DX motorbike postie position available in Christchurch

[Oakie]

The boss told me today to put the word out that there is a job coming up for a motorbike postie here in Christchurch

The position is as a 'floater' which means you may not necessarily have a regular area but may deliver to different places from day to day. Basically it's leave coverage and helping out where required depending on mail volumes. It is Monday to Friday. You'd probably expect 30 or more hours a week initially. I started out like that then got my own run after three months and usually do 38 / 42 hours a week now. Pay isn't great (I mean, it's putting paper in holes) but you do get paid to ride a bike and after a short time you get to take the bike home so no commuting costs.

Probably also worth mentioning that we are 'an essential service' so we keep going through lockdowns although hours do drop if mail volumes do.

We ride the traditional 'postie-bikes' (SuperCub 125) and we also have a few GN125s. No Hayabusas sorry ... although one of our guys does own one.

PM me if you are interested or want more details.

https://www.dxmail.co.nz/

[dangerous]

We ride the traditional 'postie-bikes' (SuperCub 125) and we also have a few GN125s. No Hayabusas sorry ... although one of our guys does own one.



that would be nudge... I expect richie is long gone... what area are you, seen a old gezzer often at BP marslands and yesterday at the shops on hills rd... often wonder if its a Oakie

[HenryDorsetCase]

after today, and the last couple of months. I really want this job.

[Oakie]

that would be nudge... I expect richie is long gone... what area are you, seen a old gezzer often at BP marslands and yesterday at the shops on hills rd... often wonder if its a Oakie

Jeez. You still around! Yeah, that would be Nudge and his 'busa. Richie ... trying to think of his last name but it's gone ... if it's the guy who is fastidious about keeping his bikes in tip top condition, yeah, still with us. BP Marshlands isn't me but as for being an old geezer, well that describes many of us. My area is New Brighton, pretty much the east coast from the top of South Shore to the top of North Shore and part of Queenspark. About 120 kms per day.

[Oakie]

after today, and the last couple of months. I really want this job. Well if you can handle the drop in income, sure. I'm sure you would be able to add to the occasional intellectual discussions we have. I had to deal with a drop in income when I started (redundancy) but the almost complete lack of stress makes up for a bit of that.

[rastuscat]

Well if you can handle the drop in income, sure. I'm sure you would be able to add to the occasional intellectual discussions we have. I had to deal with a drop in income when I started (redundancy) but the almost complete lack of stress makes up for a bit of that.

There's a few if us who envy the simplicity of that sort of role, while unable to extricate ourselves from the golden handcuffs of the complex occupations we hold.

[Oakie]

There's a few if us who envy the simplicity of that sort of role, while unable to extricate ourselves from the golden handcuffs of the complex occupations we hold.

Redundancy is how I was extricated. Didn't have to do a thing apart from being no longer needed!

[Racing Dave]

Redundancy is how I was extricated. Didn't have to do a thing apart from being no longer needed!

Me too. Air NZ got a bit quiet.

[Oakie]

Me too. Air NZ got a bit quiet. Literally. We can hear the jets taking off from our depot and there were so many they used to be background noise ... just another plane. Now when we hear one we actually notice it.

[Bonez]

Redundancy is how I was extricated. Didn't have to do a thing apart from being no longer needed!Some folk have the luck/contacts to create their own positions.:msn-wink:

[Oakie]

Some folk have the luck/contacts to create their own positions.:msn-wink:

A woman I hired twice (two different companies) asked on Facebook the other day if anyone was interested in a particular position that was relevant to me. Obviously, she owes me one so ...
Shame the job is in Australia. Lesson ... never let your contacts leave the country.

[R650R]

Our local one has ditched the motorbike and has an electric pushbike

[Bonez]

GN125s here.

[Oakie]

Our local one has ditched the motorbike and has an electric pushbike

We trialled them last year but it just wasn't practical.

[rastuscat]

We trialled them last year but it just wasn't practical.

Why not practical? Cycles don't have to stop for red lights.

[Oakie]

Why not practical? Cycles don't have to stop for red lights.

Lolz. Range and ability to carry weight wasn't enough. I do 120kms a day but there are some who do 150kms. You wouldn't do that one one charge and it would take an age. The only way to make it work was to throw the bike on a trailer with mail then set up a hub with the postie returning to that hub several times a day to get more mail. Then trailer back to base. 4 wheel vehicle running would exceed what we were saving with the electric bike.

[rastuscat]

Lolz. Range and ability to carry weight wasn't enough. I do 120kms a day but there are some who do 150kms. You wouldn't do that one one charge and it would take an age. The only way to make it work was to throw the bike on a trailer with mail then set up a hub with the postie returning to that hub several times a day to get more mail. Then trailer back to base. 4 wheel vehicle running would exceed what we were saving with the electric bike.

But think how happy Julie-Anne G would be.

[Oakie]

But think how happy Julie-Anne G would be.

I'd rather not make her happy.

[Oakie]

There is still a position available if anyone is interested...
...just in time for the nicer weather.

[actungbaby]

Where looking in palmerston north too any takers .hours to suit .dx mail .

Sent from my CPH1941 using Tapatalk

[oldiebutagoody]

Where looking in palmerston north too any takers .hours to suit .dx mail .



Seriously tempted to do it again.

Love that road life.

[actungbaby]

Seriously tempted to do it again.

Love that road life.Give it a go most of us do 25 hr week flexible hours .

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[pete376403]

Thread mini-dredge. DX mail have been advertising a lot on FB - I interviewed yesterday and provided the drug and police checks come back ok (they will) it's pretty likely this will be my new day job. Previous employer suddenly went tits-up. Pay is not excessive (min wage) but beggars can't be choosers and it will supplement the superannuation. Getting paid to ride, even very slowly, cant be all bad.

[jellywrestler]

Pay is not excessive (min wage) but beggars can't be choosers and it will supplement the superannuation. Getting paid to ride, even very slowly, cant be all bad.
no wonder they are advertising all the time. It's a risky job where you can't sit in the truck when it rains, surely worth a bit more than min wage?

[pete376403]

no wonder they are advertising all the time. It's a risky job where you can't sit in the truck when it rains, surely worth a bit more than min wage?

Could be worse. All gear is provided - new. Can take the bike home at end of day rather than having to take it back to depot, rate increases after first year then performance based after that. If I can ride in the cold and rain for my own enjoyment (ie Brass monkey rallies) then getting paid to do the same is ok, Besides it is coming into spring/summer.

[pritch]

rate increases after first year then performance based after that.

Hmmm how do they judge performance? Do you get points for style: wheelies, stoppies, getting a knee down? :sherlock:

[george formby]

Hmmm how do they judge performance? Do you get points for style: wheelies, stoppies, getting a knee down? :sherlock:

On another forum, far, far away, an Aussie postie used his DT 230 for the mail round. He posted some great pics.

My favourite was a pic of him picking letters up off the road after a performance attempt went a bit wrong. Still, it was a full vertical mono off the speed hump.

[Trade_nancy]

no wonder they are advertising all the time. It's a risky job where you can't sit in the truck when it rains, surely worth a bit more than min wage?

Yes it is. They pay low,,,always have. They need to..as they go in cheap on mail pricing to undercut NZPOST. Not much left to pay staff. Silly business model really.

[pete376403]

Yes it is. They pay low,,,always have. They need to..as they go in cheap on mail pricing to undercut NZPOST. Not much left to pay staff. Silly business model really.

Pretty much the standard business model now - race to the bottom. One of the reasons my previous employer folded was a major contract went out for tender and was won by a competitor who did not have the resources to do the job they just landed. But it was a lot cheaper. Many contracts are like that now. Bid low and hope you can get "variations" to lift the price after its signed. In this era of rapidly rising costs its probably why so many construction companies are going to the wall

[Oakie]

no wonder they are advertising all the time. It's a risky job where you can't sit in the truck when it rains, surely worth a bit more than min wage? Don't know about the the other places or if it's changed since the Min Wage increased in April but in Christchurch our new guys used to start a bit above minimum and increases happen annually.


Could be worse. All gear is provided - new. Can take the bike home at end of day rather than having to take it back to depot, rate increases after first year then performance based after that. If I can ride in the cold and rain for my own enjoyment (ie Brass monkey rallies) then getting paid to do the same is ok, Besides it is coming into spring/summer.. Yep. Essentially someone else is paying for your 'habit'. Bike provided, new helmet every two years, summer and winter jacket and pants plus boots, gloves, and wet weather gear. Costs us in Chch about $2k to outfit a new rider. Good gear too. After 4 years on the job I still find myself laughing on the nice days when I remember "I'm actually get paid to ride a bike all day".


Hmmm how do they judge performance? Do you get points for style: wheelies, stoppies, getting a knee down? :sherlock: Yes, you get points for all that ... but they are negative points. Honestly ... safety is the big thing. #1 performance priority is keeping safe and healthy and actually delivering the mail comes after that somewhere. Depends on your run but for us in Christchurch you need to be able to deliver within certain time parameters. On a decent sized day I average one delivery every 35 seconds and I'm well within the parameter.


Yes it is. They pay low,,,always have. They need to..as they go in cheap on mail pricing to undercut NZPOST. Not much left to pay staff. Silly business model really. Yes we undercut NZPost and we still manage to deliver 5 days a week compared to their 3 days. Posties' pay is not huge but that is the nature of a mail service business model. It comes down to how much a business is prepared to pay to have paper mail delivered and at what point they say screw it, lets just e-mail everything. Bottom line is that we posties get paid to ride motorbikes all day and put paper in holes.

For me, I don't love the job, I don't hate it either. It's just a damned good fit for my life. It just doesn't feel like 'work'. It just feels like 'me'.

[Oakie]

Oh. I forgot to say, we are on the lookout for a new postie in Christchurch (part time or full time) so if anyone is interested or wants more info, feel free to PM me.

[pete376403]

Yes, you get points for all that ... but they are negative points. Honestly ... safety is the big thing. #1 performance priority is keeping safe and healthy and actually delivering the mail comes after that somewhere. Depends on your run but for us in Christchurch you need to be able to deliver within certain time parameters. On a decent sized day I average one delivery every 35 seconds and I'm well within the parameter.

For me, I don't love the job, I don't hate it either. It's just a damned good fit for my life. It just doesn't feel like 'work'. It just feels like 'me'.

About how many pieces of mail would you deliver per day?

[Oakie]

About how many pieces of mail would you deliver per day?

A lot of variation depending on the day of the week and week of the month. Currently:
Mondays about 550
Tuesdays about 700
Wednesdays about 400
Thursdays about 650
Fridays about 550

Second week of the month is the heaviest as we get heaps of bank statements from a couple of banks.

I have gone as low as 200 during lockdown and while I regard 800 as a 'full day', I have done 1200 when delivering specific bulk items where many people in a street get it. Then I'm going at about an item every 15 seconds.

Wednesdays are great as I'm often home by 2pm and have been home by 12.30 from time to time. (6am start for me but I sort mail for 3 or 4 hours before heading out).

[Berries]

Can you both just keep off my fucking lawn and stop winding the dog up.

Thank you.

[nzspokes]

Do you have to sort the mail?

[pete376403]

Do you have to sort the mail?
What I was told was, yes, to a degree. (In Wellington/Hutt anyway) The mail comes to the depot sorted and bundled by street name alphabetically, but not by number.
It is the posties role to sort these by number and also arrange them by street in the order that they will be delivered. So the first hour or more is doing that, before loading the bike and heading off.

Still waiting to hear back on what happens next.

[Oakie]

Do you have to sort the mail?

In Christchurch you don't have to sort. Part timers generally don't sort ... full timers generally do sort and that's pretty much the difference between part and full time. I started as a part timer then moved into sorting my own which made me full time. Those of us who sort as well as deliver just get a box of mail for each of the areas in our run but it's not pre-sorted into streets. On average I sort for about 3 hours a day but varies. Sorting isn't hard. Just takes a bit of time.

[pritch]

How it used to be.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-EZxJ9Bkoeg

[Oakie]

How it used to be. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-EZxJ9Bkoeg

OK. I'm off to write the DX poem. Now, what rhymes with 'SuperCub'?

[rastuscat]

How it used to be.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-EZxJ9Bkoeg

That could become a fave.

[rastuscat]

OK. I'm off to write the DX poem. Now, what rhymes with 'SuperCub'?

Down the pub?

[Oakie]

Down the pub?

My word ... there's an interesting possibility

This sprang into my mind 10 minutes after I jumped into bed last night:

I am the DX postie
Based at the old freight hub
All dressed up and armoured
I ride the SuperCub.

Yeah, yeah. I won't be giving up my day job.

[nzspokes]

In Christchurch you don't have to sort. Part timers generally don't sort ... full timers generally do sort and that's pretty much the difference between part and full time. I started as a part timer then moved into sorting my own which made me full time. Those of us who sort as well as deliver just get a box of mail for each of the areas in our run but it's not pre-sorted into streets. On average I sort for about 3 hours a day but varies. Sorting isn't hard. Just takes a bit of time.

I worked for NZPost for a decade or so. Was a specialist. Always wondered what it would be like to be a postie. They had a lot of injuries from sorting.

[Oakie]

I worked for NZPost for a decade or so. Was a specialist. Always wondered what it would be like to be a postie. They had a lot of injuries from sorting.

What's it like to be a postie? Come and find out! To me it doesn't feel like work although at the end of a 6 hour delivery day that hot shower is required to loosen things up. Probably the same as any 6 hour ride to be honest.
As for sorting injuries ... apart from the odd paper cut or the broken rubber band in the guts I don't recall any of our guys getting injured sorting. A few on the road as you'd expect. I think I've had three incidents requiring physio over the 4 1/4 years I've been there but I think across all our Posties in that time the worst we've had is three with broken wrists and one broken collarbone.

[MarkH]

What's it like to be a postie? Come and find out! To me it doesn't feel like work although at the end of a 6 hour delivery day that hot shower is required to loosen things up. Probably the same as any 6 hour ride to be honest.

I think the job sounds pretty alright, much easier than what I do now - but the pay is a bit sucky.
I'm not sure I could take the pay cut.

[Oakie]

I think the job sounds pretty alright, much easier than what I do now - but the pay is a bit sucky.
I'm not sure I could take the pay cut.

Yeah. You need to be able to change things around a bit. I finished up there after redundancy and my pay rate dropped by about $8 an hour so a bit of juggling was required. Got the mortgage paid off a couple of years back though so it's quite comfy now. While it is a 'lifestyle' job, you still need the $$$ pocket at the end of the day.