Delivery in Portland, Oregon, just got an efficient makeover. United Parcel Service, Inc. (ticker: UPS) is tackling traffic and helping the environment through an out-of-the-box approach in the city: delivery by electric tricycles, reports Fast Company.
The eBike started to deliver packages Nov. 21, according to a news release.
The tricycle can take just one-tenth of a regular truck’s normal amount of packages. This is the first time that UPS is testing this different type of delivery in the U.S., trying out comparable strategies in Hamburg, Germany in 2012 and, as Fortune notes, Switzerland in 2015.
Our e-bike delivery system in Hamburg went so well, we brought the idea to Portland. #sustainability https://t.co/CHUWkpWsx4 pic.twitter.com/XPO1Eq825D
— UPS Public Affairs (@UPSPolicy)
The process is simple: A normal truck takes packages to the tricycle to deliver and goes about its way. These tricycles work a dual approach for the company, battling both traffic congestion as well as pollution — and they could be a boon in cities. UPS approximates that a five-minute delay per vehicle translates to $105 million in operating costs. In New York City, the average delivery driver faces a 16-minute delay.
The programs harken back to UPS’s origins more than 100 years ago, as it started out as a bike messenger company. If the program performs well in Portland, it could grow and eventually hit more cities in the U.S.
7 of the Best Stocks to Buy for 2017
7 Stocks That Will Ruin Your Portfolio
More from U.S. News
7 of the Best Stocks to Buy for 2017
7 Stocks That Will Ruin Your Portfolio
The 25 Best Blue-Chip Stocks to Buy for 2017
United Parcel Service, Inc. (UPS) Is Using Electric Tricycles for Delivery originally appeared on usnews.com
