Backlifts.. Not Backloads anyone?

Now we have a new service that may appeal to couriers looking for a revenue stream to help get them home.

www.blablacar.com/offer-new-seats

If you contribute to the cost, would that not then come into H+R for passengers? Ie taxi?

Gas Motorcycle Couriers said:

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If you contribute to the cost, would that not then come into H+R for passengers? Ie taxi?

I think you are right Gas, I am pretty sure paying passengers are excluded and might even negate cover for the van and contents too.

Andy McTighe said:

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Gas Motorcycle Couriers said:

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If you contribute to the cost, would that not then come into H+R for passengers? Ie taxi?

I think you are right Gas, I am pretty sure paying passengers are excluded and might even negate cover for the van and contents too.

You could apply the same argument to back loads / return journeys then, if what your are charging is only covering your fuel costs home, then would the same rule apply?

This is what they say:

Insurance

Passengers contributions to drivers do not generate profit, they only offset costs, therefore car sharing is not ever hire and reward. All the members of the Association of British Insurers have agreed that if your passengers contribute towards your running costs your insurance cover will not be affected. Rides must only be given in a vehicle seating eight passengers or less. BlaBlaCar scrupulously fulfills these conditions, as we limit number of seats and cap price per passengers (basing calculations on HM Revenue & Customs Approved Mileage Payment Allowance).

Fair enough, seems they have done the necessary due diligence.

And they give a guide rate too...

e.g From Birmingham to Nottingham you can earn £3 per passenger..

£3 per passenger? I can hardly wait.

Andy McTighe said:

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£3 per passenger? I can hardly wait.

You up for that Andy hahahahaha

East-Lancs Sameday Couriers Ltd said:

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Andy McTighe said:

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£3 per passenger? I can hardly wait.

You up for that Andy hahahahaha

I think they would prefer the Mercedes Limo treatment Darren. The other thing is you'd have to listen to them waffling on about their problems and that has to be worth £1 a mile!

Little bit confused about this. If I was a mini cab driver (paying for plating, radio, hire and reward insurance etc) which cost a lot of money and I now decide to say I'm sharing my car to destinations to cover the cost of petrol, because I am going that way do I now not need proper insurance, no plating and not checks what so ever

What you backloaders forget (and i'm not targeting anyone inparticular) is that at some point you have to have someone going somewhere at the right rate in the 1st place, to then be able to offer a backload price.

If no one's paying the right price, then no-one will be going anywhere to be able to offer a backload from!

Seems to me those paying the right price are subsidising those that don't, and without them, you can't have the other

Carrying 1 passenger (all there is room for in a small van) it seems you could only charge 50% of the fuel for the return journey. London to Norwich would be £7 max, leaving you unable to take on any paying job that materialises.

Some friends of mine used this site to fill their car on a trip they were doing and by the sound of it the site are just saying about sharing costs to cover their arses and actually people generally use it to make a profit.

When I'm doing a job for someone I'm happy for them to ride with me if they want but I wouldn't charge extra for that as like someone else pointed out that may well be crossing a line into running an unlicensed taxi.

Taxi service available, max 2 passengers and 15m3 of luggage, go anywhere £1.20 per mile.

Speed Couriers Nationwide Ltd said:

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What you backloaders forget (and i'm not targeting anyone inparticular) is that at some point you have to have someone going somewhere at the right rate in the 1st place, to then be able to offer a backload price.

If no one's paying the right price, then no-one will be going anywhere to be able to offer a backload from!

Seems to me those paying the right price are subsidising those that don't, and without them, you can't have the other

The end user is the one paying the full price, it is the courier companies selling off the work that are waiting for the cheapest price. Why don't they just accept the first decent driver that offers £1 a mile, since that seems to be the rate most of us find acceptable as a 'trade rate'. As owner drivers we know we won't get the job at anywhere near the full rate. So, as a vendor or as a businessman can you blame somebody for taking two jobs at 80p a mile that will average out over the mileage to the equivalent of a one way at £1.20? All that will happen in this scenario is the courier companies will get braver about quoting lower rates and eventually the squeeze will come on all the guys that hold the direct work. It seems inevitable to me.

Hackney carriage will have alot to say about this - the last time a taxi app came on the scene which went against cabbies, London was brought to a stand still. I think you guys (thats the courier companies that have their own jobs) should get together and set a standard rate n filter out the ones that start bidding wars just so that they pocket a bigger profit. If this continues, soon more couriers will start up exchange sites (im already looking into it), ITS NOT EXPENSIVE TO MAKE AN APP! Ive said it before, end customer pays straight away so why is the courier made to wait for payment?