Bike Couriers
Two years ago Ariel Constantinof set up a bike courier company called “Tribul, “the tribe.
Ioana Stăncescu, 22.12.2013, 14:04
Aged 23, Ariel Constantinof is one of the most dynamic figures campaigning for the rights of bikers, an increasingly strong and visible community in Romania’s urban landscape today. First known as a blogger and then as an organiser of biking events and rallies, two years ago, Ariel Constantinof set up a bike courier company called “Tribul”, “the tribe”.
Ariel Constantinof: “As opposed to other courier companies using bikes, we only do one type of delivery. As soon as we get the call, we have 2 or 3 hours to pick up the package and deliver it. We charge a single fee, irrespective of the distance, weather conditions and the weight of the package, as long as it fits easily on the bike. We charge 18 lei, which is about half the fee charged by other companies.”
However, it’s not only the low fees that make this company attractive, but also the fact that it automatically redirects 10% of its profits to social projects, thus fostering cycling in Romania, as part of an environmental organisation entitled MaiMultVerde. The company’s main clients are, in fact, cycling enthusiasts themselves. Ariel Constantinof explains:
Ariel Constantinof: “I think most of our clients apply to us because of who we are and less for our services. Cycling is still seen in Romania as a fashionable thing. Our clients know about the 10% of the company’s profits and use us as something they can be proud of. So, I don’t know how much of our success is due to our services and how much it has to do with the cycling aspect.”
While the company’s cycling couriers are known for their humour and optimistic attitude, the success of the firm is also related to the fact that it’s so much easier to use the bike in Bucharest’s busy traffic. In 2012, Romanians bought 380,000 bikes and only 72,000 cars, which is probably why The Daily Mail wrote last October that Romanians are “the biggest bike lovers in Europe”. This is all the more surprising as 20 years ago, cyclists were looked down on. Alex Dinu, one of the couriers working for the company, is, in his 40s, one of the oldest members of the team.
Alex Dinu: “I remember times when, as a cyclist, you were marginalised. People would think you were cycling because you didn’t have money to buy a car. I’m glad things have changed.”
Today cycling is no longer associated with poverty. Moreover, it is a means of making a living while at the same indulging your passion for cycling. 40% of the cost of a delivery goes to the courier, who can do as many deliveries a day as he or she can. You don’t earn a lot of money, but at least you are in control of your own free time.
Alex Dinu: “For me this is the dream job because I do exactly what I like. I like it as a job and I like the fact that you are surrounded by your friends. It’s one thing to go to work out of obligation, to make money and earn a living, and an entirely different thing to go to work as if going for a walk or on holiday.”
But who are the people doing this job?
Ariel Constantinof: “We are one of the friendliest couriers because we are passionate about what we do, passionate about cycling, even when it rains. We always deliver with a smile on our faces, in any kind of weather. We haven’t done any special training for that, it’s just how we are. This is the type of people I like to have in my team.”
This is the kind of attitude that draws clients like a magnet. We asked Alex Dinu to tell us about the most unusual deliveries he had ever made:
Alex Dinu: “I’ve even delivered bricks, sledges, flowers. Someone once forgot the sandwich he wanted to have for lunch and asked me to deliver it for him.”
The more the Tribe couriers cycle, the more Ariel Constantinof’s company fights against pollution. Each day, the company’s website counts the quantity of carbon dioxide they saved through cycling. So far, we’re talking about more than 6,000 tons.
