Say goodbye to talking to your neighbours: packages to be delivered to bus stations

Don’t you just hate it when your introverted self has to talk to your neighbours because they had received your package while you were away at work?

Worry no longer, because a company called EVAnet is planning to implement pick-up points at bus stations in the Netherlands, reports RTL Nieuws.

Lowering CO2 emissions

The plan is being developed due to several reasons. First, pick-up points for packages are becoming insanely overcrowded and secondly, this will reduce CO2 emissions caused by delivery vans.

The plan is to install 60 package delivery safes across three bus stations in South Holland, as part of the pilot project. The project will run for 8 months, and if successful, it will be implemented throughout the Netherlands further.

Why bus stations? Laurens Tuinhout from EVAnet argues that bus stations are found in many residential areas in the Netherlands and are easily accessible, even by car.

What about just dropping the package in the trunk of your car?

Another company, called 2DEAL, is planning a different system of delivery entirely. Instead of delivering the packages to bus stations or to pick-up points, they plan to have an app that allows the courier to open the trunk of your car and leave the package there. Because nothing says privacy like allowing a stranger to access the trunk of your car!

Richard Klomp, a representative of the company, argues that this method is efficient because you no longer need to drive anywhere and the delivery can be done overnight. The technology has already been developed but hasn’t made it onto the market yet.

People would still rather receive their packages at home

Jesse Weltevreden, who is an e-commerce specialist at the Hogeschool in Amsterdam, considers that all of these options have potential. However, research suggests that people still prefer to receive their packages at home.

He says that safes have already been introduced some years ago for delivery of packages, yet they have not been used extensively. Not all packages fit in a safe and he does not understand placing safes in bus stations, as few Dutch people travel by bus. A better location would be one where people already go to, like the supermarket, Weltevreden states.

Greener options for delivery

According to him, there are much better, ecological and more efficient methods of delivery. The client, for example, could specifically state the time and place where he will be in order to receive the package. Also, investments can be made for electric vans or bike couriers.

How do you prefer to receive your packages? Let us know in the comments.

Feature Image: Donald Trung/Wikimedia Commons