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Category: Road Transport / Community and Society

Posties trial electric tricycles geared for parcels

Thursday, 9 Mar 2017 13:55:57 | Elise Fantin

The electric tricycles have greater parcel carrying capacity than current motorbikes. (ABC News:Janek Frankowski)

The days of posties delivering mail and parcels on a noisy motorbike could be numbered if a trial in Hobart is a success.

Electric tricycles with greater capacity to carry parcels are being added to Australia Post's fleet to deal with changing online shopping habits.

Head of network optimisation at Australia Post Mitch Buxton said from March 20, five of the tricycles would deliver parcels and letters to suburbs along Hobart's hilly eastern shore, a first for an Australian capital city.

"We are testing out how durable they are, how do they actually perform in conditions in Hobart, because ... if they work in Hobart, we know that we will be able to roll them out and get a good result in other states mainly because of the terrain," he said.

Features include increased capacity to carry up to 100 parcels and 1,200 letters, a roof to protect against the weather, a lockable cabinet and keyless ignition.

The vehicles have a nine-hour battery life and can travel up to 45 kilometres per hour.

Electric tricycles being tested in Hobart Photo: Five of these electric tricycles are being tested on Hobart's hills. (ABC News: Elise Fantin)

Mr Buxton said the yearly growth rate of online shopping in Hobart outstripped the rest of the nation.

"We know that residents in Hobart love online shopping," he said.

"What this will do is move us away from the motorbike, which has been a fantastic workhorse for us."

Postie welcomes trial

Paul Wilson has been a postman for 12 years and said he was looking forward to making the switch.

"It's going to be very exciting, it's something new, it's going to be interesting to see how it all goes," he said.

"We're starting to run out of room on bikes because parcels don't fit anymore."

Paul Wilson delivering mail on electric tricycle Photo: Paul Wilson delivering mail on one of the new tricycles. (ABC News: Elise Fantin)

Drivers will receive about five hours of training before taking to the streets.

"It's a very different feeling, but it's easy to get accustomed to," Mr Wilson said.

The electric tricycles are already used by postal authorities in Germany and Switzerland.

The trial will run for 12 weeks.

AustraliaPlus


 

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