While experienced drivers may have the edge and the respect from potential employers who will immediately regard them as assets, they must still ask themselves if they have what it takes to succeed as a courier, and if they understand the industry enough to seize opportunities when they see them. The following are just three of the most important things that must be understood before joining the industry.
Earnings
Ask experienced drivers who are thinking of joining the courier industry, and most will be concerned about earnings, which is a valid concern after all. But beyond the smokescreen of fallacies is the simple truth and that is that couriers can earn well, depending on the business decisions they make. For example, if you are a freelance owner driver, then you’re fully responsible for your own time and effort, which includes accounting, bookkeeping, marketing and time management. Freelancers may earn around $12 per hour, and if they work long hours they can earn a lot in a week. On the other hand, full-time employee drivers can earn as much as $25 per hour if they work for a postal services company, for example. This set-up has its advantages too, such as insurance coverage, plus the company handles the business side of sourcing courier jobs. The downside is that it entails a fixed salary. Depending on your personality and how you intend to use your time, either option can be lucrative.
Physical Condition
Experienced drivers know the rigours of driving a vehicle, day in and day out, for weeks and months on end. It goes without saying that to be able to succeed and excel in the courier industry you must be in top physical condition. You cannot dismiss the job as simply a ‘sedentary’ one, as driving a vehicle, meeting deadlines, and arriving on time are highly stressful elements, and if you’re physically not up to such constant demands, then the job may not be for you. Driving a vehicle taxes all your senses, and if that’s not enough, there is the constant pressure of doing your job within a specific and strict window of time. If you intend to join the industry, therefore, you have to physically prepare by improving your general fitness.
Finding Jobs
There are people who tend to dismiss the courier industry as one that does not provide a good source of income but they could not be more wrong. In fact, the courier industry thrives even in times of economic difficulties and with the growing popularity of online services and online shops such as Amazon, there are more and more people who prefer to do their shopping online. And when people shop online, it is the courier who delivers the goods. Experienced drivers have a decent chance of always finding a steady stream of courier jobs, whether they get hired by an established courier company or try to strike it on their own as a freelancer. If you go the freelance route, you can use several tools to get customers, including signing up to an exchange website, which serves as a sort of facilitator between customers and providers of courier services.