Canada Post is scaling up capacity to cope with an overwhelmingly busy Christmas season, while its express parcels subsidiary Purolator has launched zero-emission delivery vehicles amid its own expansion efforts for the holidays.
Canadians look likely to shop heavily online during the forthcoming holiday season, according to the postal group. A Canada Post survey conducted back in June showed 48% of Canadian shoppers plan on spending mostly or exclusively online this coming holiday. As well, 54% were open to begin shopping in October or early November.
To scale-up, Canada Post is enacting a comprehensive 2020 Holiday peak season plan, which includes adding more than 4,000 temporary seasonal employees, increasing its fleet by more than 1,000 vehicles and adding key equipment.
The company will deliver on weekends in many communities, add more parcel pickup locations and hours at many post offices will be extended. Processing equipment has been added at key locations in Canada Post’s network and will be fully utilized.
Furthermore, the operator has added enhancements to its tracking technology to provide customers with improved information as they follow the progress of their parcels. The company is also working with major customers to manage demand, improve the flow of parcels within its network and encourage Canadians to shop early.
However, as the company responds to the significant holiday parcel demand, Canada Post emphasized it will continue to put the safety of its employees and the people it serves first.
In addition, to avoid a Christmas capacity crunch, the company is explicitly asking shoppers to break with tradition and shop early this holiday season. This will help to spread out the expected demand. Even with plans to upscale, add capacity and work with customers, a traditional holiday parcel surge combined with unprecedented volumes could overwhelm Canada Post’s capacity to process and deliver across the country.
Purolator gears up for super-peak season
Similarly, Canada Post’s express parcels subsidiary Purolator has announced it is poised for the next challenge responding to the 2020 “super peak” season.
Steps taken to ensure the company can continue to meet the critical needs of businesses and consumers, firstly include focusing on health and safety. Therefore, Purolator has rolled out “contactless” deliveries, curbside pickups, online training and reconfigured workspaces to ensure physical distancing.
Furthermore, the company has opened and expanded its facilities. The operator made a multi-million dollar investment in its network infrastructure to meet growing delivery needs. Over the past year, the company opened four new facilities across the country.
It also introduced a mobile trailer solution to meet peak demand in terminals requiring more space and increased customer access points. Across Canada, Purolator expanded its consumer access points to more than 1,650.
Purolator additionally expanded weekday and weekend operations and recruitment, meaning it will deliver to 40% more delivery stops than last year. The company also increased its workforce by over 10%, hiring approximately 1,600 employees. Moreover, the company increased its number of pick-up and delivery vehicles by more than 10%, trailers by over 30% and heavy trucks by almost 15%.
Innovative urban deliveries
Fittingly, Purolator has just announced the expansion of its fleet of electric cargo bikes and low-speed vehicles in Montreal, Quebec, and Toronto, Ontario.
The added vehicles will increase network capacity, reduce Purolator’s carbon footprint and provide greater fleet flexibility in urban centres. Also, the vehicles offer a last-mile delivery solution to respond to the ever-increasing growth in e-commerce.
John Ferguson, Purolator President and CEO, commented: “More than ever, we’re committed to helping dense metropolitan cities operate more smoothly through new delivery methods that help reduce greenhouse gas emissions.”
The operational innovations include:
- Testing new fully electric low-speed vehicles to reduce noise and traffic congestion when delivering within busy downtown core areas of Toronto, Ont., and Montreal, Que.
- Expanding its fleet of electric-cargo bikes (e-bikes) in Montreal to manoeuvre through pedestrian-only and zero-emission zones and street closures.
- Piloting automated self-serve parcel lockers at Honoré-Beaugrand subway station in Montreal. This initiative, in partnership with Société de transport de Montréal and the City of Montreal, is one of the first public transit subway systems providing commuters a convenient self-serve option for picking up shipments.
