A courier quote is built from a handful of things: how many stops there are, how far apart they sit, how tight the delivery windows are, what is being carried and how predictable your volume is. The price per delivery is the result of those inputs, not the starting point. That is why two businesses can pay very different amounts for what looks like the same service.
Why recourier.ca does not publish a rate card
Every route is priced from its stops, windows and handling, so a single price list would be wrong for most customers. Send us your pattern and we come back with a structure. This article explains what goes into that structure, so you can judge any quote, ours included.
The short version
- Price follows the work: stops, density, windows, handling, access and volume.
- Four pricing models are common: per delivery, by zone, by time on the road, and a contract with a base plus a variable part.
- A quote is only comparable when it says what is included and what triggers an extra charge.
- Compare quotes by cost per successful delivery, not by headline rate.
- You can usually lower the price by changing how you ship, without lowering the service.
The eight things that move a courier price
| Driver | Why it moves the price | What you can do |
|---|---|---|
| Number of stops | Each stop costs time at the door, whatever the distance. | Batch orders so more stops share a run. |
| Stop density | Close stops share one trip. Scattered stops mean more driving per delivery. | Deliver by zone and by day. See multi-stop routes. |
| Distance and geography | Crossings, traffic and distance from the pickup change the time each run takes. | Tell the courier your real delivery areas. See Greater Montréal delivery zones. |
| Time windows | A narrow window limits how well stops can be sequenced. | Use a narrow window only where the customer values it. See setting a cutoff. |
| Handling | Fragile, bulky, temperature-sensitive or two-person items take longer and may need another vehicle. | State the handling needs up front. |
| Access | Walk-ups, buzzers, loading docks and waiting at reception add minutes to every stop. | Put access instructions in the order. See delivering in Montréal. |
| Volume and predictability | A steady, known volume is easier to plan than a spike nobody forecast. | Put recurring volume on a schedule. See same-day vs. scheduled. |
| Exceptions | Failed attempts, re-deliveries and return trips are extra work. | Capture good addresses and availability. See failed delivery attempts. |
Four common pricing models
| Model | How it works | Fits best when | Watch for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Per delivery | A set price for each stop, sometimes by size or weight. | Volume is low or irregular. | Extra charges for waiting, access or repeat attempts. |
| By zone | The price depends on which zone the stop falls in. | Deliveries are spread across a wide area. | Where the zone borders fall, and how stops near them are priced. |
| By time on the road | A rate per hour or per route, whatever the number of stops. | A dense route with many stops, or a dedicated driver. | Idle time, minimum hours and what counts as a stop. |
| Contract: base plus variable | A base price for the route and a rate for volume above an agreed band. | Steady volume under a long-term agreement. | How volume bands, peaks and price reviews are written. See the agreement checklist. |
Most real quotes mix two of these. A per-delivery price may carry a minimum, and a contract may price extra stops one by one. What matters is that you can see how each charge is built.
Why the same parcel can cost different amounts
Three short examples show how it works. They are illustrations, not prices.
- Ten stops in one neighbourhood versus ten stops in ten neighbourhoods. The first is one compact run. The second is ten separate trips stitched together, and the driver spends most of the day in traffic.
- A ground-floor door versus a third-floor walk-up. The parcel is the same. The time at the door is not, and time at the door is what the driver is paid for.
- A weekly delivery versus an urgent one. The weekly delivery is planned days ahead and fits a route. The urgent one has to be slotted around everything else.
What a good quote spells out
- What is included: pickup, delivery attempts, tracking, notifications and proof of delivery.
- What triggers an extra charge: waiting time, after-hours work, repeat attempts, return trips, oversized items.
- Minimums, whether per delivery, per route or per month.
- Fuel or seasonal surcharges, and how they are set.
- How the price changes if your volume rises or falls.
- How often you are invoiced and what the invoice shows.
- How long the quote stands, and how changes to the route are handled.
How to compare two quotes like for like
- Use the same shipment profileGive every courier the same stops, windows, handling needs and volume, so the quotes describe the same job.
- List every chargeAdd the base rate and each extra the quote mentions, using your own history to estimate how often each would apply.
- Count failed attemptsA quote that charges again for a missed attempt costs more if your miss rate is higher. Use your own number, not a guess.
- Divide by what arrivedCost per successful delivery is the total delivery charges divided by the orders actually delivered. This, not the headline rate, is the number to compare. Last-mile delivery KPIs has the full formula.
- Compare the service as well as the costWindows, tracking, proof of delivery and what happens when something goes wrong belong in the comparison. Seven questions to ask a courier covers them.
Ways to lower the price without lowering the service
- Consolidate pickups into one or two set times a day instead of many.
- Move recurring volume onto a schedule or a dedicated route.
- Widen the window where the customer does not need precision, and keep narrow windows for the orders that benefit.
- Fix the address data: unit numbers, access codes, phone numbers. Fewer misses mean fewer repeat trips.
- Keep the cutoff realistic, so orders are ready when the driver arrives.
- Tell the courier about your peaks early, so capacity can be planned.
What to send when you ask for a quote
- Your pickup address and pickup times.
- Roughly how many deliveries you make in a week and which days are busiest.
- The cities or postal codes you deliver to.
- The delivery windows you want to offer.
- The size, weight and handling needs of what you ship.
- Your peak periods, and whether you also need returns collected.
With that, a quote request can be answered with a structure rather than a guess.
Frequently asked questions
Why doesn't recourier.ca publish prices?
Because the price depends on the route: the stops, the windows and the handling. A published rate would be right for a few customers and wrong for the rest. Share your pattern and we will come back with a structure.
Is a flat rate per delivery cheaper than hourly pricing?
Neither is always cheaper. A flat rate tends to suit low or irregular volume. Time-based pricing tends to suit a dense route with many stops close together. Compare the cost per successful delivery on your own data.
Do I pay for a failed delivery?
It depends on the agreement, which is why it belongs in the quote. Ask whether a missed attempt is charged, whether a second attempt is included, and what happens to the order afterwards.
Does a long-term contract lower the price?
It can, because a known, steady route is easier to plan and staff. What you give in return is commitment: a term, notice periods and an expected volume. See what to put in a delivery service agreement.
What affects the price of same-day delivery?
Mostly the notice and the fit. A same-day order has to be slotted around other work, so it costs more than the same order planned ahead. A clear cutoff and a defined area help keep it predictable.
Send us your pickup point, typical stops and delivery windows, and we will come back with a pricing structure built for your route.