It’s not a secret, we love electric bikes and how versatile their use can be. In Montreal they have been using electric cargo bikes complete the last mile of a truck trip to deliver packages in the downtown core.
In 2019, Montreal launched an eco-friendly urban delivery pilot project called Colibri. The project aims to reduce the impact of deliveries on the core of the city by replacing trips that are usually done by truck by e-cargo bikes.
Trucks from partnering companies (including Purolator) drop off the packages at the old central bus station shortening their trips and reducing the amount of kilometres they travel as well as their presence in smaller city streets. The trucks using the station as a depot were already circulating in this area therefore not bringing extra traffic to it. The electric cargo bikes then pick up the packages and drop them off at their final destination.
After operating from the old bus station in the downtown core of Montreal for two years, the project is expanding to two more zones in 2021. It has been a huge success, delivering over 5,000 packages a week.
More details on the project (in French) and the expansion (in French).