# Anyone cleared mailboxes for Canada Post?



## Mistel (Nov 20, 2001)

I am a one man show. One truck with a Blizzard plow and me. I do 2 or 3 small accounts, mainly because I have to do the lots for the family business so I do a few others that I do as well. It only takes me a few hours per snowfall.

I saw an add for a company that contracts with Canada Post, looking for subs to clear in front of the Community Mailboxes. What these are are banks of mailboxes in areas that don't have door to door delivery. The contract I am considering is 150 sites at $25 which equals about $4000 for the season. I went around today to look at some of the sites and try and figure out if I want to do this. I am familiar with the area so I know they are all pretty similar.

Basically, The box is about 4 feet long. It either faces the street or side walk. If it faces the street, you just use your plow to push the 4 feet of snow. If it faces the sidewalk, you hop out and shovel the 1 foot by 4 foot piece of concrete beside the sidewalk. Seems easy enough, 

They claim it can be done in 4 hours (one route) but I have a hard time believing that, as it works out to about 1.5 minutes to clear one box and then drive to the next !?.

I am just wondering if anyone has done these, If it seems fair, or should I run as fast as I can away from this contract?

I have seen this many times before where work gets contracted out, and basically one guy makes big bucks ( the guy who gets the big contract) and all the subs work like slaves so the government can claim they saved a bit of money by sub-contracting.

Thanks

Peter


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## Lynden-Jeff (May 21, 2006)

Never done it but it sounds like a major PIA for nil money. If you had an extra truck and 1 guy with a shovel then maybe, but not enough to dedicate a truck and plow to, unless you don't have enough work. Is it priority work or can be done a day after the storm?

Cheers
Jeff


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## DAFFMOBILEWASH (Dec 9, 2006)

Make it worth your while. If they still don't have anyone the ball is in your court, give them some crazy price take it or leave it. Personally get the gig and hire a respectable youngster and a small blower to get the job done. If they ask why such a high price explain the price of labour and equipment and fuel, don't forget the reliability factor.

Personally the 4000.00 tag seems stupid low. 150 sites times 10 snow events per season average equalls like $2.50 per stop. Go in at 2100.00 per month, see what happens. At this coin you can afford some agrevation.

Good luck, 

DAFF


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## JD Dave (Mar 20, 2007)

There is very little money in doing it. If your really thinking about it, drive to all 150 sites and see how long it takes. The guys that take those jobs have a full route and just do it the next day and hope it doesn't snow for that money. Are you responsible for slip and falls?


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