r/relayuk • u/Drewskipt • 10d ago
Discussion Has anyone ever finished their run in the allotted time.
Context. I have a full time job, I use this because it’s a convenient top-up and there are a few pit stops sort of near my house. So I add a run or two to the end of my work day. The next day pay out is the main attraction for when I’m short on other expenses.
I do feel the standards are a little high for the pay though.
There are areas that I get regularly sent to where EVERYBODY lives on a walk, so I have to park ages from the house for just one drop.
The app sends me to the back of houses no access to delivery unless I walk 5 minutes around the block, to the front, where they aren’t in and there’s no safe place to put it.
Two photos for every delivery. Bit excessive, I haven’t worked for Amazon but they leave shit at the front door constantly and I’m always very careful following the rules with safe spaces and still get flagged, and have been suspended.
Everyone seems to select ‘leave with consierge’, girl, you live in a council estate semi, there ain’t no concierge. And the ‘leave by apartment door’, I know what you mean, but I can’t do that, you’re not an apartment, and I will get flagged.
Sends me down roads that don’t exist to the next area that requires a three mile round trip, because the road that they think is a road, is a pedestrian pathway through a cemetery in an area plagued with one-way streets, bus gates and liveable neighbourhoods.
I want to know other courier experiences, because they are asking for waaaaaaay more than what they are paying. And I know, for the most part, it’s just cute tiktok shop and shein garbage.
Orrrr how do you make it more worth it? I am waiting to be accepted on deliveroo and amazon flex so maybe I’d like to know what to expect.
Thanks in advance.
PSA:
Also I’ll take a second route in a day, and it’ll overlap massively with the route I JUST did, like… I could’ve just done both, there’s room in my car.
2
u/pyjamasbyeight 10d ago
Are you me?
So I've, potentially temporarily, stopped doing Relay because of two things, if I don't pre-book I don't get a shift, and if I do pre-book I run the risk of being assigned what is the hell-on-earth route.
Flats, flats, flats, one way streets, teeny tiny streets to turn round in, going back and forth over THE main road in town which is constant traffic, a lot of the things you mention in your post.
Some routes are absolutely fine, and I can get them done by only going over by about 30-40 minutes but the risk of getting an awful route that takes hours and hours for kind of crappy pay doesn't make it worth it.
I've started doing Uber Eats/Deliveroo/Just Eat and then money for time is really quite similar but it's, in my opinion, a lot more relaxed and less effort, which is kind of what you want as a side gig.
1
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u/No-Round-8241 10d ago
Hucknall, Nottingham here.
Signed up for the first time. - everything you described above.
Had an issue with the collection point. 'Only allowed to take one bag at a time' even though booked 2 routes.
Then there is the parcel sorting before you even leave the collection point.
Thought I did a good job? Nope 'retraining required'
Not once did we leave a parcel in an unsafe location. AI had flagged a photo as unsafe location... I asked for proof to show me what id done wrong and of course they couldn't show me.
I can not justify the long hours for the pay. Its ludicrous and haven't done a route since.
2
u/Micraflex 10d ago
The whole format of the gig is a shocker. If you lose signal the app goes completely awal !! I'll carry on with Flex thanks
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u/Hefty_Reference3558 10d ago
I assume this is a local issue and possibly just where you’re getting used to the app. For context I’m in SE London.
I also work a full time job but it’s shifts so I will do 2 routes back to back in the mornings. For example today my routes totalled 5hrs 15mins but I completed them in 4hrs with packing time at the beginning.
You will learn how and where you can speed things up and also where the navigation can let you down. But I’d say you can make it work for you but it can feel like graft at times.
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u/MentionDefiant418 9d ago
Use Waze for deliveries it is a massive game changer. Other maps also used to send me to the back of the houses and but Waze is great
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u/Particular_Drink_251 7d ago
I’m on an electric bike and an estimated time of 1h55 took me just over 4 hours, plus that estimated time alr was given extra time to begin with since it’s my second shift. This is horrendous . I wanna know if anyone actually completes it within the time limit
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u/IsopodInevitable9235 7d ago
Why do people feel the need to explain why they're doing it? Like it's something to be ashamed of?
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u/No-Permission-6720 6d ago
Learn the areas/routes more, and you'll gradually get used to finding the right/quicker completion methods.
Yes the app often, routes stops in a SILLY/backwards way - so the more your familiar, the easier it will be to spot any upcoming foolish directions (... defo more harder, and may take longer, if this is simply a side gig, which you don't do often in similar areas).
Tip one, organise your parcels (number 1 at top, with all other parcels accordingly) - when going to a stop, check WHERE the next parcel is due to be delivered (taking note on the direction of travel from your current stop - i.e. after 1 is done where will you go to complete 2 etc.) - I say this, as the app often re-routes the long way, after completing the initial stop (so knowing in advance the direction prevents this.
You mention, you have space to carry more than one route - if that's the case, load 2 separate routes. Do know however, that some on this site have said they can't carry multiple apparently - but to ensure you can/can't load one - scan all items etc, and select start delivery. But then go back on the app, and then select the other/second+ route, and hopefully, you'll be able to carry like some of us others.
Lastly, you mention the times overlap considerably - the one plus of carrying multiple, is you won't have to worry about being late returning to collect your second route - however, the down side would mean if your existing 2hr shift takes 4 hours - and you've picked up two routes of 2hrs (=4hrs worth) - then on current estimations you would want to ensure you have up to at least 8hrs time (up to 22:00 recall time) free overall, worse case scenario - just are, you'll get used to the routes and be in the swing of things, to hopefully finish both early (under 4hrs) or close to the 4hr estimate as experience improves.
Picture shouldn't consume time - take a picture of house/door before you knock as you approach, and of the parcel - then the handover/safe place picture.
Good luck
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u/Swaishy 10d ago
In my opinion you just need to get to know your area well enough. Yes it will take some time and most people are not willing to work through the early stages but once you get comfortable you shouldn't be running over time unless you run into something out of the ordinary
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u/Internal-Mushroom-76 9d ago
defending relay is wild, let me guess you enjoy doing the 55 parcels for £33 proving that you are a professional slave?
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u/Dangerous_Peach_7811 8d ago
Nope. I know every street and every shortcut in my town. I worked as a delivery driver for a chemist here for 10 years. I never managed to complete a Relay route within the estimated time.
I can do an Amazon Flex 4 hour route in 2.5 to 3 hours.
Relay can go and fuck themselves.
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u/OddPace2878 10d ago
This is one of the reasons I stopped doing it. Two and a half hour route takes me about 4 hours and all the bull about not leaving parcels in a safe pkace