12 Feb 2019Taxi firm invests €1m in courier service
Dublin-based Lynk Taxis has invested more than €1m into its digital platform for its new 'Delivers' courier service and intends on adding another 200 drivers this year.
The company launched its personal-use courier service last week, which allows customers have anything from a lost wallet to an online delivery sent to them.
Lynk claims that it differs to most courier services as it will collect and deliver packages "at a time that suits you".
Chief executive Noel Ebbs said he intends to increase the size of his delivery fleet this year. "We have 45 drivers currently working, we want to increase that fivefold over the year to come. There certainly seems to be a market for it so I don't expect it to be all that difficult," he told the Sunday Independent.
"We currently deliver around 5,500 packages per week but we hope to get that up to around 30,000 by the end of the year."
Under the current system drivers receive 80pc of the cost of the delivery, according to Ebbs.
He said that is not "traditionally" the way it works but said the company wanted to attract drivers that "felt they could make a living out of it".
He added: "The most common thing we're asked to deliver would be items of clothing. Perhaps someone is going out in the evening and it's a casual affair and they're wearing a suit. We might be asked to pick up a pair of jeans and T-shirt from the home."
Ebbs also said that there were further plans around the collection of online deliveries that still needed to be "fleshed out".
He said that couriers earn anywhere between €60 and €160 a day depending on the number of packages they deliver.
Some of the €1m investment was spent on developing a system that ensured drivers could not take on more than they could handle to help ensure that no deliveries were delayed.
Late last year, Lynk also outlined plans to enter a food delivery service, pitting it against the likes of Uber Eats and Deliveroo.
It is also in ongoing discussions with a "very well known" food chain about taking over deliveries for all of its outlets.
Lynk also has partnerships with Offbeat Donuts and other food businesses.
