Testing of Cargo Bikes Conducted in Eight Cities
In a move towards more efficient transportation systems, cities like Miami and seven others are replacing trucks with cargo freight bikes. An 18-month experiment is underway to develop a digital infrastructure to support this shift. The US Department of Transportation has provided a $1.9 million grant after selecting this project as one of 33 out of 59 proposals. Although widely adopted in Europe, cargo bikes are gaining momentum in the US, and companies such as DHL and FedEx are testing them.
Cargo bikes, also known as freight bicycles or cycle trucks, are specially designed bicycles for transporting goods and people. They feature a longer and wider frame than regular bikes and a sturdy platform or container on the front, rear, or both sides, capable of carrying heavy loads of up to 500 pounds. Cargo bikes come in different designs, including tricycles, longtails, and box-style models, and can be human-powered, electric, or both.
Phil Yeager, the CEO of Hub Group, highlighted ongoing financial pressures during the company's recent earnings call, pointing to a soft market mainly caused by an excess of truckload capacity that hasn’t yet exited the industry.