Why a Portland Domino’s Started Delivering Pizza By Trike
As bicycling has come to account for a greater share of trips in Portland, the shift is also noticeable among deliveries and cargo hauling.
While delivering pizza by bike is not exactly new, Michael Andersen at Bike Portland offers a great example of why it makes sense for businesses to get stuff done using human-powered vehicles:
Cheap, fast and classy, cargo bikes and trikes have been in use for years from Old Town Pizza to Good Neighbor Pizzeria. Last fall, Scott Kealer did the math and decided his downtown Portland Domino's Pizza franchise should join their ranks.
"I've got a corporate name on the front of the door that says 'Domino's,' but it's really my pizza shop," said Kealer, owner of the local store on 4th Avenue near Portland State University.
"We've been kicking the idea around for a year or two," said Robert Ricker, the weekday manager. "Depending on who's pedaling, it can be faster than a car... Maintenance has been low on it and it's really helped out in a pinch."
Unlike the delivery cars, which are owned by Kealer's delivery workers, Kealer's franchise owns and maintains the trike itself. Kealer saves $1.15 per delivery in compensation for his drivers, and people delivering by trike don't have to worry about crashes, parking tickets or wear and tear on their own cars.
It's a similar calculation to the one made by the Portland Mercury when, last year, one of their delivery truck drivers successfully pitched them on a plan to switch to bike delivery on the inner west side.
Elsewhere on the Network today: The Urbanophile reports that the state of Indiana is trying to fudge the numbers when it comes to the boondoggle Ohio River Bridges Project. The FABB blog relays advice from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change: Local governments need to do more to encourage cycling. And Copenhagenize dives into the question of why the city's cyclists are the world's best behaved.
Stay in touch
Sign up for our free newsletter
More from Streetsblog USA
You Wouldn’t Like Monday’s Headlines When They’re Angry
Which state has the worst road rage? Consumer Affairs magazine looked at a variety of factors to come up with an answer.
When it Comes to Federal Infrastructure Grants, Size Does Matter
Cities and municipalities with larger budgets and staff are more likely to win competitive federal infrastructure grants, the Urban Institute has found.
The E-Commerce Explosion is Making Roads More Dangerous
And can advanced technology stop the bloodshed?
Are Friday’s Headlines the New Normal?
Transit ridership hasn't come all the way back from the pandemic, and they're going to need more federal help, along with other changes, says Governing magazine.
Friday Video: How to Make Places Safe For Non-Drivers After Dark
A top Paris pedestrian planner, a leading GIS professional, and Streetsblog's own Kea Wilson weigh in on the roots of America's nighttime road safety crisis, and the strategies that can help end it.
