A new app called Point Pickup gives Westchester residents and businesses another option for easy, safe, same-day package delivery. The Greenwich, Conn outfit—which debuted in November—relies on vetted drivers to pickup and deliver parcels via its Uber-like, “Pickup Partner” driver network.
Now available in White Plains, Larchmont, Briarcliff Manor, and New Rochelle, among other towns, CEO Tom Fiorita says it’s a win-win situation for all concerned.
“Using our app or website, business-to-business, business-to-consumer, or consumer-to-consumers users no longer have to depend on the current fragmented messenger and courier delivery choices. People needing to move or retrieve personal items, or retail; merchants wanting to either add local delivery to their service options or supplant their own system, now have a dependable and cost-effective way to do so.”
He then emphasized what his operation is and is not: “We’re strictly a same-day operation. If you want to ship something quickly to Seattle, then FedEx does a great job. But in our immediate and nearby region, l’m certain we offer a better choice than the couriers or messengers now available.”
Fiorita says Point Pickup depends upon a broad span of drivers, some 150 of whom are regulars. “We vet and do background checks on each driver,” he notes. “Also we offer a loss damage of $500, but that can increase depending on the nature of the shipment.”
The base rate is $10 per shipment for the first three miles between the pick-up and drop-off address, plus $1.50 extra for each additional mile; oversized and overweight deliveries incur a 50 percent premium. Point Pickup drivers keep 80 percent of the total fee; Point Pickup keeps the balance.
The process begins when a user inputs a description and weight of the item to be moved, and preferred pickup and delivery times. Point Pickup drivers see the input and the first one to say they’ll do it gets the job. Drivers pay their own gas and get paid within 48 hours of the delivery’s completion, Fiorita adds.
The roster of items commonly moved includes legal and real estate documents, small pieces of furniture, cookies, and even left-behind sunglasses and umbrellas.
Nancy White, owner of The Flower Bar in Larchmont says, “since I signed up with Point Pickup, the app provides me with fast and easy access to the service. This lets me supplement my part-time driver, allowing our business to grow. Every delivery driver I’ve met has been great, and the customer service is excellent.”
And Rye resident Sheila Bugniazet adds, “I have used Point Pickup to get different things around town, and it has worked great. Having five kids, my schedule is very busy and Point Pickup has helped reduce stress in my life.”