{"id":54085,"date":"2024-12-17T11:00:03","date_gmt":"2024-12-17T11:00:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pantheregroup.com\/2024\/12\/17\/e-bikes-and-cargo-vans-create-traffic-headaches-and-opportunities\/"},"modified":"2024-12-17T11:00:03","modified_gmt":"2024-12-17T11:00:03","slug":"e-bikes-and-cargo-vans-create-traffic-headaches-and-opportunities","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pantheregroup.com\/2024\/12\/17\/e-bikes-and-cargo-vans-create-traffic-headaches-and-opportunities\/","title":{"rendered":"E-bikes and cargo vans create traffic headaches and opportunities"},"content":{"rendered":"<div style=\"text-align:center\"><\/div><p> \n<\/p>\n<div id=\"\">\n<header aria-label=\"Beginning of Article\" class=\"article-header article-header--feature\">\n<nav aria-label=\"Breadcrumb\" class=\"breadcrumbs\" data-aqa=\"nav-breadcrumb\">\n<p>Breadcrumb Trail Links<\/p>\n<ol class=\"breadcrumbs__items list-unstyled\">\n<li class=\"breadcrumbs__item\">Economy<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/nav>\n<div class=\"article-header__detail\">\n<div class=\"article-header__detail__texts\">\n<p class=\"article-subtitle\">It&#8217;s a revolution that has changed not only the ways we shop and work, but also the fabric of our cities and communities<\/p>\n<div class=\"article-meta\">\n<p><span class=\"published-date__since\">Published Dec 17, 2024<\/span> \u00a0\u2022\u00a0 <span class=\"updated-date__since\">Last updated 5\u00a0hours ago<\/span> \u00a0\u2022\u00a0 <span class=\"published-date__word-count\">10 minute read<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"article-meta__bottom\">\n<div class=\"bookmark-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"popover\" data-aqa=\"popover\" data-click-to-appear=\"True\" data-container=\"\" data-container-offset=\"\" data-no-style=\"\" data-popover-component=\"\" data-position=\"top\" data-sticky=\"\" data-tail-offset=\"200\" data-tail-position=\"right\"><button class=\"popover__trigger bookmark-button\"><span class=\"save-article-button save-article-button--default\" title=\"Save article\" data-article-id=\"ff2f65cf-cae1-4602-9469-f2714be1c2a8\" data-evt-skip-click=\"true\"\/><\/button><\/p>\n<div aria-describedby=\"popover-desc-popover-bookmark\" class=\"popover__content\" hidden=\"\" role=\"dialog\">\n<div class=\"popover__content__wrapper\">\n<div class=\"popover__content__text\" id=\"popover-desc-popover-bookmark\">\n<div class=\"bookmark__popover__content\">\n<p>You can save this article by registering for free here. Or sign-in if you have an account.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><button class=\"popover__content__close\" data-evt-skip-click=\"true\" title=\"Close\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\" viewbox=\"0 0 12 12\" class=\"icon--close\" height=\"12\" version=\"1.1\" width=\"12\"><polygon points=\"12 0.95 11.05 0 6 5.05 0.95 0 0 0.95 5.05 6 0 11.05 0.95 12 6 6.95 11.05 12 12 11.05 6.95 6\"\/><\/svg><\/button><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<figure class=\"featured-image\" data-aqa=\"featured-image\"><picture class=\"featured-image__ratio\"><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><figcaption class=\"featured-image__caption image-caption\"><span class=\"caption\">Delivering parcels<\/span> <span class=\"credit\">Photo by Getty Images<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/header>\n<section class=\"article-content__content-group article-content__content-group--feature\">\n<h2 class=\"visually-hidden\">Article content<\/h2>\n<p data-async=\"\">One overcast morning in November, Waleed Essa shook off a head cold and headed to an Amazon.com Inc. warehouse outside Toronto where part of his fleet of vans was gearing up for a day of deliveries.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<section class=\"article-content__content-group article-content__content-group--feature\">\n<p>Article content<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<section class=\"article-content__content-group article-content__content-group--feature\">\n<p>Article content<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis is actually kind of light,\u201d Essa said while eyeing the workers load the packages into one van. \u201cWhat I mean by that is as we get closer to true peak (shopping) season, you\u2019ll actually start to see more boxes \u2026 and they tend to be larger than your basic envelope.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<div class=\"ad__section-border article-content__ad-group ad_counter_2\">\n<section aria-describedby=\"advertisment5662684179114025029509245254500352\" class=\"ad\">\n<p>Advertisement 2<\/p>\n<div class=\"ad__container\">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\" id=\"ad__inner-2\">\n<div class=\"ad__inner__container\" data-ad=\"[[6,6],[1200,250],[1200,90],[970,90],[970,250],[728,90],[300,250]]\" data-ad-interscroller=\"6x6\" data-ad-loc=\"2\" data-ad-mobile=\"[[6,6],[320,50],[300,50],[300,250],[300,600]]\" data-aqa=\"advertisement\" id=\"ad-2\" style=\"--desktopHeight:250px;--mobileHeight:600px\">\n<div aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"ad__placeholder\">\n<p>This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-block article-block-bg article-content__sign-in-group hidden\" data-aqa=\"identity-sign-in\" data-async=\"\" id=\"article-block\">\n<section class=\"row\">\n<header class=\"identity-intro col-xs-12 col-md-6 flex-justify-center\">\n<div class=\"col-xs-12 col-sm-10 col-md-10\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/ywAAAAAAQABAAACAUwAOw==\" fifu-lazy=\"1\" fifu-data-sizes=\"auto\" fifu-data-srcset=\"https:\/\/dcs-static.gprod.postmedia.digital\/17.6.2\/websites\/images\/identity\/logo-identity-fp.svg 75w, https:\/\/dcs-static.gprod.postmedia.digital\/17.6.2\/websites\/images\/identity\/logo-identity-fp.svg 100w, https:\/\/dcs-static.gprod.postmedia.digital\/17.6.2\/websites\/images\/identity\/logo-identity-fp.svg 150w, https:\/\/dcs-static.gprod.postmedia.digital\/17.6.2\/websites\/images\/identity\/logo-identity-fp.svg 240w, https:\/\/dcs-static.gprod.postmedia.digital\/17.6.2\/websites\/images\/identity\/logo-identity-fp.svg 320w, https:\/\/dcs-static.gprod.postmedia.digital\/17.6.2\/websites\/images\/identity\/logo-identity-fp.svg 500w, https:\/\/dcs-static.gprod.postmedia.digital\/17.6.2\/websites\/images\/identity\/logo-identity-fp.svg 640w, https:\/\/dcs-static.gprod.postmedia.digital\/17.6.2\/websites\/images\/identity\/logo-identity-fp.svg 800w, https:\/\/dcs-static.gprod.postmedia.digital\/17.6.2\/websites\/images\/identity\/logo-identity-fp.svg 1024w, https:\/\/dcs-static.gprod.postmedia.digital\/17.6.2\/websites\/images\/identity\/logo-identity-fp.svg 1280w, https:\/\/dcs-static.gprod.postmedia.digital\/17.6.2\/websites\/images\/identity\/logo-identity-fp.svg 1600w\" alt=\"Financial Post\" class=\"market-logo\" height=\"37\" loading=\"lazy\" fifu-data-src=\"https:\/\/dcs-static.gprod.postmedia.digital\/17.6.2\/websites\/images\/identity\/logo-identity-fp.svg\" width=\"280\"\/><\/p>\n<div class=\"intro-body__premium hidden\">\n<p>THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY<\/p>\n<p class=\"identity-intro__description\">Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.<\/p>\n<ul class=\"list-unstyled list-checkmark\">\n<li>Exclusive articles from Barbara Shecter, Joe O&#8217;Connor, Gabriel Friedman, and others.<\/li>\n<li>Daily content from Financial Times, the world&#8217;s leading global business publication.<\/li>\n<li>Unlimited online access to read articles from Financial Post, National Post and 15 news sites across Canada with one account.<\/li>\n<li>National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.<\/li>\n<li>Daily puzzles, including the New York Times Crossword.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"intro-body__register hidden\">\n<p>SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES<\/p>\n<p class=\"identity-intro__description\">Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.<\/p>\n<ul class=\"list-unstyled list-checkmark\">\n<li>Exclusive articles from Barbara Shecter, Joe O&#8217;Connor, Gabriel Friedman and others.<\/li>\n<li>Daily content from Financial Times, the world&#8217;s leading global business publication.<\/li>\n<li>Unlimited online access to read articles from Financial Post, National Post and 15 news sites across Canada with one account.<\/li>\n<li>National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.<\/li>\n<li>Daily puzzles, including the New York Times Crossword.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"intro-body__anonymous\">\n<p>REGISTER \/ SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES<\/p>\n<p class=\"identity-intro__description\">Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.<\/p>\n<ul class=\"list-unstyled list-checkmark\">\n<li>Access articles from across Canada with one account.<\/li>\n<li>Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments.<\/li>\n<li>Enjoy additional articles per month.<\/li>\n<li>Get email updates from your favourite authors.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"intro-body__registration_only hidden\">\n<p>THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK.<\/p>\n<p class=\"identity-intro__description\">Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.<\/p>\n<ul class=\"list-unstyled list-checkmark\">\n<li>Access articles from across Canada with one account<\/li>\n<li>Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments<\/li>\n<li>Enjoy additional articles per month<\/li>\n<li>Get email updates from your favourite authors<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"identity-screen m-x-0 p-x-0 col-xs-12 col-md-6 flex-justify-center flex-align-center\" aria-live=\"assertive\">\n<section class=\"sail\" data-account-id=\"b9d3df2fccd108b5eff3c44f573b2cd6\" data-sailthru-personalization-engine=\"\" data-sailthru-personalization-engine-component=\"\"\/>\n<div class=\"m-x-0 p-x-0 col-xs-12 col-sm-6 col-md-12 flex-align-justify-center\" data-auth-component=\"\" id=\"auth-screen-form\">\n<div class=\"identity-screen-form--active w-full flex-align-justify-center\">\n<div class=\"identity-screen-form identity-screen__content w-full\">\n<h2 class=\"blocker-title\">Sign In or Create an Account<\/h2>\n<p><span class=\"identity-divider__line\"\/><span class=\"identity-divider__text\">or<\/span><span class=\"identity-divider__line\"\/><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<footer class=\"identity-footer identity-screen__content m-x-0 p-x-0 col-sm-6 col-md-12\"\/><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<section class=\"article-content__content-group article-content__content-group--feature\">\n<p>Article content<\/p>\n<p>The warehouse operates on a schedule that appears separate from the rest of the work world. Long after the evening commute, when most people are home, trucks arrive with packages that workers then spend hours sorting.<\/p>\n<p>The next morning, before rush hour begins, some of the packages are loaded into the vans using a last-in, first-out system, with the ones slated for earliest delivery being the easiest for drivers to reach. After rush hour has waned, a second wave of packages is loaded into the vans for the next delivery cycle, which starts mid-morning.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<section class=\"article-content__content-group article-content__content-group--feature\">\n<p>Article content<\/p>\n<figure class=\"embedded-image article-content--full_page\" data-aqa=\"embed-image\"><picture class=\"embedded-image__ratio\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/ywAAAAAAQABAAACAUwAOw==\" fifu-lazy=\"1\" fifu-data-sizes=\"auto\" fifu-data-srcset=\"https:\/\/i3.wp.com\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/amazon-parcels-gs01213.jpg?location=full_page&quality=5&strip=all&w=100&sig=TSR8y7IaKjW8pq9dR9sWrg&ssl=1&w=75&resize=75&ssl=1 75w, https:\/\/i3.wp.com\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/amazon-parcels-gs01213.jpg?location=full_page&quality=5&strip=all&w=100&sig=TSR8y7IaKjW8pq9dR9sWrg&ssl=1&w=100&resize=100&ssl=1 100w, https:\/\/i3.wp.com\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/amazon-parcels-gs01213.jpg?location=full_page&quality=5&strip=all&w=100&sig=TSR8y7IaKjW8pq9dR9sWrg&ssl=1&w=150&resize=150&ssl=1 150w, https:\/\/i3.wp.com\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/amazon-parcels-gs01213.jpg?location=full_page&quality=5&strip=all&w=100&sig=TSR8y7IaKjW8pq9dR9sWrg&ssl=1&w=240&resize=240&ssl=1 240w, https:\/\/i3.wp.com\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/amazon-parcels-gs01213.jpg?location=full_page&quality=5&strip=all&w=100&sig=TSR8y7IaKjW8pq9dR9sWrg&ssl=1&w=320&resize=320&ssl=1 320w, https:\/\/i3.wp.com\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/amazon-parcels-gs01213.jpg?location=full_page&quality=5&strip=all&w=100&sig=TSR8y7IaKjW8pq9dR9sWrg&ssl=1&w=500&resize=500&ssl=1 500w, https:\/\/i3.wp.com\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/amazon-parcels-gs01213.jpg?location=full_page&quality=5&strip=all&w=100&sig=TSR8y7IaKjW8pq9dR9sWrg&ssl=1&w=640&resize=640&ssl=1 640w, https:\/\/i3.wp.com\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/amazon-parcels-gs01213.jpg?location=full_page&quality=5&strip=all&w=100&sig=TSR8y7IaKjW8pq9dR9sWrg&ssl=1&w=800&resize=800&ssl=1 800w, https:\/\/i3.wp.com\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/amazon-parcels-gs01213.jpg?location=full_page&quality=5&strip=all&w=100&sig=TSR8y7IaKjW8pq9dR9sWrg&ssl=1&w=1024&resize=1024&ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i3.wp.com\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/amazon-parcels-gs01213.jpg?location=full_page&quality=5&strip=all&w=100&sig=TSR8y7IaKjW8pq9dR9sWrg&ssl=1&w=1280&resize=1280&ssl=1 1280w, https:\/\/i3.wp.com\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/amazon-parcels-gs01213.jpg?location=full_page&quality=5&strip=all&w=100&sig=TSR8y7IaKjW8pq9dR9sWrg&ssl=1&w=1600&resize=1600&ssl=1 1600w\" alt=\"Amazon parcels on a conveyor belt\" class=\"embedded-image__image lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/amazon-parcels-gs01213.jpg?location=full_page&quality=90&strip=all&w=375&sig=KFOItNk9kzQrwdtGK6_deQ\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/amazon-parcels-gs01213.jpg?location=full_page&quality=90&strip=all&w=375&sig=KFOItNk9kzQrwdtGK6_deQ,\n                https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/amazon-parcels-gs01213.jpg?location=full_page&quality=90&strip=all&w=750&sig=tenStZxsHX8UZ-bOJgtc5w 2x\" fifu-data-src=\"https:\/\/i3.wp.com\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/amazon-parcels-gs01213.jpg?location=full_page&quality=5&strip=all&w=100&sig=TSR8y7IaKjW8pq9dR9sWrg&ssl=1\" height=\"1350\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"2000\"\/><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><figcaption class=\"image-caption\"><span class=\"caption\">Amazon.com Inc parcels move down a conveyor belt. Much of the growth in the parcel delivery business is tied to this company<\/span> <span class=\"credit\">Photo by INA FASSBENDER\/AFP via Getty Images<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p data-async=\"\">Essa\u2019s company, Burlington, Ont.-based Flite Transport Inc., is one of dozens that have sprouted up to serve an e-commerce industry projected to account for 11.9 per cent of all retail sales in Canada this year, more than $112 billion in total, according to researcher eMarketer.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s a revolution that has changed not only the ways we shop and work, but also the fabric of our cities and communities, where thousands of delivery vehicles now jockey for space on already crowded streets.<\/p>\n<p>Essa estimated that Flite Transport, which he founded in 2021 after spending years in the logistics industry, <span>is likely to have more than 90 vans on the road during the peak of holiday shopping, up from five when he started the business, and much of that growth has been tied to one company: Amazon.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/section>\n<div class=\"ad__section-border article-content__ad-group ad_counter_3\">\n<section aria-describedby=\"advertisment1247852470321584167303916344573952\" class=\"ad\">\n<p>Advertisement 3<\/p>\n<div class=\"ad__container\">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\" id=\"ad__inner-3\">\n<div class=\"ad__inner__container\" data-ad=\"[[7,7],[1200,250],[1200,90],[970,90],[970,250],[728,90],[300,250]]\" data-ad-interscroller=\"7x7\" data-ad-loc=\"3\" data-ad-mobile=\"[[7,7],[300,250],[320,50],[300,50]]\" data-aqa=\"advertisement\" id=\"ad-3\" style=\"--desktopHeight:250px;--mobileHeight:250px\">\n<div aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"ad__placeholder\">\n<p>This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<section class=\"article-content__content-group article-content__content-group--feature\">\n<p>Article content<\/p>\n<p><iframe src=\"https:\/\/playlist.megaphone.fm?e=POME4568128491\" style=\"--height: 200px;\" frameborder=\"0\" height=\"200\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe leverage rentals quite a bit,\u201d he said, \u201cand the reason for that is there are peaks and valleys to our business.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>As year-end approaches, Flite Transport may double the amount of vans it sends out every day to meet the shopping rush, but things soon settle down and by February, people start worrying about their credit card spending and start thinking about how to \u201cpay that sucker down,\u201d Essa said with a laugh.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s funny; everyone thinks, \u2018Oh, I can just get a van and start delivering,\u2019\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"article-content--column\">\n<p>It\u2019s funny; everyone thinks, \u2018Oh, I can just get a van and start delivering&#8217;<\/p>\n<p>Waleed Essa, founder of Flite Transport<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>But it\u2019s not that easy, he said, because if you want to meet the standards of the industry \u2014 tracking packages, having reliable delivery times, placing packages in specific spots, being consistent through every type of weather and being affordable \u2014 there\u2019s a lot of software needed.<\/p>\n<p>At Amazon, Essa said, an algorithm helps inform the whole process, from the sorting of boxes and the sequence of the delivery route to where the driver should park and how many packages should be delivered at each stop.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThey take constant data on a daily basis: every stop, every route, every experience,\u201d he said. \u201cWhen we do deliveries to businesses, (they tell us) here are the patterns that we see. They take all that information to create open, constant feedback mechanisms.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<div class=\"ad__section-border article-content__ad-group ad_counter_4\">\n<section aria-describedby=\"advertisment8847670374730708483059430312640512\" class=\"ad\">\n<p>Advertisement 4<\/p>\n<div class=\"ad__container\">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\" id=\"ad__inner-4\">\n<div class=\"ad__inner__container\" data-ad=\"[[1200,250],[1200,90],[970,90],[970,250],[728,90],[300,250]]\" data-ad-loc=\"4\" data-ad-mobile=\"[[320,50],[300,50],[300,250]]\" data-aqa=\"advertisement\" id=\"ad-4\" style=\"--desktopHeight:250px;--mobileHeight:250px\">\n<div aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"ad__placeholder\">\n<p>This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<section class=\"article-content__content-group article-content__content-group--feature\">\n<p>Article content<\/p>\n<p>That\u2019s helped Essa\u2019s company grow, but replicating that level of technology is not always easy for small companies looking to strike out in the business.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThere\u2019s a big, massive gap when it comes to technology, for you having a solution that you can actually present to a customer, for them to be intrigued \u2014 forget being impressed \u2014 intrigued enough \u2026 that it\u2019s really going to help them,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<h2>The e-revolution<\/h2>\n<p>Technology enhancements, of course, come in different forms, and for Ivan Waissbluth, a few trips to Europe convinced him that electric bikes were being overlooked as a technology solution for the delivery industry.<\/p>\n<p>Initially, he was thinking about the small independent shops in downtown Toronto that had perhaps two or three deliveries to make per day, which is not enough to justify a full-time employee or the cost of buying a delivery vehicle, but still too important to ignore.<\/p>\n<p>As a consultant to a local butcher shop, Waissbluth saw firsthand just how much operating a large truck costs, including paying for insurance and a driver. Plus, he was fed up with the noise from delivery vans and the way they contributed to already existing traffic woes. They clogged up the streets and rolled down sidewalks whenever drivers had to stop and jump out to make a delivery.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<div class=\"ad__section-border article-content__ad-group ad_counter_5\">\n<section aria-describedby=\"advertisment3808521970170072045813638281297920\" class=\"ad\">\n<p>Advertisement 5<\/p>\n<div class=\"ad__container\">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\" id=\"ad__inner-5\">\n<div class=\"ad__inner__container\" data-ad=\"[[1200,250],[1200,90],[970,90],[970,250],[728,90],[300,250]]\" data-ad-loc=\"5\" data-ad-mobile=\"[[320,50],[300,50],[300,250]]\" data-aqa=\"advertisement\" id=\"ad-5\" style=\"--desktopHeight:250px;--mobileHeight:250px\">\n<div aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"ad__placeholder\">\n<p>This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<section class=\"article-content__content-group article-content__content-group--feature\">\n<p>Article content<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<section class=\"article-content__content-group article-content__content-group--feature\">\n<p>Article content<\/p>\n<figure class=\"embedded-image article-content--full_width\" data-aqa=\"embed-image\"><picture class=\"embedded-image__ratio\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/ywAAAAAAQABAAACAUwAOw==\" fifu-lazy=\"1\" fifu-data-sizes=\"auto\" fifu-data-srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/nbri-1216-ph.jpg?location=full_width&quality=5&strip=all&w=100&sig=HE8JeJ-mojDsvojV3Q4Nhg&ssl=1&w=75&resize=75&ssl=1 75w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/nbri-1216-ph.jpg?location=full_width&quality=5&strip=all&w=100&sig=HE8JeJ-mojDsvojV3Q4Nhg&ssl=1&w=100&resize=100&ssl=1 100w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/nbri-1216-ph.jpg?location=full_width&quality=5&strip=all&w=100&sig=HE8JeJ-mojDsvojV3Q4Nhg&ssl=1&w=150&resize=150&ssl=1 150w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/nbri-1216-ph.jpg?location=full_width&quality=5&strip=all&w=100&sig=HE8JeJ-mojDsvojV3Q4Nhg&ssl=1&w=240&resize=240&ssl=1 240w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/nbri-1216-ph.jpg?location=full_width&quality=5&strip=all&w=100&sig=HE8JeJ-mojDsvojV3Q4Nhg&ssl=1&w=320&resize=320&ssl=1 320w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/nbri-1216-ph.jpg?location=full_width&quality=5&strip=all&w=100&sig=HE8JeJ-mojDsvojV3Q4Nhg&ssl=1&w=500&resize=500&ssl=1 500w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/nbri-1216-ph.jpg?location=full_width&quality=5&strip=all&w=100&sig=HE8JeJ-mojDsvojV3Q4Nhg&ssl=1&w=640&resize=640&ssl=1 640w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/nbri-1216-ph.jpg?location=full_width&quality=5&strip=all&w=100&sig=HE8JeJ-mojDsvojV3Q4Nhg&ssl=1&w=800&resize=800&ssl=1 800w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/nbri-1216-ph.jpg?location=full_width&quality=5&strip=all&w=100&sig=HE8JeJ-mojDsvojV3Q4Nhg&ssl=1&w=1024&resize=1024&ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/nbri-1216-ph.jpg?location=full_width&quality=5&strip=all&w=100&sig=HE8JeJ-mojDsvojV3Q4Nhg&ssl=1&w=1280&resize=1280&ssl=1 1280w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/nbri-1216-ph.jpg?location=full_width&quality=5&strip=all&w=100&sig=HE8JeJ-mojDsvojV3Q4Nhg&ssl=1&w=1600&resize=1600&ssl=1 1600w\" alt=\"Nrbi electric cargo bike\" class=\"embedded-image__image lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/nbri-1216-ph.jpg?location=full_width&quality=90&strip=all&w=375&sig=a4cl-y3hfztehm5_A6oh-A\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/nbri-1216-ph.jpg?location=full_width&quality=90&strip=all&w=375&sig=a4cl-y3hfztehm5_A6oh-A,\n                https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/nbri-1216-ph.jpg?location=full_width&quality=90&strip=all&w=750&sig=YEqkQz4YN2dHYOexDJKdyw 2x\" fifu-data-src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/nbri-1216-ph.jpg?location=full_width&quality=5&strip=all&w=100&sig=HE8JeJ-mojDsvojV3Q4Nhg&ssl=1\" height=\"757\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1000\"\/><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><figcaption class=\"image-caption\"><span class=\"caption\">The delivery company Nrbi uses electric cargo bikes. In dense urban areas like Toronto, these bikes can outperform a van by making more deliveries in a single day.<\/span> <span class=\"credit\">Photo by Nrbi<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>As a result, he co-founded his own delivery company, Nrbi (pronounced nearby), in 2019, with electric-assisted bikes. He bought two electric cargo bikes, thinking they could cruise Toronto\u2019s major business arteries, stopping at every mom-and-pop store to collect a few deliveries.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"article-content--column\">\n<p>We thought at first when we got into this whole bike company, \u2018Oh, this is going to be great. People are going to love us. We&#8217;re doing everything green,&#8217;<\/p>\n<p>Ivan Waissbluth, founder of delivery company Nrbi<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>\u201cWe thought at first when we got into this whole bike company, \u2018Oh, this is going to be great. People are going to love us. We\u2019re doing everything green,\u2019\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>That turned out to be only partially correct.<\/p>\n<p>At first, things didn\u2019t go that well. Nrbi\u2019s first client was a local butcher, but hauling heavy loads of meat around required a climate-controlled cargo container and it was hard work.<\/p>\n<p>Signing up and managing new independent businesses was also a lot of work, but there was demand for \u201cgreen\u201d delivery, he said.<\/p>\n<p><iframe src=\"https:\/\/playlist.megaphone.fm?e=POME3994886524\" style=\"--height: 200px;\" frameborder=\"0\" height=\"200\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe last missing piece was whether somebody would pay more for it,\u201d Waissbluth said. \u201cAnd I think the answer is no.\u201d<\/p>\n<p data-async=\"\">The \u201csaving grace,\u201d he said, was that others also believed electric cargo bikes are better suited than vans to navigate dense urban areas such as the downtown Toronto core. Eventually, one \u201chigh-volume shipper\u201d \u2014 a company that contracts with Amazon and other major retailers \u2014 reached out to Nrbi via its Instagram page about using its services.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<div class=\"ad__section-border article-content__ad-group ad_counter_6\">\n<section aria-describedby=\"advertisment8062472758924183815855708951281664\" class=\"ad\">\n<p>Advertisement 6<\/p>\n<div class=\"ad__container\">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\" id=\"ad__inner-6\">\n<div class=\"ad__inner__container\" data-ad=\"[[1200,250],[1200,90],[970,90],[970,250],[728,90],[300,250]]\" data-ad-loc=\"6\" data-ad-mobile=\"[[320,50],[300,50],[300,250]]\" data-aqa=\"advertisement\" id=\"ad-6\" style=\"--desktopHeight:250px;--mobileHeight:250px\">\n<div aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"ad__placeholder\">\n<p>This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<section class=\"article-content__content-group article-content__content-group--feature\">\n<p>Article content<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"article-content--column\">\n<p>The last missing piece was whether somebody would pay more for it. And I think the answer is no<\/p>\n<p>Ivan Waissbluth<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Soon, a different business emerged as other high-volume shippers started feeding Nrbi orders. The company bought an electric van so it could consolidate orders at a warehouse just on the border of Toronto\u2019s downtown core \u2014 a \u201cmicro hub,\u201d as Waissbluth calls it \u2014 where its cargo bikes can load up and head out to make deliveries.<\/p>\n<p>Consumers may not want to pay more for green delivery, he said, but they\u2019re asking for it. And in dense urban areas, an electric cargo bike can outperform a van by making more deliveries in a single day, at least when it comes to lighter items such as clothes.<\/p>\n<p>Today, Waissbluth said his company has around 50 bikes on the street and is growing almost exponentially, making around 2,000 deliveries per day.<\/p>\n<p>Other companies are also experiencing growth as e-commerce sales increase and that is changing the way cities are designed and built, said Jennifer Keesmaat, a former chief city planner for Toronto and now a private consultant at the Keesmaat Group.<\/p>\n<p data-async=\"\">Storage space to accommodate the seemingly non-stop flow of packages that arrive daily has become a priority in many new condominiums in dense urban cores, but also in new buildings in suburbs, where the same problems exist.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<div class=\"ad__section-border article-content__ad-group ad_counter_7\">\n<section aria-describedby=\"advertisment79094949269186138901306859847680\" class=\"ad\">\n<p>Advertisement 7<\/p>\n<div class=\"ad__container\">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\" id=\"ad__inner-7\">\n<div class=\"ad__inner__container\" data-ad=\"[[1200,250],[1200,90],[970,90],[970,250],[728,90],[300,250]]\" data-ad-loc=\"7\" data-ad-mobile=\"[[320,50],[300,50],[300,250]]\" data-aqa=\"advertisement\" id=\"ad-7\" style=\"--desktopHeight:250px;--mobileHeight:250px\">\n<div aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"ad__placeholder\">\n<p>This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<section class=\"article-content__content-group article-content__content-group--feature\">\n<p>Article content<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<section class=\"article-content__content-group article-content__content-group--feature\">\n<p>Article content<\/p>\n<figure class=\"embedded-image article-content--full_page\" data-aqa=\"embed-image\"><picture class=\"embedded-image__ratio\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/ywAAAAAAQABAAACAUwAOw==\" fifu-lazy=\"1\" fifu-data-sizes=\"auto\" fifu-data-srcset=\"https:\/\/i3.wp.com\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/amazon-warehouse-gs1213.jpg?location=full_page&quality=5&strip=all&w=100&sig=9t48D4nqx5S__QnjQsBHDA&ssl=1&w=75&resize=75&ssl=1 75w, https:\/\/i3.wp.com\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/amazon-warehouse-gs1213.jpg?location=full_page&quality=5&strip=all&w=100&sig=9t48D4nqx5S__QnjQsBHDA&ssl=1&w=100&resize=100&ssl=1 100w, https:\/\/i3.wp.com\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/amazon-warehouse-gs1213.jpg?location=full_page&quality=5&strip=all&w=100&sig=9t48D4nqx5S__QnjQsBHDA&ssl=1&w=150&resize=150&ssl=1 150w, https:\/\/i3.wp.com\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/amazon-warehouse-gs1213.jpg?location=full_page&quality=5&strip=all&w=100&sig=9t48D4nqx5S__QnjQsBHDA&ssl=1&w=240&resize=240&ssl=1 240w, https:\/\/i3.wp.com\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/amazon-warehouse-gs1213.jpg?location=full_page&quality=5&strip=all&w=100&sig=9t48D4nqx5S__QnjQsBHDA&ssl=1&w=320&resize=320&ssl=1 320w, https:\/\/i3.wp.com\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/amazon-warehouse-gs1213.jpg?location=full_page&quality=5&strip=all&w=100&sig=9t48D4nqx5S__QnjQsBHDA&ssl=1&w=500&resize=500&ssl=1 500w, https:\/\/i3.wp.com\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/amazon-warehouse-gs1213.jpg?location=full_page&quality=5&strip=all&w=100&sig=9t48D4nqx5S__QnjQsBHDA&ssl=1&w=640&resize=640&ssl=1 640w, https:\/\/i3.wp.com\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/amazon-warehouse-gs1213.jpg?location=full_page&quality=5&strip=all&w=100&sig=9t48D4nqx5S__QnjQsBHDA&ssl=1&w=800&resize=800&ssl=1 800w, https:\/\/i3.wp.com\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/amazon-warehouse-gs1213.jpg?location=full_page&quality=5&strip=all&w=100&sig=9t48D4nqx5S__QnjQsBHDA&ssl=1&w=1024&resize=1024&ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i3.wp.com\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/amazon-warehouse-gs1213.jpg?location=full_page&quality=5&strip=all&w=100&sig=9t48D4nqx5S__QnjQsBHDA&ssl=1&w=1280&resize=1280&ssl=1 1280w, https:\/\/i3.wp.com\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/amazon-warehouse-gs1213.jpg?location=full_page&quality=5&strip=all&w=100&sig=9t48D4nqx5S__QnjQsBHDA&ssl=1&w=1600&resize=1600&ssl=1 1600w\" alt=\"Amazon warehouse\" class=\"embedded-image__image lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/amazon-warehouse-gs1213.jpg?location=full_page&quality=90&strip=all&w=375&sig=7WzKSRAAma6YDf21ldCB0Q\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/amazon-warehouse-gs1213.jpg?location=full_page&quality=90&strip=all&w=375&sig=7WzKSRAAma6YDf21ldCB0Q,\n                https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/amazon-warehouse-gs1213.jpg?location=full_page&quality=90&strip=all&w=750&sig=ax_SzGfpBnl5JgLZfGWDCQ 2x\" fifu-data-src=\"https:\/\/i3.wp.com\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/amazon-warehouse-gs1213.jpg?location=full_page&quality=5&strip=all&w=100&sig=9t48D4nqx5S__QnjQsBHDA&ssl=1\" height=\"1350\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"2400\"\/><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><figcaption class=\"image-caption\"><span class=\"caption\">Workers move goods for dispatch in an Amazon redistribution centre. At the retail giant, an algorithm helps inform the whole process, from the sorting of boxes and the sequence of the delivery routes to where a driver should park and how many packages should be delivered at each stop.<\/span> <span class=\"credit\">Photo by INA FASSBENDER<\/span> \/<span class=\"distributor\">AFP via Getty Images<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2>A golden age<\/h2>\n<p>The ongoing growth of e-commerce has helped launch many a company that provides delivery and logistics services to businesses of all sizes, from Amazon and Ikea Systems BV to small independent shops and companies that do not even have a physical presence.<\/p>\n<p>Companies other than Nrbi are also tinkering with the use of electric bikes to expedite deliveries in traffic-congested areas, but it isn\u2019t all smooth sailing.<\/p>\n<p>One bike courier who delivers for a major carrier, but wasn\u2019t authorized to speak said traffic during the past 30 years has only grown worse while a courier\u2019s pay and working conditions have largely declined.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe golden age of bicycle messengering was in the 1990s\/2000s,\u201d he said. \u201cBicycle messengers actually made quite a few pennies.\u201d<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"article-content--column\">\n<p>I&#8217;ll be honest with you, if the pandemic didn&#8217;t happen, we&#8217;d be having a very different conversation<\/p>\n<p>Marty Weintraub, national retail leader for Canada, Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>At that time, much of the work was carrying legal documents. Clients typically paid by the delivery \u2014 sometimes as much as $20 \u2014 and most of the deliveries occurred in the financial and business districts located downtown. Eventually, however, the rise of fax machines initially and then email eroded most of that work.<\/p>\n<p>During the pandemic, though, bike deliveries as well as van deliveries spiked as consumers stuck at home began ordering more and more things online.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<div class=\"ad__section-border article-content__ad-group ad_counter_8\">\n<section aria-describedby=\"advertisment5077449443502413756214928899833856\" class=\"ad\">\n<p>Advertisement 8<\/p>\n<div class=\"ad__container\">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\" id=\"ad__inner-8\">\n<div class=\"ad__inner__container\" data-ad=\"[[1200,250],[1200,90],[970,90],[970,250],[728,90],[300,250]]\" data-ad-loc=\"8\" data-ad-mobile=\"[[320,50],[300,50],[300,250]]\" data-aqa=\"advertisement\" id=\"ad-8\" style=\"--desktopHeight:250px;--mobileHeight:250px\">\n<div aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"ad__placeholder\">\n<p>This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<section class=\"article-content__content-group article-content__content-group--feature\">\n<p>Article content<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI\u2019ll be honest with you, if the pandemic didn\u2019t happen, we\u2019d be having a very different conversation,\u201d Marty Weintraub, national retail leader for Canada at Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Ltd. in Toronto, said.<\/p>\n<p>He said many retail categories during the pandemic suddenly had a spike in online sales as consumer preferences shifted and large retailers quickly moved to adapt to marketplace demands.<\/p>\n<p><iframe src=\"https:\/\/playlist.megaphone.fm?e=POME8002843369\" style=\"--height: 200px;\" frameborder=\"0\" height=\"200\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>Weintraub said grocery sales were one category that spiked for delivery, and that trend stuck around after the pandemic.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cGetting food and feeding yourself and your family was actually one of the top stressors. If you remember, you couldn\u2019t go to the store for a lot of that time,\u201d he said. \u201cAnd it was only four or five years ago, but the last mile that was being run by the retailers themselves was not very developed.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>That created a multitude of opportunities for entrepreneurs.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<section class=\"article-content__content-group article-content__content-group--feature\">\n<p>Article content<\/p>\n<figure class=\"embedded-image article-content--full_width\" data-aqa=\"embed-image\"><picture class=\"embedded-image__ratio\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/ywAAAAAAQABAAACAUwAOw==\" fifu-lazy=\"1\" fifu-data-sizes=\"auto\" fifu-data-srcset=\"https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/mark-ang-gs1213.png?location=full_width&quality=5&strip=all&w=100&sig=iwPPu6vY4M1Co-5jDcxI6w&ssl=1&w=75&resize=75&ssl=1 75w, https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/mark-ang-gs1213.png?location=full_width&quality=5&strip=all&w=100&sig=iwPPu6vY4M1Co-5jDcxI6w&ssl=1&w=100&resize=100&ssl=1 100w, https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/mark-ang-gs1213.png?location=full_width&quality=5&strip=all&w=100&sig=iwPPu6vY4M1Co-5jDcxI6w&ssl=1&w=150&resize=150&ssl=1 150w, https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/mark-ang-gs1213.png?location=full_width&quality=5&strip=all&w=100&sig=iwPPu6vY4M1Co-5jDcxI6w&ssl=1&w=240&resize=240&ssl=1 240w, https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/mark-ang-gs1213.png?location=full_width&quality=5&strip=all&w=100&sig=iwPPu6vY4M1Co-5jDcxI6w&ssl=1&w=320&resize=320&ssl=1 320w, https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/mark-ang-gs1213.png?location=full_width&quality=5&strip=all&w=100&sig=iwPPu6vY4M1Co-5jDcxI6w&ssl=1&w=500&resize=500&ssl=1 500w, https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/mark-ang-gs1213.png?location=full_width&quality=5&strip=all&w=100&sig=iwPPu6vY4M1Co-5jDcxI6w&ssl=1&w=640&resize=640&ssl=1 640w, https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/mark-ang-gs1213.png?location=full_width&quality=5&strip=all&w=100&sig=iwPPu6vY4M1Co-5jDcxI6w&ssl=1&w=800&resize=800&ssl=1 800w, https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/mark-ang-gs1213.png?location=full_width&quality=5&strip=all&w=100&sig=iwPPu6vY4M1Co-5jDcxI6w&ssl=1&w=1024&resize=1024&ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/mark-ang-gs1213.png?location=full_width&quality=5&strip=all&w=100&sig=iwPPu6vY4M1Co-5jDcxI6w&ssl=1&w=1280&resize=1280&ssl=1 1280w, https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/mark-ang-gs1213.png?location=full_width&quality=5&strip=all&w=100&sig=iwPPu6vY4M1Co-5jDcxI6w&ssl=1&w=1600&resize=1600&ssl=1 1600w\" alt=\"Mark Ang of GoBolt\" class=\"embedded-image__image lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/mark-ang-gs1213.png?location=full_width&quality=90&strip=all&w=375&sig=QyxUfHIY1n04xyG9GnxYEQ\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/mark-ang-gs1213.png?location=full_width&quality=90&strip=all&w=375&sig=QyxUfHIY1n04xyG9GnxYEQ,\n                https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/mark-ang-gs1213.png?location=full_width&quality=90&strip=all&w=750&sig=ae_qj0mBbgOinRj2Ib5pLQ 2x\" fifu-data-src=\"https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/mark-ang-gs1213.png?location=full_width&quality=5&strip=all&w=100&sig=iwPPu6vY4M1Co-5jDcxI6w&ssl=1\" height=\"750\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1000\"\/><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><figcaption class=\"image-caption\"><span class=\"caption\">Mark Ang operates Bolt Technologies Inc., which grew out of a self-storage company he co-founded a few years earlier.<\/span> <span class=\"credit\">Photo by Kemeisha McDonald<\/span> \/<span class=\"distributor\">University of Toronto<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2>\u2018Speed at all costs\u2019<\/h2>\n<p>It was just around this time that Mark Ang co-founded Bolt Technologies Inc. (a.k.a. GoBolt), which grew out of a self-storage company he\u2019d founded a few years earlier. The original idea was that people needed storage and he was offering to quickly turn around pickups and returns.<\/p>\n<p>But walking around his warehouse one day in 2019 and seeing box after box covered in shrink wrap and dust, he concluded that his business was actually helping people hoard their belongings more efficiently.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<div class=\"ad__section-border article-content__ad-group ad_counter_9\">\n<section aria-describedby=\"advertisment2582196492389865276405504706347008\" class=\"ad\">\n<p>Advertisement 9<\/p>\n<div class=\"ad__container\">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\" id=\"ad__inner-9\">\n<div class=\"ad__inner__container\" data-ad=\"[[1200,250],[1200,90],[970,90],[970,250],[728,90],[300,250]]\" data-ad-loc=\"9\" data-ad-mobile=\"[[320,50],[300,50],[300,250]]\" data-aqa=\"advertisement\" id=\"ad-9\" style=\"--desktopHeight:250px;--mobileHeight:250px\">\n<div aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"ad__placeholder\">\n<p>This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<section class=\"article-content__content-group article-content__content-group--feature\">\n<p>Article content<\/p>\n<p>He and his co-founder decided to pivot. The network of warehouses and trucks \u2014 many of which were electric \u2014 that he\u2019d amassed for his previous business made logistics a natural fit, and software was at the centre of it all.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cBack then, it was like, \u2018How do we compete with (Amazon) Prime shipping?\u2019\u201d Ang said. \u201cAnd so it was like speed at all costs because people wanted things there quickly.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>GoBolt has since picked up customers such as Ikea, Holt Renfrew &amp; Co. Ltd. and hundreds of others while operating in 10 markets across North America, including Canada\u2019s largest cities, and has a new warehouse in New York.<\/p>\n<p>The way his business works now is that brands send products to GoBolt\u2019s warehouses and then companies drop orders into his software system. Sometimes it is for deliveries to their retail operations, while other times it is for deliveries directly to consumers.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"article-content--column\">\n<p>When COVID hit, a lot of (venture capital) dollars went into anything that looked like and resembled a logistics tech company<\/p>\n<p>Mark Ang, co-founder, Bolt Technologies<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>\u201cWhen COVID hit, a lot of (venture capital) dollars went into anything that looked like and resembled a logistics tech company,\u201d Ang said.<\/p>\n<p>GoBolt has raised more than $225 million in financing from a variety of investors. But Ang said the space remains crowded since the barriers to entry are low, given that vans can be rented and many of the largest retailers outsource delivery to third parties.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<div class=\"ad__section-border article-content__ad-group ad_counter_10\">\n<section aria-describedby=\"advertisment2690488969530519719937242570948608\" class=\"ad\">\n<p>Advertisement 10<\/p>\n<div class=\"ad__container\">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\" id=\"ad__inner-10\">\n<div class=\"ad__inner__container\" data-ad=\"[[1200,250],[1200,90],[970,90],[970,250],[728,90],[300,250]]\" data-ad-loc=\"10\" data-ad-mobile=\"[[320,50],[300,50],[300,250]]\" data-aqa=\"advertisement\" id=\"ad-10\" style=\"--desktopHeight:250px;--mobileHeight:250px\">\n<div aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"ad__placeholder\">\n<p>This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<section class=\"article-content__content-group article-content__content-group--feature\">\n<p>Article content<\/p>\n<p>Clarence Woudsma, an associate professor of planning at the University of Waterloo who researches how the flow of goods and people underpins economic interactions, said consumer expectations for quick deliveries have contributed to some of the economic \u201cgig work\u201d models in the sector.<\/p>\n<p>Many delivery companies classify their drivers as contractors rather than employees, which means they are not always entitled to the protections afforded to other low-wage workers \u2014 for example, sick days and breaks.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cFrom a public policy standpoint, there might be bigger questions around what the long-term implications are for this kind of employment and sort of general standards of public safety and well-being,\u201d Woudsma said. \u201cAnd I don\u2019t say that to be alarmist, but I just think it\u2019s one of the things that is perhaps overlooked in this conversation.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>But he said many of the predictions about e-commerce have been wrong. Just a few years ago, people thought online sales would slowly destroy brick-and-mortar shopping, but that hasn\u2019t panned out.<\/p>\n<p>E-commerce is expected to grow by 6.8 per cent this year and account for 12 per cent of all retail sales, but analysts at eMarketer believe that annual growth will begin to level off to less than five per cent per year before the end of the decade.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<div class=\"ad__section-border article-content__ad-group ad_counter_11\">\n<section aria-describedby=\"advertisment593207975619085552499104390578176\" class=\"ad\">\n<p>Advertisement 11<\/p>\n<div class=\"ad__container\">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\" id=\"ad__inner-11\">\n<div class=\"ad__inner__container\" data-ad=\"[[1200,250],[1200,90],[970,90],[970,250],[728,90],[300,250]]\" data-ad-loc=\"11\" data-ad-mobile=\"[[320,50],[300,50],[300,250]]\" data-aqa=\"advertisement\" id=\"ad-11\" style=\"--desktopHeight:250px;--mobileHeight:250px\">\n<div aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"ad__placeholder\">\n<p>This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<section class=\"article-content__content-group article-content__content-group--feature\">\n<p>Article content<\/p>\n<p>Woudsma also cast doubt on whether e-commerce would ever reach 50 per cent or 60 per cent of all retail sales.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cPart of it is maybe that psychological, little endorphin hit that people get when they\u2019re browsing in a store and they can touch and see the products,\u201d he said, \u201cand they get that immediate gratification.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>But like most, he believes we are a long way from peak e-commerce. And that means we should expect to see more delivery vehicles on the road in the years to come.<\/p>\n<p data-async=\"\"><em>\u2022 Email: gfriedman@postmedia.com <\/em><\/p>\n<p data-async=\"\"><em><strong>Bookmark our website and support our journalism:<\/strong> Don\u2019t miss the business news you need to know \u2014 add financialpost.com to your bookmarks and sign up for our newsletters here.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/section>\n<section class=\"article-content__content-group article-content__content-group--feature\">\n<p>Article content<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<section class=\"article-content__share-group article-delimiter\" data-evt-val=\"{\" control_fields=\"\" data-evt-typ=\"page_scroll\">\n<p>Share this article in your social network<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n\n<br \/>E-bikes and cargo vans create traffic headaches and opportunities<\/a><br \/>\n<br \/>2024-12-17 11:00:03<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Breadcrumb Trail Links Economy It&#8217;s a revolution that has changed not only the ways we shop and work, but also the fabric of our cities and communities Published Dec 17,&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":54086,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/e-delivery-longread-gs1213.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&w=375&h=563&sig=bgAKRS-Ru_ESZGOf2DyoyQ","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[31],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-54085","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-economy"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pantheregroup.com\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/54085","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pantheregroup.com\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pantheregroup.com\/api\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pantheregroup.com\/api\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pantheregroup.com\/api\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=54085"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.pantheregroup.com\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/54085\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pantheregroup.com\/api\/wp\/v2\/media\/54086"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pantheregroup.com\/api\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=54085"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pantheregroup.com\/api\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=54085"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pantheregroup.com\/api\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=54085"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}