Driving for Urban Express in NYC

[teamgreen1]

Ive been driving my cargo van for urban express in manhattan the last week and Im a little worried what my pay will be for the week. I was told before I started that guys gross about $1500/wk working 6 days or roughly 55-60 hours , on average. I did about 31 pickups and 31 deliveries...hoping this equates to about $750, or so.

 

[davekc]

Welcome to EO.
No one can offer much advice here because we would have no way of knowing how you are paid and for what services.

 

[teamgreen1]

Basically, I'm in the heart of manhattan going to various businesses and picking up packages 100lbs or less and dropping them off at other locations. Ive been going nonstop without breaks for 30 hours. I understand I may have been given some of the worse loads bc im new and all (been told this more or less), but if im not coming close to the $1500 I was told (roughly $25/hour gross using my own van and paying all expenses), then I have to look elsewhere. The job is just way too demanding , dangerous, and stressful to be working for peanuts.

 

[davekc]

Again, that doesn't really reveal what they are actually paying and for what services. Example; would be $25.00 per drop. How much for fuel, tolls, vehicle use. You get the picture.
With that provided information, only you can determine if it is the right situation.
Probably wouldn't hurt to talk to some others there to make a educated decision based on your circumstances and thiers.

 

[teamgreen1]

No, I understand. I dont know, other than that $1500 week gross figure Im getting. I was just hoping someone heard, or was aware of appropriate payouts. This is a supplemental thing for me, as I make most of my money off another biz, so If tuesday rolls around and they really pay me low, Im going to be asking for a good explanation why.

The $1500 figure Im giving you is what the company pays me , on average, for a 55-60 hour week. For my own terms, Im saying $25/hour gross. By gross, I am covering all fees...parking, gas, tolls, insurance, etc...thats why its crazy if im not averaging at least that. Almost every dropoff I go to requires feeding a meter. And , its not cheap. $4/hour. I have learned the tricks with this so I havent paid much, but its still a risk...and , i should be getting compensated for all these things.

Thats still not great and this isnt something I want to do for a very long time, but this job should put me into 6 figures with the other business I have. Really opens up possibilities for me then because Ill have more savings to run the other business I want.

 

[aimeejos]

I am worried about you being a business owner at all! Why would you work for anyone without knowing upfront exactly how you will be paid? Is it per drop, milage based or time based? And reimbursement of tolls and parking and fuel costs... All of this should have been agreed to and in writing before you took your first delivery. I won't be surprised if you come back and post that you only made $100 for the week after all is said and done!

 

[davekc]

It isn't recommended to play a card game and all your cards are facing down on the table.

 

[flattop40]

You can't pay me enough to drive in NYC. I have delivered there 3 times and will NEVER go back.

 

[paullud]

Again, that doesn't really reveal what they are actually paying and for what services. Example; would be $25.00 per drop. How much for fuel, tolls, vehicle use. You get the picture.
With that provided information, only you can determine if it is the right situation.
Probably wouldn't hurt to talk to some others there to make a educated decision based on your circumstances and thiers.

Don't forget brake pad replacement with every oil change.

Sent from my SCH-I535 using EO Forums mobile app

 

[DRIVERDUDE]

I can't say anything about NYC but I used to run as a local courier in Atlanta and I can tell you that type of work SUX! I ran for about 50 hrs. / week didn't have to pay the tolls that you have to pay, and when the dust settled I would gross about $600-700 / week on a great week. Some short runs within the same zip code would pay as little as $7.50 and I got 55% gross. Atlanta traffic is terrible so I can only imagine how bad it is in Manhattan. Unless you are doing long runs with a lot of weight I doubt that you will ever see $1500 / week.

 

[teamgreen1]

It isn't recommended to play a card game and all your cards are facing down on the table.

I talked with the guy who hired me on and in more than one way he said you should gross on average $1500/week for 50-60 hour weeks. now, is it possible he lied to me? Definitely, but he got 30 hours of my labor. I have another income right now and I can easily pay the bills for the van, so no sweat off my back.

Believe me, driving in Manhattan is like nowhere else. Honestly, I cant see why anyone would stay with them for less than $25/hour gross. It may come in around $15-20/gross, which would make me leave, but no way someone would be able to operate for anything below.

 

[teamgreen1]

I am worried about you being a business owner at all! Why would you work for anyone without knowing upfront exactly how you will be paid? Is it per drop, milage based or time based? And reimbursement of tolls and parking and fuel costs... All of this should have been agreed to and in writing before you took your first delivery. I won't be surprised if you come back and post that you only made $100 for the week after all is said and done!

hey buddy, before you take cheap shots..a contract can be written, or , oral. Both are meaningless if not followed thru. I have a successful business and I dont need this to survive. It is a supplement , and I have other business uses for the vehicle. I was quoted as $1500/wk working 50-60 hours. All expenses paid by me. Pretty crystal clear. If its way off, why? Is it because Im new, dispatch giving me crappy loads? Not working hard enough? These are all things for me to assess. Again, not the end of the world for me. I run a successful business already, so please stick your cheap comments you know where.

 

[Deville]

Teamgreen1, don't listen to any of these guys here they have no idea about the messenger side of the business. I on the other hand do. Urban express is a very large company that has a large network of other courier companies they do bussiness with. It is possible but very unlikely that you will acheive $1500 a week on a regular basis with them. Most likey you will see an average closer to $750-$900 a week & you will work like a dog to get there.

When things were slow for me I worked with a company in Brooklyn called Go Express, very similar to urban express. When they are busy they run you. When they are slow you will sit & wait for a job. Since you are on the bottom end of the tottom pole you will do more sitting than working.

I suggest you farm your self out to multiple companies if you are going to be just working Manhattan.

Did Urban set you up with SCI or Contrac? If so get a driver available form out so other companies will know nyou have availabilitly. Urban express & other companies will tell you that you can only work for them. That's bull****. You are a ontractor & can offer services & price points to who ever you want.

Good luck.

All I ask in return of my sage advice is if you could PM me the meter beating tricks.

 

[teamgreen1]

deville,

I didnt have any downtime...Made about 32 deliveries , or 1 pickup and delivery an hour. As for parking, I was told if you get a ticket, you have ten minutes from the ticket time to pay it and get it wiped out. My trick has been to put a ticket in my windshield wiper. I havent been doing this long so maybe I was lucky. Anyway, the guy who brought me on said 1500 was the average. If you are saying $750-900, thats a pretty big discrepancy. Im open to driving elsewhere. Any ideas? Hit me up at [email protected]

 

[cheri1122]

Teamgreen: I won't say the guy lied to you, but he certainly has an incentive to do so. Did he offer to validate or verify his figures?
Recruiters [or their equivalent] have a goal: get the job filled. Some are not overly scrupulous about offering the truth, when it might not work to their advantage.They stick to generalities, and make no actual promises, leaving you with no actionable recourse if you find they 'gilded the lily' a bit. Or, in plain English: lied like a rug.

 

[Deville]

The courier business in Manhattan is very competive. A manhattan to manhattan run for 1 to 5 envelopes is about $9 gross. The driver will get about 60% of that or $4.50. If it's a rush job the price doubles.

Urban Express is one of the bigger ones & have Manhattan locked up. Many of the couriers they use are walkers.

 

[zorry]

Therein lies the problem.
60% of $9 is $5.40. If they pay $4.50 when $5.40 is owed, they win.

 

[TeamHutch]

Get to know your dispatcher, offer them incentives to get you more money. This can move you up the totem pole very quickly. Don't be late on deliveries.

 

[tknight]

Get to know your dispatcher, offer them incentives to get you more money. This can move you up the totem pole very quickly. Don't be late on deliveries.

I can't wait to hear what incentives a driver can give to a dispatcher

 

[zorry]

The only incentives a driver SHOULD give a dispatcher is 100% on time pu and delivery and a can do attitude.
And that should be enough to be run well.

Unless your dispatcher is Monty Hall.