June 5, 2010

Courier Drivers Jobs – Do I Use A Car Or Van?

Well I know the typical perception of couriers is the “white van man”. Well yes if you are humping huge parcels or car parts then you would need a van.

If you are looking at courier driving within a smaller niche then you will not really need a huge, white van and would be able to use a smaller car. The main thing you need is a reliable and fuel saving vehicle.

If you are not sure whether or not you want a van then why not give it a trial go first. You can always rent or hire one for a short period of time before you sign for one. Just make sure you know exactly how much it is going to cost you and also that the insurance cover you have is correct.

You may well have your own van which is great but you do need to make sure you do your sums. Running a larger van, rather like a larger house, will eat into your profit margins. A smaller, domestic “parcel car” could be more viable.

If you take this example you can see how a van could be eating into your profit margin. Say for example the difference between a van and a car was 8 pence per mile. Multiply this with your average weekly mileage and you will be able to see the difference to your profits.

If you decide upon using a parcel car and already have your own vehicle have a look at how this could pan out. How old is your vehicle? Is it reliable? You do need to bear in mind that a car that might be ok for running you and the family around will be totally unsuitable for running a business.

Please also check out the following points;

You will be a newcomer to this industry and vying for work with other more experienced and well known drivers. A lot of companies do prefer it if you have a van and some will only hire a parcel car if desperate. This could be a problem if you are just starting out. One of the ways I overcame this was to make sure I had a car that was clean and professional looking, ie; no stuffed or nodding dogs or baby car seats in it. Impressions are everything.

The second biggest implication of going down the parcel car route is the dreaded tax. Yep that one thing we can never get away from.

You will not always be eligible for tax benefits using a car as opposed to using a van and you must check this aspect out before any purchase. This also has to be written into your costings.

You could always consider a kind of half way house and look at some smaller vans such as Fiat vans or Peugoet vans.

Before you do decide carry out your research properly and please don’t think that just because you have a family car or large van that this will be suitable and profitable for your courier driving jobs.

Courier Drivers Jobs – Information On Hiring Cars