Which Courier Work Exchange Sites Are Worth Joining?
So you’re looking for more courier work, you have searched the internet and found lots of websites that promise they have 100s jobs available every day and that you can find loads immediately if you become a member.
But which sites are the best ones to join? That’s a question I asked myself over and over when I first started out as a courier. I was new to the industry and was looking for the best way to find extra work so that I could start paying the bills.
But the trouble is, with most websites it’s hard to trust them when you have nothing to guarantee what kind of return you will get for your membership fee.
Some of the subscription fees can be relatively huge and to new owner-drivers, when you’ve just bought a van (along with all your insurances etc.) you will probably be watching every penny you spend until you start to see your own invoices being paid.
So that’s when I had the idea that, as I’ve already tried MOST of the main websites myself, I had enough information to give some fair advice about which sites are worth joining, and what you can realistically expect once you’re on there.
So here’s the Couriers TV list of the current main players, in no particular order.
Pro Tip No.1
As with most self-employed roles, courier work requires YOU to make the effort. It doesn’t matter which sites you join if you’re not prepared to communicate with people.
Picking up the phone and making those calls is essential.
Work will hardly ever just fall in your lap.
The Courier Exchange (CX)
If you’ve done some research then you’ll more than likely have seen the name Courier Exchange appear in the web search results. It’s one of the oldest and most established freight exchange platforms around, having launched in 1999.
They claim to have 5,000 active members (and that’s hard to dispute if you browse the members list) and amongst those members are some of the industries leading players.
The Courier Exchange, or CX as its members know it, is currently one of the most expensive of the work exchange sites that I am aware of, with the basic Owner-Driver plan coming in at around £720 (per year, with VAT).
That’s not really a bad price when you consider the volume of work typically available – although this does depend heavily on your location.
Big Cities like Manchester, Birmingham and London will always see more work available than more remote locations like Newquay or Whitby. Again, this is most likely true for many exchange sites. On the other side of that coin though. The competition for work is much higher too. If you want to win the work, you need to be quick off the mark.
The website features live updates that you can filter and sort to your own specific requirements, and there’s a decent phone app that receives the live work notifications too. Plus the app can track your location and receive bookings as well as allowing you to update during the job – ‘loaded’, ‘POD’ etc…
Key Features
For owner-drivers looking for work, the ability to filter the available jobs down to whatever suits your needs is excellent. Choose from van size and type (small van/long wheelbase/curtain-side and many more), collection and delivery locations and even load types (pallets, loose, foods, etc)
The mobile app is one of the best I’ve used so far, allowing owner-drivers to receive load notifications, click-to-call the seller, receive the booking details and update progress all within the app.
Summary
In my personal opinion, you can’t really go wrong with the CX, but there are cheaper alternatives that may be more suitable to a new driver.
The price is fairly daunting and if you’re new to courier work, you might want to get some practice in first before joining, because the system is based on feedback. If you don’t know how to do the work and receive a couple of bad strikes it could set you back a long way to getting more work.
Experienced drivers looking for extra work and back-loads working the main routes should be able to make their money back in no time at all.
Read More About The Courier Exchange
The Same Day Courier Network (SDCN)
The new, young upstart. This is a new player that is showing serious potential.
Whilst SCDN may not yet have the same number of registered users as CX, it’s growing rapidly. Current member figures are approximately 1000+ and I would expect this to steadily climb throughout the year as they regularly advertise across various media.
In line with the increase in user figures is a steady growth of loads being posted and completed by members and the user-feedback system, a 5-star rating method, is starting to benefit the professionals that use it properly.
SDCN’s forte is in its ease of use. A more stripped-back system than CX, it works well on both desktop and mobile devices, with the user being able to find loads with ease, search for members or post any work you want to sell on with just a few clicks.
Key Features
The loads available are clearly laid out with the relevant information; Collection time, delivery time, route distance (for you to price the job on) and the bonus of a Google map showing the suggested route gives you a visual reference in case you’re not yet entirely sure where the places listed are.
There is even the ability to submit your bid online, so whether you’re not able to place a call, or if you can’t get through there is still a way to get your price through to the seller.
Summary
Same Day Courier Network is MUCH more affordable for owner-drivers (on my last information, a years fee is £100) meaning you can probably earn the fee back from your very first job booked in many cases.
They are continuing to develop the system and re-invest the members fees in new technology all the time, so there is a lot more to come.
Personally, I would say you have very little to lose by joining. If nothing else, it’s an extra string to your bow to be able to fill your vehicle on quiet days or the run home.
Read More About The Same Day Courier Network
Loadie
Details to follow soon…
Key Features
Summary
Freight Alerts
Details to follow soon…
Return Loads
Details to follow soon…
Any Van
Details to follow soon…
Shiply
Details to follow soon…
UShip
Details to follow soon…
Courier Expert
Details to follow soon…
Please note: The opinions of work exchange platforms shown here are personal opinions from the author and NOT necessarily those of Couriers TV.
None of the information here has been paid for and the author has not been influenced in anyway.
Joining any courier exchange website is done so at your own risk and neither Couriers TV nor the author of these review will be held responsible for anything that happens between any individual, business or third party through use of the services mentioned.