The third experiment

Home meal delivery by bike

In this experiment, we combine vision 2 and 3; ‘Brugge is a city where it is healthy to work and live & people do business with low impact on the environment’. This is a relatively big experiment, but the aim is to centralise the meal home delivery system for the elderly. By bringing the meals to a central service center and organizing the delivery from there, we can deliver the people in that area by cargobike.

In that way, the delivery is more sustainable and it will lower the CO2 impact, but also, if the experiment is successful it would imply that less cars are needed for the normal delivery system. It helps to rise awareness about ecological delivery.
The target group here is the general public (employees & workers) & seniors. This zero emission way of delivery will impact the environment in a healthy way, but it will also have a positive impact on the employees. Instead of driving a car, they will be riding a bike. In that way, this experiment tackles the Cities2030 key objective ‘secure healthy and sustainable food’ ‘pro-
tect and preserve natural resources’ and it works on thematic groups ‘distribution’, ‘ecosystem services’ and ‘livelihood’.

The approach of this experiment is to define a region around a service center where an amount of home-meal-delivery  customers are living. There has to be an investigation about the possibilities of the cargo bike type, and put all the logistic measures in motion. All actors and clients will have to be informed and aware of the expectations.
When it’s successful, it can be scaled up to other regions and other service centers.
 

Motivation:
 The motivation behind this experiment is to explore a more sustainable and eco-friendly approach to meal home delivery. Switching from meal home delivery by car to meal home delivery by bike can significantly reduce carbon emissions, traffic congestion, and noise pollution in urban areas, while promoting a healthier lifestyle.

Ruddersstove's meal delivery system provides approximately 1,200 meals daily, primarily for individuals aged 65 and older, within the Bruges region. These meals are prepared at a central location, which serves as the hub for distributing meals throughout the region. Currently, deliveries to various points are made using vans. Although electric vehicles are utilised for this purpose, we are looking to further reduce CO2 emissions and decrease the reliance on cars within the region of Bruges.

• BEFORE: In our previous efforts to reduce CO2 emissions, we invested in electric vehicles. However, we are now exploring additional climate-friendly options to deliver meals efficiently and sustainably. One such option under consideration is the use of cargo bikes for meal delivery.
• AFTER: The integration of meal delivery through cargo bikes has not yet commenced. We are actively considering additional exploration of potential solutions or alternative avenues for future implementation.
• VERIFICATION: Throughout the experiment, an analysis was conducted to assess the prerequisites for deploying cargo bikes as an alternative and sustainable means of home meal delivery. This involved mapping out financial, logistical, and organisational aspects and considering various options. At present, several factors prevent effective implementation in practice. Substantial structural changes are required beforehand to optimise these within the current operation of the meal delivery system. The findings of this analysis will inform further policy strategies regarding meal deliveries.
   

Rationale:
 The rationale behind this experiment is to assess the feasibility and viability of using bicycles for meal home delivery. Bicycles are a sustainable mode of transportation that do not contribute to air pollution, require less infrastructure, and have lower operating costs compared to cars. Additionally, using bicycles for meal home delivery can also provide opportunities for employment and economic empowerment for local communities.

Objective:
 The objective of this experiment is to evaluate the effectiveness of meal home delivery by bike in terms of its impact on the environment, efficiency, customer satisfaction, and economic benefits. The experiment aims to measure the following outcomes:

1. Environmental Impact: Reduction in carbon emissions, air pollution, and traffic congestion resulting from the use of bikes instead of cars for meal home delivery.
2.  Efficiency: Evaluation of the time taken for meal delivery, the number of deliveries per hour, and overall cost-effectiveness of using bikes compared to cars.
3. Customer Satisfaction: Assessment of customer feedback and satisfaction levels regarding the quality, timeliness, and convenience of meal home delivery by bike.
4. Economic Benefits: Analysis of the cost savings, revenue generation, and potential for employment creation through the use of bikes for meal home delivery.

KPIs (Key Performance Indicators):
 The following KPIs can be used to measure the success of the experiment:

1. Carbon emissions reduction: Percentage decrease in carbon emissions compared to the previous method of meal home delivery by car.
2. Delivery time: Average time taken for a meal to be delivered from the time of order placement.
3. Deliveries per hour: Number of deliveries completed per hour using bikes compared to cars.
4. Customer satisfaction ratings: Ratings obtained from customer feedback surveys regarding the quality, timeliness, and convenience of meal home delivery by bike.
5. Cost per delivery: Comparison of the cost per delivery using bikes versus cars, including factors such as fuel, maintenance, and labor costs.

Target groups:
 The experiment can be targeted towards various stakeholders, including:

1. Customers: Individuals who order meals for home delivery, with a reputational adventage on environmentally conscious consumers who prioritize sustainable practices.
2. Delivery Personnel: The delivery personnel are now driving cars and don’t get a lot of fysical activity on the job. Maybe they are willing to adopt a bike-based delivery model.
3. Local Communities: Communities residing in urban areas where the experiment is being conducted, who can benefit from reduced traffic congestion, noise pollution, and improved air quality. This can also be neighbourhood connecting 

Results:

In this experiment, we align with the policy vision of creating a region conducive to both healthy living and working, while conducting business with minimal environmental impact. Bruges' existing climate plan is staunchly committed to curbing CO2 emissions. In recent years, there has been a notable reduction in the allowance of cars within the Bruges region, particularly in the city center. This has been achieved through initiatives such as the introduction of car-free thoroughfares, strategic modifications to the city's road infrastructure, and the implementation of timed access restrictions to certain areas of the city.

Within the framework of the meal delivery system policy, sustainability stands as a pivotal pillar of both the vision and mission. Ruddersstove undertakes the delivery of approximately 2000 meals across the Bruges region each day. These meals, originating from a central hub, reach various destinations spanning not just the city centre but also its surrounding districts. This includes both individual home deliveries and bulk provisions for community centres and care facilities. Given the expansive coverage area and the considerable volume of daily deliveries, the current approach relies on drivers using delivery vans. Notably, prior policy adjustments have already transitioned towards the use of electric delivery vans, resulting in a significant reduction in CO2 emissions. Yet, in a continued effort to further mitigate environmental impact and reduce vehicular dependency, the exploration of cargo bikes as a viable alternative for meal delivery has been initiated.

The experiment primarily focused on outlining the prerequisites for implementing cargo bikes in meal delivery. This constitutes a moderate innovation within the current system and can be considered as a startup best practice. Home meal delivery via bikes already exists within the take-away sector, albeit on a much smaller scale. The current meal delivery system of Ruddersstove is notably complex, requiring a strong logistical and organisational strategy to deliver quality meals at scale within tight timeframes. Initially, an analysis and brainstorming session were conducted to identify necessary modifications for deploying cargo bikes and optimising their practical application. Firstly, the region's expansive nature results in significant variations in meal delivery density across different segments. It was crucial to pinpoint these densely populated segments. If the distance between extraction points is too large, delivery via cargo bikes becomes impractical or inefficient. The objective was to establish separate hubs within these compact segments, from which meals could be delivered by bike. Organisational considerations entail transporting meals from the starting point (kitchen) to the external hub via delivery van, and subsequently distributing them to various extraction points within the segment by cargobikes.

During this experimental phase, opportunities and obstacles were identified and incorporated into the analysis. The following elements were described as significant barriers to implementing this action in practice:

• Deploying cars is quicker and offers greater cargo capacity compared to bicycles. While focusing on compact segments and central hubs helps alleviate this to some extent, delivering meals promptly will still necessitate increased staffing. This poses a significant financial hurdle, prompting the need for strategic adjustments in other cost areas. Given customers' limited financial means, raising meal prices is not viable.
• Beyond the health benefits associated with meal delivery by bike, there are additional barriers to consider. Not all staff members are willing or physically able to shift from delivery vans to bicycles. Barriers mentioned include hygiene considerations (sweating while interacting with customers), heightened risk of physical injury as vulnerable road users in traffic, and insufficient knowledge in handling bike damage (requiring staff training), among others. This lack of intrinsic motivation could lead to heightened resistance, potentially impacting staff satisfaction and well-being. Implementing external motivational factors, such as incentives, would incur additional costs.
• In addition to delivery personnel, logistics staff are also expected to provide added value, increasing their workload. Implementing meal deliveries by bicycle requires the development of an entirely new logistical framework that seamlessly integrates with the current system to avoid disruption. Moreover, establishing sustainable partnerships with external hubs demands time and effort from stakeholders within these hubs.
• Belgium's reputation for unpredictable weather poses a challenge. While cargo bikes offer a sustainable solution for meal delivery, they are not always feasible due to adverse weather conditions. This necessitates a seamless transition back to the conventional delivery system as a backup when weather conditions deteriorate. However, the current system lacks sufficient readiness to adapt swiftly to these unpredictable weather shifts.

Due to the limited timeframe, implementing cargo bikes was not feasible. However, the analysis conducted and insights gained will inform ongoing refinements to the existing meal delivery system. Looking ahead, our commitment remains steadfast in translating this objective into practical implementation
 

Conclusion:
 The experiment of switching from meal home delivery by car to meal home delivery by bike has the potential to promote sustainability, efficiency, and customer satisfaction while contributing to economic and environmental benefits. Through careful monitoring of KPIs and feedback from target groups, the experiment can provide valuable insights into the viability and scalability of using bikes for meal home delivery, and potentially pave the way for more eco-friendly delivery practices in the future.

As outlined earlier, the experiment achieved very small success, we do not consider it a failure, because within the time we were not able to put it to the test. While practical implementation within the allotted timeframe proved unattainable, substantial strides were made. The thorough identification of impediments and barriers provides a foundation for strategic planning that incorporates these complexities. Looking ahead, the objective remains to realise this idea in practice. The experiment underscored the intricate nature of what initially seemed like a straightforward, innovative alteration to the current system.