At the IAA Nutzfahrzeuge, the trade show for commercial vehicles, visitors were amazed, as this year the first delivery bicycles were exhibited at the fair. Robustly built – and even mobile with a good 200 pound load weight thanks to an electric motor – the cargo bikes are the climate-neutral trucks of the bicycle industry. Especially for the CEP industry the delivery bikes could be a real alternative for city traffic.
So far, delivery bikes are especially used by pizza delivery services, courier services and private mail delivery. Meanwhile though, even large services such as DHL, DPD and UPS deliver packages on the bike. Especially for the small transport traffic in
metropolitan areas the two and three wheel bikes are ideal: No more congestion and lack of parking space. Expensive gas costs are just eliminated.
At the same time these environmentally friendly means of transport are fully in line with the transport policy of the federal government and the EU. Thus, the European Commission in their “Weißbuch Verkehr” wish for CO2-free city logistics by 2050. And that does not seem to be pure utopia with more delivery bikes. Because according to an EU-funded Study 51 percent of all motorized transport in European cities could be transferred to delivery bikes.
We are excited to see how this topic develops, but we already know: Our mobile PSV3-solutions can also be used 100% with delivery bikes. After all, the Mobile data terminals are not permanently installed in the vehicle and are ideally suited for the rugged use on the road. So every carrier making the switch to bikes, or supplementing his fleet with delivery bikes, can handle his mobile order management as usual.
Further reading and viewing:
Delivery bikes as a solution for small transport traffic in cities, Verkehrsrundschau, 09/25/2014 – only available in German
Bicycles as trucks: truck without vices, Spiegel online – only available in German
TV report of Deutsche Welle – only available in German