May 19, 2021 - Celebrating their 10th anniversary this year, Shift Delivery, a worker-owned co-operative in Vancouver, has pioneered the concept of sustainable, economical, and environmentally friendly e-cargo bike inner-city deliveries, serving communities in various sectors one shipment at a time.
What began as a university project, turned into a labour of love for a small band of passionate e-trike riders, who helped set the stage for an industry that is rapidly taking hold in urban landscapes throughout the globe.
In a candid interview, Sandra Allen, a co-owner and Director, shares the past, present and future of this hardy and unique company, that has grown from a pilot project for the City of Vancouver, into a recognized leader that shifted gears during the pandemic and sees a bright future ahead.
Shift Delivery Co-op launched in 2011… can you give us a brief history of the genesis of the company and how it looked back then?
Sandra Allen: Shift started with a small group of Simon Fraser University students doing a class ecology assignment that looked at cargo-trike delivery services using e-trikes. Thinking the concept might actually work, they started a co-op with one trike, one client and some shared warehouse space. They moved on to delivering dry-cleaning, office supplies, meals for shelters, lunches for offices, and now during the pandemic, groceries and food shelter supplies. We were pioneers of a sort, working with the city to help us navigate the challenges of running an e-trike on city streets, what speed limits we could go, and which bike paths. We were actually a pilot program for the city for a very long time as they didn’t quite know what to do with us.
What were some of the initial challenges to get this unique delivery service off the ground?
SA: Finding suitable warehouse space when we first started out was an issue which forced us to share space initially, and this key aspect remains an ongoing challenge. It was also hard finding e-bikes as there was no Canadian product and limited availability throughout North America. It wasn’t easy to bring them over and then accessing parts became a concern. As a small company, we also didn’t have the finances to bring over a crate of bikes to Canada which would have helped enormously.
Another challenge was getting permission to use the regular bike lanes in the city and to get buy-in from the general public about the benefits of e-trike deliveries. Our drivers were a key asset in helping to explain what we’re all about and what we can do – the magic of that last-mile delivery.
What are some of the challenges that you’re facing today?
SA: Our fleet of e-trikes are getting old and trying to replace them or get parts to fix them is an ongoing challenge. The bikes do not come waterproofed, so we are having to do that ourselves and we are working with the city to address bad roads and big potholes which can wreak havoc on our e-trikes.
Luckily, we have our own in-house mechanics to service our fleet. The unique nature of our delivery service using both e-trikes and e-bikes, requires that our mechanics not only have bicycle mechanic skills, but also have the ability to work on the electrical side. As such YouTube learning alongside a lot of “MacGyvering”, is all part of the trade.
Our big dream is to have a sizeable warehouse and share it with a number of companies, each having different mechanics with different specialties – that would be really cool. The Colibri project in Montreal is an inspiration – read more on Colibri here. We need specific space and location for our warehouse, and it would be ideal to have small micro hubs where companies can service specific communities like Kitsilano. The City of Vancouver is actively working with us on this mini-hub concept.
Have you always had e-bikes and how has their recent growth impacted Shift?
SA: We have always used e-trikes but are getting into more e-bikes. Hopefully the growth in the industry will help bring down prices and increase availability.
With so many new e-bikes on roadways we definitely see some bad behaviour i.e. like e-bikes on sidewalks etc. I just love bikes and hope that there will be a whole lot more e-bikes than cars one day, and maybe even a fast-lane for e-bikes and e-trikes and a regular lane for bicycles
Tell us about your fleet and the kind of e-cargo bikes you’re using for your deliveries?
SA: We have seven Cycles Maximus Trikes (CM) from the UK. They’re our oldest and longest running e-trikes and are more like bicycles meaning they’re easier to maintain. The CM has a direct throttle so you can either pedal or throttle or both for support, un-like pedal-assist only models. We really like them as they’re zippy and fun. We also have a few pedal-assist Rad Power Burrows that are good for uphills. We have one truck trike, one of very first trikes that we call “the little trike that could.”
Coaster Cycles out of Montana gave us an earlier prototype bike and we are working to provide feedback on it. These types of e-trikes work best to carry a large amount of cargo to set-up for instance a coffee or food stand, in a stationary spot. We are hoping to continue to work with them as they’re the closest manufacturer to us.
Our fleet has its strengths and weaknesses which we can utilize for specific situations. For instance the Rad Power models have front shocks which help on bad roads and we now have a Rad Power Wagon e-bike, and a second one coming, which we use for delivering tortillas in North Vancouver as we cannot take an e-trike over the Lions Gate Bridge as it’s a little slow. We are also working with OHM Cycles in North Vancouver to help with our restaurant deliveries.
Can you explain a bit how your co-op works with respect to employees?
SA: Anyone can apply to work with us, you just need to be tough and willing to ride outside in any weather. After six months you can buy into the co-op for $5,000 a share. There are currently 11 member owners as we recently saw an increase of three employees who became owners in the past a few months. Personally, as a woman I have found it very empowering. I didn’t think I would become an entrepreneurial business woman, eventhough it’s an environment that I thrive in. Having the opportunity to buy in, and be part of a company that I didn’t have to start myself from the ground up, was amazing. We have global connections with other co-ops, participate in webinars, and reach out to other co-ops to share information and ideas.
How has the current pandemic affected your company?
SA: When the pandemic first hit we lost our non-essential business, which accounted for about half of our deliveries. We quickly switched our focus to essential businesses and grocery deliveries exploded. In April we had to hire 11 more delivery riders to help get the job done. The lockdown also made our job somewhat easier with less traffic, more available parking, and no elevator line-ups as everyone worked from home. The bottom line is that our business is up!
We went from feeling somewhat invisible in the delivery marketplace, to having people cheer us on – even giving you $20 tips which never happened before. Still, these are stressful times and it will be nice to get back to so-called normal and more diversity with our deliveries. Food deliveries can have their challenges with smells and spills vs office deliveries which was a main component our business before the pandemic.
What about the challenges of conditions during winter i.e. cold and snow?
SA: Our “Shifties” are a tough crew. Patagonia outfits our drivers with quality outdoor clothing and we also supply drivers with rain gear. The e-trikes do quite well in the snow and can be fun riding with a little fishtail and away you go, but they also take a bit of a beating. We’re believers in the concept that “there’s no bad weather, just bad gear” and have designed our own bar mitts which not only keep our drivers’ hands warm, but also help protect the electronics that are right at the handlebars from heavy rain.
Are you finding there’s more acceptance for this type of unique service by businesses, the city, and by the public?
SA: Yes, after 10 years of working on Vancouver’s city streets there is more buy-in for who we are and the services we provide. People have now heard of us, the city is on board, we meet with bicycle industry stakeholders like HUB, and we are currently in discussions about mini hubs.
We were a pilot project for the City of Vancouver up until last year. One great thing the city did was remove the need for a driver’s license to operate the e-trikes. There is still public intrigue when they see our e-trike and they ask a lot of questions. Everyone thinks we only deliver pizza or ice-cream. We are also currently working with zero waste businesses like Nada and Jarr, companies which I think can only grow and be accepted as part of the landscape.
With big courier companies like Purolator and FedEx getting into e-cargo bikes how will this affect Shift and the overall delivery landscape?
SA: For us it is more about the environment, not our egos. The big companies sometimes get the PR due to the scale they can operate at but big delivery trucks are not the way forward. Finding practical ways to get more e-trikes and e-bikes in the city is a good thing. I hope there’s room for all players big and small and the bigger companies play a positive role in helping to enhance inner city delivery mobility. We love working with shelters like Nada, something the bigger companies may not do. If everyone plays by the same rules, even sharing a mini hub could be a great thing. We can also share our mechanical knowledge and skills and help train other people. We like being trailblazers are are both excited and a bit scared at the same time.
If you could have, or change any three things to help grow Shift and e-cargo bike deliveries in Vancouver, what would they be?
SA: First, create incentives businesses to choose eco-delivery options. Help grow this sector of delivery services. It’s not only good for the environment but helps to make communities run a lot better. Second, bring good e-trikes to Canada and perhaps support a Canadian manufacturer. Design e-bikes to be more conducive to Canadian weather. and climate. And finally, fix the roads. You get to know the local streets really well and delivering goods efficiently on an e-trike is somewhat dependant on how well the streets are maintained which is good for all users. There’s lots of work that still needs to be done with respect to the quality of our city street.
Anything you’d like to add?
SA: We are launching a new service, CoopCycle.ca, in Vancouver which will offer a sustainable solution for delivering food from restaurants using our fleet of e-bikes and e-trikes. We are targeting local eateries and restaurants to help and sustain local businesses which also supports their employees and other local suppliers. Small business is vital to our communities and to cities everywhere.
Congrats on your 10th anniversary thanks for your time & good luck with Shift Co-op going forward.
SA: Thanks as well
For more information on Shift Delivery visit here.
