Omniva, an international technology and logistics group, has opened its first MicroHUB in Tallinn as a pilot aimed at reducing the number of van journeys made in the city.
The hub is a container adapted for parcel handling and fitted with security systems, placed inside a courier's delivery area. Couriers can collect additional parcels there during their rounds instead of making a lengthy round trip to a sorting centre. According to Omniva, this allows more deliveries to be shifted onto cargo bikes rather than vans, saving couriers time and helping parcels reach customers faster.
Pilot results expected within a month
The first results are expected within a month and will help determine the next steps. In the following phase, Omniva plans to test parcel collection from the MicroHUB with Crowd Delivery couriers.
If the pilot proves successful, the company intends to introduce more MicroHUBs in Tallinn and a similar solution in Riga, Vilnius and Kaunas.
Company estimates daily time savings
Hannes Falten, head of delivery innovation at Omniva, said initial estimates suggest a MicroHUB could save each courier up to three hours a day and allow them to serve around 20 additional customers. He framed the concept as a way to handle growing parcel volumes without adding more vans to city streets, moving toward logistics with a smaller environmental footprint.
The first hub also carries a visual element: its exterior was painted by a team led by street artist S-Boy, intended to bring more colour to the neighbourhood and give passers-by something to stop and look at.