Courier Zen and the Art of Parking
The vast majority of people working in the courier business are pretty straightforward types who are fully law-abiding. However, the main tool of our trade is our bike/car/van or wagon and that sometimes causes us a few issues.
For clarity at the outset, this article does not advocate ‘special treatment’ for the courier or their exemption from the laws, rules and regulations that apply to everyone else. The issues associated with modern day security concerns are also recognised. However, what it does seek to do is to highlight a few issues where common sense should, but sadly does not, always prevail.
Cycles
OK, some pedal-powered couriers are riding some fairly ropey machines that arguably should be quietly re-cycled (no pun intended!) or offered to a local museum; but that doesn’t matter – they are critically important to the courier concerned. Some bicycles are also pretty cool machines and very valuable. What this means is that when arriving at a destination, we need a little sense regarding where we leave our bikes. Most riders understand that you just can’t carry your bike into reception and stick it on one of the corporate settees, but they do need to park it somewhere close to the main entrance and secure it. Is it really such a major ask that the bike is chained to the railings at the front for just a few minutes while the delivery is made? Does our attempt to do so justify a mass charge of security guards waving their hands indignantly, their faces flushed with apoplectic rage? No, sorry, the direction that there’s a cycle park ‘only’ a half-mile down the road just isn’t helpful on a busy day!
Motorcycles
Even fewer motorcyclist couriers are going to be inclined to try and carry their bikes around with them or wheel them into reception. Yes, we sometimes need to slot our bikes perhaps onto a convenient place on the forecourt just so we can bring in what we have for you. We promise not to block anything or cause any other form of obstruction or danger. So, please, outraged cries of “Oi! You can’t put that there – find a park in the town centre somewhere” really don’t help either your company or us.
On four wheels
Sometimes, parking can be virtually impossible anywhere in the vicinity of a delivery address. Given the wolf-packs of parking attendants and police that now hunt using Star-Trek like technology to instantly pounce on even the tiniest infringement of the parking rules, is it too much to ask that the consignee makes some arrangements for a courier to park somewhere very close to them? It’s always nice to see the company’s own car park with its ‘reserved for directors’ spaces half-empty behind massively secure and closed barriers. In fact, we often share a laugh about it with the parking boys – just as they’re towing our own vehicle away after we’d left it unattended for a nanosecond while we dropped that parcel into your reception.
The courier and the fool’s errand
Finally, please try to remember that if we have, somehow and against all the almost insurmountable odds, managed to find a half-inch of space somewhere to park our transport, then we need to get back to it fast. Therefore, interesting as your entire site no doubt is, we’d prefer not to be sent off from reception on a vast hike around its various locations trying to find the right person’s office. If they could be brought down to the main door as fast as possible, then your local friendly courier will be eternally grateful!
Norman Dulwich is a correspondent for Courier Exchange, the world’s largest neutral trading hub for the same day courier and express freight exchange industry. Over 2,500 transport exchange businesses are networked together through their website, trading jobs and capacity in a safe ‘wholesale’ environment.
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