The weird and wonderful world of same-day delivery courier jobs will be no mystery to my seasoned readers. It’s your mission to safely carry a wide variety of goods all over the UK. After a certain amount of time in the van, you’re bound to come across an odd job or two.
Though the varied descriptions of the thousands of parcels transported every day are fairly predictable, I’ve heard some great stories over the years about especially unique and interesting freight. Here are four of my favourite tales of incredibly outlandish courier jobs!
No Leg To Stand On
The medical community often relies on same-day delivery services to carry out the conveyance of key supplies. Usually, these materials are expertly packaged and ready to go. However, imagine the surprise of one unsuspecting driver when he arrived to find his consignment still attached to its owner! The poor gentleman’s prosthetic leg was due to be transported but, unfortunately, he couldn’t remove it without help. Thankfully, nothing fazed this experienced driver, and he managed to safely remove the leg and was soon on his way.
Family Drama
I’m going back in time a bit for this story, but it’s worth it. When the postal service began in America at the beginning of the twentieth century, several enterprising parents had a fantastic, money-saving idea. Instead of buying their child a train ticket so that they could visit their grandparents, they decided to simply send them by post. This ridiculously thrifty method of travel was thankfully banned in 1915, which is when the delivery of infants was deemed illegal by the postmaster. Nobody wanted a whinging toddler in their mailbag!
Going Bananas
Many of you will have moved large quantities of fresh fruit and vegetables around the country. But how many of you have carried a single piece of fruit? One lucky bloke was sent a single banana by some jokester friends. Just to be on the safe side, these mischief-makers wrote “Do not bend†on the banana’s skin. You’ll be glad to know that it arrived safe and sound – and just in time for breakfast!
Stars In Your Eyes
“What’s your claim to fame?†This is a common conversation starter, and if you complete enough courier jobs, you’re sure to run into a celebrity or two. Maybe you’re delivering champagne or designer goodies? Or maybe a dead baby shark? This unusual gift was sent to the American band The Jonas Brothers – let’s hope that they liked it!
Another famous singer who constantly receives fan mail is Taylor Swift. A dispatcher once sent a hand-painted portrait of Taylor to the woman herself. Although this is unusual in and of itself, the portrait was also painted on the back of a tortoise shell. Originality is key, I suppose.
There are millions of people across the globe who entrust courier drivers with their goods, which range from kettles to fake legs. Thankfully, there is a community of trustworthy drivers who deliver both the mundane and the mysterious safely and on time!
Norman Dulwich is a correspondent for Courier Exchange, the world's largest neutral trading hub for same day courier jobs in the express freight exchange industry. Over 4,500 transport exchange businesses are networked together through their website, trading jobs and capacity in a safe 'wholesale' environment.
This article is copyright free.