Courier drivers jobs and the public view of the "white van man" seems to go hand in hand! The truth is though you do not always need a van - it depends on which line of the courier business you are in.
If you are looking at courier driving within a smaller niche then you will not really need a huge, white van and would be able to use a smaller car.
The main thing you need is a reliable and fuel saving vehicle.
If you really do want to own a van then why not give it a try before you commit.
You could always hire or rent a van for a short while before you buy.
However, I would point out that you must read the small print as costs do mount up and you also need to be extremely clear where you stand regarding the insurance policy and any claims.
You may well have your own van which is great but you do need to make sure you do your sums.
Running a larger van, rather like a larger house, will eat into your profit margins.
A smaller, domestic "parcel car" could be more viable.
One way of looking at this is to say the difference in costing between a van and car was 8p a mile - well this will add up to eight pounds for every hundred miles you do.
You take this figure and multiply it by your average weekly mileage and your van is suddenly eating into your profit.
OK so if you have decided that you would rather go down the route of a parcel car what next? Well have a look at what you already have.
How old is your vehicle? How much does it cost to run and is it reliable? You may find that a ten year old, gas guzzling car is OK for running the family around but when you start to use it as a business vehicle it becomes a money eating liability.
Please also check out the following points; There are some companies that prefer vans to cars and you also need to take into account that you are competing with other, more established businesses.
But don't worry I found that I still was able to gain business using my car.
However, my car did look professional not like something out of a "carry on film" so no baby seats, no fluffy rugs, no nodding dogs and no caravan club stickers aka 1966.
You have to look professional and committed and if your car is covered in these adornments then you will just look like your on a day trip!!!! If you use a parcel car then there is the lovely "T" word to contend with - yep tax.
If you are using a car and not a van then you need to check what tax implications this could pose for you.
There are different taxes for different vehicles.
Please double check this with either the tax office or a good accountant.
Don't just listen to hearsay.
If you are still totally undecided how about taking a look at smaller vans such as Fiat or Peugoet.
These I guess are more of a half way house and you get to deliver parcels without the hassle of a huge van parked outside your house.
Don't commit yourself until you have looked into all the avenues open to you...
Take your time and shop around because any hasty decisions will more than likely cost you money.
Also if you do own a car please don't make the mistake of thinking it will be right for courier driver jobs until you have carried out all your costings.