The episode in detail
The cargo bike courier’s job: more than delivery
Marie Ravey is a cargo bike courier at Fends la Bise, in Lyon. Her daily work: delivering all kinds of goods by cargo bike, to businesses and individuals alike. A job with nothing in common with platforms like Uber Eats. At Fends la Bise, part of the team is on permanent contracts, with health cover and social protection. Marie chose self-employed status to keep flexible hours and make time for her personal projects.
“Uber Eats is a system that really doesn’t respect workers. We have a relationship of trust with the company.”
Cycle logistics runs on a different model: decent working conditions, an employer-employee relationship built on listening, and processes constantly adjusted based on feedback from the field.
The daily dangers of the road
Not a single working day goes by without being put at risk by a motorist, a bus driver or, more rarely, another cyclist. Road violence from motorists is no myth for a female cycle courier. Marie describes a state of constant hypervigilance: anticipating missing indicators, guessing at other road users’ paths, staying alert from start to finish.
When the pressure builds up, she stops for five minutes at the roadside and calls a friend or a colleague. But her passion for cycling always wins out over the frustration.
“Some idiot in his car isn’t going to stop me doing what I love.”
One telling episode: Marie drove a car for a weekend. She hated the experience. Getting behind the wheel after months on a bike made it obvious how much space a car takes up, and how vulnerable other road users are.
Lyon, a cycling city: a favourite patch
Marie acknowledges that Lyon offers good-quality cycling infrastructure compared with other French or European cities. Even though some people have complaints, the local authority has invested in infrastructure that makes cycle commuting and cycle logistics workable day to day. Compared with Brussels, for example, this is a considerable advantage for doing this job in good conditions.
Changing career for cycling: owning the choice
Before becoming a courier, Marie spent five years in higher education and two years working in outdoor marketing. The turning point came one winter, when she realised she was spending her days behind a screen without seeing daylight. The career change wasn’t easy to explain, especially to her parents, who had paid for her studies.
“My parents understood once they saw it made me happy. All they want is for me to be well.”
Social judgement weighs on her too. On paper, delivering parcels carries none of the prestige of a management job. But Marie stands by the usefulness of her work and the happiness it brings her. The question of a “wasted degree” comes up often in conversation, and she dismisses it: five years of study were a stage, not a prison.
What makes the job addictive
Being outdoors, seeing the sun even on grey days, cycling as a main activity, meeting different people every day. Marie lists the ingredients that make cycle logistics addictive. She doesn’t see herself staying a courier for life: the job is physically demanding and mentally tiring because of the road risks. But for now, after eight months, she has no wish to leave. Her goal: at least two years at Fends la Bise.
A close-knit, inclusive community
Cycle logistics brings together a wide range of people, in an atmosphere Marie describes as great. At Fends la Bise, colleagues form a real community where gender isn’t an issue. Marie has never been treated differently for being a woman in a mostly male field. The sector is also open on LGBT issues.
“It’s a space where I feel safe. Honestly, it’s a great community that I love.”
Raising awareness by example: everyday influence
Marie uses her following on Instagram (over 10,000 followers under the handle Une Particule) to raise awareness of the issues around sharing the road. Her approach: not grand activism, but concrete words to the people around her and her online community. Everyone can help change behaviour, even on a small scale.
She also mentions the cycling proficiency test she took as a child at school, a scheme that teaches road rules from a young age. In her view, it deserves to be rolled out more widely, to give children confidence and prepare them to cycle independently.
