UPS looking to hire 49 people for seasonal bike delivery

Actually the USPS is way ahead of you. They’ve been doing it for many years, albeit in only 3 locations. See the link below for one being used.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/cobrabyte/5951422566/

The reason is efficiency. Bikes with cargo trailers work very well in heavily populated neighborhoods, the ones where the distance between stops is short and the hills aren’t too steep. Bikes make perfect delivery vehicles in this case.

But when packages get too large or the distances between stops too large or the grade too steep efficiency goes down. Don’t get me wrong, I love the idea of cargo bike delivery. It’s just not a one size fits all solution. It’s a case of using the proper tool for the job.

BTW, UPS started by delivering by bike in urban centers.

Interested to hear what you think the hourly rate should be for a seasonal job such as this. Benefits? Good luck. TImes are tough, my friend. I bet they find 49 people with bikes happy for the opportunity to earn a little cash for the holidays. It would, however, be interesting to compare this to what they’re offering seasonal driver helpers. If there’s a significant differential there, then I’d join you in your outrage.

One is going to be hard pressed to find any seasonal or temp position that offers benefits period. And, while I agree minimum wage is a crappy amount, I wonder how many people they have show up for these jobs. If there are well over the 49 people, I can see why they would pay so low. Not agreeing with it, but it all comes down to basic supply and demand.

I didn’t have a job last winter, and I worked as a UPS helper on a truck. There were at least eighty people, myself included, at the UPS center that cold November night glad to have an $8.50 an hour gig that wasn’t even full time through the holidays. I know its a raw deal, but welcome to the Portland economy circa 2011.