Choosing the right delivery vehicle greatly affects courier earnings. Smart couriers keep their costs as low as possible while picking the most efficient vehicle for the job.
So what is the best vehicle for delivery gigs? We compared a car, bike and Vok cargo bike by their expenses and efficiency and found out which type of vehicle helps maximize courier earnings.
But before we get into the details – if you’re the type who knows that experience is king and haven’t tried a Vok yet, book a slot HERE (for Tallinn Wolt couriers)*
All in all, Vok electrical cargo bike came out on top in courier earnings, convenience and traffic efficiency.
- Vok has a 3x bigger cargo space than a regular bike.
- It’s 15% faster than a car.
- You can use it in any weather and for as long as you want to (without your legs falling off).
Top 5 vehicles for couriers
Courier net earnings depend on a variety of factors. Our calculations took into account possible rental, fuel, depreciation and other expenses related to using the vehicle. We also considered the vehicle’s efficiency in city environments, as well as average courier working hours and delivery fees.
1. Vok cargo bike
Courier net earnings: 1542 €/month
- + Efficient in city centers (congestion, parking)
- + No fuel costs
- + Doesn’t require a driver’s licence
- + Convenient, weatherproof
- – Rental costs
2. Personal (electric) bike
Courier net earnings: 1402 €/month
- + Efficient in city centers (congestion, parking)
- + No fuel costs
- + Doesn’t require a driver’s licence
- – Limited cargo
- – Affected by bad weather
- – Physical strain
3. Rental (electric) bike
Courier net earnings: 1312 €/month
- + Efficient in city centers (congestion, parking)
- + No fuel costs
- + Doesn’t require a driver’s licence Rental costs
- – Limited cargo
- – Affected by bad weather
- – Physical strain
4. Personal car
Courier net earnings: 1224 €/month
- + Convenient, weatherproof
- – Parking troubles and congestion
- – Fuel costs
- – Needs a licence
5. Rental car
Courier net earnings: 1094 €/month
- + Convenient, weatherproof
- – Parking troubles and congestion
- – Fuel and rental costs
- – Needs a licence
7 aspects to consider for a courier vehicle
- Rental fees – renting a car is expensive and can only be reasonable if you fully commit to the courier job.
- Deprecation – with a personal vehicle you don’t feel the depreciation until you sell it. Yet it’s most definitely real.
- Fuel – avoid cars that guzzle fuel. Average gas consumption only goes up in city traffic.
- Parking – car parking can be expensive if you even find the parking space, to begin with.
- Efficiency – in congested city centers or during rush hours bikes beat cars in efficiency since you can use sidewalks, dodge one-way streets and bypass traffic jams.
- Driver’s licence – you need a (locally accepted) driver’s licence for a car or a motorcycle.
- Physical strain – even though cycling is a great exercise when mileage builds up, you get tired and sore sooner rather than later.
