Not much else was moving in Montreal, but the couriers were
by Paul Delean
Montreal Gazette, January 12, 1998
Pascal Vachon was wet, weary and cold. He also was about $80 richer, which to him made nine hours of cycling through slush, sleet and snow worthwhile.
If there was any doubt bicycle couriers are a hardy (some would say foolhardy) breed, last week's storm dispelled it.
Not much else was moving in Montreal, but the couriers were, delivering envelopes in climactic conditions one dispatcher called the worst in 15 years, during what traditionally is one of the slowest and therefore least-rewarding weeks of the year.
Michel Rondeau, general-manager of Courrier Plus, said that while several of his car messengers had to cancel last week for various reasons, his dozen downtown cyclists were out in force.
Business was down 15 to 25 per cent, however, because of the ripple effect of employee absenteeism and company closures related to the weather.
"It's a rough life out there," said Paul Etheridge, manager of Quick Messenger. "But if you were going to pick a week to have conditions like these, this is the one you'd choose in our business.
"A lot of law firms, for instance, take that week off. For us, it's the quietest week."
Some courier companies were offering their pedalers "bad-weather" incentives of up to $20 a day, but for many of the cyclists, showing up was a question of honour more than money.
Vachon, who works for Sylco Express, said a true courier won't beg off because of a storm.
"If you don't come in on the bad days, you make others carry the load. You let down your friends. If you're sick, OK - but over-all, couriers are a pretty healthy bunch, accustomed to the open air."
Former window washer Floyd Cheng, 23, of the QA courier company, said avoiding adverse conditions does not endear you to a dispatcher.
"If you're there on the bad days, he knows he can count on you. It's your reputation. It's an ego thing, too. You don't want to wimp out."
Patrick Champagne, 18, of Courrier Plus, said he was only grounded one day last winter - and on that snowy day, he delivered his packages on foot.
"It's our job. We need to make money," he said.
In what was a trying week for all bicycle couriers, few had it worse than Peter Krantz. Late Tuesday afternoon, the 37-year-old was dragged from his bike and punched in the face by the driver of a pickup truck who then threw the bike "like a shot put" into the middle of Rene Levesque Blvd.
Krantz said he'd rapped the truck on the fender after being struck on the elbow by a mirror.
"He was yelling, screaming that his vehicle was damaged. I hit it with my arm. I'm really going to damage his ice-encrusted truck with my arm.
"Most of the time I get away from these jerks. What it boils down to is road rage.
"Some people believe we shouldn't even be on the road. The media have given us such a bad reputation. But when you consider the number of kilometres traveled, couriers have a lot fewer accidents than everyday cyclists. They're like ski racers; they know how to go fast and they know how to avoid accidents. It's like skiing, basically, except with live slalom poles."
Impatient, inconsiderate and downright dangerous drivers are among the hazards facing couriers. Another is buildup of snow on the roads and shoulders. It means they're forced further into the traffic than usual. And the icy streets and sidewalks make the going tough.
Several couriers complained of "lackadaisical" snow-clearing and removal by city crews last week. Besides slowing them down (and consequently costing them money), the difficult road conditions take a toll on the riders' bikes, which normally cost in the $800-$1,000 range. They're heavier to ride because of the ice, and have to be washed, oiled and adjusted daily.
"You're also spending a lot of energy to stay warm," Cheng noted. "I could spend $10 a day on food, easily."
There's nothing like a draining, uphill trek to the Montreal General Hospital on greasy streets to test the thighs.
"By the end of the day, the guys are really dragging," noted Lorraine Vincent, manager of Imperial Courier.
It's not an easy way to make a buck, but it is a relatively reliable one, particularly at this time of year. Demand for bicycle couriers is normally high in winter, when the students and fair-weather mountain-bikers have left the ranks. Couriers are freelancers, small businessmen paid by the trip, so they're motivated to work long, fast and steadily. And since not showing up means not getting paid, they don't make a habit of staying home.
Vachon, who works for Sylco Express, said he earns $80 on "a good day." The 23-year-old, who worked previously as a tree planter, has been a courier six months.
"I find it fun. There's action. It's less boring than working at McDonald's or in some other restaurant."
The cyclist normally gets 45 to 60 per cent of the delivery fee as commission. It can range from $1 to $12, depending on the length and urgency of the trip. He gets most of his assignments by radio. Vachon said he'd normally make about 40 trips a day in the area bounded by Atwater Ave., Papineau Blvd., Old Montreal and Mount Royal.
During a frenzied period like the recent postal strike, the number would be higher. "I made an extra $150 a week during the postal strike," he noted. Vachon said that, over-all, the weather hasn't been that bad this winter.
"We've been lucky. There hasn't been an extended period of intense cold.
"You've still got to dress right - as if you were cross-country skiing. And by 4 o'clock, when the sun starts to go down and you're tired, you do feel the cold." Cars are also an occupational hazard.
Patrick Champagne got hit by a taxi at Beaver Hall Hill last year. He suffered a broken toe and was off three weeks. His bike was also irreparably smashed.
"That was the hardest thing, having to buy a new one."
Like most couriers, who average less than two years on the job, Champagne isn't in it for the long run. He's applied to be in the armed forces, and the minute he gets the call, he's gone.
"It's great training for the army," he said.
"I'll certainly be in shape."
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