Latest U.P.S. Fuel-Saving Strategies: Leg Muscles and Hydraulics

[cheryl]

Latest U.P.S. Fuel-Saving Strategies: Leg Muscles and Hydraulics - New York Times

After a pilot run in 2007, United Parcel Service is once again adding bicycle carriers to meet its holiday demand. It’s a tack that, like alternative fuel vehicles and other measures the company has historically taken to reduce operational costs, provides an attending environmental benefit in the form of reduced carbon-dioxide emissions.

Of course, each U.P.S. bike delivery system (typically a $350 mountain bike pulling a custom trailer) can haul only 15 to 20 packages per trip — a mere fraction of what a truck can deliver. Nonetheless, the company estimates that for every three bikes deployed during peak season on the West Coast, it will save around 17 gallons of fuel per day and about $38,000 dollars in vehicle maintenance costs.

 

[Covemastah]

Stevetheupsguy wil be bidding on this rte !!!!!

 

[soberups]

We have several of these mountain bike-cart combos in our building. Our peak plan depended upon several helpers using these things.

Of course, with 8" of snow on the ground, the plan fell through.

There was an IE guy who sat in a little room with a map book and some crayons and came up with a "plan" for using these things in areas with maximum stop density.

The flaw in his "plan"...was that he had never personally been to these areas himself, and all roads look FLAT on a map. Someone had to explain to this college-educated genius what a HILL is, and that it isnt possible to tow a trailer full of packages up a steep hill on a bicycle.

 

[rushfan]

Will they be "deployed" to pull triples or turnpike doubles? Sounds like an idea from the designers of the "green" calenders. It makes me feel better that we are so environmentally responsible.

 

[shrimpfire]

wish they would bring them to Mobile, sounds like lin long run it will take more time and u will have less to del

 

[non_bid_dawg]

I would do it in an instant..I've done bike messaging in the past on my fixie...whish there was money in that line of work.

 

[brownIEman]

We have several of these mountain bike-cart combos in our building. Our peak plan depended upon several helpers using these things.

Of course, with 8" of snow on the ground, the plan fell through.

There was an IE guy who sat in a little room with a map book and some crayons and came up with a "plan" for using these things in areas with maximum stop density.

The flaw in his "plan"...was that he had never personally been to these areas himself, and all roads look FLAT on a map. Someone had to explain to this college-educated genius what a HILL is, and that it isnt possible to tow a trailer full of packages up a steep hill on a bicycle.

"What we have here, is a failure to communicate..."

I will admit this sorta crap happens way too often in many buildings. The IE planners should not be a send the plan down and operations executes one way communication model. The planner has to come up with the plan, and generally does not have time to visit every area he is planning for, so there needs to be feedback. When the plan is created, he needs to discuss it with the operations folks who have on the ground knowledge. If they tell him his plan if full of caca, he should not accept that at face value however, and should challenge the operations to prove their case. It really is meant to be a cooperative process, and when it is implemented that way, it works sooooooo much better for everyone.

 

[pickup]

Stevetheupsguy wil be bidding on this rte !!!!!

Indeed and it would dovetail with some poster's often seen saying :Find something you would do for free and find a way to get paid for it!

 

[1989]

It didn't work in 98', why would it work now, with gas at $1.50? Besides, you can fit more than 15-20 packages on a handruck anyway.

 

[tourists24]

It didn't work in 98', why would it work now, with gas at $1.50? Besides, you can fit more than 15-20 packages on a handruck anyway.

stop making sense 1989.... we're trying to get green here

 

[1989]

Sorry, what was I thinking?

 

[old brown shoe]

Mabey in a few years they can melt them down and give everyone a piece for Founders Day. The bikes that never got used.

 

[iowa boy]

Mabey in a few years they can melt them down and give everyone a piece for Founders Day. The bikes that never got used.

There is no way this company will get rid of a delivery vehicle with less than 20 years worth of driving on it. My question for the bikes though, what happens if and when you get into an accident on one? You know as I do that no matter how bad the rider gets hurt, he or she will be charged with an avoidable accident and fired for whatever the flavor or the month is!!