Better Trucks First Impressions
Hello to everyone, especially our new members. I'm sorry I fell off for so long - I almost forgot about Skool entirely! I still plan on doing my videos about overall food app strategy but lately my focus on freight has been getting most of my attention! I am acquiring a cargo van - hopefully by year's end. I've also taken the time to try a new app and I invite you to try it out with me, if you're willing to lose 5 (paid) days of your life to earn you and me a $75 bonus. I'm going to tell you about my first 7 days on this platform and how it went for me. Better Trucks is a logistics company that got its start with trucks as the name would imply, but elbowed its way into last mile deliveries in a handful of regions. It is kind of like Amazon Flex, Gofo, Veho, or Buglr (ok, we made that one up) - you are going to a warehouse and getting a package route to deliver. They specialize in ecommerce so you will be carrying stuff people order on TikTok and Temu as well as stuff from major clients like Ulta and REI. There's 2 separate apps - one for setting up shifts and one for scanning your packages and executing your route. The experience itself isn't bad. You go in and scan a gay little QR code on a whiteboard to tell the dispatcher (who is physically present at a table) you have arrived. Then you say hi to them and they tell you which letter (zone) you are going to and you go to the palate marked with the corresponding letter to grab your shit. This is a major issue that I will bitch about more shortly - you don't know what zone you are working until you get to the warehouse. The warehouse has carts, big parcel bags, palate jacks, and other stuff like that if you need. It can take up to an hour to scan and load your route depending on the size - definitely bring a sharpie to mark the order of your packages! Also, definitely load your vehicle in a way that doesn't bury packages you would need. I like to put lower numbers and smaller parcels in the front seat area with me and then stack the rear by decade. I used my hot bag as a bag for the small foldery ones. Once you are out, you will spend anywhere from 4-10 hours road time. You are free to take breaks as you need but you might get annoyed by dispatchers on text if you idle for too long. If you're used to food apps, it won't be as relaxing. What I've found is that urban and rural routes are equally dreadful/pleasant for different reasons. City drops are closer together but you will have to go into more apartment buildings - the instructions dictate you get the package as close to the front door as possible, not the package center! Be a good noodle and do it if you can, but don't wait around forever if you can't get up there. This is someone's Christmas you are playing with. Therefore, the whole thing is more time consuming and labor intensive but overall not bad, and it can be a fun little tour of different neighborhoods in your city. Stops will only be a few minutes apart so that relaxing cruise you get on some other gigs will only occur on your way to your route. Once you are in the field, it's up and down and in and out. I would recommend dressing accordingly as well. If you are a courier who likes to look nice, bear that in mind. This isn't the kind of job to be doing in a suit or even in business casual, and definitely not decked in jewelry.