Is it me or am I losing the will to live..

By that I mean every time I drive or ride through the very long stretches of average speed 50mph section of the M1, like Northampton, A38 - Sheffield, Wakefield, I really am losing the will to live when driving through these sections, its so boring and I nearly nodded off with boredom, and its adds a further 10-15 minutes per section to your time thats if its a clear run.

Luckily every time I've gone through there, their hasn't been an accident on the side I've been travelling, but have seen it on the opposite causing major delays.

You ask why dont you use the A1, well I usually do to avoid the M1, but this morning I had no choice but to use the M1, and today's run just reminds me why I dont use the M1 much, god help those who have to go that way in a large van on an urgent sameday... And the standard of driving is not a lot to be desired, that includes the truckers and van drivers.

Totally agree we are adding extra hour to all our runs south.

I tell a lie, its 10-15 mins if the traffic is average, of course its more if the traffic is heavy, but today or should I say this morning between 4am-5am with the traffic being light, the total for Northampton and sheffield was 10 mins that being 5 mins per section with very light traffic in a van, of course its different for the bike if you play it right ;)

I had a terrible time last Friday. I had to get from gatwick to Reading, a distance of 52 miles. I'd seen a crash on the M25 so used my satnav to get me round it, only to get stuck in Guildford for 30 minutes, giving a total time for the 52 miles of 2 hours 45 mins, and that was empty just going to a collection! I just don't know how pence per mile can be viable for south eastern couriers anymore.

NC especially on a friday if I'm coming back from gatwick I put shortest route on sat nav and go cross country. Some nice country lanes through the surrey hills come out at shere then go north of guildford. If near the M25 I tend to go through cobham to ascott still can get slow but does keep you moving. I agree the rates people expect to pay subbies in the south east just don't pay the bills!

AM-PM Despatch said:

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NC especially on a friday if I'm coming back from gatwick I put shortest route on sat nav and go cross country. Some nice country lanes through the surrey hills come out at shere then go north of guildford. If near the M25 I tend to go through cobham to ascott still can get slow but does keep you moving. I agree the rates people expect to pay subbies in the south east just don't pay the bills!

Said it loads of times, 'there is no such thing as a going rate'

If it seems a job will be troublesome price it differently, by the hour, or with an excess that you are happy with.

Who mentioned going rates? It is what courier co's are prepared to pay that at times is insulting? When I first started I spoke to a few courier co's including CS. While discussing rates the conversation went along the lines - my subcontract rate for a professional service with a well maintained fully insured Vauxhall combo 2000 is XXpplm, reply was 'sorry we only pay YYpplm' ok won't waste any more of your time but if you find your stuck heres my card with my rates on the back. I have been called on the odd occasion but not very often.

There are loads that are willing to work for what that company pays. Whilst that is the case one can't blame them for only offering low rates. If people were sensible they would have no option than to pay more to attract people to do their work.

AM-PM Despatch said:

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Who mentioned going rates? It is what courier co's are prepared to pay that at times is insulting?

Thats the one , as a subby you simply cant decide on a job per job basis to increase your rates . You get paid whats offered and your stuck with it when you sign up otherwise you simply will not be offered any work at all . This means Adam had taken 11 `kin hours on a job from tamworth doing a couple of drops in london on a friday evening for less than £110 in a LWB . I have refused to do these jobs before and sure enough i dont work for them anymore , says it all really . I chalk it down to the rough and the smooth in that some days your doing 10 miles for £50 .

Sorry... This thread aint about going rates! Go start your own on the subject..

Gas Motorcycle Couriers said:

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Sorry... This thread aint about going rates! Go start your own on the subject..

It's been done to death Gary otherwise I would :)

People still can't grasp it

The going rate is the rate you decide is what you are going to charge today, on that particular job, be it a customer, or one of us lot. Tomorrow that rate may well be different, as circumstances differ.

If i have a stansted to basingstoke, and someone is looking for a stansted to watford at the same time, i have the ability to reduce the watford is i so wish (obviously on the assumption that by doubling up, it won't affect the basingstoke delivery). I also have the abiity to reduce my quote for a Basingstoke back to Stansted. Of course i don't have to, but i can.

Tomorrow is another day

RAPID LIGHT TRANSPORT LTD. said:

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Gas Motorcycle Couriers said:

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Sorry... This thread aint about going rates! Go start your own on the subject..

It's been done to death Gary otherwise I would :)

People still can't grasp it

I know where your coming from, even when I see on other threads saying about "RICO" with the Insurance matter (and not just RICO but others will be doing it hence cheap rates) but they dont really affect us "specialist services", also some newbee whos quoting/bidding low on another "Cheap" site and being outbid but hasnt quoted on this site (I wonder why) again not that I'm bothered but it adds to the fire and no doubt that thread will be change course, their will always be someone to take advantage of cheap whether "Backload" brigade to maximise profit or the not so legal drivers who take advantage, the fact is I havent got an answer or a magic wand.

Moaning about cheap rates isnt going to solve matters, but I can see its difficult when there is always someone who will do it cheaper, its a topic that I'm sick of hearing and one thats not discussed on shed5 thank god :)

Gas Motorcycle Couriers said:

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RAPID LIGHT TRANSPORT LTD. said:

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Gas Motorcycle Couriers said:

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Sorry... This thread aint about going rates! Go start your own on the subject..

It's been done to death Gary otherwise I would :)

People still can't grasp it

I know where your coming from, even when I see on other threads saying about "RICO" with the Insurance matter (and not just RICO but others will be doing it hence cheap rates) but they dont really affect us "specialist services", also some newbee whos quoting/bidding low on another "Cheap" site and being outbid but hasnt quoted on this site (I wonder why) again not that I'm bothered but it adds to the fire and no doubt that thread will be change course, their will always be someone to take advantage of cheap whether "Backload" brigade to maximise profit or the not so legal drivers who take advantage, the fact is I havent got an answer or a magic wand.

Moaning about cheap rates isnt going to solve matters, but I can see its difficult when there is always someone who will do it cheaper, its a topic that I'm sick of hearing and one thats not discussed on shed5 thank god :)

Gas your no fun since you shaved your beard off.

Gas Motorcycle Couriers said:

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RAPID LIGHT TRANSPORT LTD. said:

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Gas Motorcycle Couriers said:

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Sorry... This thread aint about going rates! Go start your own on the subject..

It's been done to death Gary otherwise I would :)

People still can't grasp it

I know where your coming from, even when I see on other threads saying about "RICO" with the Insurance matter (and not just RICO but others will be doing it hence cheap rates) but they dont really affect us "specialist services", also some newbee whos quoting/bidding low on another "Cheap" site and being outbid but hasnt quoted on this site (I wonder why) again not that I'm bothered but it adds to the fire and no doubt that thread will be change course, their will always be someone to take advantage of cheap whether "Backload" brigade to maximise profit or the not so legal drivers who take advantage, the fact is I havent got an answer or a magic wand.

Moaning about cheap rates isnt going to solve matters, but I can see its difficult when there is always someone who will do it cheaper, its a topic that I'm sick of hearing and one thats not discussed on shed5 thank god :)

This thread isnt about rates so ... ... ... ( sorry, couldnt resist ). So yeah do i die a million times at 50 in the road works? No is the simple answer, I tend to hit the right hand lane and line up with a hgv on the inside, I then listen to dundunkdundunkdundunk for the next 20 minutes until i cant cope anymore . Then i go as fast as its possible aiming to make sure the back of the van cant be seen by the average speed cameras so give a false reading to the cameras . I dont get where im going any quicker but it gives a sense of sticking 2 fingers up to those who cone off 10 miles of road then work on a 50 meter stretch for 18 months and gives me something to do .

All threads, if left long enough to evolve, eventually end up taking about rates, be it those discussing whats on offer by the larger National Courier Companies, those talking themselves up as being competitors to larger National Courier Companies, those too ignorant to know what constitutes a low rate, those asking what rates to charge, or those teling us how much better it was in the good old days.

Let go of past, enjoy the present and keep an eye on the future.

Saddlebow Deliveries said:

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Let go of past, enjoy the present and keep an eye on the future.

What more road works... :)

Yes lol

Let go of past, that would be yesterdays sat in the rain for 45 minutes to then handball 95 parcels on , get to the other end after playing with the M42s car park to have another 30 minutes of having someone not have a friggin clue before handballin the 95 onto pallets ( labels out ) to then argue yes the manifest says 244 but theres 95 OK so just bloody sign it 95 and no i am not going through them all to find out which 95... ... .... enjoy the present , thats doughnuts krispy kream dougnuts ... ... .... and keep an eye on the future... Xmas is a comin and ill be first to say happy xmas everyone :-)