Run a local delivery business on numbers you can see every Monday
A complete starter system for couriers, last-mile and same-day delivery operators: a 16-sheet workbook, five fillable forms, brand-ready templates, a hub print pack and an e-book that follows one composite business through its first 90 days.
- A 16-sheet Delivery Operations Workbook that prices every drop, tracks COD and claims, and shows break-even and traffic lights
- A Quote Builder that turns drops per day, distance and rider cost into a price and a walk-away floor
- 44 messages and scripts, six one-page policies and a proposal, rate card and service agreement you can brand in minutes
- A 6-page hub print pack: proof-of-delivery poster, pre-shift check card, COD slips, failed-delivery poster, who-to-call cards and a wave board
The Delivery Business Starter Kit · Bodhih Pro Kits · 291 by Bodhih Training, trainers to 2,000+ companies since 2008.
How do I start a local delivery business?
Pick senders whose drops cluster by area and time, price each drop from your full cost with charges for waiting, failures and cash, work out break-even drops per day, choose a rider model that fits local law, batch drops into zones and waves, and capture proof on every delivery. The Delivery Business Starter Kit from Bodhih Training gives you the workbook, forms and templates to do it.
Want the full free guide first? Read How to Start a Local Delivery Business: Pricing, Riders, Break-Even.
You already feel the problem. Here is what it is costing you.
You do not know what one drop costs you
Revenue looks fine but money is tight. Without a cost per drop that includes riders, fuel, the hub and your own pay, every quote is a guess.
Riders cross the city for one parcel
Orders arrive all day and go out one at a time. Riders are busy, productivity is low and on-time rates slip.
Cash and claims keep you up at night
Cash on delivery does not reconcile, a customer says a parcel never arrived and there is no proof, and a broken item turns into an argument.
The rider model feels risky
Employee, agency, freelancer or platform? Status rules are changing in many countries and you need a way to compare models and check them properly.
Picture the next few weeks with the kit open beside you.
Imagine Monday at 08:00. As you open the workbook and type last week's totals, the dashboard fills in: delivered drops, on-time rate, drops per rider hour, cost per drop, weekly profit, break-even and the cash and claims that need action today.
When a shop owner asks for your best price, you open the Quote Builder, type their real volumes and distances and read three numbers: full cost, price at your target margin and the walk-away floor. You send a proposal with your logo on it the same afternoon.
At the hub, every vehicle has a pre-shift card, every rider knows the proof-of-delivery routine from the poster on the wall, and every cash drop has a signed slip. When something goes wrong, the incident report and the script library tell you what to do and what to say.
Whether you start with the first-hour steps tonight or the rate card tomorrow morning, the kit follows the order of the job, so each file is ready when you reach that step.
21 files that do the work for you
The e-book shows you how. The tools make it happen. Here is exactly what you download.
The Delivery Business Starter Kit (e-book, PDF)
The guide: methods, worked examples, scripts and exercises
Start here: delivery business map
The job on one page, your first hour, brand it in five minutes, your first week and the 30/60/90 day plan, with the file to open at every step.
Delivery Operations Workbook
16-sheet master workbook: Settings, rate card, customers, riders and vehicles with document alerts, jobs priced automatically, route batches, COD ledger, claims, fixed costs, 13-week trend, rider cost, quote builder, break-even, rider model comparison and a traffic-light dashboard with four charts.
Customer onboarding and service brief
Three-page fillable form for every new account: volumes and pickup times, parcels and packaging, COD and proof-of-delivery rules, service levels, pricing and billing, and a go-live checklist.
Rider and driver onboarding and document check
Three-page fillable form: engagement model and status check, documents and expiry dates, vehicle and kit, the induction and safety briefing, and sign-off before the first shift.
Pre-shift vehicle and rider check
Two-page fillable daily check: vehicle walkaround, rider fitness and kit, go or no-go decision, defects reported and a weekly log for the hub.
Damage, loss and incident report
Three-page fillable report for damaged or lost parcels, road incidents and complaints: facts, evidence, the customer conversation, the decision against your terms and the fix.
Platform partnership and big contract decision form
Two-page fillable decision form for a marketplace, aggregator, platform fleet programme or one large customer: fit, numbers from the Quote Builder, dependence risk and a scored go or no-go.
Customer proposal, rate card and service agreement
Brand-ready Word template in three parts: a one-page proposal letter, a rate card with charges and conditions, and a nine-clause service agreement discussion sheet for your lawyer.
Rider and driver engagement discussion sheets
Brand-ready Word template: employee offer outline, eight questions for a rider agency, contractor terms to discuss with a lawyer, a code of conduct and a weekly check-in.
Delivery message and script library
Brand-ready Word library of 44 messages and scripts in 8 groups: sales, daily customer updates, recipient messages, failed delivery and returns, COD, claims, riders and platforms.
Operations policy pack
Brand-ready Word pack of 6 one-page policies: proof of delivery, cash on delivery, rider safety and conduct, damage and claims, recipient data and privacy, fair treatment and complaints.
Worked example pack: Leila's first 90 days
The main forms and calculations completed for one composite same-day delivery business in Dubai: customer brief, rider onboarding, pre-shift checks, a quote, a damage claim, a COD shortfall, a platform decision and 13 weeks of numbers.
AI prompt pack for delivery operators
28 tool-agnostic prompts in 9 groups (niche, pricing, routes, riders, proof of delivery, COD, claims, platforms, weekly review), each with what to paste in and what to check before you use the output.
Numbers that matter: delivery KPI card
Fourteen numbers a delivery business runs on, with plain words, the exact formula, where each lives in the workbook, a week 13 sample and what to do when it moves.
Delivery decision card: if this, do this
Fourteen everyday situations, from a failed safety check to a platform offer, with the first move, the next step and the file to use.
Delivery mistakes to avoid
Fifteen mistakes that sink new delivery businesses and what to do instead, plus the safety lines never to cross.
Delivery rules by country: correct at November 2026
Dated orientation sheet: rider status, platform-work laws, hours, operator licences, lane and heat rules and tax notes for the US, UK, EU, Ontario, India, Dubai and Singapore, with where to check.
Hub wall and rider print pack
Six printable pages for the hub: proof-of-delivery poster, pre-shift check card, COD cash hand-over slips, failed-delivery poster, who-to-call cards and a daily wave board.
First 90 days launch calendar
29 events: set-up in the first two weeks, then a Monday weekly review and month closes on days 30, 60 and 90. Import into Google, Outlook or Apple Calendar.
Delivery launch task board
41 launch and first-quarter tasks with list, owner, due day, priority and the kit file to use. Import into Trello, Asana, Notion, Planner or Jira.
Chapter by chapter
Each chapter opens with a real situation, gives you a method and ends with something to do today, using the tools in your kit.
- Format
- PDF e-book + XLSX + fillable PDF + DOCX + printable PDF + ICS + CSV
- Files
- 21 files plus a one-click ZIP
- E-book
- 69 pages
- Works with
- Excel, Google Sheets, LibreOffice, Word, Google Docs, Acrobat Reader, any PDF reader, Google Calendar, Outlook, Apple Calendar, Trello, Asana, Notion
- Best for
- Couriers, last-mile and same-day delivery operators with 1 to 50 vehicles
Pick a Niche and Your First Customers
Choose senders whose drops cluster in space, time and type, and win the first ten with a measured trial.
Price Every Drop
Four pricing models, charges for waiting, failures and cash, and a quote built from full cost with a walk-away floor.
Unit Economics and Break-Even
Variable, step and fixed costs, contribution per drop, break-even drops per day and margin of safety.
Riders and Drivers: Choosing the Model
Employee, agency, contractor or platform: status signals, costs, checks and onboarding.
Safe Vehicles, Safe Riders
The regulator's rules as the floor, the daily pre-shift check, documents in date and weather rules.
Routes, Batches and Waves
Zones, waves and batches that raise drops per rider hour without rushing anyone.
Proof of Delivery and Failed Deliveries
Photo, signature and code on every drop, and a routine that cuts failed attempts.
Cash on Delivery Without Leaks
Five checks from the door to the remittance, and how to handle a shortfall fairly.
Damage, Claims and Complaints
Acknowledge, gather evidence, decide against your terms, pay promptly and fix the cause.
Platforms, Big Contracts and AI
Score partner offers on cost, terms, control and dependence; use AI for drafts with a human deciding.
Not just reading. Tools you will actually open again.
Start here
- 00-Start-Here-Delivery-Business-Map.pdf: the job on one page, your first hour, brand it in five minutes, your first week and the 30/60/90 day plan
Workbooks
- Delivery-Operations-Workbook.xlsx: 16 sheets including Settings, Rate Card, Customers, Riders and Vehicles, Jobs, Batches, COD Ledger, Claims, Fixed Costs, Weekly Summary, Rider Pay, Quote Builder, Break-even, Rider Model Compare and a dashboard with four charts and traffic lights
Fillable forms
- Customer-Onboarding-and-Service-Brief.pdf
- Rider-Onboarding-and-Document-Check.pdf
- Pre-Shift-Vehicle-and-Rider-Check.pdf
- Damage-Loss-and-Incident-Report.pdf
- Platform-and-Big-Contract-Decision-Form.pdf
Word templates
- Customer-Proposal-Rate-Card-and-Service-Agreement.docx: proposal letter, rate card and a nine-clause agreement discussion sheet
- Rider-and-Driver-Engagement-Discussion-Sheets.docx: employee outline, agency questions, contractor terms, code of conduct
- Delivery-Message-and-Script-Library.docx: 44 messages and scripts
- Operations-Policy-Pack.docx: six one-page policies
- Worked-Example-Pack-Leilas-First-90-Days.docx: the forms and numbers completed for one composite business
- AI-Prompt-Pack-for-Delivery-Operators.docx: 28 prompts with what to paste in and what to check
Cheat sheets
- Numbers-That-Matter-Delivery-KPI-Card.pdf: 14 numbers with exact formulas
- Delivery-Decision-Card.pdf: 14 if-this-do-this situations
- Delivery-Mistakes-to-Avoid.pdf: 15 mistakes and what to do instead
- Delivery-Rules-by-Country-Correct-at-November-2026.pdf: dated notes for seven places
Print pack
- Hub-Wall-and-Rider-Print-Pack.pdf: 6 printable pages for the hub and the riders
Calendar and import
- First-90-Days-Launch-Calendar.ics: 29 events
- Delivery-Launch-Task-Board.csv: 41 tasks for Trello, Asana, Notion, Planner or Jira
E-book
- The Delivery Business Starter Kit e-book: 10 chapters, 23 figures and two appendices
When you have worked through it, you will be able to…
Every outcome is practised with a worked example and a tool, not just described.
- You will be able to price any delivery job from your own full cost, with a walk-away floor
- You will be able to work out break-even drops per working day and your margin of safety
- You will be able to compare rider models on cost and control and prepare the right local checks
- You will be able to group drops into zones, waves and batches and measure stops per hour
- You will be able to run proof of delivery, failed-delivery and cash-on-delivery routines your riders can follow
- You will be able to handle claims on evidence against a written liability limit
- You will be able to score a platform or big-contract offer before you sign
- You will be able to run a 15-minute Monday review from one dashboard
Know your starting point. Prove your progress.
People who measure before and after improve faster and can show it. AssessAll, our sister assessment platform, has AI-graded assessments that pair with this kit. Take one now, work through the kit, then re-take it.
Behind the Wheel: Road Risk Judgment for Drivers and Riders
Take the assessment →AssessAll assessmentSmall Business Operating Decision Assessment for Shop, Service and Studio Owners
Take the assessment →AssessAll assessmentWarehouse & Logistics Operations Judgment
Take the assessment →JobularyIf-then plans that make habits stick (Jobulary)
Make it a growth plan →A taste of Chapter 1
A delivery business earns money when a rider can do many drops in a short loop. That depends less on how many customers you have than on how their drops cluster: in space (the same districts), in time (the same pickup windows) and in type (parcels that fit the same box and need the same handling). A florist sending fifteen bouquets a day to four neighbourhoods is worth more than fifty one-off senders scattered across the city, even if the one-offs pay more per drop. So a niche is not a marketing slogan. It is a choice of senders whose volume is steady, dense and predictable enough to batch. Good first niches for a small operator often include florists and gift shops, bakeries and cake makers, online boutiques shipping across one city, print and office supply shops, laundries, pharmacies and clinics where the law allows couriers to carry their items, and B2B document and spare-part runs.
The honest comparison
| Free templates and typical advice | This kit | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Copy a competitor's flyer | Quote Builder from full cost, with a walk-away floor |
| Numbers | Revenue and a bank balance | Contribution per drop, break-even per day, 14 KPIs with formulas |
| Riders | Whatever is cheapest | Model comparison, status signals, onboarding and document alerts |
| Routes | One parcel, one trip | Zones, waves and batches with stops per hour |
| Cash and claims | Sorted out when there is a problem | COD ledger with statuses, incident report and claims sheet with root causes |
| Countries | One country's assumptions | Method for any country plus a dated sheet with official sources |
Made for you if…
- Owner-operators starting a courier or van delivery business
- Small fleet owners running 2 to 50 vehicles
- Founders of same-day, on-demand or hyperlocal delivery services
- Shop and restaurant groups bringing delivery in-house
- Dispatch managers who want a clear weekly operating routine
- Operators in India, the US, Canada, the UK and EU, the Gulf, Africa and Southeast Asia
Probably not for you if…
- Long-haul trucking businesses (see The Owner-Operator Trucking System)
- Anyone looking for a guaranteed income plan or a franchise
- Teams that need legal or tax advice rather than an operating system
Built by trainers, tested in real rooms.
Bodhih Training has designed and delivered corporate programmes since 2008. Bodhih Pro Kits package what works in those workshops into a guide plus the exact tools we use, so you can apply it the same day without a facilitator in the room.
From here to using it in three steps
- STEP 1
Tap Get the kit
Name, email and country. UPI, card or netbanking in India; international cards everywhere else. No account to create.
- STEP 2
Download instantly
Your download page opens at once, with every file and a one-click ZIP. A permanent link lands in your inbox too.
- STEP 3
Open the first tool
Start with the quick-start chapter, then the main spreadsheet or planner. Most buyers use something from the kit the same day.
Start with the first hour
Open the Start-here map, type your settings and fixed costs, and run one quote. Whether you finish the first hour tonight or tomorrow before the first wave, you will be working from your own numbers by Monday.
Personal licence for the buyer's own use (and use with your own team or clients where the kit says so). Please don't share or resell the files. Team and company licences: solutions@bodhih.com.
What buyers say
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Bodhih Training
Run this topic as a live workshop for your team, in person or online.
Pewple
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The Delivery Business Starter Kit: FAQs
Read the free guideAlready bought? Resend my linkHow much should I charge per delivery?
Charge from your own full cost per drop, not a competitor's price. Add rider time at your real productivity, running cost per distance, waiting time, other variable costs and a share of fixed costs including your pay, then add your margin. The Quote Builder does this and shows a walk-away floor you should never go below.
How many deliveries a day do I need to break even?
Divide your monthly fixed costs by your contribution per delivered drop, then by your working days. The Break-even sheet does this from your last four weeks of numbers. In the worked example it comes to about 76 drops a working day, but yours depends entirely on your costs and prices.
Should my riders be employees or contractors?
It depends on the real working relationship and your local law, not on which is cheaper. The kit compares models on cost and control, lists the status signals authorities look at, and gives you questions for an adviser or agency. Check locally before anyone rides.
Can I use this with my staff or riders?
Yes, within your own business under the personal licence: share the policies, forms and print pack with your riders, drivers and dispatchers. Company and multi-site licences are available from solutions@bodhih.com.
Does it work in my country?
The method works anywhere, in any currency and in kilometres or miles. The dated rules sheet covers the US, UK, EU, Ontario, India, Dubai and Singapore with official sources, correct at November 2026. Laws, permits and platform terms still need checking locally.
Is this legal, tax or employment advice?
No. It is educational operating guidance. Agreements and policies are discussion sheets for your lawyer or adviser, and safety rules come from your regulator. Nothing in the kit promises income, volume or profit.
Do I need special software?
No. The workbook runs in Excel, Google Sheets or LibreOffice, the forms in any PDF reader, the templates in Word or Google Docs. A route and proof-of-delivery app helps, and the kit works alongside whichever one you choose.
How can I measure my starting point?
AssessAll, part of the Bodhih group, offers separate assessments that fit this kit: Behind the Wheel: Road Risk Judgment for Drivers and Riders, the Small Business Operating Decision Assessment, and Warehouse and Logistics Operations Judgment. They are not included in the kit.
How do I turn the weekly review into a habit?
Write it as an if-then plan: if it is Monday at 08:00, then I type last week's totals and read the dashboard. Jobulary has a short guide to if-then plans that make habits stick, linked from the Start-here map.
What happens after I buy?
You download the e-book and all the files straight away. Digital kits are non-refundable once downloaded, except for corrupted files not fixed within 3 working days, duplicate charges or failed delivery.
How much does The Delivery Business Starter Kit cost?
₹999 including 18% GST for buyers in India, or $29 for buyers outside India. One-time payment, no subscription, with an automatic invoice.
How do I get the files after paying?
Instantly. Your download page opens the moment payment succeeds, and a permanent download link is emailed to you. Download each file separately or everything in one ZIP.
What software do I need?
Any of the usual tools: Excel or Google Sheets for spreadsheets, Word or Google Docs for templates, Adobe Acrobat Reader, Preview, Xodo or GoodNotes for the fillable PDFs, and Google, Outlook or Apple Calendar for the calendar plan.
Can I get a refund?
Because it is a digital download, kits are not refundable once downloaded. We always refund a duplicate charge or a failed delivery, and if a file is corrupted and we cannot fix it within 3 working days. Full terms: bodhih.org/refunds.
Can my company buy this for a team?
Yes. Team and company licences, and workshops on this topic run by Bodhih Training, are available. Write to solutions@bodhih.com or call +91 99000 11601.
