Originally Posted by
Machka
You would definitely want to get some local knowledge. Here in Canada courier work (whether it is truck, car, bicycle or walking) is usually based on the amount you do ... you get $0.30 for each package you deliver, or whatever amount the company that hires you wants to give you. At least that's the way it was a few years ago, I don't imagine it has changed too much.
So your chances of being hired are reasonably good ... your chances of making any money will depend on how quickly you can deliver the packages. If you've got no experience and no local knowledge, you might be eating cheap oriental noodles and sleeping in a tent for a while.
I don't know where you worked, but it's almost never like that. Being a messenger here is about 1% of the time being fast. The rest is waiting for a call and riding elevators.
And nobody needs "local" knowledge of the area. It's simply too big, everyone carries a map. This being bike messengering of course. Chephy is about right on the price/delivery. Obviously you get paid more the more time sensitive the package is. But it definitley is not $.30 per delivery.
Did you even work as a messenger?