The courier assiduity is constantly growing, changing, and getting more competitive. Retailers are always on the lookout for the fastest, most accessible way to get their goods to guests, and if you are in the logistics assiduity, this might mean that your coming contract involves a little trip by train!
Amazon Sets the Benchmark
In December 2014, online retail giant Amazon caused a splash publicizing its newest super fast delivery service, Prime Now, that pledges to get parcels to the buyer in one hour or lower. At the time of the advertisement, Prime Now was only offered in New York City, but over the once time, the service has expanded to include numerous corridors of the United States and the United Kingdom.
How Do They Do It?
But how can a retailer guarantee delivery in only 60 twinkles? In the case of Amazon and New York City, the couriers (who work under a tone-employed courier contract) making the deliveries have been using the megacity’s shelter system to circumvent the gridlocked road business. The move has couriers in Britain’s capital wondering could the London Underground and trains become?
Parcels on the Tube?
Some original courier enterprises see a future for a specialised delivery service using Britain’s being rail structure. London- grounded transnational courier ParcelHero says that parcel delivery via shelter makes sense, as underground trains are generally briskly than using the roads above them. Likewise, ParcelHero says that underground stations are the perfect place to install parcel lockers, which commuters can use to collect their deliveries without making a redundant trip.
Back to the Future
The integration of parcel delivery service and rail is not exactly new to Britain. Between 1963 and 1999, you could shoot express listed correspondence and parcels through Red Star, a British Rail service that used passenger trains to transport parcels throughout the UK. Royal Mail also used to operate Travelling Post Services (TPOs)- correspondence trains in which post was sorted en route-but. Those services ended in early 2004.
Though these rail-delivery services are no longer in business, mainline and underground rail stations are decreasingly getting crucial points for the retail and courier diligence. Amazon has parcel lockers at Finchley Central and Newbury Park Underground stations, for illustration, and grocers like Waitrose have analogous collection lockers at underground and mainline stations, as well as at service stations.
Delivery’s a Doddle
In 2013, Network Rail, which manages 18 of the biggest stations across Britain, partnered with British entrepreneur and philanthropist Lloyd Dorfman to roll out parcel shops at mainline stations across the country. The typical adventure, called Doddle, has been immensely successful in large civic rail stations, where commuters can pick up parcels on their way to or from work.
But what does this shift toward using rail stations as depots mean for the couriers doing the accurate delivery? Should they anticipate rail station deliveries to be a regular part of their coming courier contract? It’s on the cards. With accessible collection lockers in train stations, couriers may indeed be making smaller passages to the post office and further to major transportation capitals. Delivery motorists working under a tone-employed courier contract from Amazon or an analogous online retailer might soon find themselves riding the tube with the nine-to-five commuter crowd to deliver a parcel at top speed.
In an assiduity so reliant on quick and dependable service, delivery by rail just might be the coming big thing-and that is only good news for the assiduity. Watch this space.
