Valerie
Topete became a bike courier after she moved to New York, following the
completion of her studies at UCLA. She started out as a freelancer,
taking jobs from Craigslist and online forums before she came to the
attention of Mercury Rising in 2011. She has since developed into one of
the top bike couriers in New York and was recognized as the Top Rider
for the company in 2015. There are a number of things that people need
to consider if they are interested in following in her footsteps and
becoming bike couriers themselves.
How Well Do You Know Your City?
Before
you start making deliveries, it is important that you develop an
almost-encyclopedic knowledge of the area where you will be operating
in. This can be a challenge, especially in built-up areas that can often
feel somewhat maze-like when you are out on the road, but it is going
to prove essential if you are to make fast deliveries and stay safe
while doing so. Pay special attention to designated cycling routes and
take full advantage of them, as they may allow you to cut out large
parts of journeys if used well.
Is Your Bike Up To Task?
As
surprising as it may seem, speed is not always going to be the top
priority when working as a bike courier, as it will often be the case
that you can’t get up to top-speed due to traffic or the winding nature
of a journey. Instead, you need to have a bike that is reliable and
capable of handling long distances without causing you any issues.
Invest in a bike that has a strong frame and do your research before
committing to a purchase. Your reputation could end up being ruined by a
poor bike that breaks down at an inopportune moment.
Learn To Handle Stress
Remember
that every single package or document that you carry is very important
to the person asking you to make the delivery and should be treated with
the utmost respect. This can become very stressful, especially if you
have taken on a number of jobs for the day that all require very speedy
deliveries. You need to be able to handle the often-frenetic nature of
life as a bike courier when riding, plus it is crucial that you take
advantage of your time away from the road to unwind.
You Have To Love It
Valerie Topete has been a successful bike courier because she has a passion for
cycling. If you don’t share this passion, it may be worth reconsidering
the career choice as you are going to end up spending long days on a
bike, every single week. A lack of passion leads to missed deliveries,
which often means that you don’t get paid for your work.
