Bike Delivery Speeds up Service at University of Washington
University of Washington Creative Communications’ bike delivery riders pose with their bikes by University Bridge. From left: Tim Fox, Doug Stevens, Jeff Schwartz and Duncan McIsaac.
Sometimes the best ideas come from your employees.
As part of its Lean process improvement efforts, University of Washington Creative Communications uses idea cards so staff can submit suggestions. A little over a year ago, mail delivery driver Timothy Fox used one of these cards to suggest adding bicycles to UW’s fleet of mail delivery vehicles.
“It caught my attention right away,” says Steven Roberts, operations manager of Mailing Services.
The department’s fleet of five hybrid electric delivery trucks, two bio-diesel vehicles and two high-efficiency vehicles had many challenges maneuvering around the student-filled campus; bikes could be far more nimble. And on a university where sustainability is a primary mission, what could be more sustainable than pedal power?
So last March, Creative Communications, a division of UW Finance & Facilities, launched a bicycle delivery program. So far it’s been a huge success. Mailing Services bought two Trek and two Kona mountain bikes and two waterproof bike trailers. Five of its 17 drivers volunteered for two-wheeled service. Though large morning mail deliveries are still handled by the other vehicles, the bikes are perfect for the lighter afternoon deliveries and rush jobs. Riders can easily speed around the crowded 703-acre campus, with no worries about finding parking.
“The bicycles are often faster than the vehicles,” remarks Roberts. “They can get in and out of campus quickly. They’re not hindered by traffic or students walking between class. It’s really efficient.”
University of Washington Creative Communications’ bike delivery riders pose with their bikes.
They deliver intercampus and USPS mail, and also pick up outgoing mail and bring it back to the shop. Riders are currently delivering between 5 and 10 percent of the daily mail, roughly 75,000 pieces. By next year, Roberts says, a quarter of Mailing Services’ deliveries will be done by bicycle, once a full-day bike route is implemented in the Spring.
“That will make it possible to eliminate an entire gas-powered vehicle from one entire mail route,” he enthuses.
This is one big feather in the in-plant’s cap at a university as focused on the environment as UW.
“The university is moving in a really sustainable direction. They want to be carbon neutral at some point in the future,” Roberts notes. “This was just a great addition to our suite of services that we offer that are either carbon neutral or reduced our CO2 output.”
Mailing Services won a Husky Green Award for the bicycle delivery program.
The in-plant was honored with a 2015 Husky Green Award for the bike delivery program, which also garnered state-wide attention after the Washington State Secretary of Health visited to learn more about the shop’s Lean process improvement program.
“He was impressed,” Roberts says. “He sent the governor a picture of our bike program.”
The in-plant is tracking the mileage of its riders, which has so far exceeded 1,000 miles. That translates into a big savings in fuel expenses.
“I would say that the bicycles will easily pay for themselves within a year,” Roberts says.
It’s not surprising that bicycle delivery would catch on in a city like Seattle.
“Seattle’s a really bike-friendly town,” remarks Frank Davis, director of UW Creative Communications, the country’s second largest university in-plant, with 86 full-time and 27 part-time employees.
In fact, all five bike delivery riders also commute to work with bikes, so the long miles in the saddle don’t phase them. Seattle’s notoriously rainy weather is not a problem either for these hearty riders.
“The bikes are designed for adverse weather conditions, and we have started outfitting the bike riders with all-weather gear that they are personally selecting,” notes Roberts.
The delivery team has played an active role in selecting the helmets, jackets and other gear they use, Roberts says, all of which carries Mailing Services branding. Involving the riders in the development of the program is one of the main tips Roberts has for others interested in starting such a program.
“Have the people that are interested in bicycling be directly involved and manage the program,” he advises. “I think ours have been successful because the drivers have built that program themselves.”
Adds Davis, “That’s the whole concept of Lean: the people doing the work have the input.”
With annual sales of $11.3 million, UW Creative Communications boasted a six-figure profit last year for the fourth time in five years, Davis says.
Bob has served as editor of In-plant Impressions since October of 1994. Prior to that he served for three years as managing editor of Printing Impressions, a commercial printing publication. Mr. Neubauer is very active in the U.S. in-plant industry. He attends all the major in-plant conferences and has visited more than 180 in-plant operations around the world. He has given presentations to numerous in-plant groups in the U.S., Canada and Australia, including the Association of College and University Printers and the In-plant Printing and Mailing Association. He also coordinates the annual In-Print contest, co-sponsored by IPMA and In-plant Impressions.
