UPS Cost Cutting - Peddler Benefits From Fuel Savings?

[Integral]

Today I saw a UPS man on a bicycle towing a trailer full of packages. Do you suppose that the driver... I mean peddler... gets a cut of the fuel savings, or does he just get the benifit of the exercise.

 

[Proton Soup]

either way, you'll never see a delivery guy out of shape. a neighbor of mine that had been fat all his life got a job driving a truck where he has to get out and deliver packages all day. for the first time ever, he's not fat.

 

[Moonbear]

Today I saw a UPS man on a bicycle towing a trailer full of packages. Do you suppose that the driver... I mean peddler... gets a cut of the fuel savings, or does he just get the benifit of the exercise.

That's a neat idea. Was this in a city that they were doing this? Aside from the fuel, it seems it might actually save time and parking tickets (at least in NYC, delivery trucks aren't exempt from parking tickets). When there's a ton of traffic and no parking in a city, peddling a cart around for deliveries might not be a bad idea to get around faster. I guess the key would be if the cart is small enough to bring the bike and cart into the lobby of the buildings where they are delivering. Otherwise, leaving an unattended cart full of packages on the sidewalk sounds like a thief's dream.

The guy who has the job of lugging the big cart full of packages delivered to the central receiving facility in our building up to all the different departments twice a day would probably appreciate it if the cart was hitched to a bicycle.

Actually, it would probably be a great idea for mail carriers too...especially ones who have walking routes. I'd recommend a tricycle rather than bicycle, just for safety sake, but wouldn't it be better for them to get to pedal a bike with a cart in tow than to lug around those heavy bags of mail that probably really do a number on their backs.

 

[Integral]

This was in a very flat residential area, it may take a bit longer to run the route but will certainly cost less.

According to http://bikeportland.org/2008/11/14/ups-gears-up-for-holidays-with-bike-delivery/" article from the Portland area they are hiring a special crew for bike delivery. I live in a completely different delivery area then Portland so it is bigger then mentioned in that article.

 

[WarPhalange]

I thought they cut costs by simply not caring about your package at all and having a quota of packages that are "lost in transit" or whatever.