Which Courier method is best?

[Guest]

It may well return to that Amtrak way in the future, but meanwhile we are all going to have to be patient for the time being. I understand your concerns Wiley, regarding youngsters, but no one of the size and experience of Amtrak are forthcoming. Even Louella are having problems getting birds out and are currently suggesting that fanciers make arrangements to pick their own birds up by prior arrangement. It's a sad state we are in, but a fact nevertheless.

[Guest bigda]

dont think you will  see those days mate,  but if you want them  as early, you could always go your self a day out ;D

[JM Couriers]

to long to wait sorry , if a change let me know  via pm ,thanks

 

We'd normally be going up twice a month but because Blackpool is about the time of the 2nd trip of the month, we decided to drop in on the  Blackpool event to say hello instead.

 

 

 

 

[JM Couriers]

in my opinion on couriers i go for one that has a good reprutation in getting the birds and dropping in my area, mainly by word of mouth from other fanciers. But one thing i go on is reliablity, i dont want couriers telling me they arent going that way for 2 weeks, as this isnt reliable enough for me, if i place an order i want it whens best for me and the other fancier concerned. Especially regarding young if you have to wait 2 weeks for collection the babies could have started perching by then. i want someone who when i ring says that it isnt a problem and you will have your bird the morning after collection. Maybe im old fashioned, or just a big fan of the way amtrack was very reliable for us.

 

 

The main thing with being independent, is that we can always change our schedule to suit a customer.

The South, London, Kent, Essex and the Midlands we cover all week long and if we have to shoot off up into Cambs, Norfolk, or anywhere else for that matter, once in a while, then its only a question of someone asking.

 

You'll get a straight yes we can, or no we cant, thats for sure.

 

Julia

 

[wilkins]

thank you vallance

[OLDYELLOW]

long gone are the days of the butchers bike , but getting hold of couriers is getting harder and no doubt as has been stated if your in a bad accessable area be even worse

[oldguy]

 

 

The main thing with being independent, is that we can always change our schedule to suit a customer.

The South, London, Kent, Essex and the Midlands we cover all week long and if we have to shoot off up into Cambs, Norfolk, or anywhere else for that matter, once in a while, then its only a question of someone asking.

 

You'll get a straight yes we can, or no we cant, thats for sure.

 

Julia

 

Your website link at the bottom of your postings is missing the   .uk

 

kev

 

 

[JM Couriers]

Thanks Kev.

 

Its on there now  

[Roland]

Fine, relay the birds. Couriers split the monies. Then as long as it is short, it would level out most probably. Sure sometime they'll win - money wise - and sometime not, but overall - like any franchise, or Royal mail etc. they all relay.

Doesn't have to be a Franchise, just common sense and honesty amongst themselves.

[Guest strapper]

Fine, relay the birds. Couriers split the monies. Then as long as it is short, it would level out most probably. Sure sometime they'll win - money wise - and sometime not, but overall - like any franchise, or Royal mail etc. they all relay.

Doesn't have to be a Franchise, just common sense and honesty amongst themselves.

 

i agree with you roland , maybe they could meet and hand over birds going north to north living courriers and south going birds handed over to south living courriers...this means cutting down journey times and maybe a better all round service.

splitting expenses and pick up payments.

if two companys or more were to do this it could in theory turn into a profitable service.

but its their busineses and they have to look after them...we mortals can only give them idea,s.

 

 

[Fair Play]

For all the Scottish birds going North would it be possible to get the couriers to deliver to the SPDS depot in Leeds for the journey North It could save a lot of fuel on both sides and lead to a proper integrated system which would suit all.The finances (delivery costs) could be the stumbling block and would have to be sorted out between the couriers.

[PigeonTracker]

Fine, relay the birds. Couriers split the monies. Then as long as it is short, it would level out most probably. Sure sometime they'll win - money wise - and sometime not, but overall - like any franchise, or Royal mail etc. they all relay.

Doesn't have to be a Franchise, just common sense and honesty amongst themselves.

Was one of the answers I was waiting for.  Done this with Peter from Southern Pigeon Couriers who are to me one of the best out there, met up with him in dorchester for example and he'd then take them the next step where I couldn't touch but he could.   It is definately got plus points Roland and the only thing I suspect will prevent this from happening is the fact it cost so much to transport the birds from each point.   The Royal mail can do this easily because they carry literally hundreds of individual consignments per carraige, same with any dirty goods courier, lots of small amounts add up to a lot.

 

With pigeons you are seriously limited to how many you could safely fit on a van at any given time thus reducing the income per van.. :-/

 

 

[Guest bigda]

aload of crap there  mate, a van properly fitted out  transit type    will carry  60 birds in comfort 60x£25= 1,500 a run doing less than,  the vans ;D ;D not your problem

[PigeonTracker]

aload of crap there  mate, a van properly fitted out  transit type    will carry  60 birds in comfort 60x£25= 1,500 a run doing less than,  the vans ;D ;D not your problem

 

Its not a load of crap its fact, you try and get 60 birds going in one direction as opposed to all over the country in a zig zag which soon eats away at what seems to be a healthy profit.  Not sure on the last bit of your post though Darren, what's it supposed to mean?

 

 

 

[Roland]

aload of crap there  mate, a van properly fitted out  transit type    will carry  60 birds in comfort 60x£25= 1,500 a run doing less than,  the vans ;D ;D not your problem

 

What of the 60 are priced at 4 for say £25, and 10 others are make up to say 6  - 8?

15 x £25  less 10 or more @£25 soon knocks holes in that equation I'm afraid.

And most are at least 2 or more.... go figure.

[Guest bigda]

geered up could  be shelfed to suit yor van,   you still have floor space should you need it 60-80 racked out enough as to do 60 drop offs  what ever the combination is  :-/

[PigeonTracker]

geered up could  be shelfed to suit yor van,   you still have floor space should you need it 60-80 racked out enough as to do 60 drop offs  what ever the combination is  :-/

 

Remember one doing 18 birds for you Darren, that wasn't unusual at that time of year.   The average pickup from experience, although it can be different is say 4 - 6 birds each go, that's taken it down to 10  - 15 drops or in real money £250 to £325 per run, take the cost of fuel, wear and tear and insurance and your not left with much if anything depending on distance.   Stray season is definately different as you can get lots more single pickups and then I think your totally spot on bigda, its then that those who aren't afraid of graft could see a healthy living even if for just the season.      

 

[PigeonTracker]

For all the Scottish birds going North would it be possible to get the couriers to deliver to the SPDS depot in Leeds for the journey North It could save a lot of fuel on both sides and lead to a proper integrated system which would suit all.The finances (delivery costs) could be the stumbling block and would have to be sorted out between the couriers.

 

Sorry I missed this one, good post, and well thought out.  SPDS are a good company but as most of us know its the person on the other end who pays for the delivery, or at least in my experience it is and its one of SPDS terms that you pay up front so this is another hurdle to overcome.   Great input though, shows we're all starting to sing the same tune now and even though we're not quite the choir we're getting somewhere with the good ideas.

 

Keep them coming I say.  

 

 

[Guest chrisss]

i would prefer to have one courier move my bird from a to b if you start to split the job then you have to pay more, which is what is what one courier is trying to do now[so i have heard]besides who gets to run the central hub,and hands the jobs out [maybe to your mates?]

[Guest]

 

Sorry I missed this one, good post, and well thought out.  SPDS are a good company but as most of us know its the person on the other end who pays for the delivery, or at least in my experience it is and its one of SPDS terms that you pay up front so this is another hurdle to overcome.   Great input though, shows we're all starting to sing the same tune now and even though we're not quite the choir we're getting somewhere with the good ideas.

 

Keep them coming I say.  

 

 

just read this and i have to disagree , ive used spds 5 or 6 times last year and have always paid on delivery

they pick up one day and deliver the next always as early as possible usually between 8 am and 10 am

 

dave

[Guest]

you cannot beat the price either george £13.50 for 3 birds

[Guest asha]

To be honest,i think couriors are real bad for this sport,and we should all protest to the Redddings to ban all such bad practise,Any thoughts

[Guest]

 

just read this and i have to disagree , ive used spds 5 or 6 times last year and have always paid on delivery

they pick up one day and deliver the next always as early as possible usually between 8 am and 10 am

 

dave

 

i pay on delivery too, drivers here b4 8am great service, i forgot to leave money one day and the driver told the young lass to get your dad to  phone office,i paid over the phone with my bank card.

[PigeonTracker]

 

i pay on delivery too, drivers here b4 8am great service, i forgot to leave money one day and the driver told the young lass to get your dad to  phone office,i paid over the phone with my bank card.

I was only going by their website terms and conditions and it was probably the way I read it which loooking at it the second time I can see how I probaby got it wrong, sorry, was trying to help not hinder as SPDS even though a dirty goods carrier are from what I've been told an excellent service in Scotland and been dealing with pigeon delivery up to the nether regions for a long time?  http://www.spds.co.uk/COC.pdf  Its in a pdf file so if you don't have access to adobe I've cut and pasted where I got it from.

 

http://www.spds.co.uk/COC.pdf

 

7. CARRIER'S CHARGES

(a)The Carriers charges shall be payable by the Customer without prejudice to the Carriers rights against the Consignee or any other Person.

(b)The Carriers charges as calculated and declared on the Carriers invoice to the Customer shall be deemed to be correct except in the case of

manifest error.

©The Carrier shall submit invoices to the Customer weekly and the Customer shall be obliged to settle such invoices not later than the end of

the calendar month following that in which the invoice was first issued and/or as stipulated on the invoice.

(d)Charges shall be payable on the expiry of any time limit previously stipulated and the Carrier shall be entitled to interest at the prevailing

overdraft interest rates being charged by Bank of Scotland on a daily basis on all amounts overdue to the Carrier.

(e)Unless otherwise agreed in writing by the Carrier, all consignments are charged at their gross weight unless a consignment exceeds 4.0

cubic metres per 1000 Kilos in which case the Carrier may calculate the charge on the basis of the number of cubic metres per 1000 kilos

 

Also if  as you say you can also pay on reciept then that's even better.   I'm going to throw a few questions their way just to see if there is any distance in the idea behind using them and report back.   Sorry again for reading it wrong will find out from them by asking.  

 

[blaz]

i will stick with pigeon tracker fair price and good service in to scotland