Shaibpreet
BELLEVILLE – Shaibpreet Singh had always wanted to be independent, to work for himself and not answer to a boss. A year ago, he found an opportunity to do just that when he started working as an owner-operator for Cint International. Cint is a trading company based in Canada that import and exports products and services across several industries. Unlike company-hired drivers who receive a fixed payment per package, Shaibpreet’s income depended on the weight of the packages and the number of delivery zones he covered.
At first, it seemed like a great deal. He was in control of his work, managing his own vehicle, and earning based on his performance. But as time passed, the hidden costs of independence began to surface. Every tank of gas, oil change, tire replacement, and brake pad repair came out of his own pocket. The company took no responsibility for any of it.
“If something goes wrong with my van, it’s my problem,” he explained. “Even if I have to replace the brakes, it’s on me. I don’t get any support from the company.”
Despite the financial burden, Shaibpreet enjoyed the freedom his job provided. The work environment was positive, and the team around him was helpful. It wasn’t an easy life, but it was a life he had chosen.
While Shaibpreet navigated the financial strains of being his own boss, Guramrinder Singh Sandhu was on the other side of the operation, making sure the entire system ran smoothly. As a supervisor at Cint International for five years, he had seen everything—from eager new drivers excited to start their careers to exhausted veterans struggling to keep up with the demands of the job.
Guramrinder Singh Sandhu
His day begins at 6 a.m., long before the first delivery was even made. Each morning, he checked how many routes were available and assigned them to drivers accordingly. By 7:30 a.m., all drivers were expected to be at the warehouse, licenses in hand, ready to receive their packages. A quick five-minute meeting set the tone for the day before the real work began.
The system was simple—scan the package, load it into the van, and follow the instructions in the app. But in reality, it was never that easy.
“There are so many things that can go wrong,” Sandhu admitted. “A driver might get sick, a van might break down, or someone might get into an accident. When that happens, I have to step in immediately and find a way to make sure every single package gets delivered.”
And the pressure only increased during the holiday season. In December, package volumes nearly double, stretching the limits of both experienced and new drivers. On regular days, a delivery route consists of about 150 packages, but during the holidays, it goes up to 250.
“The experienced drivers handle the super routes, while newcomers take the smaller loads. But even for the best drivers, the pressure is intense,” Sandhu said. “Customers are expecting their deliveries, and we have to make sure they arrive on time.”
His phone rarely stopped buzzing throughout the day. Every two hours, he checked on drivers, making sure no one was falling behind. If someone was struggling, he had to arrange backup immediately. And in the winter, things only got worse.
“The snow slows everything down. Sometimes, drivers get stuck on roads that haven’t been cleared. And when that happens, there’s no other option but to figure out how to keep things moving,” he explained.
Sandhu had seen it all, but through all the stress and unpredictability, he still loved his job. He thrived in the chaos, knowing that every package delivered meant another successful day.
Navjot singh
For Navjot Singh, the job was something entirely different. He worked for Dragonfly, a company that subcontracted Amazon deliveries. Unlike urban drivers who worked in cities with clear roads and easy navigation, Navjot’s deliveries took him deep into rural areas—where road conditions, technology, and even wild animals made the job much harder.
His mornings started just like everyone else’s—loading up his van, scanning the packages, and preparing for the long day ahead. But the moment he left the warehouse, the differences became clear.
“In the countryside, the network is a big problem,” he explained. “Sometimes, I have no internet at all, and the app we use to track deliveries just won’t work. That makes navigation difficult, and it wastes so much time.”
But poor signal was just the beginning of his struggles.
Winter brought another set of dangers. The roads were often completely covered in snow, and in many cases, they wouldn’t be cleared for two or three days. Yet, the deliveries still had to be made.
“There’s no such thing as a snow day for us,” Navjot said with a laugh, though there was a trace of exhaustion in his voice. “Even when the roads are bad, we’re expected to finish our routes.”
And then there were the dogs.
“In the summer, people in rural areas let their dogs roam freely. Some of them are friendly, but others are really dangerous. Over the last two years, I’ve seen at least three drivers get bitten badly,” he recalled.
Despite these risks, the job didn’t end once the packages were delivered. Some parcels couldn’t be dropped off—locked apartment buildings, unanswered doors, or customers being away meant that drivers had to take undelivered packages back to the warehouse at the end of their shift.
“It adds extra time to an already long day. By the time we return the failed deliveries and sort out any issues, we’ve already been working for eight to ten hours,” Navjot said.
The job was far from easy, but like the others, he took pride in his work. He knew that people depended on him to get their packages, and that responsibility meant something.
Despite their differences, Shaibpreet, Sandhu, and Navjot all shared one thing in common—a deep understanding of how challenging delivery work could be. From the financial strain of being an owner-operator to the stress of managing an entire fleet of drivers and the dangers of rural delivery, their jobs were filled with obstacles that most customers never even thought about.
Yet, they showed up every day.
They navigated the roads, no matter the weather. They dealt with technical problems, sick drivers, broken vans, and impatient customers. And at the end of the day, they knew their work was important.
Online shopping has made delivery work an essential part of daily life, yet few people ever thought about the challenges behind each package they received. These drivers weren’t just delivering boxes—they were ensuring that businesses stayed open, that families received their gifts on time, and that communities remained connected.
So the next time you open your door to find a package waiting for you, take a moment to think about the journey it took to get there.
Because behind every delivery, there’s a story.
This story is the result of the author’s own experiences. Mohitpreet Singh has been working part-time as a delivery driver for Cint International for almost a year.
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