Last night, I attended the launch event for Zipments LA. The Grand Rapids-based company has create a system for connecting freelance couriers with local businesses who need deliveries made around town. This enables individual users to look for jobs near them, while businesses without built-in delivery can widen their reach.
The CEO of Zipments cited a few core principles for the company, but the most interesting was a personal mission to make healthful food accessible to all areas. With Zipments, food from any location can be delivered anywhere else in the city... the implication being that there's no excuse for relying on fast food or other convenience foods simply because that's what's around your home. To put his money where his mouth is, the CEO said he would be eating only meals delivered by Zipments for an entire month.
Signing up to be a courier is a snap... and once you're registered, you can immediately view jobs on a Google map. I have found this useful for when I drive across town: I log in, check out whether there are any deliveries needed along my route, and snag a job only if it's convenient. Once the delivery is done, I text the confirmation to a Zipments number, then get paid through Paypal within 24 hours.
Signing up for the vendor side is also simple; you can even create a two-sided account to serve both functions. Once registered, it's easy to post jobs by specifying pick-up and drop-off addresses, details of the cargo, time ranges for pick-up and delivery, and a price you're willing to pay for the service.
I think Zipments has the potential to be huge in LA, where bike messengers have never really caught on (unlike Chicago and New York).
You can find out more at Zipments.com.
The CEO of Zipments cited a few core principles for the company, but the most interesting was a personal mission to make healthful food accessible to all areas. With Zipments, food from any location can be delivered anywhere else in the city... the implication being that there's no excuse for relying on fast food or other convenience foods simply because that's what's around your home. To put his money where his mouth is, the CEO said he would be eating only meals delivered by Zipments for an entire month.
Signing up to be a courier is a snap... and once you're registered, you can immediately view jobs on a Google map. I have found this useful for when I drive across town: I log in, check out whether there are any deliveries needed along my route, and snag a job only if it's convenient. Once the delivery is done, I text the confirmation to a Zipments number, then get paid through Paypal within 24 hours.
Signing up for the vendor side is also simple; you can even create a two-sided account to serve both functions. Once registered, it's easy to post jobs by specifying pick-up and drop-off addresses, details of the cargo, time ranges for pick-up and delivery, and a price you're willing to pay for the service.
I think Zipments has the potential to be huge in LA, where bike messengers have never really caught on (unlike Chicago and New York).
You can find out more at Zipments.com.
