Hermes UK and Ford trial pedestrian deliveries in London
Hermes UK has teamed up with Ford to pilot an eco-friendly courier service in central London.
This involves delivery vans bringing parcels into the capital where Ford software identifies suitable locations for the drivers to park.
Each van is met by a number of pedestrian couriers. These use a smartphone app that advises the location of the van and shows the most efficient routes and itinerary to deliver the parcels.
The app integrates with Hermes’ tracking systems to ensure customers have real-time visibility of the status of their deliveries. The vans then return to collect the next load from the depot.
The initiative was developed in a collaboration between Ford and the Hermes Innovation Lab. The two will now explore extending the pilot across the UK.
Carl Lyon, COO at Hermes UK, says: “We’re exploring new delivery initiatives that can reduce emissions for the final mile delivery as part of our commitment to sustainability and getting ahead of future legislation in cities, such as Ultra Low Emissions Zones.”
“In addition, this operating model is easy to scale up to meet the increasing demand for home delivery and opens up the courier work for a whole new workforce who no longer need to drive or own a vehicle and want to stay active.”
“Being smarter about how we deliver parcels in the future will enable carriers to operate more sustainably and efficiently, while delivering a better experience for customers,” says Tom Thompson, Project Lead, Ford Mobility.
“Our trials with Hermes have shown how multi-modal deliveries can be scalable and effective, even during peak times of the year.”
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