rookies and sorry's...

so we have a new crew coming in...sort of. we are slowly trying to get more people hired so that we get more people to show up and cover the work...especially in the morning. i recognized 6686 the minute he showed up to apply...i knew he would be hired. i told the other dispatcher that i remembered seeing him out there for the longest time and that the company could use a vet. he remembered him also and agreed with me. anyway, i haven't had the pleasure of working with him for an entire day but we did get to exchange words the other day...

j.dot...8-6, 8-6

6686...finally, some professionalism would be nice.

j.dot...i have no idea what you're talking about. the other dispatcher is busy right now...what are you up to?

6686...i've been waiting for the longest time already. i dont know what im picking up except something out the hancock.

at this point i let him know about his runs and he's happy again...i think. anyway, work starts to pile up a bit and i call 6686 again cause he's still up north and i need a few picked up and brought back into the loop.

j.dot...8-6

6686...whats up?

j.dot...since your holding two for west superior and huron then go ahead and hold the one for base and pick up one out of sedgwick for the loop.

6686...what? why? just let me drop the one for base...why should i go all the way back to the loop and have to come all the way back?

j.dot...we got time on the one for base, just hold it. i'll get you back north with other packages. i need this sedgwick covered and either way you have two in the neighborhood your already dropping.

6686...why? just let me drop the one at the base that way we dont have to think about it anymore.

at this point i tell him to go ahead and do what he wants...i dont have time for cats that want to dispatch themselves. its pointless for me to be around in that case. i take the job off of him and tell him to just forget everything i had told him and just clean up.

6686...say...

j.dot...what now?

6686...just give me whatever, i'll do it. just tell me what to do.

j.dot...i already did and you didn't want to so forget it. i'll figure something out to cover the other jobs. just clean up and if you call me one more time and you're not clean then im gonna show you some true stand by.

6686...where's the other dispatcher.

j.dot...call him already and stop talking to me.

i felt like a jerk but not really. my dispatching was questioned and, even though i know this cat has experience, he's still a rookie. he doesn't see what i see on my board just like i dont see the traffic he's got to deal with or how strong the wind is. he didn't see the northwest side starting to blow up with work. he didn't see that i had other riders loaded up already so i couldn't pull them off to go get this work. i got frustrated with him and he finally figured it out. he cleaned up and called me back...

6686...say, i just want to apologize for getting off on the wrong foot. it wont happen again.

j.dot...no worries kid. whats your location?

6686...im just apologizing but im by the mart holding one.

j.dot...pick up two on kinzie and call the other dispatcher...


on a good note, we got free cupcakes from swirlz bakery on belden somewhere. they look amazing but aren't that great. either way, it was nice treat to a frustrating day...peace.

advice...

people are constantly asking me for advice about becoming a messenger...no big deal. im sure alot of messengers/dispatchers get asked all the time about what the job is like and so on. the following e-mails took place not to long ago...

hello sir,

you don't know me, but i am somehow under the impression that you can give me helpful advice. i have been thinking about messengering, but i'm not sure if it will make me hate riding my bicycle. i know i can bike all day, and i know i can bike in the cold. i'm not sure if i can bike all day in the cold. i don't know the loop particularly well, but being a messenger seems like a damn fine way to remedy that.

pls advise, kthx.

this wasnt a big deal...normally i try and convince people to not do it at all. it's not that the industry is a complete sh*t-hole but it can break people down. anyway, i decided to be helpful(my comments)...

not sure what to say...how much money will you need to survive? can you do full time? biking in the winter can be very, very, very difficult but for a first timer in can also be fun. most cats like doing a winter and are ok with it. umm...the winter is ok you just have to remember to keep three points of exit warm...hands, head, feet. if you could do that then you'll be alright. the winter time is constantly busy and its the season you'll make the most money in. for a first timer you're usually better off starting in the spring time or fall...that way you get a taste of cold weather but not freezing weather and you ease your legs into getting use to the miles you'll ride. i did it for two years straight and then about three years for winters and summers...i had to stop and dispatch cause i was really starting to hate my bike. those who cant do...teach.

most companies need full-time cats so part-time might be a little difficult but there are exceptions. you wont make shit your first month or so cause you'll still be learning the streets and the buildings...you know, shortcuts, security, msngr cntrs, lights, stops, sidewalks, and so on. it can be hard but if you put your time in then you'll make a liveable wage.

i hate giving advice unless im drunk and then im just telling everyone to not do it...much easier. i know i'll read this over and over wanting to edit things out or in. it can be fun...it can be shitty...Godspeed.

at this point i have no idea where the conversation might go. alot of people keep asking about the industry, some just ask one more question, and others just dont continue. the person i was communicating responds with...

i don't actually need to make money; i'm still finishing up school (taking the winter quarter, january-march off) and my parents help me out a lot. they'd probably be happier if i could pay my own rent, which isn't too bad. so yeah, money isn't really my concern; it's more the hating my bike (that you mentioned).

i'm not in my peak summer shape anymore, but i'm pretty confident i can still bike all day long, especially since this shit is flat.

as for cold, i'm a bikewinter evangelist! though on longer rides, or slower rides like CCM, i definitely get cold after a while. especially my feet. though couriers are inside buildings pretty frequently, so that might be sufficient opportunity to warm up.

i CAN do full time. i was thinking it might be easier to at least start out part-time, though, until i know my way around and feel more confident about things. and fewer hours might be preferable when it's assy out, too. i figure if i ever get up the guts to fill out an application, i'll be straight with my potential employer about that, and see what they say/need.

i have been wanting to try it out for a while now, but have kind of been scared. i guess i should suck it up and try it; i'll never know unless i give it a shot, eh?

you got to be f'n kidding me...you don't really need the money? then why bother? i felt like the person completely wasted my time. i didn't know what to do or respond...if she/he doesn't need the money then its best they dont even try it. my response...

cats are constantly coming and going. its not unheard of to have people such as yourself to work as a messenger but dont really need to. its hard, very hard, to make money in this industry and you would just be taking up a spot for someone who actually needs the money. also, you would be taking money from those already at the company that would take you in. not good.

one more thing...to cut down on the hours when its assy out is definitely a no-no. any good messenger knows that all the money is made in shitty weather...peace.

i should mention that if bike related jobs is what you're looking for i would look to the cbf(chicago bicycle federation)...definitely good. good luck.

cats come and go all the time...the industry has one of the highest turnover percentages. i felt bad telling her/he not to even bother but i know i did the right thing? i know there's alot of people that just do certain jobs because they actually love it and dont care about the money but in the messenger field money is a huge problem. people already working as a bicycle messenger are constantly at struggle with trying to figure out ways to bring more money into the industry. messengers are living check to check...there aren't many that do it just cause. i would say that in my experience 99.9% or messengers need to make money. food, shelter, family, school, or so on...whatever the case, there isn't too much room for those just looking for a hobby...peace.

they are all just numbers...

no matter what company you work for there has always been a high turnover in the bicycle messenger industry. i've seen many come and go and i've only worked for two companies so far. some last one hour, one week, one month, one year, and so on...not too many stay put in one company. there are some exceptions...fourstar or service first...for the most part, all other companies see many come and go. in the last few months working at standard courier we had a young lady come in and get a job...she did pretty well, especially considering she was a rookie. she quit after about two weeks. about a month after i started the new job at arrow i saw her come in and get the job...again, she quit after about two weeks. not really sure why some people do that...you got in, why not give it a try. the worst part of the whole thing is that all the moving around destroys the industry...the more messengers are unreliable the less respect they get. not saying that this is what happens in all situations but it does happen to often...not only that, it definitely makes my job harder. i count on these cats to show up and rock out for me but then about an hour after im sitting comfortably in my seat i get the notification..."6670 quit today". now im a person short and didn't get enough notice to cover the spot. i do get regulars...6637, 6653, 6645, 6589(no matter how much of a jerk he is), 6665, and others show up. some may show up much later than they should but, at this point, at least they show up?

like i tell a bunch of my guys...you cats are all numbers to me, after work you are fabian, ryan, taral, aaron, and you get the idea...peace.

dont panic under pressure...

i use to work all alone. i had others by my side but i was the only dispatcher. i would only ask for help when i needed someone to call a client to charge them more, wrong address, weight, and so on...nothing crazy. now i work with another dispatcher...i show up and he's under control. usually i just sit there until about 11o'clock or so then he sends me about half the crew to work with. he takes on the distance riders and walkers and maybe one more cat. im usually rocking out with about six guys or so. me and the other dispatcher are pretty much fighting over packages...its kind of weird but it works. we ask each other if its cool for me to grab a few runs and he does the same...

today the guy that usually sits to my right called in sick. not a big deal cause im use to working alone but now i gotta deal with distance riders, walkers, and the loopers. also, im fairly new to the crew so im still not use to everyones wants and needs. the whole day went super smooth...i dont find out how well my crew did till tomorrow but im confident we rocked in the 90's. no sillyness from 6674 who usually gets lost for no reason other than he thinks and does things at different speeds...6664 finally is routing himself properly and not wasting his legs or making packages late without me knowing...1141 was happy that i was able to keep him away from the loop for the most part...1016 is, as usuall, probably faster on two feet than most cats are on two wheels...all in all, im getting use to the crew and realize that we got some soldiers...peace.

no one wants to work...

i've started work at a different company and things are going well. it's a different crew but the same problems. no big deal...nice and easy transition. the only thing that has been super annoying is the fact that this new crew denies work more than any other crew i've had the pleasure of working with. the new crew aren't considered independant contractors(i.c.'s)...they are actual employees. they still get paid commision but have health benefits, paid vacations, sick days, and so on. this is why i don't understand what the f**k is going on. they rather sit around and wait, and wait, and wait, and wait...until they get the actual package that suits their needs. it makes no sense...you're an employee. doesn't that mean you have to pick up the package no matter what...exceptions being weight, height, and so on.

i understand the weather is changing and things can get rough out there but dont you want to make some money while you figure out the fact that the business you're in isn't for you? the day was slow today but it was busy because riders aren't responding on the radio, denying packages, and just not showing up. not much i could do all day...i felt frustrated. it felt like i was houdini trying to break out of some impossible escape act. packages were late all day...had to load up messengers with 5 or 6 at a time and just sit there and wait under radio silence until the magic words..."im clean". nothing sounded better all day. the seven cats that showed up today will be hooked up all day everyday for the next week. the whole day i was apologizing to my crew for giving them the yoyo affect...for making them go up and down the bridges...for routing them my way and not their way. i had no choice today but, in the end, i escaped another long day. tomorrow i have to look at the numbers and see the 90+ on time percentage drop considerably...i'll deal with this crew for now but i do see some new cats coming in the very near future...peace.