How many bike messengers are there who send packages in New York?

W: How did you become a bike messenger?
M: My brother was a bike messenger and he broke his finger. I was working as a security guard and his bike and his bag and his lock were sitting there and I was like," Oh, let me try", because I wasn’t having fun as a security guard. So I tried it and ended up liking it.
W: Do you know how many messengers work in New York?
M: I heard it’s something like 3000. Some people say more. Just bicycle messengers sending packages, maybe like 1500. But if you count food delivery, it’s like 5000 or more. A lot of people in New York do it as a regular job. I know people who have families and everything.
W: How can one become a messenger? There are big and small companies? Basically you just go there and register?
M: You don’t really register, you just get a job. Some companies, you need to give them your social security number for taxes and stuff. Some companies, they don’t even ask your last name. I think it’s one of the only jobs that doesn’t check your record, I mean, a lot of people we work with could’ve been in jail before.