helps me survive claim it back every 3 months gives you a nice little float 

Tigz,

 i cant understand this guy who is "subbing TNT" work  & buying photocopy paper does he expect everyone to work for peanuts ?

I've never worked for him myself, i had a call

I had a sad text conversation with a courier returning home empty yesterday. He'd been given a hotspot job by a mate who'd won the bidding on CX (he couldn't afford to join it himself) but the price he got himself was lower. It was  - he was only getting around 60pplm which, considering it was 255 miles back to base he was desperate for a backload. Doing a hotspot for backload price is madness really but he was taking a chance seeing as he was finding it hard to get any jobs. He wsn't sure whether or not to return hope and in the end he drove back slowly and stopped over at a friends place in Nottingham, deciding he might well sell his van when he got home to Louth as six months of not much work has taken its toll.  

Hi guys it is certainly getting worse i'm a newbie but its bloody hard to get jobs, I am worried that if it carries on like this I wont get far and will have to concider other options to make a living. So I have sympathys for all the guys thinking or have no choice to pack in.

You need to get yourself a good subber. I'm lucky as I got one very soon after I started (last May) and he has recommended me to others. Did one for him this morning and was asked to do another by one of the others, but I was going in the wrong direction!

Did I say hotSPOT earlier? I think I did! (another reason for wanting an edit facility)

Hi there B C N

I believe that I am "the guy".  What I do not understand is anything about photocopy paper.  Please explain.

Secondly I give out work, some of which is T.N.T. Please explain your reference to "peanuts".

 1. how do you know my rates? 

 2. If you do what are they?

 3. I and probably most other members would like to know your source. 

If you continue to make comments but cannot verify them, then they are insulting especially if you cannot show that they have foundation.

Finally I did send a message to you yesterday requesting that you ring me.  Please do.

Thank you very much B C N Express Essex.

Hope this helps.

Kind regards

Tony

Tigz

I think that I am "the guy" Did I ring you?

This is not something I remember.

Please ring me.

Kind regards

Tony

which is very much why i told em to ignore wot the guy carryon couriers was saying.

Thanks Rob.

Does Carry On Couriers exist?

Who are they?

What are they?

Where are they?

I repeat my polite requests to Tigz and B C N.  Come on down.

Please reply. Same simple question. What are you talking about?

Kind regards

Tony

[Please refrain from posting your contact details on the forum. Best Wishes, Admin.]

Apologies

he was just someone who came on here to cause trouble under a false name

I've spoke to tony west Kingsdown couriers 

I too can understand the guys/gals who have or are looking to give the industry up.

After 4years of this as an o/d I too think its time I done something else, my work has dropped by 60% in the last year, companies that I have done regular work for, have either gone quiet, given up or even moved countries!!

One of my major customers informed me today that they cant pay my bill for last month, as they are awaiting payment from their customer, a vicious circle.

On top of that, my van has been in the garage for the past two weeks, and will be for the next week too, for engine repairs totaling over £ 2000.00, of which over  £850.00 was for mis- diagnised work, which when I get my van back, will have to sue the garage to try and get some money back.

With the cost of repairs, van hire and loss of earnings, I doubt that I will recover from this to enable to continue trading, as the van will need to be sold to re coup what I can.

I have seen good times in the last 4 years, but far too many bad times,

Good luck to those that continue to trade, I wish you well.

Tim. 

Sorry to hear the bad news, when it rain it pours eh?

I have had some good times, the euro trips, people paying on time, too much work, it has changed now though and I agree most of us are scratching about in the Sh*t, just trying to make ends meet.

After 30 years in the transport industry, this is the worst times that I can think of, and yes when it rains, it pours.

The courier game has become harder due to numerous reasons, high fuel prices, the auction sites, driving prices down, the guys/gals without the right insurances etc, able to compete at a lower rate, etc, etc.

Time for a beer I think, enough whinging for now !!!"

When the power-steering belt snapped on my first van, the chain reaction was that the cam belt also snapped and that also led to a £2000 bill. The fault was that the previous owner had fitted the wrong p/s belt. I'd only had the van a couple of days, and it was sold as seen by the trader (not the previous owner who I suspect had no knowledge. Luckily I found a very good diesel specialist who, after repairing the engine, realized it was the wrong belt that caused the problem and wouldn't release the van (or recommended I didn't drive off in it) until the correct belt was fitted.

As far as I was aware, a vehicle coming from a trader must have 90 days warranty (excluding consumables).

i agree with most of your thread except the "auction site" comments.

Hi BCM, please send Kingsdown a private message. Lets keep this thread on topic. :)

No worries buddy

Hello everybody!

I feel sorry for those in money trouble and now I feel very sorry for myself as well, as I've found about mtvan too late. I've put all my hard earned money as a class1 driver into this courier idea hoping to get a working business.

I had to buy the 2nd used van after the first one broke down 1 month after having it. There's over £7000 gone.

All the insurances to keep 1 vehicle on the road, that's any driver over 25, public liability, all europe, goods in transit, cost me £3500 for the year.

CX robbed me of over £400 for 6 months and all I could get was Aylesbury to Glasgow for £260, return empty, London to Milan for £750, return empty, and £300 as backload Leicester to Milan and a return for £600 after 7days hanging around. So basically I've worked for diesel money and got it back almost 60 days later.

That's all experience to me and I'm not thinking that much about working as a courier any more.

Tough lesson! Only when I posted a job myself I've noticed people based in Europe, CX registered, were bidding £200 for a pallet to Milan. Now compete with that!

Somebody please help with backloads for regular trips Luton to Bristol as otherwise I am giving up as well!

No point renewing CX and the insurances as I'm not seeing any money back.

Wish you all the best!

Hi B C N

If you are repeating a libellous statement on a common forum,  you are also and equally commiting a civil offence and leave yourself open to civil action.  Obviously if the libellous statement is true then the statement is legitimate.  It is untrue liebellous and offensive.

How do you know your statement is true?

How do you know the rates I pay drivers (your comment about T N T?

Why are you on our case?

Who is accusing us of carding"?

As far as we know it is not illegal to buy photocopy paper.

You can presumably source the number of the text sender, which would be very helpful.

For the fifth time (3 messages left on your voicemail  16.51, 17.12, and 18.48 + message on this thread yesterday) please ring me.  We can easily tuck this one away to bed, if you wish.

Kind regards

Tony

topo be true was just repeating what i read on here friday regarding you "Carding "a printers after you had done a job from there through a 3rd party then claiming to be purchasing "photo copy paper" !

Website Administration

Hi  Richard,

Did you get the three private messages I sent you yesterday?

If not this would explain why Daniel didn't get my message either.

Please ring me to confirm receipt yesterday.  I asked for confirmation yesterday. There has been none.

Kind regards

Tony

Hi Tony,

Hi Richard

As yet I have not received anything on my profile since you wrote to me on Monday.

If you touch base with me we can arrange for me to send you a screenshot, which might help.

Kind regards

Tony

Tony, I have replied to your PM. You should be able to see it in your messages.

Check we're on your safe senders list. We send you an email every time you receive a message.

I went for an Interview at City Sprint on Tuesday morning to see what they could offer. I have a VW Caddy Maxi 2010 reg, Offered me work at between 48-53pplm, and insisted that I do London at least 3 or 4 times a week at same rate, I maybe short of work but not that desperate thank you, Interview terminated.

Nearly forgot you still got to pay for uniform and pda. No wonder this industry is in the state it's in.

city sprint just bought out lewis day not only do you have to pay for your uniform but also the hire of equipment which is a xda machine then your only liable to work for them & can not take on any body elses job's neither can you obtain your own back loads plus your tracked every min of the day & prob get a phone call if you was to stop for a sudden need of a loo break.
they only pay 80plm on a lwb sprinter & prob 40-50p on a small van oh not to forget the cost of having there livery on your van which you also have to pay for.

citysprint.....now these are the one's f***** up our industry....anyone mug enough to drive for them is f***** us all.

I subby for royal mail sameday plus a few others companies. They pay 50pplm (small van) and hire a xda from them. Ive told them i won't work for less than 60p which they pay. Its now gone to 70p since I found out they charge customers£1.20pplm!! Mainly I use them for backloads.

I agree with Speed. Citysprint are screwing us, in more ways than one. Likewise Royal Mail sameday. The moral of this is either negotiate rates with them or dont work for them. They will raise the rates if they can't get drivers. Market Force rules!!

I rarely post but had to on this one.

RGM it should make no difference to you what the job provider charges their customers!  If you are not happy what they wish to pay you then walk away, but don't moan about how much they are earning out of it.

The idea of being in business is to make money NOT to share it out with every Tom Dick and Harry that buys a van!

I totaly agree with both of you stick together and boycote the "bad' ones would work if we all stick together ...... but as some have said they have to give in and work for crap money to make ends meet and try to stop them going under its a dire situation for us all.

Hi there,

Where is my safe senders list?

RGM if you are getting 70pplm for a small van of royal mail you are very lucky i would check that with them. I run a fiat ducato xlwb and thay only pay 90pplm for night time work aswell as day time and there xda is a waste of time thay say when you are in london you are 90 per cent guaranteed a back load which is a load of rubbish I think in 5 years ive had 3 back loads from london being midland based thay say theres loads of work with them its a load of rubbish

Decided to send the van back to Northgate on Monday 05th March and cease trading before I get into debt. I honestly cannot see things improving in this industry in the near future. It was a hard decision to make as I love this work.

 I would like to wish everybody all the very best of luck and hope nobody else has to make this decision. myself and the wife had a look at the trading figures for this year and decided to call it a day, She has been trading for two years and and earns enough to cover the bills so I will be down the dole office on tuesday. Good luck to everyone and hope the industry picks up and you can all prosper.

Good luck Bernard in what ever you do from now on

Yeh good luck...always sad to see one of the pro's having to chuck in the towel

Good luck buddy, I hope you find work and happiness for you and your family.

Good Luck Mate.

really sorry to see you go, never had the pleasure of working with you,
it's bloody tough out there what ever business you are in,
good luck for the future,
Dave Bennett
ex Chineham refugee!!

the work out there is very scarce at the moment im doing a couple of days with and agency class 1 driving starting next week just to subsidise my van should not have to do this but you have to pay bills and put grub on the table if i could sell my van i would but nobody is buying at the moment

It's been quiet all round, I've had a few subbie jobs this month and  I spent a few quid on some flyers and I've spent a few hours on a Sunday morning posting them around the business parks in the area, but so far I've had no response. I've got more to put out but I don't feel all that confident. I admit I don't the most up-to-date van, which holds me back from getting the better jobs, but I need the better jobs to enable me to upgrade my van, it's catch twenty-two.

I'd ring the companies you've sent flyers to, as just posting flyers rarely gets a response

talking of companies screwing OD's... I did a delivery of 170 mile yesterday, phoned up with a price, to which he said - "we need it done as cheap as possible" to be delivered that night on a backload off a 4pm pick up... I did it for £140 85ppm... he gave me some paperwork to acompany the pallet, on it was the invoice for the carriage - £385... someones making some money somewhere !!!

And if that had been your customer instead of his, you'd have pocketed the entire £385. One excellent reason for having your own end users.

We like to have a laugh at the DHL sameday pricing.

From Nottingham to WC2 London an a saturday Dhl sameday are £225 more than us and i know some Dhl drivers and they would get £74.00 inc vat and Dhl would have £250.60 as a revenue after deducting the driver cost.
It's fine making a profit but to us that's extracting the urine. at the drivers expense ,And the driver has the fuel to come off that price too.

it was just his "we need it done as cheap as poss" plea that got me... oh well another I wont work for again.

It doesn't help when 'the great unwashed' of the community, slash your bloody tyres either.

Just seen a job from Liverpool to Southampton 

its called taking the piss

That's around 28p per loaded mile, Was it + VAT??

the way i look at it, if there's a job like that and someone from the destination happens to be in the area puts in a quote, i don't expect to do a deal...thats just him being in the right place at the right time....and thats wot its all about isn't it?

£ 68 !!! na you gotta be making it up  Surely ????

jobs like that don't belong on cx or mtvan...if its ebay stick on a site thats full of this stuff...if it isn't then don't take the piss...and if you're an OD ffs don't quote for it

http://www.deliverysupermarket.com/deliveries/internal-doors-mix-9-glazed-and-solid

Ha Ha i read on the description written in red  "Dimensions are an estimate"

I hope the price was too !!

well the "ebay crap" is an anomally..its stuff that isn't going to get there with the overnighters and it ain't going to get there at sameday prices so i guess there is a place for it...so you can get your fuel back if nothing else.....its just not stuff i'm interested in i'm afraid....and ebayers are very lucky to get theses "special" rates.....how long before the industry does to?

well the "ebay crap" is an anomally..its stuff that isn't going to get there with the overnighters and it ain't going to get there at sameday prices so i guess there is a place for it...so you can get your fuel back if nothing else.....its just not stuff i'm interested in i'm afraid....and ebayers are very lucky to get theses "special" rates.....how long before the industry does to?

If done properly (pick up and deliver when in the area) ebay jobs can pay off. I had a regular Oldham delivery early in the week so delivered a dining table and six chairs to Manchester and then picked up a sideboard from Lancaster that I will deliver to Bristol on Monday, along with a sofa I'm picking up fro Reading on the way. I then have a pick up from Stratford on Avon that I will take back, to deliver to Brighton later in the week. My phone is red hot over weekends so will probably have more in that area for Monday.

Totally agree with your last comment. My philoshophy exactly.

Since I've Had my 4 metre Sprinter I Bid for a Load of Jobs on Anyvan Mostly in The Local area but at my price i dont deveate and get a load of work, It keeps me going.  Citysprint & Royalmail couriers Don't own any vans thats how the cut costs Good luck to you Budgie I Quoted  that job but its all gone very quiet. Hers one for Rob that might be usefull, I Did  Air Cargo Security Training Level D Last Weekend My Pass is in the post they tell me. Please read this next One.

How To Make A Million Being A Courier

START Off With TWO MILLION

Regards Colin

I work mainly on CX, couple of my own local customers and quite a number of CX company's who ring me first before posting. I have been on since June last year after being made redundant from Tetleys brewery in Leeds.
I am doing OK, even through the past couple of 'quiet' months, I have done OK.
Only ever done 1 job off MT Van and they also now  ring me first before posting. I guess I'm a popular guy or maybe I do a good job, who knows?
Just thought I'd add this comment to help contrast with the doom and gloom on this thread, a sort of 'balancing' act if you like.

Good for you

Thanks for that, I hope no one thinks Im rubbing their noses in it, but I get fed up of reading the doom and gloom, you could end up slashing your wrists after going on the CX forum somedays!

And yes, suns out and shorts are on!

Hi there

I call January "Grave Yard Month".  Guys spend their money at christmas, like we all do.  Theres nothing left.  It goes quiet, certainly for us Jan. - Feb.

They ring us and others desperate for work.  We don't have enough for ourselves, let alone anyone else. Subbies cannot make ends meet, then they go bust.  It is a pattern I have seen every Jan. for the last 5 years.  For us this has been the quietest start for years.

Doom and gloom out the way.

POSITIVE to follow on this thread.

That said the last 3 weeks have been busy. I would expect it to continue probably through to August.

We are all different.  We are all set up differently. I would hope that subbies who have struggled thus far through Grave Yard month and beyond will probably be fine.

I don't pretend to know anything this is just a personal view.

Kind regards

Tony

Ok...time to really beef up the postiveness then

Yep quite agree far too easy in convincing yourself that there no point to go out and sell because there is no work!
compared with last month we are up over 100%,

going out door stepping today whilst waiting for a call!!

Always worth making a call, its the banks who are in turmoil, not the man in the street, most places I go to collect are rushed off their feet

Well said by all the postive people out there, it's true there is still plenty of work out there to keep us all busy.  Postive Mental Attituide .... (I think that's what he said lol)

got to be positive!!

I will tell myself that when I'm pushing the van home due to lack of fuel but at least I will have
a warm pastie to eat, DOH can't afford one 20% extra!!!!
 

Hi Guys,