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	<title>Utility Cycling &#187; Bike Delivery</title>
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		<title>Factory and Parts Delivery by Bike</title>
		<link>http://www.utilitycycling.org/2011/06/factory-and-parts-delivery-by-bike/</link>
		<comments>http://www.utilitycycling.org/2011/06/factory-and-parts-delivery-by-bike/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 05 Jun 2011 23:23:23 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Melanie Colavito</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Bike Delivery]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.utilitycycling.org/?p=4668</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Even within much of utility cycling, the bicycle is mostly considered a tool for lightweight and personal tasks such as bicycle commuting or general bicycle transportation.  However, we have also tried to highlight the ways in which the bicycle can also be an incredibly efficient tool for tasks with more gravity such as mail or [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p style="text-align: justify;">Even within much of utility cycling, the bicycle is mostly considered a tool for lightweight and personal tasks such as <a href="http://www.utilitycycling.org/2009/07/starting-with-the-basics/" target="_blank">bicycle commuting</a> or <a href="http://www.utilitycycling.org/2010/04/general-bicycle-transportation/" target="_blank">general bicycle transportation</a>.  However, we have also tried to highlight the ways in which the bicycle can also be an incredibly efficient tool for tasks with more gravity such as <a href="http://www.utilitycycling.org/2009/12/mail-delivery-by-bike/" target="_blank">mail</a> or <a href="http://www.utilitycycling.org/2009/11/parcel-delivery-by-bike/" target="_blank">parcel delivery</a>, <a href="http://www.utilitycycling.org/2009/09/mobile-bike-businesses/" target="_blank">mobile bike businesses</a>, <a href="http://www.utilitycycling.org/2011/01/emergency-patrol-services-by-bike/" target="_blank">emergency and patrol services</a>, and much more.  Another area where bicycles can play an important role is in factory work, as industrial settings often call for the maneuverability and efficiency that only a bicycle can provide.  Not to mention, bicycles are cheaper to maintain and emissions-free, unlike <a href="http://yournabe.com/articles/2009/08/27/ridgewood_ledger/news/ridgewood_ledger_newsmfouqya08262009.txt" target="_blank">golf carts</a> or fork lifts, but they are still quite capable of accomplishing most of the same tasks as their motorized cousins.  Bicycles are also great for worker health and business image, as well.  Header image credit: <a href="http://redkiteprayer.com/?p=2141" target="_blank">Red Kit Prayer</a>.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.utilitycycling.org/wp-content/uploads/Industrial-Tricycle.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-4701" title="Industrial-Tricycle" src="http://www.utilitycycling.org/wp-content/uploads/Industrial-Tricycle-290x300.jpg" alt="" width="290" height="300" /></a>Image Credit: <a href="http://worksmancycles.com/shopsite_sc/store/html/movers.html" target="_blank">Worksman Cycles</a></p>
<p><span id="more-4668"></span></p>
<h3>A Brief History of Factory Bicycles</h3>
<p style="text-align: justify;">In order to understand the history of bicycle use in factories and other industrial settings, at least in the United States, it is perhaps best to begin by looking at the history of <a href="http://worksmancycles.com/" target="_blank">Worksman Cycles</a> (not to be confused with the Dutch <a href="http://www.workcycles.com/" target="_blank">WorkCycles</a>).  Worksman Cycles is the <a href="http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=97024808" target="_blank">oldest bicycle manufacturer</a> in the U.S. that is still in business today.  Worksman Cycles was founded in 1898 in a neighborhood in Queens, NY, by Morris Worksman, a Russian immigrant to the U.S.  The company specializes in <a href="http://worksmancycles.com/shopsite_sc/store/html/indtrikes.html" target="_blank">industrial tricycles</a>, from the <a href="http://worksmancycles.com/shopsite_sc/store/html/frontload.html" target="_blank">super heavy-duty</a> that can handle hundreds of pounds, to the more <a href="http://worksmancycles.com/shopsite_sc/store/html/page13.html" target="_blank">nimble delivery trikes</a>, as well as regular <a href="http://worksmancycles.com/shopsite_sc/store/html/indbikes.html" target="_blank">bicycles</a> for industrial and <a href="http://worksmancycles.com/shopsite_sc/store/html/recreational.html" target="_blank">recreational use</a>.  Initially, Worksman (Morris) sold bikes out of his shop for a few years, until 1930, when he was approached by an ice cream company called Good Humor Ice Cream, which wanted to set up a bunch of ice cream delivery trikes.  From there, Worksman quickly began to specialized in heavy-duty bicycles that could be used for food vending, factory use, and anything else that required some major moving power.  Today, Worksman makes bikes for a wide range of purposes and businesses around the world.  Check out <a href="http://www.bicycletimesmag.com/content/worksman-cycles" target="_blank">Bicycle Times</a> and <a href="http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=97024808" target="_blank">NPR</a> for some longer features on the history and current state of Worksman Cycles.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.utilitycycling.org/wp-content/uploads/sosinbike2_540.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-4711" title="sosinbike2_540" src="http://www.utilitycycling.org/wp-content/uploads/sosinbike2_540-300x254.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="254" /></a>Wayne Sosin &#8211; President of Worksman. Image Credit: <a href="http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=97024808" target="_blank">Peter Breslow/NPR</a></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Beyond Worksman, I wasn&#8217;t able to find too much other information about the historic use of bicycles for use in factories and other industrial settings.  However, as with much other bicycle-related history, it seems the bicycle went the way of being a novelty or a child&#8217;s item, as the combustion engine took over for modern transportation, although <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freight_bicycle" target="_blank">freight bicycles</a> seem to have long been used in factories.  Nonetheless, there are a number of more modern uses of bicycles in factories, to which we can now turn our attention.  If you have any other historical information on the use of bicycles in factories, I&#8217;d love to hear from you!</p>
<h3>Bicycle Use in Factories</h3>
<p style="text-align: justify;">The bicycle has long been utilized as an efficient tool in factories.  There are three main types of bicycle use in factories, which include the transport of goods in the manufacturing process, mobile repair and support, and <a href="http://stephenbrashear.com/2011/three-days-at-boeing/" target="_blank">general transportation</a> through large facilities.  Bicycles can be used to <a href="http://www.mishalov.com/Bicycle_Industrial.html" target="_blank">transport parts and components</a> from one part of a large factory to another quickly and efficiently.  Additionally, mechanics and repair people can get themselves around the factory and be very mobile and available via bicycle.  Lastly, many factories and industrial settings are large, sprawling areas, and getting from one place to another within the confines of the factory can be quite time consuming on foot, so bicycles can increase the speed with which employees can <a href="http://www.lsureveille.com/news/br-coca-cola-facility-featured-on-national-geographic-documentary-1.2531615" target="_blank">travel around a factory</a>.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.utilitycycling.org/wp-content/uploads/07pg-vertical.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-4719" title="07pg-vertical" src="http://www.utilitycycling.org/wp-content/uploads/07pg-vertical-300x223.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="223" /></a>A cyclist in the Boeing factory building in Everett, WA (the largest building in the world). Image Credit: <a href="http://mediagallery.usatoday.com/Behind-the-scenes-at-the-Boeing-factory/G2062,A8579" target="_blank">USAToday</a></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Although, many companies use golf carts to transport people and goods around factories, there are many additional benefits to using industrial bicycles in factory settings as well.  According to Wayne Sosin of Worksman Cycles:</p>
<blockquote><p>We’ve found on that note that many companies have switched over from  Worksman bikes to trikes as time goes on, because you can literally move  hundreds of pounds safely, and there are no stability issues. That’s  where companies can benefit, because now they’re moving merchandise that  they used to move on a golf cart, which costs five times as much to buy  and ten times as much to maintain, with the added benefit of getting  employees in good shape. So it’s a win-win. It’s just not the easiest  sell to make, because people have not witnessed what tricycles and  bicycles can do. You can envision a lot of people who work in these  plants are middle aged, overweight&#8230;they start riding their tricycle, and the first week it’s very  tiring, and then all of a sudden they realize they’re not as tired  anymore, and then they love it. And maybe that’s going to contribute to  some better overall fitness activity. It’s rewarding when it happens,  but we hear it both ways: “Oh yeah, they make us ride those tricycles  instead of using golf carts,” then you hear, “Oh, I love your tricycles,  it keeps me in great shape.” (Source: <a href="http://www.bicycletimesmag.com/content/worksman-cycles" target="_blank">Bicycle Times</a>).</p></blockquote>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Clearly, industrial bicycles, in addition to being efficient and powerful, are also great ways to maintain the <a href="http://www.utilitycycling.org/2011/01/the-salubrious-commute-how-pedaling-can-save-your-life/" target="_blank">health and wellness</a> of factory employees.  They also help with promoting the idea of being &#8220;green&#8221; or &#8220;eco-friendly&#8221; in factories, as well.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.utilitycycling.org/wp-content/uploads/bike-boeing.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-4718" title="bike-boeing" src="http://www.utilitycycling.org/wp-content/uploads/bike-boeing.jpg" alt="" width="188" height="300" /></a>Image Credit: Andrea Mohin/The New York Times &#8211; <a href="http://www.mishalov.com/Bicycle_Industrial.html" target="_blank">Source</a></p>
<h3 style="text-align: justify;">Common styles of bicycles used in factory work</h3>
<p style="text-align: justify;">There are three main styles of bicycles that are used in factories and other industrial settings, which include tricycles, two-wheel cargo bicycles, and regular two-wheel bicycles.  <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tricycle" target="_blank">Tricycles</a> are bicycles with three wheels that provide better balance and moving power than their two-wheeled counterparts.  Front-loader bicycles, such as the popular <a href="http://www.longjohn.org/" target="_blank">Long John</a>-style bicycle, are also common, as the long wheel base and front-loading cargo area can carry large loads.  Lastly, regular bicycles are also common in factory work, as they provide quick and convenient transportation across large, cavernous factory spaces.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
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		<title>Bicycle Messengers</title>
		<link>http://www.utilitycycling.org/2010/11/bicycle-messengers/</link>
		<comments>http://www.utilitycycling.org/2010/11/bicycle-messengers/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 23 Nov 2010 21:19:40 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Melanie Colavito</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Bike Delivery]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.utilitycycling.org/?p=3697</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[In the last year and a half or so, since we set out to define utility cycling, we have covered a wide breadth of topics from bike services to bike mapping to community building and much, much more. We have been slowly filling in the all of the categories and subcategories that we identified of [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p style="text-align: justify;">In the last year and a half or so, since we set out to <a href="http://www.utilitycycling.org/2009/06/defining-utility-cycling/" target="_blank">define utility cycling</a>, we have covered a wide breadth of topics from <a href="http://www.utilitycycling.org/category/cycling-services/" target="_blank">bike services</a> to <a href="http://www.utilitycycling.org/category/bike-mapping/" target="_blank">bike mapping</a> to <a href="http://www.utilitycycling.org/category/community-building/" target="_blank">community building</a> and much, much more. We have been slowly filling in the all of the categories and subcategories that we identified of <a href="http://www.utilitycycling.org/">utility cycling</a>, along with a wide range of other posts. However, in the category of <a href="http://www.utilitycycling.org/category/bicycle-delivery/" target="_blank">bicycle delivery</a>, we have not yet written anything about bicycle messengers, which is certainly a major gap, as <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bicycle_messenger" target="_blank">bicycle messengers</a> are perhaps one of the most iconic types of utility cyclists on the road. Therefore, today&#8217;s post is dedicated to the bicycle messenger, or bicycle courier, if you prefer. Header photo credit: <a href="http://libcom.org/library/bike-messengers-minor-rebellion" target="_blank">Libcom</a>.</p>
<h3 style="text-align: justify;"><span id="more-3697"></span>The Imagery or Imaginary?</h3>
<p style="text-align: justify;">So what constitutes a bicycle messenger or courier? Is it the bike? The fashion? The attitude? There is certainly a lot of hype and popularity these days for fixed-gear bicycles, <a href="http://www.bikebagshop.com/bike-messenger-bags-e-326.html" target="_blank">bike messenger bags</a>, and other stereotypical bike messenger gear and paraphernalia. In most cities I have traveled to in the U.S. in the last few years, it is a common sight to see lots of flashy <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fixed-gear" target="_blank">fixed-gear bikes</a> with very short handlebars (for navigating in heavy traffic, presumably), <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spoke_card" target="_blank">spoke cards</a>, bright colors, thick chain locks, hipster-clad riders, and other bike messenger-inspired fashion. But I do wonder, how representative is this image of the people who actually make their living as bike messengers?</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.utilitycycling.org/wp-content/uploads/bike-messenger.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-3730" title="bike-messenger" src="http://www.utilitycycling.org/wp-content/uploads/bike-messenger-231x300.jpg" alt="bike-messenger" width="231" height="300" /></a>Image Credit: <a href="http://100milebike.com/2009/12/17-cycling-safety-tips-to-keep-you-alive-as-a-london-push-bike-messenger/" target="_blank">100 Mile Bike Ride</a></p>
<h3>A Brief History of Bicycle Messengers</h3>
<p style="text-align: justify;">To answer that question, I set out to do a little research on the <a href="http://www.messengers.org/resources/history/" target="_blank">history of bicycle messengers</a> in the U.S. First and foremost, it is important to note that bicycle couriers or messengers deliver things, be it a legal document, a package, or just about anything else that can fit in a <a href="http://www.bikebagshop.com/waterproof-bike-messenger-bags-c-352.html" target="_blank">messenger bag</a>. <a href="http://www.utilitycycling.org/2009/08/delivery-and-its-by-bike/" target="_blank">Bicycle delivery</a> is certainly nothing new, as the bicycle has been an important vehicle for delivery ever since its invention. Some of the earliest stories of bicycle messengers are from the 1800&#8242;s, when bicycles were used to <a href="http://www.utilitycycling.org/2009/12/mail-delivery-by-bike/" target="_blank">transport mail</a> and other documents between or within cities for various reasons. There are also some very interesting stories from the late 1800&#8242;s and early 1900&#8242;s about bike messenger <a href="http://www.messengers.org/resources/history/dc-denver.html" target="_blank">relays</a> and <a href="http://www.blackbirdsf.org/courierracing/journaux.html" target="_blank">races</a> to highlight the benefits of using the bicycle for urgent delivery of packages and documents.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.utilitycycling.org/wp-content/uploads/1955pdj.1.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-3717" title="1955pdj.1" src="http://www.utilitycycling.org/wp-content/uploads/1955pdj.1-300x228.jpg" alt="1955pdj.1" width="300" height="228" /></a></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.utilitycycling.org/wp-content/uploads/1960pdj.2.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-3719" title="1960pdj.2" src="http://www.utilitycycling.org/wp-content/uploads/1960pdj.2-300x227.jpg" alt="1960pdj.2" width="300" height="227" /></a></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.utilitycycling.org/wp-content/uploads/1963pdj.6.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-3720" title="1963pdj.6" src="http://www.utilitycycling.org/wp-content/uploads/1963pdj.6-300x218.jpg" alt="1963pdj.6" width="300" height="218" /></a></p>
<p style="text-align: center;">Image Credits: <a href="http://www.blackbirdsf.org/courierracing/journaux.html" target="_blank">BlackBirdSF</a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.messengers.org/resources/history/telegraph.html" target="_blank">Telegraph messengers</a> were also very popular, especially with companies like Western Union, who used messenger boys to deliver cables and other small parts for telegraph service.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.utilitycycling.org/wp-content/uploads/1911-westernunion-childworker.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-3724" title="1911-westernunion-childworker" src="http://www.utilitycycling.org/wp-content/uploads/1911-westernunion-childworker-300x213.jpg" alt="1911-westernunion-childworker" width="300" height="213" /></a>Image Credit: <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:1911-westernunion-childworker.jpg" target="_blank">Wikipedia</a></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Meanwhile, what we might consider the modern bike messenger appeared shortly after World War II in cities like New York and San Francisco. In 1945, the first bicycle delivery service was <a href="http://www.ahalenia.com/sfbma/history.html" target="_blank">founded in San Francisco</a> by Carl Sparks called Sparkies, which later became Aero and then CitySprint. Modern bike messengers quickly became more popular in Canadian and European cities, as well. In the 1960&#8242;s and 70&#8242;s, as general fashion changed, so did the fashion of the bike messenger, and jeans and t-shirts became the norm.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">In the 70&#8242;s, with the advent of punk rock, bike messenger companies became sources of employment for punk rock inspired individuals with mohawks and the like. From there, the bike messenger evolved as a somewhat counter-culture individual, and the rigors of the job required strong-willed, brave, and tenacious individuals. The bike messenger culture in the 80&#8242;s definitely had an air of trouble, with some messengers being generally unruly individuals and causing public discontent and dislike. To some extent, that image lives on &#8211; of a hardcore, punk-rock-inspired, tattooed, pierced bike messenger bravely (or crazily) weaving in and out of traffic bearing important documents &#8211; but it is important to note, that bike messenger culture and community is much more complex and influential than that image alone might suggest.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.utilitycycling.org/wp-content/uploads/species_courier_06_p.gif"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-3725" title="species_courier_06_p" src="http://www.utilitycycling.org/wp-content/uploads/species_courier_06_p-283x300.gif" alt="species_courier_06_p" width="283" height="300" /></a>Image Credit: <a href="http://solonbicycle.com/articles/which-species-of-cyclist-are-you-pg139.htm" target="_blank">SolonBicycle</a></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">In the late 1980&#8242;s and early 90&#8242;s, a strong culture of outreach and collaboration was breeding in the bike messenger community due to the general political atmosphere, economic changes, <a href="http://www.utilitycycling.org/2010/08/political-activism-by-bike/" target="_blank">critical mass</a>, and other events. Official organizations to support bike messengers began to appear in the 90&#8242;s, such as <a href="http://www.messmedia.org/CMWC.html" target="_blank">Cycle Messenger World Championships</a>, the <a href="http://www.messengers.org/ifbma/" target="_blank">International Federation of Bike Messenger Associations</a>, and others. Nowadays, bike messengers have a strong community worldwide, and especially within large, urban centers, and they are definitely an incredibly important type of utility cyclist. Most popular bike messenger cities have strong local organizations, such as the <a href="http://www.ahalenia.com/sfbma/history.html" target="_blank">San Francisco Bike Messenger Association</a>, the <a href="http://nybma.com/news/" target="_blank">New York Bike Messenger Association</a>, and many others, as well.</p>
<h3>Bicycle Messenger Equipment</h3>
<p style="text-align: justify;">So, is it true that bike messengers exclusively ride fixed-gear bikes and carry messenger bags with big chain-link locks? No, not really. The one essential piece of equipment for a bike messenger is obviously a bicycle. Although fixed gear bikes are often the bike of choice for messengers, due in large part to their simplicity and lack of components that could be broken or stolen, other bikes are popular among messengers, as well. This <a href="http://nybma.com/news/faq/#question2" target="_blank">FAQ</a> from the New York Bicycle Messenger Association answers the question of what bike a messenger should used based on the rider&#8217;s personal style and preference. Naturally, this makes sense, as the rider will be spending a significant amount of time on the bike, so getting one that suits the terrain and rider seems natural. In general, it seems that flat handlebars and slick tires are relatively commonplace, and from there, many of the choices on gearing and brake systems vary by rider.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Other common equipment is a <a href="http://www.bikebagshop.com/bike-messenger-bags-e-326.html" target="_blank">bike messenger bag</a>, which is typical a one-strap bag slung over one shoulder and buckled around the torso. Messenger bags are easy to swing around from back to front in order to access the contents of the bag quickly and efficiently. For an interesting brief history on the messenger bag, you can check out <a href="http://www.messengers.org/resources/history/bags.html" target="_blank">messengers.org</a>. Additionally, messengers typically carry a heavy-duty and versatile <a href="http://nybma.com/news/faq/#question3" target="_blank">lock</a> for attached a bike to whatever stationary object is most convenient.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.utilitycycling.org/wp-content/uploads/chrome-berlin-messenger-bag-chest-strap-stock.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-3728" title="chrome-berlin-messenger-bag-chest-strap-stock" src="http://www.utilitycycling.org/wp-content/uploads/chrome-berlin-messenger-bag-chest-strap-stock-300x200.jpg" alt="chrome-berlin-messenger-bag-chest-strap-stock" width="300" height="200" /></a>Image Credit: <a href="http://www.bikebagshop.com/chrome-berlin-pro-bike-messenger-bag-p-1994.html" target="_blank">Bike Bag Shop</a></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">In general, there are a lot of myths and stereotypes associated with bike messengers, as I have shown here. Of course, there is definitely some history and truth behind these images of bike messengers, but it is important to understand where they come from and how much truth there is to them. These images have positive and negative effects, but to a large extent, they can encourage more people to <a href="http://www.utilitycycling.org/2010/06/getting-around-by-bicycle/" target="_blank">get around by bike</a> (be it fixed-gear or otherwise). Bike messengers have had a significant impact on bicycle culture and advocacy, and they are definitely a very important part of utility cycling.</p>
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		<slash:comments>7</slash:comments>
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		<title>Delicious Deliveries: Food via Bicycle</title>
		<link>http://www.utilitycycling.org/2010/08/delicious-deliveries-food-via-bicycle/</link>
		<comments>http://www.utilitycycling.org/2010/08/delicious-deliveries-food-via-bicycle/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 04 Aug 2010 11:10:47 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Stacey Moses</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Bike Delivery]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.utilitycycling.org/?p=3146</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Food delivery by bicycle is a growing trend in progressive urban areas. In cities like Portland, San Diego and New York City, where local restaurants and food culture are an integral aspect of the cityscape, there is a need to seek out methods of delivery that are more efficient than the traditional sedan with a [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Food delivery by bicycle is a growing trend in progressive urban areas.  In cities like Portland, San Diego and New York City, where local restaurants and food culture are an integral aspect of the cityscape, there is a need to seek out methods of <a href="http://www.utilitycycling.org/category/bicycle-delivery/" target="_self">delivery</a> that are more efficient than the traditional sedan with a car top sign, and an open mindedness and an ingenuity to develop and support alternative methods of delivery.  Some restaurants have established their own in-house bike delivery operations, and other eateries have begun outsourcing deliveries to bicycle courier-style delivery services.</p>
<div id="attachment_3151" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="width: 533px"><img class="size-full wp-image-3151" title="pizzabike" src="http://www.utilitycycling.org/wp-content/uploads/pizzabike.jpg" alt="pizzabike" width="523" height="382" /><p class="wp-caption-text">Image Credit: www.bikesd.org</p></div>
<p style="text-align: left;"><span id="more-3146"></span>In San Francisco, <a href="http://blogs.sfweekly.com/foodie/2010/05/rheas_deli_now_does_bike_deliv.php" target="_blank">Rhea„s Deli</a>, known for its pork katsu sandwich, started delivering by bicycle this May.  Rhea„s will deliver anywhere within the Mission District for no extra charge (with a $10 minimum order), and as San Francisco is one of the most densely-populated cities in the United States, food delivery by bicycle makes a lot of sense.  Frank„s Deli is a local favorite in Memphis, Tennessee.  This sandwich joint that is hidden within a convenience store delivers orders on a Worksman Cycles tricycle, equipped with a generously sized cargo unit (added bonus: Frank„s also boasts a nice beer selection).  In NYC, the list of restaurants that utilize bicycles for delivery is long and growing everyday; this method of delivery is so prevalent that the Department of Transportation has mandated that the cyclist wear his or her restaurant„s branded shirt and carry a business identification card while working to ensure that the riders follow the rules of the road when making deliveries.</p>
<div id="attachment_3148" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="width: 479px"><img class="size-full wp-image-3148 " title="Portland-Pedal-Power-at-Little-Green-Grocer2" src="http://www.utilitycycling.org/wp-content/uploads/Portland-Pedal-Power-at-Little-Green-Grocer2.jpg" alt="Portland-Pedal-Power-at-Little-Green-Grocer2" width="469" height="538" /><p class="wp-caption-text">Image Credit: Portland Pedal Power</p></div>
<p style="text-align: left;">In addition to restaurants that have figured out how simple and efficient bicycle delivery can be, businesses such as <a href="http://manivela.tumblr.com/" target="_blank">Manivela Delivery</a> are being created to act as intermediaries between hungry consumers and their favorite local establishments.  Manivela Delivery is San Diego„s first bicycle driven food delivery service, and its mission is to support local independent restaurants and to work towards local economy sustainability, environmental responsibility and bicycle awareness.  Manivela charges the ordering party a $5.00 flat fee plus an additional charge for deliveries outside of a certain distance, and they will happily pick up food from any place that does not offer its own delivery service.  Through a slightly different business model, <a href="http://www.portlandpedalpower.com/" target="_blank">Portland Pedal Power</a> works with local businesses by partnering with clients in central Portland and making their products available to customers via bicycle delivery.  PPP offers e-commerce menus, online payments and several delivery options (regular routes, rush, specialized, on-demand meal delivery).  And, to take full advantage of their two-wheeled delivery vehicles, PPP also offers marketing services such as <a href="http://www.utilitycycling.org/2010/03/bike-advertising/" target="_self">mobile signage</a> and promotional material distribution.</p>
<p>These are just a few examples of operations that see value in sustainability and have integrated bicycle delivery options into their business models to better serve their communities.  Do you have a local favorite that brings you hot savory sustenance via bicycle?  If so, we„d love to hear about it!</p>
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		<slash:comments>7</slash:comments>
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		<title>Mail Delivery by Bike</title>
		<link>http://www.utilitycycling.org/2009/12/mail-delivery-by-bike/</link>
		<comments>http://www.utilitycycling.org/2009/12/mail-delivery-by-bike/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 29 Dec 2009 16:29:07 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Melanie Colavito</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Bike Delivery]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.utilitycycling.org/?p=1786</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Recently, we have witnessed an upswing in parcel delivery by bike, especially as UPS continues to expand their use of bike trailers to deliver packages around the holiday season. In many places, bicycle delivery services and mobile bike businesses are popping up that offer a wide variety of services (you can find information about a [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p style="text-align: justify;">Recently, we have witnessed an upswing in <a href="http://www.utilitycycling.org/2009/11/parcel-delivery-by-bike/" target="_blank">parcel delivery by bike</a>, especially as UPS continues to expand their use of <a href="http://www.biketrailershop.com/catalog/index.php" target="_blank">bike trailers</a> to <a href="http://www.utilitycycling.org/2009/12/ups-bicycle-delivery-again-for-2010/#comment-233" target="_blank">deliver packages</a> around the holiday season. In many places, <a href="http://www.utilitycycling.org/category/bicycle-delivery/" target="_blank">bicycle delivery</a> services and <a href="http://www.utilitycycling.org/2009/09/mobile-bike-businesses/" target="_blank">mobile bike businesses</a> are popping up that offer a wide variety of services (you can find information about a wide assortment of these sorts of businesses at <a href="http://bikeportland.org/" target="_blank">Bike Portland</a> &#8211; from <a href="http://bikeportland.org/2009/12/28/guest-editorial-planting-trees-by-bike/" target="_blank">tree planting by bike</a> to <a href="http://portland.daveknows.org/2009/10/23/the-bicycle-hearse-is-the-low-impact-way-to-be-interred/" target="_blank">bike hearses</a>). However, I noticed that there seems to be a lack of news on bicycle mail delivery, so I decided it was time to find out more about this component of bicycle delivery that we identified when we first set out to <a href="http://www.utilitycycling.org/2009/06/defining-utility-cycling/" target="_blank">define utility cycling</a>. Header Photo Credit: <a href="http://www.pashley.co.uk/products/mailstar.html" target="_blank">Pashley</a>.</p>
<h3>Postal Service &amp; the USPS</h3>
<p style="text-align: justify;">For the purposes of this post, mail delivery refers to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mail" target="_blank">postal service</a>, which is the delivery of written documents and small packages. The exact role and function of a postal service varies by country, and a postal service can be private or public. In most countries, the role of postal services has evolved and changed significantly over time, but in many cases, the postal service is a government entity, while there are often parcel carriers that are privately owned, which may or may not compete with the postal service.<span id="more-1786"></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">In the United States, the <a href="http://www.usps.com/" target="_blank">United States Postal Service</a> (USPS) is the agency responsible for delivering standard mail. USPS is the second largest non-military employer &#8211; behind Wal-Mart &#8211; in the U.S., and it operates the largest civilian vehicle fleet in the world, with approximately 260,000 vehicles (but far fewer bicycles than I would like!). Despite the huge fleet of vehicles &#8211; or maybe because of them &#8211; USPS has a strong history of environmental stewardship. They participate in a number of <a href="http://www.usps.com/green/report/2008/Our_Environment3.html" target="_blank">environmental and sustainability</a> programs, work to minimize the number of vehicle miles traveled throughout the fleet, and utilize alternative fuels. Although, I will argue they could significantly expand their relatively tiny use of bicycles!</p>
<h3>Bicycle Mail Delivery History</h3>
<p style="text-align: justify;">I am going to focus mainly on <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bicycle_mail" target="_blank">bicycle mail</a> delivery history in the U.S., but if anyone has links or resources about bicycle mail delivery history in other countries, please feel free to send them our way. For the most part, early bicycle mail delivery history mirrors bicycle history in general, so it is safe to say bicycle mail became an option for postal workers who delivered by foot or horseback in the late 1800&#8242;s as <a href="http://www.utilitycycling.org/2009/07/a-brief-history-of-commuting/" target="_blank">bicycle use became more common</a> in many places.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">The first instance of bicycle mail delivery in the U.S. is tied closely to the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pullman_Strike" target="_blank">Pullman Strike</a> of 1984, during which there was a major conflict between railroad workers and labor unions that resulted in a nearly half of the traffic being shut down throughout the country. One of the major implications of the strike was the suspension of mail service between many cities. According to <a href="http://www.stampnotes.com/Notes_from_the_Past/pastnote483.htm" target="_blank">Stampnotes</a> and <a href="http://www.messengers.org/resources/history/sf-fresno.html" target="_blank">Messengers.org</a>, in Fresno, California, which was able to receive mail but not send it back out to other cities in California such as San Francisco, a representative from <a href="http://www.hiwheel.com/antique_catalog_reprints/victor_bike.htm" target="_blank">Victor Bicycles</a> suggested that a relay of bicycles between the cities be instituted to carry the mail. Special stamps were quickly created and a mail service created that transported mail and other small items by bike between Fresno and San Francisco.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.utilitycycling.org/wp-content/uploads/us-bike-mail-stamp.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-1795" title="us-bike-mail-stamp" src="http://www.utilitycycling.org/wp-content/uploads/us-bike-mail-stamp-300x193.jpg" alt="us-bike-mail-stamp" width="300" height="193" /></a>Image Source: <a href="http://www.messengers.org/resources/history/sf-fresno.html" target="_blank">Messengers.org</a></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">The distance between Fresno and San Francisco is approximately 200 miles, and the mail was carried between the two cities in relays by different riders who had to cover anywhere between 15 to 60 miles. The cost of the service was $0.25, and some riders also carried other items that needed to be delivered. The last run was made by a single rider &#8211; as the other riders were need to help quell the striking railroad workers &#8211; and he did the ride in 2 days using a fixed gear with a rather tough gear ratio.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.utilitycycling.org/wp-content/uploads/victorcancel.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-1808" title="victorcancel" src="http://www.utilitycycling.org/wp-content/uploads/victorcancel-300x171.jpg" alt="victorcancel" width="300" height="171" /></a>Image Source: <a href="http://www.messengers.org/resources/history/sf-fresno.html" target="_blank">Messengers.org</a></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://www.stampnotes.com/Notes_from_the_Past/pastnote483.htm" target="_blank">Stampnotes</a> also mentions that Australia is also known for its history of bicycle mail delivery. The Coolgardie Cycle Express was created due to the discovery of gold, which resulted in a sudden and booming population in and around <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coolgardie,_Western_Australia" target="_blank">Coolgardie, Australia</a> in the 1890&#8242;s. The Cycle Express was created to help carry messages and mail around the goldfields.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.utilitycycling.org/wp-content/uploads/coolgardiecyclecompanyrarestampshead.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-1827" title="coolgardiecyclecompanyrarestampshead" src="http://www.utilitycycling.org/wp-content/uploads/coolgardiecyclecompanyrarestampshead-300x73.jpg" alt="coolgardiecyclecompanyrarestampshead" width="300" height="73" /></a>Image Source: <a href="http://sites.google.com/site/globalauctionhouse/coolgardiecyclecompanyrarestampshead.jpg" target="_blank">Global Auction House</a></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Bicycle mail services were also operated in South Africa, France, Switzerland, and Italy throughout the first half of the 1900&#8242;s, especially during World War I and II, but by the 1930&#8242;s most countries had replaced <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bicycle_mail" target="_blank">bicycle mail</a> service with automobile mail service.</p>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">Modern Bicycle Mail Services</h3>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Today, bicycle mail services exist somewhat intermittently throughout many countries. In the United States, the USPS delivers mail by bike in only three places &#8211; Sun City, Arizona, St. Petersburg, Florida, and Miami Beach, Florida. <a href="http://www.usps.com/green/report/2008/Our_Environment3.html" target="_blank">According to USPS</a>:</p>
<blockquote style="text-align: justify;">
<p style="text-align: justify;">Sun City, AZ, carriers delivering by bicycle conserve                                 7,800 gallons of gasoline annually compared to Long Life                                 Vehicle delivery and eliminate 25,000 pounds of carbon                                 dioxide emissions. All Sun City carriers with bike routes                                 received new wheels in November of 2007. Sun City, AZ,                                 Postmaster Mark Strong said, Now our red, white and                                 blue fleet of bicycles is delivering green.</p>
</blockquote>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Bicycle mail carriers in the U.S. speak highly of the bicycle mail program, despite the fact that they have to occasionally deliver mail in the rain and elements.</p>
<blockquote style="text-align: justify;">
<p style="text-align: left;">&#8220;Just riding, with the wind blowing, it&#8217;s nice,&#8221; said Jackie Genes, 44, who has worked out of the Open Air Station for 14 years. &#8211; <a href="http://www.sptimes.com/2006/09/17/Neighborhoodtimes/Pedaling_the_post.shtml" target="_blank">St. Petersburg Times</a></p>
</blockquote>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Bicycle mail is relatively commonplace in countries like New Zealand, the UK, <a href="http://www.cyclelicio.us/2010/01/these-couriers-and-their-appointed.html" target="_blank">Germany</a>, <a href="http://www.copenhagenize.com/2009/10/alternative-post.html" target="_blank">Denmark</a>, France, among others. In New Zealand, <a href="http://jobs.nzpost.co.nz/choose-career/postie" target="_blank">the Postie</a> is a common sight delivering mail in their bright yellow and red shirts, and nearly <a href="http://www.examiner.com/x-11314-Philadelphia-Bicycle-Transportation-Examiner~y2009m8d28-Wouldnt-you-like-to-see-this-on-Market-Street" target="_blank">80% of NZ Posties use bicycles</a> for their primary delivery mode.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.utilitycycling.org/wp-content/uploads/NZpostalworker.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-1834" title="NZpostalworker" src="http://www.utilitycycling.org/wp-content/uploads/NZpostalworker-181x300.jpg" alt="NZpostalworker" width="181" height="300" /></a>Image Source: <a href="http://www.examiner.com/x-11314-Philadelphia-Bicycle-Transportation-Examiner~y2009m8d28-Wouldnt-you-like-to-see-this-on-Market-Street" target="_blank">Examiner.com</a></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">In the United Kingdom, the Royal Mail Service has been a common site throughout many cities, delivering mail on <a href="http://www.pashley.co.uk/products/mailstar.html" target="_blank">Pashley Mailstar</a> bikes. Unfortunately, the Royal Mail Service &#8211; in what has been called <a href="http://www.pashley.co.uk/products/mailstar.html" target="_blank">a time-saving effort</a> &#8211; has plans to phase out nearly 25,000 postal bikes in favor of trolleys and other vehicles. However, as <a href="http://www.treehugger.com/files/2009/08/brits-dump-bicycle-mail-delivery.php" target="_blank">Treehugger points out,</a> that means that there will be nearly 25,000 Pashley Mailstars hitting the UK marketplace.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">For the most part, it appears that bicycle mail service is rather uncommon in many places. Fortunately, this means there is a great potential to increase the use of bicycles for delivering mail in many places, which saves money, reduces traffic congestion, increases postal worker health, builds a sense of community, and is generally good for the planet.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">
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		<title>Parcel Delivery By Bike</title>
		<link>http://www.utilitycycling.org/2009/11/parcel-delivery-by-bike/</link>
		<comments>http://www.utilitycycling.org/2009/11/parcel-delivery-by-bike/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 10 Nov 2009 22:13:14 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Melanie Colavito</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Bike Delivery]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.utilitycycling.org/?p=1395</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Streetsblog recently posted a request for photos of bikes at work. The result is an exceptional slide show of bikes and people completing a wide assortment of activities from hauling trash and water to delivering packages to cruising to the beach with a surfboard and much more. The photos are from all around the world, [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://www.streetsblog.org/" target="_blank">Streetsblog</a> recently posted a request for photos of bikes at work. The result is an <a href="http://www.streetsblog.org/2009/10/30/bikes-at-work-where-you-live-part-1/" target="_blank">exceptional slide show</a> of bikes and people completing a wide assortment of activities from hauling trash and water to delivering packages to cruising to the beach with a surfboard and much more. The photos are from all around the world, which indicates the global appeal and utility of using bicycles to accomplish a wide range of tasks.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Utility Cycling sent in a photo (the header photo in this post) from one of our sister sites &#8211; <a href="http://biketrailerblog.com/" target="_blank">Bike Trailer Blog</a> &#8211; of the crew at <a href="http://www.biketrailerblog.com" target="_blank">Bike Trailer Shop</a> picking up trash and recycling for Earth Day in Flagstaff, AZ, in 2008. You can read more about that trash-hauling extravaganza <a href="http://biketrailerblog.com/2008/04/bike-trailer-trash/" target="_blank">here</a>.</p>
<h3 style="text-align: justify;"><span id="more-1395"></span><a href="http://www.utilitycycling.org/wp-content/uploads/bike-trailer-shop-earth-day-garbage-pickup.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-1411" title="bike-trailer-shop-earth-day-garbage-pickup" src="http://www.utilitycycling.org/wp-content/uploads/bike-trailer-shop-earth-day-garbage-pickup-300x178.jpg" alt="bike-trailer-shop-earth-day-garbage-pickup" width="300" height="178" /></a>Bicycle Delivery</h3>
<p style="text-align: justify;">The Streetsblog slide show inspired me to return to the category of <a href="http://www.utilitycycling.org/category/bicycle-delivery/" target="_blank">bicycle delivery</a> for our next post. In our first post at Utility Cycling, we began to <a href="http://www.utilitycycling.org/2009/06/defining-utility-cycling/" target="_blank">define utility cycling</a> and all of the different categories of utility cycling practice. Naturally, <a href="http://www.utilitycycling.org/2009/08/delivery-and-its-by-bike/" target="_blank">bicycle delivery</a> is one of the most important categories of utility cycling. Bicycle delivery encompasses a wide range of activities, but most simply, it means using a bicycle to deliver a good. For the most part, bicycle delivery is a wide-open category, and there is <a href="http://biketrailerblog.com/2007/02/deliver-anything-by-bike-trailer/" target="_blank">a ton of potential</a> for bicycle delivery activities.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">The wide range of activities that can be done in the bicycle delivery category are mainly dictated by the types of goods being delivered. Bicycle deliveries can range from important paperwork to small-medium sized parcels to take-out or pizza to large parcels and even furniture. The potential for bicycle delivery is mediated by the equipment being used for the delivery. Paperwork and small packages may only require the delivery person to use a bag, while on the other hand, large parcels might require a <a href="http://www.biketrailershop.com/catalog/bike-cargo-trailers-c-44.html" target="_blank">bicycle cargo trailer</a> and furniture or large cargo might require a freight bicycle or heavy duty trailer.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://www.utilitycycling.org/wp-content/uploads/xtra_delivery.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-1412" title="xtra_delivery" src="http://www.utilitycycling.org/wp-content/uploads/xtra_delivery-300x260.jpg" alt="xtra_delivery" width="300" height="260" /></a></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">This brings me to the subcategory of bicycle delivery &#8211; parcel delivery. Parcel delivery, as I am conceptualizing it, mainly refers to delivering small to medium-sized packages by bicycle. For the most part, this type of delivery is done by small courier businesses, which generally operate within a specific geographic area (usually a city and perhaps somewhat beyond). There are businesses like these all over the world, from <a href="http://www.velocitycouriers.ie/" target="_blank">Dublin, Ireland,</a> to <a href="http://www.cascadecouriers.com/" target="_blank">Bend, Oregon</a>, and many places in between. It is quite uncommon, in the U.S., anyways, to hear of a large corporate delivery company using bicycles to make deliveries. That is, until last year, when UPS started doing exactly that.</p>
<h3>UPS Bike Delivery</h3>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Bicycle delivery is an important form of commercial cycling (i.e. making money by bicycle), which you can learn more about in the book <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Cycling-Profit-Make-Living-Resources/dp/1892495120/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;s=books&amp;qid=1257874821&amp;sr=8-1" target="_blank">Cycling for a Profit: How to Make a Living With Your Bike</a> by <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Cycling-Profit-Make-Living-Resources/dp/1892495120/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;s=books&amp;qid=1257874821&amp;sr=8-1" target="_blank">Jim Gregory</a>. When I tend to think of commercial cycling, I tend to think of small businesses and start-up companies. However, my assumptions have been proven wrong &#8211; to some degree &#8211; by the <a href="http://www.ups.com/" target="_blank">United Parcel Service (UPS)</a>.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">In what was largely characterized as a <a href="http://www.katu.com/news/business/35099689.html" target="_blank">money-saving move</a>, last winter, UPS <a href="http://bikeportland.org/2008/11/14/ups-gears-up-for-holidays-with-bike-delivery/" target="_blank">added a fleet of cyclists</a> throughout Oregon and southwest Washington to deliver small parcels and goods by bike. This video from <a href="http://pacificpedaling.com/" target="_blank">Pacific Pedaling</a> shares the story from one UPS rider&#8217;s perspective.</p>
<p><object classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" width="560" height="340" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always" /><param name="src" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/l3RzshYYefc&amp;hl=en&amp;fs=1&amp;" /><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true" /><embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="560" height="340" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/l3RzshYYefc&amp;hl=en&amp;fs=1&amp;" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">UPS purchased a fleet of bicycles, trailers, and safety gear and sent a handful of riders on their merry way to deliver packages. Many riders managed to deliver quite a few more packages than the <a href="http://www.greendaily.com/2008/12/15/ups-will-haul-holiday-packages-by-bike/" target="_blank">25-50 packages per day</a> they were expected to be able to deliver. Despite the fact that UPS trucks can deliver nearly 150 packages per day, UPS <a href="http://gas2.org/2008/12/11/ups-drivers-using-bikes-to-deliver-packages-this-christmas-i-seen-it-wit-me-own-two-eyes/" target="_blank">estimates that the cost savings</a> is somewhere in the realm of <a href="http://bikehacks.com/ups-delivers-by-bicycle-in-the-northwest/" target="_blank">$38,000 in fuel and repair costs</a> for every three cyclists. And the response from people receiving the packages was overwhelmingly positive.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Interestingly enough, UPS has its <a href="http://www.bikejax.org/2008/11/ups-back-to-its-roots-this-holiday.html" target="_blank">roots in cycling</a>. The company was <a href="http://www.ups.com/content/corp/about/history/1929.html" target="_blank">originally founded by some commercial cyclists</a> in 1907, and many of the initial deliveries were made by foot or bicycle. Nowadays, UPS can generally be spotted by the big, brown trailers that cruise around town, but in some ways, the holiday bicycle delivery is coming full circle. I sure hope to hear about UPS doing this again in 2009 and not just for the holidays. It sounds like the savings incurred by the company were substantial, so why not do it more throughout the year? I would imagine that with a little organization and foresight, a strategic model could be put into place for UPS and other large delivery companies such as FedEx, DHL, and others to use bicycles.</p>
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		<title>Delivery &#8211; And It&#8217;s By Bike!</title>
		<link>http://www.utilitycycling.org/2009/08/delivery-and-its-by-bike/</link>
		<comments>http://www.utilitycycling.org/2009/08/delivery-and-its-by-bike/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 04 Aug 2009 16:48:57 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Melanie Colavito</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Bike Delivery]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.utilitycycling.org/?p=425</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[In our first post, we identified the category of delivery as a major component of utility cycling. In terms of bicycle deliveries, these subcategories initially came to our attention: Couriers/ Messengers: Many cycling enthusiasts are somewhat enthralled with the elusive bicycle messenger, who zips through traffic bearing important documents, photos, objects, and anything else that [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p style="text-align: justify;">In our <a href="http://www.utilitycycling.org/2009/06/defining-utility-cycling/" target="_blank">first post</a>, we identified the category of delivery as a major component of utility cycling. In terms of bicycle deliveries, these subcategories initially came to our attention:</p>
<ul style="text-align: justify;">
<li><em><a href="http://www.utilitycycling.org/2010/11/bicycle-messengers/" target="_blank">Couriers/ Messengers</a>:</em> Many cycling enthusiasts are somewhat enthralled with the elusive <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bicycle_messenger" target="_blank">bicycle messenger</a>, who zips through traffic bearing important documents, photos, objects, and anything else that cannot be sent digitally. Bicycle messengers are iconic symbols of bicycling culture in many places, but also play a very important role for many businesses. Bicycle couriers can also be seen carting <a href="http://www.biketrailershop.com/catalog/compare.php" target="_blank">bike trailers</a> or riding <a href="http://biketrailerblog.com/category/long-tail-bicycles/" target="_blank">long-tail bikes</a> full of various goods from recycling to packages.</li>
<li><em><a href="http://www.utilitycycling.org/2010/08/delicious-deliveries-food-via-bicycle/" target="_blank">Food/ Pizza Delivery</a>: </em>Bicycles are a great way to deliver food or set up mobile eateries, especially in crowded urban environments, where car deliveries can be time consuming, expensive, or infeasible.</li>
<li><em><a href="http://www.utilitycycling.org/2009/12/mail-delivery-by-bike/" target="_blank">Mail Delivery</a>: </em>Although not as common as it used to be, delivering mail by bicycle can be efficient in places where a mail truck can&#8217;t easily find parking or pull up next to buildings.</li>
<li><em><a href="http://www.utilitycycling.org/2009/11/parcel-delivery-by-bike/" target="_blank">Parcel Delivery</a>:</em> Though this may be a less obvious (or perhaps more remarkable) category of utility cycling, it is important to note that the bicycle is a great way to deliver <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l3RzshYYefc" target="_blank">mail and packages</a>.</li>
<li><em>Freight Delivery:</em> Believe it or not, you can even use a bicycle to <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fq3oSyvXLiY" target="_blank">move an entire household</a>. This sort of operation would likely be much easier with <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freight_bicycle" target="_blank">freight bicycles</a>, however</li>
<li><em><a href="http://www.utilitycycling.org/2011/06/factory-and-parts-delivery-by-bike/" target="_blank">Factory/ Parts Delivery</a>:</em> Bicycles can be used to transport parts within large industrial or commercial environments such as factories, where they are useful as are often safer than motorized delivery methods, or even within large resorts and hotels, where they can be used to transport dirty dishes and linens to central cleaning areas.</li>
</ul>
<p><span id="more-425"></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Bicycle delivery is one of the <a href="http://cargocycling.org/" target="_blank">richest categories of utility cycling</a>, and there are <a href="http://www.rideyourbike.com/cargo.html" target="_blank">loads of different aspects</a> of bicycle delivery about which we plan to write. But before we do so, we want to look at the category of bicycle delivery broadly. Specifically, we want to look at some of the benefits of bicycle delivery, the history of bicycle delivery, the practice of bicycle delivery today, and the future of bicycle delivery.</p>
<h3 style="text-align: justify;">Bicycle Delivery Benefits</h3>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Bicycle delivery is a <a href="http://www.streetsblog.org/2006/10/03/danish-bike-cargo/" target="_blank">much more commonplace method of delivery than many people think</a>. However, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_powered_vehicle" target="_blank">human-powered</a> methods of delivery &#8211; like bicycle delivery &#8211; are much more common in the developing world, than they are in the developed world, where motorized delivery is more common. However, bicycle delivery is <a href="http://www.bikesatwork.com/hauling-cargo-by-bike/" target="_blank">often underestimated</a>, and it has a number of important advantages over motorized delivery. First, in urban environments, bicycle delivery reduces congestion by removing the number of cargo trucks or vans on city streets, and it also opens up parking spaces. Second, bicycle delivery reduces air pollution and other negative environmental impacts associated with the operation of motorized vehicles. Third, bicycle delivery is significantly cheaper than operating a fleet of motorized vehicles, both in terms of vehicle maintenance costs and fuel costs. Forth, bicycle delivery doesn&#8217;t have to be limited to delivering goods, it can also be a great way to <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dKF8-RyQn94" target="_blank">deliver the kids to school, for example</a>.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">However, there are some limitations to bicycle delivery, as well. First, the range (ie. the distance that can be covered in a reasonable amount of time) of a human-powered vehicle &#8211; like a bicycle &#8211; is obviously much shorter than that of a motorized vehicle. Second, bicycles don&#8217;t have a motor (other than the one provided by the rider&#8217;s body), so they are significantly less powerful than motorized vehicles, which means that they can&#8217;t go as far or as fast or as long. Nor can they carry as large a load as a motorized vehicle. Nonetheless, in many cases, delivery bicycles may be more effective than motorized vehicles. And indeed, the most sustainable form of delivery could efficiently couple motorized and non-motorized methods to optimize the practice of delivery.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a rel="lightbox" href="http://www.utilitycycling.org/wp-content/uploads/Human-powered-move.jpg"><img class="left aligncenter" title="Human-powered-move" src="http://www.utilitycycling.org/wp-content/uploads/Human-powered-move-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a></p>
<h3 style="text-align: justify;">The History of Bicycle Delivery</h3>
<p style="text-align: justify;">I would like to do more in-depth research into the history of cargo bikes, as I have been disappointed with the lack of resources on the Internet. I did find some useful time-lines about <a href="http://www.messengers.org/resources/history/cargo.html" target="_blank">cargo bikes</a> and <a href="http://www.longjohn.org/rahmen/rahmen_en.html" target="_blank">Long Johns</a>, and if you have more info, please let me know about it! However, for now, suffice it to say that bicycle delivery has long been a useful practice for a wide variety of delivery purposes. Cargo bikes were more common than automobiles on many streets throughout Europe and the United States in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, and they were used to make deliveries of varying sorts. But with the introduction of the automobile, bicycle delivery &#8211; much like the bicycle itself &#8211; was mostly phased out, at least in most industrialized countries. In the more economically developed world today, the most common form of bicycle delivery is probably that done by bicycle messengers who often ride traditional two-wheeled bikes with <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fixed-gear_bicycle" target="_blank">fixed gear hubs</a> instead of three-wheeled tricycles or long-frame cargo bikes. However, in the developing world, bicycles are used for a wide variety of purposes from hauling loads to serving as pedicabs and much more.</p>
<h3 style="text-align: justify;">The Practice of Bicycle Delivery</h3>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Today, the practice of bicycle delivery varies significantly by place and is often dictated by the cultural practices of that place. For example, bicycle messengers are common in large cities like New York City, Boston, or San Francisco in the United States, where they also have a strong cultural presence, but they are rare in rural areas, suburbs, and most small to mid-size cities. In Europe, cities such as <a href="http://www.copenhagenize.com/2009/06/culture-of-fear-and-very-important.html" target="_blank">Copenhagen</a> and <a href="http://amsterdamize.com/" target="_blank">Amsterdam</a> have very strong cycling cultures, where bicycle delivery, cargo bikes, and work bikes are the norm. Meanwhile, in other cities, entrepreneurs have created bicycle courier services for local deliveries of items from groceries to recycling to parcels.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">In the developing world, where bicycle delivery is much more commonplace, organizations like <a href="http://www.worldbike.org/" target="_blank">WorldBike</a> are working to design and introduce more suitable bikes that can be used to haul goods and people more efficiently. Despite the fact that bicycles are often the lifeblood of many people in poor countries, the bicycles that are available are often bikes designed for recreation, not work, hence the <a href="http://www.worldbike.org/about-us" target="_blank">mission of WorldBike</a> and <a href="http://yubaride.com/sustainable-mobility.html" target="_blank">other organizations</a> is to bring more suitable delivery bicycles to poor countries.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a rel="lightbox" href="http://www.utilitycycling.org/wp-content/uploads/ambulance-bike-trailer.jpg"><img class="left aligncenter" title="ambulance-bike-trailer" src="http://www.utilitycycling.org/wp-content/uploads/ambulance-bike-trailer-300x197.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /></a></p>
<h3 style="text-align: justify;">The Future of Bicycle Delivery</h3>
<p style="text-align: justify;">There is a lot of potential for bicycle delivery to burgeon into a sustainable and lucrative practice throughout the entire world in the next century as concerns about the environment, the economy, and more start to change the way people view and practice transportation. Bicycle delivery should not be a practice limited to poor countries, as there is plenty of opportunity for it to be extremely useful in the world&#8217;s richer countries as well. Cargo bikes are certainly becoming more popular as of late, and I recommend that you check out <a href="http://bikehugger.com/2008/11/cargo-bikes-and-stone-tablets.html" target="_blank">this post from Bike Hugger</a> to learn more about the different kinds of cargo bikes.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">In future bicycle delivery posts, we plan to look at each of the different sub-categories we have identified above in-depth. If you would like to suggest more subcategories or have suggestions about post ideas, we gladly welcome your comments.</p>
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