E-cargo bikes suggested for NZ Post deliveries

Using e-cargo bikes and motorcycles is the Postal Workers Union of Aotearoa’s response to NZ Post proposing to lay off 700 posties during the next five years and have mail delivered by contract couriers in vans.

The union believes posties on electric cargo bikes and motorcycles are a more efficient, environmently friendly, socially desirable, safer and good employer alternative to mail delivery from vans, adding its counter proposal enables NZ Post to lower its costs and become more profitable.

The union says it has a case beginning in the Employment Court July 15 seeking a declaration from the court that NZ Post’s contract couriers who are union members are in fact employees by “the real nature of the relationship” with NZ Post – Section 6(2) of the Employment Relations Act.

The union says it has written to the State-Owned Enterprises minister Paul Goldsmith about how NZ Post’s proposed restructure may not meet the principal objective under the State Owned Enterprises Act to be “a successful business”.

NZ Post has been trialling e-delivery vehicles and has held e-van roadshows.

The company aims to have 100% EVs by 2030.

Anthony Clyde (director at Neal-Clyde Designs Ltd) developed the Smartmotion eDrive system for NZ Post delivery bicycles, in conjunction with NZ Post bicycle manufacturer Reiker Cycles, SmartMotion says.

“He spent nearly two years working with Reiker Cycles and NZ Post, trialling components, upgrading, redesigning, until the SmartMotion eDrive system was robust enough to meet the extreme needs of postal delivery.”

SmartMotion says NZ Post has been using its e-bikes about four or five years.