Alley Cat Courier Service
Alley Cat Bike Messengers
Owner A mystery
Employees Reynold Helms (Corporate manager), Roberta Mills (Branch manager), Kurtis Campbell, Delia Ryans and other NPCs
Hours of Operation 5:30am — 9pm, every day
Current Status Open for Business
People Come Here For… Delivery of letters and parcels

What was once a small warehouse now serves a completely different purpose. From before dawn until after dark, bikes pass in and out the open doors, couriers off to pick up and deliver mail, returning to take on another task.

Although the warehouse should be rather spacious, it mostly manages to feel crowded. At the very least, busy. A row of lockers, stacked two high, covers one long wall. Bike racks for those who prefer to keep their bicycles here — or need someplace to leave them while on break — line the opposite side of the building. There are always people moving about — rummaging in their lockers, little knots of chitchat, trading experiences and advice on routes (or just the latest gossip) beneath the shouted calls for messengers to deliver this package there or go pick up something from somewhere else. There are usually two people tasked with coordinating the chaos of the Alley Cats, a receptionist who takes called-in orders and the manager who sees to the fair dispersal of jobs; a corner of the warehouse near the main doors has been partitioned off to create their offices.

Major IC Events

Trivia

  • Bicycle messengers like the Alley Cats are significantly more expensive than the normal US Postal Service, but they are also more reliable and much faster. In many parts of the city, regular postal service is still a distant memory; couriers are the only means by which to move letters and small packages in such areas.
  • The Alley Cats deliver anywhere in southern Manhattan for a decent fee. Trips to Northern Manhattan cost at least five times more than the equivalent southern Manhattan rate. The extra fees are billed as 'hazard pay'.
  • Some messengers flat-out refuse to enter or cross the ruins of Midtown. The dispatchers don't try to force them into it.
  • Parcels up to 15 lbs in weight are readily accepted; slightly larger ones on a case-by-case basis and only if one of the most experienced couriers is available. Base fees range from $3 to $50, depending on package size, distance to destination, and whether it is a rush delivery. Deliveries made after 7 pm also cost more.
  • Packages may be brought to the Alley Cat warehouse; alternately, for a slight price markup, customers may call in to have a messenger pick up a piece of mail from them and then deliver it to its destination.
  • Payment is required upon receipt of the item to be delivered. The recipient of the item must sign the messenger's logsheet; only after a signature is obtained will the item be turned over. Items must be delivered to a person, not a mailbox or a doorstep; that's Alley Cat policy. (Not all messenger services are so strict.)
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