Cool delivery lockers in Drenthe
“What could be handier than picking up your shopping at a travel hub on the way home from work?”, asks Rolf Meerbach, SURFLOGH’s project manager for the Province of Drenthe. “We’ve been testing the business viability of the delivery lockers at a number of different locations in Drenthe. In contrast to the other partners, ours is a more rural environment, so the challenges and circumstances are different. During a conference organized by Mechelen, we were inspired by a potential coolbox-locker combination they showcased so, following some research, we’ve adapted the idea and now combine a number of local initiatives.”
Alderman Ivo Berghuis, Muncipality of Aa en Hunze checks out the cool lockers at the hub in Gieten with Betty de Boer of Regio Groningen Assen, as they receive their first Streekboer delivery.
Going local, going green
Following the pandemic , there is an increased awareness in terms of stimulating the local economy and helping businesses close to home. Now, regional farmers united under De Streekboer, are offering a full package of local, organic goodness - healthy and sustainably produced food for an honest price.
“We’re researching the business potential of delivering perishables to 32 lockers at the hubs in Gieten and Rolde.This is expanding on the original locker pilot - supporting the local green economy while offering a service that saves commuters and shared mobility fans an extra trip to the farm, designated collection point or supermarket. Customers can order online from De Streekboer and collect at the hub - making it that bit easier to be ‘green’, ” Rolf explains.
Hubs & shared mobility
"By the way, there's more happening at these hubs. Speaking of shared mobility, it's worth mentioning that in the context of G-PaTRA, another North Sea Region project the Province of Drenthe is participating in, we've just introduced a sharing facility with electric cars at various mobility hubs and central locations in the region. This pilot aims to improve accessibility in a sustainable way and the University of Groningen will evaluate how shared e-mobility can contribute."
Keep in touch
Are these coolbox delivery lockers another step forward in the sustainable delivery flow? And are there more possibilities with other perishable goods? Keep in touch and updated on this and other pilot progress by checking the SURFLOGH project website or follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.
Find out more about this sustainable delivery service here (Dutch).
Read more about the G-PaTRA shared mobility pilot here (Dutch).