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starting a courier company

Old 09-29-05, 08:13 PM
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starting a courier company

anyone have any good websites or helpful information as to what would be the basics for starting up a courier service?
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Old 09-29-05, 09:44 PM
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serious? awesome, jamey. good luck!

downtown St. Pete or Tampa? Maybe I'll come down early one Friday when I go to visit my girlfriend and do some runs for you.
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Old 09-29-05, 09:47 PM
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a lot of kids I know have been talking about wanting to do this too. So I'd really love to see some sites that could explain what it's gonna take
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Old 09-29-05, 09:50 PM
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are there any couriers in Miami?
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Old 09-29-05, 09:55 PM
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not that I know of. I heard of one kid who was doing it for a bit, but I think he got kicked out of the country. I have another friend who was a messenger in DC for a bit, and I think he looked around when he first moved down here and couldn't find anything.
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Old 09-29-05, 10:08 PM
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I've heard rumors of a company in Tampa and one in Jacksonville employing cyclists, but that's completely unsubstantiated.

In Gainesville, you can deliver Papa John's or Dominoe's pizza by bike to kids on campus. But, of course, that involves balancing a pizza box on your bars. How much fun can one have with a delicate disc of cheese, sauce, and dough perched on your bars?
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Old 09-29-05, 11:24 PM
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and there's always lots of info and contacts at:
https://www.messengers.org/resources/

pm me if you want to know the story of founding and keeping up my (reasonably successful) company. *hint* it's a lot of work to do it right /*hint*
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Old 09-30-05, 06:19 AM
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so there used to be this national company that basically had the whole system figured out. you would order a kit and you wouldnt have to make your own "company" and do all that work. is there anything out there like that now?

i am thinking there should be some sort of "independant couriers inc". anyone in the country could just join and start messengering underthat name and independant couriers inc (a non profit to help courier of course) would get some small percent like 2% of each tag or something just to keep it going.

does anyone know of anything like this? think its a dumb idea? i havent really fleshed it out yet.
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Old 09-30-05, 06:22 AM
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PM pedex on here. He's indy in a smaller market and might be able to offer some advice.
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Old 09-30-05, 08:14 AM
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some guys here is basel started their own company. i'm sure the rules for starting a business in switzerland are different than in the states, but you can find the contact info of the guys here: https://www.metrokurier.com/ the metro team includes karl, the current world champion, yay!
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Old 09-30-05, 08:21 AM
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Originally Posted by astrx
so there used to be this national company that basically had the whole system figured out. you would order a kit and you wouldnt have to make your own "company" and do all that work. is there anything out there like that now?

i am thinking there should be some sort of "independant couriers inc". anyone in the country could just join and start messengering underthat name and independant couriers inc (a non profit to help courier of course) would get some small percent like 2% of each tag or something just to keep it going.

does anyone know of anything like this? think its a dumb idea? i havent really fleshed it out yet.
This sounds like the first way I've ever heard of to actually make MONEY in the courier biz. Do it! Franchised messengers sounds like genius to me!
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Old 10-12-05, 08:07 AM
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Originally Posted by adamkell
serious? awesome, jamey. good luck!

downtown St. Pete or Tampa? Maybe I'll come down early one Friday when I go to visit my girlfriend and do some runs for you.
yeah i'm definitely thinking about it. st pete isn't huge but i don't see why it couldn't use a courrier or two. i just now got the internet so i will be on this piece a bunch..i will also be up in gainesville for the fest so get ready for 3 days of riding.
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Old 10-12-05, 08:09 AM
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Originally Posted by jamey
yeah i'm definitely thinking about it. st pete isn't huge but i don't see why it couldn't use a courrier or two. i just now got the internet so i will be on this piece a bunch..i will also be up in gainesville for the fest so get ready for 3 days of riding.
dope.
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Old 10-12-05, 09:39 AM
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I started mine from scratch basically, what do you want to know?

The hard part is getting customers, I was a messenger for another service prior to starting mine so I had a few customers already, but just for comparison to illustrate what your up against, I had about 125 customers when I was with Best Courier, when I went on my own I only got 3 of those, and solicited about 100 of them. Since then Ive added about 30 more the hard way, it takes time. When your on your own the only thing that gets more work is having a spotless reputation and be fast, you have to do it better than everyone else or it wont work. You would be suprised how many companies dont care if they can save $$ or even how bad their service is sometimes. Word of mouth advertising and reputation is everything. Experience helps too, and the best way to get that is to work as a contractor for a year or two. When you contact a company looking for work make sure you speak directly to the "gatekeeper", sometimes it may be a receptionist, sometimes its an ofice manager. Office managers as a general rule dont like change, and in many cases they dont like being put on the spot or making decisions, it gets damn frustrating sometimes. With my resume and experience I should have a huge company by now, it doesnt work that way.

Couple hints:use groundbills that are custom printed, they are good advertising

seek out lawfirms, court filings pay quite well and always in demand

realestate businesses and title companies are good too

dont be afraid of sticking your neck out but be very business like

be prepared to have lots of doors shut in your face, all the usual sales stereotypes will be applied to you too, people will throw your info in the trash on your way out the door

Learn everything abut where your gonna be working, and I mean everything, you should know every little bump in the road and the name of everyone you come in contact with, people respect someone who takes the time to learn their names. Ive gotten more business cause I provide personalized service and Im conscientious about what I do. Most of all keep at it and be patient, it can get damn dsicouraging and frustrating sometimes, but persistence does pay off.
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Old 10-12-05, 10:30 AM
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Originally Posted by astrx
so there used to be this national company that basically had the whole system figured out. you would order a kit and you wouldnt have to make your own "company" and do all that work. is there anything out there like that now?
I was toying with the same idea a few months ago. I would suggest searching google for "bicycle courier business plans" or something along those lines. You'll get a million hits, but I have no idea what you'll get for your money. I'm sure it's the same information you could come across after a little digging or a visit to the library/bookstore. Good luck and keep us posted!
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Old 10-12-05, 11:01 AM
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Originally Posted by Orikal
I was toying with the same idea a few months ago. I would suggest searching google for "bicycle courier business plans" or something along those lines. You'll get a million hits, but I have no idea what you'll get for your money. I'm sure it's the same information you could come across after a little digging or a visit to the library/bookstore. Good luck and keep us posted!

Actually all you have to do is goto the secretary of state office or webisite in that state and file for a trade name, then open a bank account. You can open the company as an LLC or something else if you wish but for a sole proprietor a trade name is sufficient. Being an LLC will help with any liability issues but that can also be handled with a damage disclaimer at the bottom of groundbills if you use them. Most services only cover up to about $50-$100 worth of damage and it comes right out of the contractors pocket more often than not.

Do not go thru an a attorney to open the company and file the paperwork unless youve got money to waste, the paperwork is very easy to fill out and most secretary of state websites have plenty of directions to assist you. I do corporate filings all the time, my client charges $100 each to fill them out and file them for you, its a very simple form, and the filing fee costs anywhere from $75-$125 plus stock options if those are involved.

You can open a messenger business for just a few hundred bucks, mine cost $225 to set up, filing fee and bank deposit and that was it.

This is one of the benefits of being a messenger, you learn how the law and system works.
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Old 10-12-05, 11:06 AM
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I have always wanted to start a wiki for fixed/messengering information. While a forum is good, I can see this being the perfect thing for a wiki so all sorts of people could edit it. Anyone else see this as a good idea?
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Old 10-12-05, 11:10 AM
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onions: I did, yesterday. https://www.bikeforums.net/showpost.p...4&postcount=10
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Old 10-12-05, 12:35 PM
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Originally Posted by gregg
i guess i am just partial to wiki's and their mode of organizing information since i used them at work for documentation. just a bit easier to navigate than poking/searching through threads.
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Old 10-12-05, 02:20 PM
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this link may be helpful, i just found it through a google search:

https://www.messengers.org/resources/indyfaq.html
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Old 10-12-05, 03:10 PM
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Originally Posted by dosoner
this link may be helpful, i just found it through a google search:

https://www.messengers.org/resources/indyfaq.html
Yeah, that was the best source I found when hunting for info.

pedex, you should see about posting some of your info/experiences on there.
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Old 10-12-05, 05:23 PM
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Originally Posted by travsi
some guys here is basel started their own company. i'm sure the rules for starting a business in switzerland are different than in the states, but you can find the contact info of the guys here: https://www.metrokurier.com/ the metro team includes karl, the current world champion, yay!
yeah those guys are great! Karl is a super guy and i was really happy to meet him and have him as my house guest. i will come to Basel next chance i get, so while i am practicing my Schwyzerdütsch, you guys keep up the good work... too bad i couldn't come to ECMC!
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Old 10-12-05, 07:10 PM
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so i was wondering if anyone could help out with some technical details..such as required health insurance, package insurance, writing off my bike stuff as a tax write off. all i can find in the way of insurance stuff is from canada and the UK and as we all know the US isn't nearly as kind in that sense. any info would be excellent! thanks!
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Old 10-12-05, 07:44 PM
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Originally Posted by jamey
so i was wondering if anyone could help out with some technical details..such as required health insurance, package insurance, writing off my bike stuff as a tax write off. all i can find in the way of insurance stuff is from canada and the UK and as we all know the US isn't nearly as kind in that sense. any info would be excellent! thanks!

some friends of mine just started a company here in Chicago, and they're having sort of a rough go of it like Pedex said. It's hard to get business when you're starting. I'll see if any of them would have time/interest/internet access to give you info. They're kinda up to their ears just trying to find clients.
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Old 10-12-05, 08:01 PM
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Insurance for packages? There isnt any, not at $3-$5 per tag, it would cost more than you can believe if you can find someone to underwrite it. Health insurance? thats on you as well. Welcome to reality. Yes you can write off equipment on your taxes, to be honest, starting with zero experience if you make enough to even pay taxes in year one Id be impressed. Save 15% of your gross to start with after 10k.

You will need:
1 bike
1 messenger bag
1 cellphone
groundbills which look something like this: https://home.columbus.com/pedex/gbill.bmp
they cost about $50 per 500 in 3 part carbonless
usual tools for bike

open a bank account under your business name
file for a trade name at the florida secretary of state, that protects you from someone doing business under the same name
you wont need a tax ID number unless you will have hourly employees, your SS# is fine

determine your rate schedule and delivery area and print up some rate guides and business cards
some companies use zip code to determine distance, others use block numbers
I use zip codes, base price for the downtown zip, add $2 per zip code outside that
I offer 1/2hr, 1 hr, and 2hr service plus basic mail delivery for $3 anywhere in my delivery area which is about 20 square miles
Currently I charge $6, $4.50, and $3 for those service times, in june of 2006 I will be adding $1 to all of them.Roundtrips are double and I charge $20/hr for court house time, first 10mins free.

go get some customers and have at it


thats about a basic and complete guide as I can give you, its a decent start anyway
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