The future of transportation is a topic that frequently dominates the headlines. Whether it’s Elon Musk’s underground tunnels or driverless vehicles moving seamlessly across our motorways. In this post, I picked out a few that are showing great potential in terms of cost effectiveness and sustainability.
Coming soon to a landing pad near you!
Drones and last mile deliveries are made for each other. A company called ‘Wing’ has had some success in Australia and Finland and is now moving into the US market (like us!). Backed by parent company Alphabet (Google), Wing started operations end of October 2019 and is the only company of this type approved by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
But, like with all great things, everyone wants a piece of the pie. Uber, Amazon and UPS are also backing the technology, but have yet to receive the precious certificate from the FAA.
The pros of drones
- Length : 1 to 1.3m
- Weight : 4.8kg
- Weight carried : 1.5kg
- Speed : 113km/h
- Distance : Round trip 20km
In the short term, there is little doubt that this is one of the most eagerly anticipated bits of transportation tech. As their range and carrying capacity gets better and better, you can expect to see these buzzing over your head carrying your colleagues sneakers in the near future!
A new meaning to ‘taking the tube’
This new type of transport is aimed mainly at passengers, but has great potential for shipping goods as well. What we’re talking about here is a high speed pod inside a vacuum sealed tube, propelled from location to location. And if that sounds like science fiction, it shouldn’t!
Several companies are working on the technology, including:
- Hyperloop One
This team, backed by Virgin, reached 309km per hour during a test in July 2017. - Hyperloop Transportation Technologies – HTT
They have been working on a lane from Brno (in Czech Republic) to Bratislava (Slovakia) since January 2017. - Transpod
They are expecting for their ‘pod’ to hit speeds of 1000km per hour and plan to be operational in 2020.
One of the blockers for the widespread adoption of this technology is the need to create custom infrastructure in the same way tracks need to be laid down for trains. So even if the technology is on track (forgive the pun), it will be some time before it is considered a valid alternative to traditional transport modes.
So where does that leave us today?
After taking a look into the future let’s dive back into the present and the options you can count on today. Road, Rail, Barge, Air and Ocean freight are all tried and tested transportation methods and you’re sure to find one (or a combination) that suits your needs. The trick is working out which is best for you (more on that later).
For last-mile deliveries, you can rely on bikes, electric vehicles, scooters, motorcycles or even rickshaws! These modes of transportation can represent cost-effective and sustainable options, creating employment, but also in some cases the only viable choice (for example, on a non-motorized island your best option is probably to use a bike).
Stay ahead of the game with TenderEasy!
At TenderEasy our tool is designed to help you get the most out of what is available today, while keeping you up-to-date with any upcoming options. our solution lets you launch tenders for long-term projects, or Spot Requests for your day to day needs. The latter also lets you run scenarios, so you always have a good idea of what you’re getting into in terms of rate levels and capacity. On top of this you can launch tenders for last mile deliveries and rely on our built in templates to make the process as smooth as possible.
Finally, our team of experts is always looking out for new and exciting developments. We keep our metaphorical ear to the street and will be able to advise you on what is and isn’t worth looking into.
Drop me a line on Barbara.Lacaze@tendereasy.com to hear more about how we can help you find the perfect transportation options!
