Bike messenger dreams

i've been biking in chicago for about six years. i've been biking elsewhere for my whole life. but recently i've been thinking... what if i could get a job doing just this?... then it hit me, i want to be a bike messenger. but how exactly does someone just jump into the world of package delivery? if you have any experience i would appreciate some feedback of any sort.

 

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Permalink Reply by judy s on October 21, 2011 at 11:45pm
what about if you just advertise for yourself, say for the elderly, delivering groceries or prescriptions.  You already are out and about advertise yourself!! You know how the trucks do it with signs on the side, just an idea.
Permalink Reply by MK on October 22, 2011 at 2:18am
I have no idea if this site is good or bad, but it might work for you? http://www.zipments.com/
Permalink Reply by Julie Aberman (Hochstadter) on October 22, 2011 at 2:27am
Contact a csa and offer to delivery their food packages by bike. Tzippy Rhodes was doing it at one point.
Permalink Reply by Mike Zumwalt on October 22, 2011 at 3:52pm
Chicago Reader usually has an ad or 2 especially this time of year.
Permalink Reply by UV Metal Arts - Powder Coating on October 23, 2011 at 5:36am
Try to avoid companies that require you to perchase a lot of gear/uniforms. Most places that hire people without any courier experience don't have enough volume (volume=ok to good pay if you hustle), or may have a terrible work environment. Use them to learn the ropes, make your mistakes and move on to a better company.
Permalink Reply by chixieonfixie on October 24, 2011 at 1:56am

Wanting to be a bike messenger is the equivalent of wanting to work for Borders bookstores.  Its a dying profession. The internet, PDF files, electronic filings, digital photography and audio have been chipping away at the business for years.  Do a search on 'bike messenger decline' if you want to read up on it.

 

There is also the topic of security - in downtown Chicago it is much harder to be a messenger since 9/11.  You really have to put up with a fair amount of abuse.  They may not even let you bring your bag into a delivery site if it contains a wrench or some other item that could be interpreted as a 'weapon'.  Prepare to get treated like sh*t in a lot of places.

 

Nonetheless, if you really want to try it, in the bitter winter months you should be able to find work before springtime arrives and all those like you come out of the woodwork to try out this job.

Permalink Reply by John Greenfield on October 24, 2011 at 5:47am

Here's an article I did a couple years ago about finding messenger work in Chicago:

http://momentumplanet.com/articles/so-you-want-to-be-a-bike-messeng...

I messengered for a long time here and, yeah, it seems like the golden age is long gone. Still, you should be able to scrape by financially, and it's a really fun way to experience the city. At this point though, food delivery may be a more reliable way to make a living on a bike.

Permalink Reply by Matt S on October 25, 2011 at 1:23pm
awesome, thanks for a lot of good supportive answers. i am pretty serious about puttin in some work this winter. i figured potbelly's sandwiches has bike deliverers and i know a few of those around town...
Permalink Reply by Poptart on October 26, 2011 at 2:48am
Permalink Reply by Mike Zumwalt on October 26, 2011 at 3:09am

It may be less than it was but some things and people still don't trust the internet or file transferring, and just like the dot com bubble burst millions of people can order stuff online but it still has to be delivered.

A paper copy with a signature beats the "did you get my attachment in the e-mail?' anyday.

Systems go down, systems get hacked.

chixieonfixie said:

Wanting to be a bike messenger is the equivalent of wanting to work for Borders bookstores.  Its a dying profession. The internet, PDF files, electronic filings, digital photography and audio have been chipping away at the business for years.  Do a search on 'bike messenger decline' if you want to read up on it.

 

There is also the topic of security - in downtown Chicago it is much harder to be a messenger since 9/11.  You really have to put up with a fair amount of abuse.  They may not even let you bring your bag into a delivery site if it contains a wrench or some other item that could be interpreted as a 'weapon'.  Prepare to get treated like sh*t in a lot of places.

 

Nonetheless, if you really want to try it, in the bitter winter months you should be able to find work before springtime arrives and all those like you come out of the woodwork to try out this job.

Permalink Reply by Mike Zumwalt on October 26, 2011 at 3:17am

The link inside doesn't work but I see them around Wicker/Humboldt/Logan delivering food all the time.

http://www.yelp.com/biz/uptop-delivery-network-chicago

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