Packstation pakadoo point in the pilot project “Ettlingen brings it”

In the autumn of last year, the city of Ettlingen launched the pilot project “Electromobile Logistics in Ettlingen”. This initiative was prompted by the EU White Paper on Transport, which aims for a 50% emissions-free parcel delivery by 2030. This service was tested in an initial phase with a delivery point called pakadoo point at the Ettlingen Town Hall.

(Böblingen/Ettlingen) The Mayor of Ettlingen, Johannes Arnold, had a key experience during the mayoral election campaign in May 2019: “When I was standing at my promotional booth in the marketplace, five delivery vans almost ran over my feet.”

The project “Electromobile Logistics in Ettlingen” is funded by the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Labour and Housing as part of the funding call “Ideas Competition for Electromobile Logistics in Small and Medium-Sized Cities”. The city’s cooperation partners include the Logistics Research Center of Reutlingen University, which has taken over project management and is scientifically accompanying the project, the company Transport Betz as a local logistics company operating the centrally located microhub and managing the electromobile delivery on the “last mile”, and pakadoo GmbH, which provides the necessary IT system, software for the microhub, transport coordination, operation of the parcel locker, and other delivery points, as well as supplying the parcel locker itself.

The first component of the project, which has now been named “Ettlingen brings it” and has its own logo, was already implemented in spring: the establishment of a microhub located near the city center but outside the downtown area, serving as a transshipment depot for shipments from all parcel services. From this microhub, delivery points located centrally in the downtown area, such as public parcel lockers, postal offices in companies, and local retail, are to be supplied in a bundled and emissions-free manner by e-vehicles. This service was tested in an initial phase with a delivery point called pakadoo point at the Ettlingen Town Hall. Employees there can have their private parcels delivered directly to the town hall via parcel depot and e-vehicle.

Already very well received

In a second phase, the delivery-independent, 24/7 accessible “Ettlingen brings it” parcel locker was established on Thiebauthstraße four weeks ago and has already been very well received. It is conveniently located near the S-Bahn stop, where shipments and orders can be picked up 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. The recipient is notified via email or app push notification when their goods have been stored there. In the future, the locker is to be used not only for parcel reception but also by local businesses for Click & Collect or sales outside of store opening hours.

“The impetus for these considerations was that over 300 parcels and packages are delivered daily to private households in the city center alone, in addition to deliveries to retail: a shoe store alone receives up to 100 parcels daily from various deliverers. Online retail has received a tremendous boost during the pandemic, significantly exacerbating the volume,” explained Mayor Johannes Arnold at the inauguration of the “Ettlingen brings it” locker.

Fewer delivery vehicles = less noise

The city aims to achieve one main goal with the project: fewer delivery vehicles mean less noise, exhaust emissions, and accident risks in an attractive city center, benefiting not only residents and visitors but also retail and gastronomy.

In a third phase, delivery points are to be established at local companies, such as the Ettlingen municipal utilities, which only require a smartphone with the pakadoo app to manage employee parcels. Here too, the motto is: “Ettlingen brings it!”, as the so-called pakadoo points save employees unnecessary trips, time, and nerves, allowing them to conveniently receive their parcels at their workplace. This perk for employees from the employer also contributes to climate protection through bundled emissions-free delivery and the avoidance of failed delivery attempts at employees’ homes.

Retail should seize opportunities

“We hope that as many Ettlingen residents as possible will take advantage of the parcel locker service,” emphasized Mayor Arnold, and Markus Ziegler added: “Furthermore, retail should seize the opportunities that the locker will offer in the future, for example, through deliveries outside of store opening hours and as a Click & Collect handover point.”

Photo: © City of Ettlingen / Caption: (from left to right) Mayor Johannes Arnold and Natalie Milanovic, working in the digitalization department of the city, as well as Markus Ziegler, managing director of pakadoo GmbH