🔍
Virtual Dispatch

Virtual Dispatch

  • Dispatch Notes
  • Blog
  • Signs & TunesImproved
  • Extended Signs and Tunes
  • Cargo Delay
  • Courier Tip Calculator
  • Off the Wall
  • Categories
  • Quick Guide
  • About
  • Contact
  • Time saving shortcuts for risky road situations on delivery

    Time saving shortcuts for risky road situations on delivery

    Time saving shortcuts for risky road situations on delivery.

    Some deliveries are more challenging than others. There can be many reasons why. Or, there might only be one reason why a delivery has more challenge to it than a more normal, sane delivery. Most deliveries are straightforward. Deliveries through a delivery app, have a step by step process. This makes it easy for the new courier to follow along, and make money, from day one. Then the process repeats, and before long, the new courier is a salty, experienced, road working extraordinaire.

    However, not all the experience comes from an app. The new courier learns the basics of delivery completions, from a delivery app. The rest comes from the road. Likewise, the crew courier gets guidelines from the merchant, or the brand. In this regard, the crew courier has one advantage the delivery app courier, doesn’t. The crew. Having other couriers working the same zone, is an advantage. Not only is there first hand information on favored shortcuts, but also there are real time traffic updates.

    First hand accounts of road conditions are valuable. Especially when it comes to saving time. If one courier returns to the store, and reports a traffic jam on a major route, the entire crew benefits. Furthermore, the delivery customer’s general wait time, stays reasonable. Customers don’t have to wait as long if the courier is not sitting in a traffic jam. Additionally, there is less chance that several couriers will be in that same jam. That would effectively stall a merchant’s busy dinner rush.

    Time Saving Shortcuts

    With this in mind, the solo courier is not in danger of stalling a busy dinner rush. The solo courier using a delivery app, relies on technology, for those in the loop updates. Furthermore, general experience, is another result of completing deliveries with a delivery app. Sometimes it takes trial and error, for an improvement in delivery times, or accuracy. In other words, it just takes experience.

    shortcuts

    One of the surest ways to find that absolute correct address, is to deliver to the wrong address. The mistake is the teacher. For example, that elusive delivery pin. When it’s on point, things are smooth, and happen on time. If it is not in the correct location, and the courier relies heavily on the pin, there’s going to be a delay in that drop-off. And yes, the pin can be in the wrong place on the GPS map. In fact, it has little to do with shortcuts, and more to do with coordinates.

    Risky Road Situations

    The coordinates of the drop-off location might be spot on, as far as the GPS map is concerned. However, subdivision boundaries and private land, have little regard for numerical coordinates. Therefore a pin will be in the right place technically, but in physical reality it’s not correct. For example, back to back subdivisions, that are geographically separate, via the road. The GPS navigation wants the courier to have the shortest route to the pin.

    It just so happens that it’s the route to the wrong subdivision. This usually becomes apparent the closer the courier gets to the pin. The street names will be off. Furthermore, the numbers of the address will be wrong. These small details are easy to miss when driving for the pin. The pin location is important. However, strict reliance on the pin can be a costly technique. The pin should be considered a reference point. If it’s accurate, wonderful. If it’s not, it can’t lead anyone on a wild goose chase when it’s not the main focus in the delivery.

    More Time Saving Shortcuts

    The GPS pin in a navigation map is a big topic. There are many couriers who use it as one of their main delivery tools. Old school couriers who remember delivering without a GPS map, see the delivery pin as an asset. However, strict reliance on it is not practical. It comes down to knowing the exact location. Street signs and landmarks are highly reliable. They might get knocked down, but they don’t do coordinates. Coordinates should be the confirmation of accuracy. Not the guide.

    Pages: 1 2

    March 15, 2026
    Donald Grant
    gig work, risky road situations, shortcuts, solo courier, time saving
    • Share on X (Opens in new window)X
    • Share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)Pinterest
    • Share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Facebook
    • Share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)LinkedIn
    • Share using Native toolsShareCopied to clipboard

    Comment hereCancel reply

Virtual Dispatch

  • Contact
  • About
  • PrivacyPolicy
  • DoorDash
  • Ubereats
  • Google
  • Waze