Toronto Star Delivery

I never understood why The Toronto Star stopped using child carriers. I'm not talking 10-year-olds, I'm talking 13 and up. Delivering newspapers was a great way for young teens to earn money in a way that teaches skills -- like meeting deadlines or keeping customers happy -- and good work ethic. But I guess The Star feared the child molester around every corner. Fear trumped common sense and deprived young teens of the best first job they could ever have and deprived us customers of decent paper delivery. Instead we have the pleasure of adults delivering our papers, adults who view this as a dick job to supplement their other meagre income, adults who couldn't care less about customer service, adults who think deadlines for delivery are plastic, adults who take no pride in their work and just get pissed when a complaint is laid instead of trying to improve their service.

It takes a lot to move me to call up and complain about the delivery of my paper, usually something along the lines of a soaking wet one that's unreadable. I haven't even been able to stay mad over the Saturday comics long enough to call up on a Monday morning to complain about the new lay-out. So if I'm calling the circulation department several times over several months about the delivery of my paper, you bet I'm truly ticked.

You'd think they'd have some computer software that raises a red flag after let's say 3 complaints, especially after a new carrier is put on the route, that would get a higher-up in the circulation department to talk to the problem carrier who clearly isn't interested in improving his service. But the issue seems to be that not only does The Star use adults to deliver the paper, they contract delivery out. So now there's an added layer to go through that we didn't have years ago when youth delivered the paper. It's like a frigging government bureaucracy. And about as effective in effecting change. I'm seriously thinking of cancelling until they prove to me they have a new, enthusiastic carrier on the job. But then what would I do at breakfast?

Tags:

Comments

CQ said…
_I wouldn't entirely blame delivery woes on adults. I'd noticed problems at my sister's suburban place with the unrequested twice-3times flyer over-filled weekly being tossed onto the open porch area (never cleanly behind the screen door). I even spoke to the delivery 14ish? teen about it when I was on the very spot.
_Then I'd witnessed delivery from a nephew (more than once). He had too large a route for his age, but still - there was no iota of "pride of work" at all.

_As to adults, the sister goes away for a week this past summer and asks her decent enough 905 neighbour (doors/lawn huddled close together) to simply pick up & toss her paper(s) instead of having them blow all over her front lawn telling everyone they're away - despite away home security measures; neighbour says of course. Well, of course, I stopped over mid week and found - those ruddy newspaper & flyers all awry.
You're right. It isn't completely black and white, and it's nice to know teens have a chance at this kind of first job somewhere in the GTA. But I've had more problems with adult carriers than I did with teens.

My unrequested weekly is delivered by adults too, one of whom decided to go the extra mile and deliver it inside my front door! Luckily it was locked, but he tried.

Being a neighbour isn't the same as when I was growing up (man, I sound old!) but I long since decided using the automated vacation date system of my paper was safer, and even though ask my neighbour to pick up those pesky flyers, also ask my friend to check too. Your sister's lucky she has you!
just me said…
hi there...my hubby and i are both adults in our 50's we have been delivering the Toronto Star going on 5 years now..and i cant tell you how much abuse we face from our boss..never getting properly paid and getting ripped off...id love to hear from other drivers if they having a hard time with there boss..we work with a contract and do not work for the Star at all....now let me tell you a lil story...bothhim and I take great pride in the way we deliver papers..the job is fun and way simple...we live in a retirement area northern ontario...for our older customers we will walk the paper up to the screen door so they dont have to go outside nd hurt themselfs..we have many of those...we rush like crazy to get there early but it all depends on our delivery truck from toronto on when we start our day...like i said we take great pride in our jobs and try too make our customers happy...and they show there gratitude at xmas time very very generously scuse the spelling...we want the Star too continue for ever and wish them all the luck in the world...they work hard too and do a great job...so please forgive the few or more then few unhappy adult delivery people...just remember there is a reason for everything...all the best and keep reading Please . Thank you
It is not right that your boss doesn't pay you properly and rips you off. That reflects badly on The Toronto Star too as they have the final responsibility of ensuring all those who work for them, whether directly or through contractors, are treated fairly.

I did cancel in the end, then a few years after I wrote this post, restarted it and received much better deliverey service. But I ultimately gave up on the paper subscription because of continuing reading difficulties (it's easier to read on a screen). The Star's iPad app is terrible, so I read their website or through a newspaper iPad app.

Thanks for commenting!