Going live with Shutl in Bristol & Swindon on Monday

At long last, we are starting live trials with Shutl on Monday in the Bristol & Swindon areas. We are paying £5 per drop (up to 2 miles) then a decent rate per mile thereafter.

Basically it will involve picking an item up from a local retail outlet, such as Argos and delivering locally either within 60 minutes or within a time slot selected by the customer, later in the day. We think this type of work could be ideal while you are waiting around for a 'normal sameday' job to come in.

If the trials are successful, we will be launching this nationwide very quickly.

So if anyone in Swindon/Bristol is interested in giving this a go please, send me a private message for details. We do need people 'on call' right away.

So, a company gives out work which you then sub out to people paying you for membership but you are not an exchange?

Do i take it you'll not be volunteering Nick?

SMC Express said:

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So, a company gives out work which you then sub out to people paying you for membership but you are not an exchange?

I think it's fair to say, that it wouldn't matter what we do, how much we pay, how quickly we pay or even if we were the best company in the world. There are some out there who will still find something to complain about! Why? Because that is simply just what they were put on this earth do, lol.

Courier Expert said:

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At long last, we are starting live trials with Shutl on Monday in the Bristol & Swindon areas. We are paying £5 per drop (up to 2 miles) then a decent rate per mile thereafter.

Basically it will involve picking an item up from a local retail outlet, such as Argos and delivering locally either within 60 minutes or within a time slot selected by the customer, later in the day. We think this type of work could be ideal while you are waiting around for a 'normal sameday' job to come in.

If the trials are successful, we will be launching this nationwide very quickly.

So if anyone in Swindon/Bristol is interested in giving this a go please, send me a private message for details. We do need people 'on call' right away.

£5, but I get £30 from Argos(furniture), £50 ikea, £50 sofa co etc etc etc

Forgive me Andrew as i'm not really up to speed with Shutl and how it works, but I thought that they had a system that offered the job to the nearest courier, or most competitive or both. Kinda the middleman between the retailer and courier if you like. So i don't understand why Courier Expert getting involved helps that process, rather than complicating it by adding another tier.

Retailer----> Shutl----> Courier-----> Customer, becomes

Retailer----> Shutl----> Courier Expert------> Courier-------> Customer

Seems a lot of layers getting in the way and adding to the cost (or splitting the costs too many ways for it to be worthwhile)

Is it due to a lack of interest by courier companies?

Its an honest question... I'm not taking the p

[Admin: Snip.]

No advertising of work or self promotion on the forum but these are usually overlooked for some reason.

[Admin: Actually you're not allowed to post jobs, we've always been ok if you're looking for someone for a regular run or recruiting. If there's sufficient demand for that kind of thing then we'd build a feature on the site and then not allow it on the forum.]

No i'm serious... Without knowing all the facts Shutl seem to be a company that have the software that selects couriers to the jobs it has. A bit like what some of the bigger cab firms have. All automated, but it only works if you have drivers signed up for it. The fact the CE have got involved in a trial suggests to me that the uptake on getting couriers onboard hasn't gone particularly well. By getting CE involved, or anyone else for that matter, the whole point of the software becomes redudant doesn't it? CE has no couriers, it too relies on a network of drivers, in his case a combination of his own network and that of the mtvan network.

So Shutl (a supposed network of couriers) subs out to CE ( with his network of couriers) who posts the work on here ( another network of couriers)

And one assumes everyone in the chain expects some sort of financial reward for their part in it... So i don't see how it can work... Enlighten me

Andrew have you really looked at the late penalties?

I worked out (when they contacted me almost 18 months ago, and I turned them down) that if you took the £5-6 job and broke down, not being able to complete it for an hour and a bit after the deadline you would owe them around £12-£15.

Tony shhhh

Andrew & the fact you are posting your work on MT proves your network has failed, are you biting off more than you can chew?

Uses a version of podfather i believe so that collection and delivery times can be tracked via the software.

Theres not even enough money in the jobs to get a cab to cover it.

Thats ok, get a courier. Only costs 60p a mile and bound to be loads of backloads on this sort of work.

Gonna be really funny hearing what the courier has to say when someone orders a 50kg set of weights to the 3rd flr for a fiver

SMC Express said:

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[Admin: SMC implying that Courier Expert is behaving as an exchange site.]

Has anyone ever heard of an exchange paying couriers directly? I think this may be the point you have failed to understand - or simply it does not suit you to understand.

In reality though, you'd hope it is rare.

Going to be mostly hard drives from maplins and ironing boards from argos.

No, never heard of exchanges paying couriers directly.

Have you ever heard of an exchange taking bookings directly?

So because an exchange does something a little different it's no longer an exchange?

What is mtvan now then as it will/is taking bookings directly?

You can wriggle all you like, everyone can see you are running an exchange, Courier Exchange seen it and did the right thing.

Speed Couriers Nationwide said:

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Forgive me Andrew as i'm not really up to speed with Shutl and how it works, but I thought that they had a system that offered the job to the nearest courier, or most competitive or both. Kinda the middleman between the retailer and courier if you like. So i don't understand why Courier Expert getting involved helps that process, rather than complicating it by adding another tier.

Retailer----> Shutl----> Courier-----> Customer, becomes

Retailer----> Shutl----> Courier Expert------> Courier-------> Customer

Seems a lot of layers getting in the way and adding to the cost (or splitting the costs too many ways for it to be worthwhile)

Is it due to a lack of interest by courier companies?

Its an honest question... I'm not taking the p

Mr Speed, I do not think you are entirely correct, here is my take on this:

Retailer----> Shutl----> Courier Company-----> Courier (owner driver)-------> Customer, becomes

Retailer----> Shutl----> Courier Expert------> Courier (owner driver) -------> Customer

Clustering the runs together to form runs i can understand, but it doesn't sound like this is an option so although i'm sure you've worked out some scenarios, the sheer vastness of shapes/sizes/weights that you could be asked to move makes this a bit of a minefield doesn't it?

Good luck with the trial. It's something I would be very loathe to look at purley because i wouldn't be able to guarantee coverage (ie drivers)

SMC Express said:

No, never heard of exchanges paying couriers directly.

So because an exchange does something a little different it's no longer an exchange?

We are not an exchange doing something differently, we are a courier company doing something differently. That, ladies and gentlemen, is something that cannot be disputed :-)

(sticks arm in air) Can i dispute it Andrew?

There is another courier company that has done it before... Not a million miles away.. lol

Anyway... Off topic... Back to your trial

Good luck

Courier Expert said:

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SMC Express said:

No, never heard of exchanges paying couriers directly.

So because an exchange does something a little different it's no longer an exchange?

We are not an exchange doing something differently, we are a courier company doing something differently. That, ladies and gentlemen, is something that cannot be disputed :-)

I'm disputing it, Courier Exchange disputed it.

You are taking work from google ads at peoples addresses so either you are breaking the rules and using an address that isn't yours or taking peoples work and redistributing it to other people that pay you a membership then you are an exchange,

You are taking work from shuttle and giving it to (not your drivers, subbies) people who pay a membership to be part of your exchange, this makes you an exchange.

In fact knock yourself andy, have all your inappropriately insured lifestyle members doing it, I can't wait

SMC Express said:

You can wriggle all you like, everyone can see you are running an exchange, Courier Exchange seen it and did the right thing.

I think in a few years time, the courier exchange, when they see that 'Andy Stephens' never actually set up a trade exchange, will realise they should not have listened to those who persuaded them otherwise. They may also rue the day they made their real competitor (mtvan) stonger. Not good business sense in my books.

MK Bikes said:

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Andrew have you really looked at the late penalties?

I worked out (when they contacted me almost 18 months ago, and I turned them down) that if you took the £5-6 job and broke down, not being able to complete it for an hour and a bit after the deadline you would owe them around £12-£15

We are at the trial stage and still negotiating but for obvious reasons, I cannot openly discuss on forums.

Speed Couriers Nationwide said:

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Clustering the runs together to form runs i can understand, but it doesn't sound like this is an option so although i'm sure you've worked out some scenarios, the sheer vastness of shapes/sizes/weights that you could be asked to move makes this a bit of a minefield doesn't it?

Good luck with the trial. It's something I would be very loathe to look at purley because i wouldn't be able to guarantee coverage (ie drivers)

Again, we are negotiating our own terms, which I cannot discuss openly.

SMC Express said:

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[Admin: Seriously?]

Oh dear, you just can't muster even a percentage point of positivity. Early hours of the morning and you are sat at your computer, finding fault at the bottom of the barrel you are scraping from. One thing is for sure, I would rather be me, than you :-)

Look at my feedback he says, so a few easily guided people give you feedback for paying on time, whoopie.

How about you explain what makes you the leading courier expert or are you going to ignore it yet again?

SMC Express said:

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Look at my feedback he says, so a few easily guided people give you feedback for paying on time, whoopie.

How about you explain what makes you the leading courier expert or are you going to ignore it yet again?

Your forum is based on perception alone.

My feedback, is based on reality. People who have traded, communicated and in some cases, met in person, me or my team. That, is something you have never done nor any of the other negative disciples of yours. If they had done, then they would stop complaining - like some of them already have :-)

SMC Express said:

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Look at my feedback he says, so a few easily guided people give you feedback for paying on time, whoopie.

That's interesting, i cannot see any references to quick payment here....

Once again, excellent communications, despite initial issues (not with Courier expert I hasten to add!) Happy to deal with Simon and co anytime!

Top firm great doing business hope to work together in the future

Very good experience, given job about 5 mins after quoting for it, later got a txt as promised with all info needed. Eg. Collection & delivery address, along with contact phone nos at both ends. Can't comment on payment as I invoiced about a week later so still awaiting payment as I would expect anyway. Will do more work at a drop of a at if given chance. Thanks fr job call me anytime.

I'm very very surprised it'still going, admin must be having a day off.

OK Speed, I was wrong again but then again I'm no 'expert'. There are two exchanges, sorry people on this site who I dearly wish operated near me as by now I would be swamped with work at highly lucrative rates and have a lifestyle one can only dream about :-)

It seem that the mtvan censorship police HAVE been awake after all 'cos as hard as I look I cannot any longer find the post I made concerning how long this would run before being a 'Topic Closed'!

What have I paid my money for Mr Admin, if (in my opinion) my valid comments are being deleted? As I certainly do not get any work from here...

moray couriers said:

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It seem that the mtvan censorship police HAVE been awake after all 'cos as hard as I look I cannot any longer find the post I made concerning how long this would run before being a 'Topic Closed'!

What have I paid my money for Mr Admin, if (in my opinion) my valid comments are being deleted? As I certainly do not get any work from here...

Good morning, yes I was out yesterday evening.

Speculating on when a topic will get closed is just fuel to the fire for those who don't care if a topic turns into a slagging match. Apart from a lot of those from SMC, I think the rest of the posts in this thread are on the whole very valid. No member of this site deserves to be slagged off just because someone doesn't like his business model, however it is fair for people who are trying more unusual things to have their ideas questioned. This is why the legitimate posts (the majority) remain.

I have edited or removed the posts made up of empty slagging off. Where necessary I have edited replies so the thread makes sense. Providing this thread remains on topic I don't see why I should have to close it, please don't give me reason to.

Hope you're all having a nice weekend, I'll be back later.

In other words providing we say what you want to read then that's OK? I get the point!

[Admin: No, I have no care whether someone likes one kind of work or dislikes it. I don't care if you want to sub for a courier company on here or if it's the last thing you'd consider doing. I don't care if you post in support of something or against something. All I care about is that people agree or disagree in a civilised way and don't stir things up for the sake of it. I.e. You're not allowed to come on here and call someone a t**t. If you post on mtvan you agree to follow these rules, if you don't think you can them please do not post.]

Have a nice day.

Speed, No, I don't do the lottery as I much prefer to give my money to exchange sites, odds of winning are about the same :-(

Lol

Hurray, these are the price shutl was paying in 2011 to the courier service provider

Its a market i know a few couriers companies thought would revolutionise the industry back in the late 90's early noughties but it didn't cos no one wanted to pay for it. And that's why most of it is done inhouse (supermarkets) and by your overnighters (yodel, HDN). It really isn't something that can work for the sameday couriers and its purely down to the price offered. Unless it has volume to become, for want of a better word, multidropping at so much per drop, then it won't take off.

Call me negative if you like, i'd prefer to call it realistic

For a local job ( and i'm talking anything from 2-20 miles here ) most OD's have a minimum charge of anything between £10 and £25, for London up to £35. So i think it a tad naive to expect anyone to do one for a fiver unless its one of several in a cluster.

But i don't mind being proved wrong

In 2001 we had the chance of this type of work (shop - consumer direct delivery). They paid £15 per hour, min 1/2 hour. Only really works if you live in a flat above the store and have you van parked outside for no parking charge.

As has been suggested it's OK for the "lifestyle courier " with a 10 year old van with ladder racks on top doing window cleaning between drops..............

All this type of work is utterly dependent on VOLUME and until that volume is proven then it needs to be offered at respectable day rates with the retailer taking the hit. The big retailers are well aware of the annual costs of having an employed driver and van fully insured and on the road and will be astonished that anyone could even contemplate £5.00 per delivery.

Yes but while many may well have had a look at it and come to that conclusion, there's always one that thinks they know better than the rest...

As i said... Its something that many looked at in the early days of internet shopping, but it didn't pay... And by the looks of things it still doesn't

The telephone was successfully demonstrated in 1876, two years before Sir William Preece, then chief engineer of the British Post Office, gave his opinion about the invention...

"The Americans have need of the telephone, but we do not. We have plenty of messenger boys," he said.

And he was not the only one to have reservations about it.

Courier Expert said:

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At long last, we are starting live trials with Shutl on Monday in the Bristol & Swindon areas. We are paying £5 per drop (up to 2 miles) then a decent rate per mile thereafter.

Basically it will involve picking an item up from a local retail outlet, such as Argos and delivering locally either within 60 minutes or within a time slot selected by the customer, later in the day. We think this type of work could be ideal while you are waiting around for a 'normal sameday' job to come in.

If the trials are successful, we will be launching this nationwide very quickly.

So if anyone in Swindon/Bristol is interested in giving this a go please, send me a private message for details. We do need people 'on call' right away.

That is what Mr Expert is paying would like to know whats he actually gets paid bet its more then a fiver per drop, what would he call a decent rate

Who would have though in the 1980's, that anyone would be using a mobile phone to send text messages, emails and even browse the web and use as a sat nav device. Anyone who claimed this, would have been thought of as 'delusional' (hmm, that has a familiar ring to it, lol). Anyway, they even said the ipad wouldn't work!

Anyway, all I am saying is, keep an open mind. If we can have a Meekat as the UK's number one insurance salesperson, then anything is possible :-)

PW Courier Services said:

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Courier Expert said:

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At long last, we are starting live trials with Shutl on Monday in the Bristol & Swindon areas. We are paying £5 per drop (up to 2 miles) then a decent rate per mile thereafter.

Basically it will involve picking an item up from a local retail outlet, such as Argos and delivering locally either within 60 minutes or within a time slot selected by the customer, later in the day. We think this type of work could be ideal while you are waiting around for a 'normal sameday' job to come in.

If the trials are successful, we will be launching this nationwide very quickly.

So if anyone in Swindon/Bristol is interested in giving this a go please, send me a private message for details. We do need people 'on call' right away.

That is what Mr Expert is paying would like to know whats he actually gets paid bet its more then a fiver per drop, what would he call a decent rate

I believe MK has already revealed the kind of rates they paid to Courier Companies in 2011, scroll back.

Speed Couriers Nationwide said:

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Its a market i know a few couriers companies thought would revolutionise the industry back in the late 90's early noughties but it didn't cos no one wanted to pay for it. And that's why most of it is done inhouse (supermarkets) and by your overnighters (yodel, HDN). It really isn't something that can work for the sameday couriers and its purely down to the price offered. Unless it has volume to become, for want of a better word, multidropping at so much per drop, then it won't take off.

Call me negative if you like, i'd prefer to call it realistic

For a local job ( and i'm talking anything from 2-20 miles here ) most OD's have a minimum charge of anything between £10 and £25, for London up to £35. So i think it a tad naive to expect anyone to do one for a fiver unless its one of several in a cluster.

But i don't mind being proved wrong

Can't see how anyone can prove you wrong.

The truth sometimes hurts!

I would only add possible £50 minimum charge for London

These guys think they've just stumbled on something new... It ain't new, it just comes to you cos no one else wants it, and you think it can work when everyone else can see that it doesn't

To suggest you are some sort of soothsayer or Guru who can see what no one else can see is perhaps going a bit too far and reminds me of those that you used to find in institutions before some silly idiot decided to sell em off and let em out... Care in the community they called it... Its also beginning to sound a bit like the rantings of a madman... David Icke...remember him

Next you'll be telling us the Queen is a reptile... lol

Why not outsource this to Bangladesh...

Anything would be better than working in a sweat shop... Oh sorry, I forgot, we are lucky to be living in a "first world" country with ALL the costs, expectations and RESPONSIBILITIES that that brings including a NMW.

Speed Couriers Nationwide said:

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These guys think they've just stumbled on something new... It ain't new, it just comes to you cos no one else wants it, and you think it can work when everyone else can see that it doesn't

I realise I have not discovered something new, however, look at the story of the ipad...

The iPad was heavily hyped at its launch but some analysts worried that it slipped between the gaps of what consumers wanted and therefore would not be widely used.

The tablet had been tried on a number of occasions before and had never really had any mainstream success. After Apple announced the product, research firm Simpson Carpenter concluded that "there isn't a compelling incentive to get mainstream consumers to buy it"

It really is all about volume - NEXT offer "order by 21:00 for next day delivery" and it usually works!

If that is not fast enough for you, get off your arse and go to the shop or pay a realistic rate for the privilege of having it delivered personally.

Far play to expert for giving it a go, if it works nice one, but the bigest problem would be volume, cant see many o/d sitting about waiting for £5/£6 job, i can see it working in the big cities due to traffic and some people not having cars, but its a gamble

The last days multi drop I did was 117 drops on a day rate of £180, used about £30 fuel,,,,,,,,,,,,, I wouldn't have minded £5 per drop that day :-)

I don't think you will get many takers unless you could gaurentee minimum 50 drops in a consolidated area. But who knows?