Aborted Trip: What would you charge?

Today I was called out to deliver a super-urgent letter from Dereham to London. The CX advert said collection at 11 and delivery by 2. I told the guy on the phone I'd try to collect by 12 but had little chance of delivering by 2. He said ok, do your best, but he understood that the time constraints were tough.

When I arrived (at about 12:20 cos it was in the middle of nowhere) the lady with the letter said that unless it could be in London by 2 it would have to be sent by airmail, as the recipient was about to fly out of the country, so the job was aborted.

The chap on the phone was decent and accepted that I'd bill him for my mileage. It was 49 miles from home to Dereham, and I intend to bill £49. But part of me wants to bill more. After all, I had to set aside an afternoon, and I was planning on ending up in London where I could hopefully collect another run somewhere (out here in Norfolk there's next to no work at all so any opportunity to end up in the metrop is worth taking).

You arrived almost 90 mins after the customer requested collection, so can't really be surprised they didn't want to go ahead with it. You will get paid for what you did so what is the problem? It is hardly the fault of the chap who gave you the job that you are not best placed to get other work!

Matey shouldn't have taken the job on as its in the arse end of nowhere and there's no way it'd get there by 1400. Ok sometimes the deadlines aren't actually deadlines, more a suggestion that it needs to move quick, but in this case clearly the deadline was a real one. A call out fee is all you can charge really as Alan states, its not their fault you live where you do.

I'd say you got a lucky beak....the M11, A10 and M1 have all been closed for some part of the day and the M25 the usual Friday carpark

Head North on a Friday.... much better

Speed Couriers (Stansted Airport) said:

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Matey shouldn't have taken the job on as its in the arse end of nowhere and there's no way it'd get there by 1400. Ok sometimes the deadlines aren't actually deadlines, more a suggestion that it needs to move quick, but in this case clearly the deadline was a real one. A call out fee is all you can charge really as Alan states, its not their fault you live where you do.

I'd say you got a lucky beak....the M11, A10 and M1 have all been closed for some part of the day and the M25 the usual Friday carpark

Head North on a Friday.... much better

Not today LOL

I sat for almost 90 mins on M1 south just after M18 this afternoon! Other driver was on way back from Newcastle and as well as the M1 the A1 at Retford was closed too! No real way to avoid as he was heading for Heathrow!

Probably my imagination but things seem to be getting worse every day, with Road closures [Even up here]

I stand corrected...Friday is a nightmare at the best of times.....everyone wants you, and the roads are snarled up making your deadlines tighter than a.....(best not go there!!)....thankfully most seem to understand this so wouldn't ask someone to do a Dereham to London by 1400 Fustrating tho it is to be sitting around waiting for work (or ringing round touting for some), its equally fustrating being stuck in traffic with the clock ticking and that deadline gettin closer

Ahhhh this will be the problems with van thinking they can do bike jobs!!

Probably but i think they're fortunate to have found a van up there never mind a bike

Yes, it was a bit of a relief to be honest. MK, I wasn't told it was an envelope - just said 'small van' in the advert. I only took on the job because I was given reason to believe that the deadline wasn't that much of a big deal. I do feel that the guy shouldn't have told me to go in the first place.

But I am happy with just the callout charge - as you say Rapid, it's only fair to get paid for the work you've done and it's not the guy's fault there isn't more work around here. I just came home feeling disgruntled :(

Therefore it sounds like the poster of this job has promised something he cannot deliver on, either it's importance to arrive by 2pm hasn't been expressed clearly enough by the customer or the CX member has decided to ignore the job detail and send someone anyway who will have to then drive like crazy to achieve the customer requirements through no fault of their own. Anything after 11 would have had to be a bike to ensure making the customers deadline, this is likely to be the CX members fault then, however the £49 if far more than any minimum charge would be and you have been paid from your front door you cant ask any more than that.

I agree with Mr Mk

The company that took the job on should take ownership for this as it is well known that there will always be somebody willing to give it ago. If the person said be at the collection point in 3 minutes somebody would do the job then claim to be a victim of traffic !! It to extent would be slightly risky time wise for a bike if you could find one in Derham Norfolk of all places !!!

There's one based 10 miles closer to Dereham than the op ;-)