Point to Point courier companies primarily provide same day delivery services within the metropolitan area but will, if requested, make deliveries to outlying regional areas.
There are a myriad of companies and they typically operate with a variety of vehicles ranging from motor cycles to semi trailer size trucks and the rate schedules are based on the size of the vehicle required and the origin and the destination of the trip.
Smaller vehicles are normally charged at a fixed rate per trip whereas the larger vehicles are usually charged at an hourly rate with a minimum charge of 3 or 4 hours.
For smaller vehicles (motor cycles, cars, utes and vans) rate schedules are further defined by the urgency of the delivery.
The typical service levels offered includes the following:
- Direct Service (Metro Delivery within less than 90 minutes) – this is usually a direct drive service whereby the courier driver will collect the consignment from the shipper and drive directly to the consignee. No other consignments will be picked up or delivered until the direct service shipment has been completed.
- Standard Service (Metro Delivery within 90 to 180 minutes) – this service usually allows the courier driver to pick up and deliver multiple shipments as a part of a “run” providing that each shipment will be completed within the 180 minute delivery window.
The “delivery window” for the above service should typically be measured from the time the courier is booked to collect the shipment to the time that the delivery is completed – not from the time the courier collects the shipment.
- Economy Service (Metro Delivery same business day ) – this service usually allows the courier driver to pick up and deliver multiple shipments as a part of a “run” providing that each shipment will be completed by the end of the normal business day. Normally there is a mid morning cut off for the collection of this type of shipment to allow the courier company sufficient time to incorporate the shipment into a drivers run.
Courier Companies providing these types o services include:
- Fixed Cost – Cartons or Satchels (Metro Delivery time dependant on pick up time) – this is a “hub and spoke” model that typically operates on two pickup and delivery cycles per day. Items are collected from a designated territory in the morning (usually before midday) and will taken back to a central hub and distributed to courier drivers that will deliver to most locations the same afternoon. Items collected from shippers in the afternoon (usually before 4 pm) will be delivered the next morning (usually before midday). The model is designed to cater for single cartons up to a gross weight of 25kg or 1, 3 and 5 kg satchels. The service is usually on a prepaid coupon basis but larger shippers can negotiate a post paid service.
Courier Companies that offer this type of service include:
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