Messengers
Bicycle Messengers
In a world of millisecond fast file sharing and billion dollar logistics plans, the idea of a bike messenger may seem as an one of the past. However, in places all over the world bike messengers are being utilized as a fast way to carry all types of cargo throughout busy business districts in big cities. The modern day bike messenger normally delivers packages, envelopes, etc., but while only using a bicycle as their mode of transportation. Since bicycles are not slave to the typical traffic restrictions many find on the roads of major business districts, many companies rely on bike messengers as a quick way to deliver time sensitive materials.
A Little History
When the Bicycle was invented during the 1800’s, people almost immediately started using them for transporting for not only themselves, but also for delivery purposes. By the late 19th century, Bike Messengers played an integral role of some of the most important industries such as the Paris Stock Exchange. While in the U.S., Western Union employed bicycle telegraph boys to carry messages through the cities urban centers. By the 1970’s there were many well established messenger companies in many of the major cities of the United States. In Europe, the bicycle had fallen out of fashion as a means of delivering and it wasn’t until the 1980’s when London started to offer bike messenger services at all. Bike messengers are still not popular in most European countries, although in Asian countries such as Japan and China you can find many messengers. However, in China most messengers use electric bikes.
In China Most Messengers use Electric Bikes
Demand
Bike messengers deliver an extremely wide range of products, most of which can not be sent by digital means. Certain things such as clothing for photo shoots, gifts, original signed documents, are often either too time sensitive or unnecessarily light to be shipped, and are therefore perfect for bike messengers. Ironically, some companies find it easier to send hard copies of documents, or large files compiled on USB drives and CD’s rather than just electronically mailing them. For this reason, bike messengers are also often utilized to carry such things as legal documents, business proposals and plans, invitations, as well as other important documents.
That being said, although there will always be need for fast delivery services, the bike messenger services are shrinking in size. With the advancements in technology and electronic communication there is less need to pay for a delivery service, regardless of how fast the messenger can peddle. In order to curb some of the losses, several companies are offering more unique services such as a much larger delivery area and 24 hour services. In some places, you can even have a bag of chips and a coke delivered at anytime!
Bike Messenger Services are Shrinking in Size
Working Conditions
Not all messenger companies are the same. Some offer benefits such as health insurance to their employees and some do not. Bike messengers are used because they are faster than a car that might otherwise be stuck in traffic, subject to parking restrictions or other time consuming problems that make delivery by car slow and inconvenient. This means the messengers must ride their bike in the heavy traffic that fills the city streets day by day. This can be quite dangerous especially if the messenger is in a hurry with a package that needs to be delivered within minutes. The pay is very low considering the danger and stress involved and some messengers will tell you that they don’t do this sort of job for the money. Messengers sometimes refer to this as a lifestyle rather than a job.
