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Courier-Messenger Inc is a local company, based in the Valencia Industrial Center, providing transportation of time sensitive shipments of all sizes from envelopes to full truckloads.
CMI provides same day, Overnight and Time definite Ltl point to point deliveries, through out the USA. Same day truck service is determined by availability at time of call.
CMI provides our customers with internet tracking, and proof of deliveries at time of completion via email.
CMI provides 24/7 Dispatch
C.M.I. DELIVERS TIME CRITICAL SHIPMENTS DOOR-TO-DOOR INTERSTATE OR INTRASTATE ANYWHERE IN THE USA
Questions and Courier Answers
- Measure your parcel and pop the details into the quote form. …
- Choose the service that’s right for you. …
- Book, pay and print your label. …
- Drop off your parcel, or wait in for collection. …
- Track that parcel. …
- Job done !
- CMI is based in the Valencia Industrial Center, Santa Clarita, providing transportation of time sensitive shipments of all sizes from envelopes to full truckloads.
- CMI provides same day, Overnight and Time definite Ltl point to point deliveries, through out the USA. Same day truck service is determined by availability at time of call.
- CMI provides our customers with internet tracking, and proof of deliveries at time of completion in real time.
Phone: (661) 257-8689 – Fax: (661) 257-1895
Email: Sales@Courier-MessengerInc.com – Website: ShipCMI.com
Two-Wheeled Delivery – Bike Messenger Trends
Bikes for Right-Now, Immediate Delivery
According to the Boston Globe, Postmates allows customers to order most any product from any store or restaurant in a city with Postmates’ mobile app. “Postmates assigns a bike courier to pick it {the product} up and deliver it to you, in one hour or less. All payment is handled through the app, using a credit card,” the Globe reports.
Bastian Lehmann, Postmates founder, created the company to help local merchants “compete with Amazon by offering quick delivery as an option.” In the Globe, Lehmann reports that local retailers are in danger. Postmates’ goal is to treat a city like it’s a warehouse and create a platform that connects local merchants with customers.
Speaking of Amazon…
Amazon on Two Wheels
If you thought couriers couldn’t get any faster, Amazon — the ever-present mover and shaker of the logistics world — is testing a program that will make delivery quicker.
In late 2014, Amazon began testing delivery via bike in New York, the Multi-Channel Merchant reports. The Wall Street Journal originally reported the news.
Amazon has recruited bicycle couriers to deliver certain items that have been purchased on Amazon.com “in an hour or two.”
“Amazon has already begun conducting time trials of three courier services to determine which it will use, dispatching riders to a destination, having them photograph it to confirm the address, and return…”
This service will help Amazon compete with other “brick-and-mortar” stores that already provide immediate delivery.
Going Green
Green-centric businesses are popping up all over the industry, but bicycle couriers are the original sustainable delivery method. Bikes, after all, are people powered, and only require conventional fuel (coffee, a person, and a banana).
While bikes are great delivery mechanisms for various products (food, documents, etc.), these two-wheeled wonders are now used to deliver flowers. And these aren’t just any flowers — each bouquet is locally sourced and sustainably grown.
Petal by Pedal, a flower delivery company, is aiming to cut its carbon footprint by “saying no” to imported flowers. Imported flowers accumulate a ton of mileage (many florists order in flowers from all over the world), reports Victoria Dawson Hoff of Elle.
Kate Gilman, the business’ owner, formed her New York City company to source locally grown flowers and deliver them via bike.
Petal by Pedal isn’t the first company to capitalize on this idea. Other companies, such as Farmgirl Flowers and Bloom That, have a similar concept. Although bikes are well known as a delivery vehicle for food, food bikes are now becoming all the rage.
You may be familiar with food trucks — rolling operations that sell food in a cheap and simple way. But now, “brewers, chefs, baristas and even farmers are turning to pedal-powered vehicles to bring their goods to consumers — and, sometimes, actually produce them on the street,” NPR reports.
Some of the benefits of these food truck alternatives are the following:
• Bicycles are environmentally sound: Food bikes mean “fewer emissions into the urban air.”
• Food bikes make financial sense: According to NPR, a “fully outfitted food bike costs just several thousand dollars — a fraction of the price of
a food truck, which runs tens of thousands.”
• Also: Food bikes are convenient. Bikes are easy to maneuver in outdoor settings, such as beer festivals, concerts, or farmers’ markets.
So far, it seems as though many of these food bikes, such as Trailhead Coffee Roasters, are doing well. Charlie Wicker, owner of Trailhead, says the following about his business: “We’re doing high volumes of retail business within the Portland area, and we use bikes because it works.”
To succeed, many vendors purchase specialty bikes that are custom built. The cycles accommodate packing and transport. Some bikes even have more extreme additions, such as a draft beverage service, cooking apparatuses, and an operating sink. The main concern with these bikes, though, is that if a person is cooking, prepping, and cleaning on her bike, she must comply with certain state health codes. That’s why many of these bikers forgo cooking on their cycles, and instead, cook at a home base, such as a restaurant, and bike the food into events.
- CMI is based in the Valencia Industrial Center, Santa Clarita, providing transportation of time sensitive shipments of all sizes from envelopes to full truckloads.
- CMI provides same day, Overnight and Time definite Ltl point to point deliveries, through out the USA. Same day truck service is determined by availability at time of call.
- CMI provides our customers with internet tracking, and proof of deliveries at time of completion in real time.
Phone: (661) 257-8689 – Fax: (661) 257-1895
Email: Sales@Courier-MessengerInc.com – Website: ShipCMI.com
States try again to block coal sales
States try again to block coal sales that Trump revived
BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) — A coalition of states on Monday renewed its push to stop the Trump administration from selling coal from public lands after a previous effort to halt the lease sales was dismissed by a federal judge.
Joined by environmentalists and the Northern Cheyenne Tribe, Democratic attorneys general from California, New York, New Mexico and Washington state filed a lawsuit challenging the administration’s coal program in U.S. District Court in Montana.
They alleged the administration acted illegally when it resumed coal sales that had been halted under Obama due to climate change and other concerns.
Under Trump, the Department of Interior lifted a 2016 moratorium on federal coal sales and concluded they have limited environmental impacts.
The states behind Monday’s lawsuit said that conclusion was based on a flawed review that ignored hundreds of existing coal leases and pending applications.
“The Trump Administration has repeatedly thrown out the rule book in order to benefit super polluting coal companies. It’s not only immoral – it’s illegal, and we intend to prove it,” California Attorney General Xavier Becerra said in a statement.
Interior Department officials did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment on the lawsuit.
Federal coal sales account for about 40% of U.S. coal production, primarily from large strip mines in western states including Wyoming, Colorado, Montana and Utah.
Coal mining companies saw demand for the fuel drop dramatically over the past decade due to competition from natural gas and renewable fuel sources. Trump has sought to prop the industry back up, but that’s done little to slow its downward spiral and the coronavirus pandemic has accelerated the decline.
In May, U.S. District Judge Brian Morris said the administration had fixed its initial failures to consider the climate change consequences from ending the moratorium. That ruling came after the administration in February released an analysis that said resuming coal sales would mean little difference over time in greenhouse gas emissions from burning coal.
But Morris declined to weigh in regarding the accuracy of the administration’s conclusions, saying only that the analysis was enough to fulfill the administration’s immediate obligations.
The state attorneys general said the administration considered emissions only from a handful of leases and failed to capture the cumulative, long-term impact of the coal program.
They argue the Interior Department analysis also ignored other harms, including damage to wildlife and the land from coal mining, pollution from burning the fuel and the vast quantifies of toxic ash that is generated by coal-burning power plants.
- CMI is based in the Valencia Industrial Center, Santa Clarita, providing transportation of time sensitive shipments of all sizes from envelopes to full truckloads.
- CMI provides same day, Overnight and Time definite Ltl point to point deliveries, through out the USA. Same day truck service is determined by availability at time of call.
- CMI provides our customers with internet tracking, and proof of deliveries at time of completion in real time.
Phone: (661) 257-8689 – Fax: (661) 257-1895
Email: Sales@Courier-MessengerInc.com – Website: ShipCMI.com
The Summer of COVID-19: Tips for Families to Have a Safe, Fun Season
Summer has arrived. After a long spring filled with anxiety, stress and challenges brought on by the historic pandemic, many people are looking for ways to enjoy summer — safely. Here are some tips for families about summer fun, safety, and things children can do to get a jump-start on education before the new school year begins.
Skip to:
| Road Trips | Academic | Ideas for Teens |
| Beaches | Babysitting | Pools |
| Health Works Podcast | ||
ROAD TRIPS
As the state begins to ease restrictions, it might be time to think about hitting the roads to explore our Commonwealth — or our surrounding states. Here are some important things to consider before you pack up the car and head out:
- Plan ahead. Before you drive off, know your specific plan: Where will you go, how will you get there, where will you stay, what will you do when you arrive, are you comfortable using public restrooms, do you have ample disinfecting wipes and masks, where will you eat?
- Be thorough. Call ahead to any place you plan to go. Ask a manager how they are ensuring people’s safety. Ask about refund policies, if they are reducing the number of people to help prevent the spread of the virus, what cleaning protocols are in place, and if there is a quarantine requirement in the area. Ask if staff and guests are screened for the virus. This is not the time for any surprises — it is best to know before you go.
- Do your research. Research places online and read recent reviews. Did the hotel have issues with too many people gathered around the pool not wearing masks? Is the bedding washed in between guests? Did the restaurant have tables six feet apart and paper menus to prevent spread? Was there a recent outbreak of the virus at the destination you are planning to go? Does your desired destination have reduced hours and, if so, what are the hours?
- Each state is different. Know in advance what the requirements are for quarantining if you cross state lines, and then abide by these rules.
- Pack plenty of masks. Masks are required in many public areas and when outside and not able to social distance. Masks might be required in places like hotel lobbies and pools.
- Communicate with your family. Talk with every member of your family who will be on the road trip and make sure they understand that while it will be a fun trip, it will not be the same carefree summer vacation as they may have enjoyed in prior years. There is an historic pandemic this summer and while fun is important, public safety is paramount.
EXPLORING YOUR OWN COMMUNITY
Summer is a great time to get to know your own community and explore new destinations and activities in your neighborhood. Perhaps there is a bike trail you have yet to pedal down, or a farm where you can pick your own fruit. Many communities are trying new ways this summer to help support local businesses and restaurants — such as blocking off the downtown area to promote outdoor dining. Now is the time to really get to know your community! Have a staycation and challenge your family to discover one “hidden gem” about your community each day.
BEACHES
New England beaches are always popular, and especially this summer as people come out of their homes after months inside. Here are some tips to enjoy the beach safely:
- Know before you go: Be aware of parking rules and fees. Are the public restrooms open and cleaned often? Is food available at the beach and if so, how are they keeping people safe?
- When you pack up the sunscreen and snacks, be sure you include your mask and a few extras (in case they get blown away or taken by a seagull!).
- Consider going to the beach at off-peak times. Some of the most beautiful, peaceful times at the beach are at dusk as the sun sets, the crowds dissipate, the air cools and the moon shines. Take a camera and make sure you get some great shots! You may even save on parking fees at these off-peak hours.
POOLS
It is true, chlorine kills most germs. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there is no evidence that the virus can be spread to humans through pools, especially pools that are well-maintained and treated with appropriate levels of chlorine. However, here are some important things to keep in mind if you are at a public or hotel pool this summer:
- Keep your distance — social that is. Social distancing around the pool, on the deck, on the lounge chairs, everywhere, is very important to reduce spread of the virus.
- If the pool gets busy, hop out and take a break until fewer people are in the water.
- Wear your mask when you are out of the water for the best way to reduce the spread of the virus.
BABYSITTING
You may need childcare this summer or have a teenager who would like to earn some money caring for children. Keep in mind, this is the summer of a pandemic. Here are some tips for a safer childcare experience:
- Ask lots of questions
- Understand how the family and prospective sitter has been social distancing and staying safe
- Masks should be worn and it is important to understand how the young children involved wear masks
- Have a plan if the sitter, child or a family member becomes sick with symptoms of COVID-19
- Candid, open conversations are essential to a healthy sitter/family relationship – especially this year!
KEEPING UP WITH ACADEMICS
After the spring of remote learning, some children may have fallen behind with academics. Summer is a great time for learning. Make use of free resources, including local libraries and online programs, such as Khan Academy, Duolingo, and other academic sites. Reach out to your teachers or school administrators for suggestions on how to keep your child engaged with academics. Teachers may be available to offer small group or 1:1 instruction for students this summer. With many camps cancelled, camp counselors may be available for tutoring children and engaging with them to learn in unique, fun ways (something most counselors excel at).
One of the best ways to keep your child learning this summer is to encourage them to follow their passions. Perhaps they love drawing — dedicate a day each week to art that is based on children’s books. If they love the outdoors, have them build an outdoor fort using math and technical skills. This is the summer to think out-of-the-box!
IDEAS FOR TEENS
Many teens spend summers working or volunteering at camps or in the community. This summer will be especially challenging with the closure of many camps and other places that employ teens. Sit down with your teen and ask them what their goals are for the summer and how they want to spend their time in a healthy, productive, fun way.
- If your teen is passionate about politics, a lot of activism can be done remotely.
- Some camps are going virtual, encourage them to research what might be available.
- Free college classes and lectures are available online. They can sit in on some virtual courses and get a jump start on their fall classes or learn something entirely new. Check out edx.org for lots of free classes on thousands of different subjects.
- Learn something entirely new! How about cooking? Online cooking classes abound and what better way to help the family than to prepare some home-cooked meals! Bullet journaling? This could be a great way for teens to reflect on their world, themselves, and the times we live in.
- Volunteer. While many volunteer opportunities are not possible this summer in keeping with social distancing and to help the community stay safe, some may be possible. Check with your local high school community service advisor for suggestions or ask adults who have careers that your teen is interested in pursuing if they have any ideas. You might be surprised at what they come up with.
It might be a long summer for teens, but with some ingenuity, resilience and creativity they can make this a memorable and impactful summer — one they will never forget!
We hope these tips are useful. With planning, creativity and safety in mind, you can enjoy the summer and look forward to an autumn that might look a little more normal than the spring. Stay healthy!
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- CMI is based in the Valencia Industrial Center, Santa Clarita, providing transportation of time sensitive shipments of all sizes from envelopes to full truckloads.
- CMI provides same day, Overnight and Time definite Ltl point to point deliveries, through out the USA. Same day truck service is determined by availability at time of call.
- CMI provides our customers with internet tracking, and proof of deliveries at time of completion in real time.
Phone: (661) 257-8689 – Fax: (661) 257-1895
Email: Sales@Courier-MessengerInc.com – Website: ShipCMI.com
Food delivery biz is booming during COVID-19, but couriers are worried about the future
As much of Chicago stays home to “flatten the curve” of coronavirus cases, and only essential businesses remain open, food delivery bikers pedal around the city to make sure people still get their food. And while downtown food couriers are losing money, other delivery cyclists say business is booming and they are grateful to have a job that can help others stay safe. But as the virus continues to spread in Chicago, some couriers are concerned about staying healthy, and worry how long they can keep working if more restaurants close.
Jennifer (she requested that we not publish her last name) loves getting paid to ride her bike all over downtown. She rides for Snap Courier, a downtown food delivery service that works with over 80 restaurants in the area.
But with many or most Loop office employees working from home during the pandemic, the demand for downtown deliveries has slowed to a trickle. Jennifer said she used to typically make $120 in three hours. Now, it’s down to about $50 in roughly five hours.
Jennifer said the ban on dine-in service during the crisis, which is fueling demand for delivery elsewhere in the city, isn’t helping matters for downtown couriers. “A lot of restaurants are closing every day because it’s not a good business [model] for them to keep the restaurant open just for a couple deliveries.”
(After publication of this article, Jennifer told me that business has gotten a little better in the Loop, since some restaurants have reopened. She explained that while Cut Cats Courier — more on that company below — offered her a job delivering food in the neighborhoods, she is happy with Snap because it allows her to work her second job as a content creator for a local tattoo artist and gives her flexible hours. She added that Fridays are busier so she still enjoys working downtown.)
For Jared Mitchell, who rides with Cut Cats Couriers, every day is overshadowed by the possibility of contracting the disease. He said work days have been intense for the entire company, which is made up of more than 60 owner-operators.
“It’s a blessing that we get to work during this, especially in a time where we’re helping in such a crucial way,” he said. “But don’t get me wrong, it gets all of us. We’re all afraid of what could happen.” Mitchell said some riders have taken leaves of absence because the anxiety around the pandemic is too much to handle. But he said he’s been relying on moral support from his colleagues. “Thank God for this collective because it’s the best support center you could have.”
Cut Cats is trying to have as many people riding as much as possible because there’s plenty of delivery work in Lakeview, Logan Square and Wicker Park, especially for dinner. Laid-off restaurant employees have also recently joined the team. Mitchell said work has never been busier and he’s glad to have the extra help.
Mitchell and Jennifer are trying to stay safe by wearing new gloves for each job, carrying hand sanitizer and doing no-contact deliveries, leaving food outside the customer’s door. Both Cut Cats and Snap Courier are making sure to provide riders with ample gloves and sanitizer, the couriers say. Some restaurants are limiting the number of delivery workers who can wait inside for orders, but they have been generous about letting the couriers use the bathroom and wash their hands, Jennifer said.
Nicole Jameson, another rider with Snap Courier who also works for Caviar, has been wearing a balaclava over her mouth and nose to try to reduce her viral exposure. Las week, Governor J.B. Pritzker recommended that everyone wear a cloth face mask when going out, calling it a “commonsense” move. Although bike couriers have minimal contact with other people, Jameson and others are worried that it will be harder to maintain social distance when people flood the streets on nice weather days.
“So far as myself, I feel okay and safe,” Jameson said. “But when I see so many other people out, it’s like, well, they’re not wearing masks and I don’t know if they’re washing their hands.”
Some third-party food delivery app companies faced scrutiny for their lack of safety measures for workers during the pandemic. But Jameson, who has used Caviar to supplement her income since February, said she was pleasantly surprised that the company is being proactive about safety. Caviar has locations in the city where delivery workers can pick up gloves and sanitizer. And on March 20 Caviar announced its new COVID-19 Financial Assistance Program, which gives any worker who gets the virus up to two weeks of financial help. Jameson said this effort makes her comfortable working for the service.
But above all else, couriers aren’t sure how they’ll make ends meet if restaurants keep shutting down. Many are trying to work as much as they can now and save money in case business drops off in the future. “I know that business is kind of falling off for a lot of people and I’m concerned that we’re only going to be able to keep it going for so long,” Jameson said. “It just feels like an… inevitability for us. We’re the next thing on the proverbial chopping block.”
All the people I spoke with plan to keep delivering food for as long as possible. Jameson requested that people using their services be patient and mindful of the safety challenges facing couriers, and tip generously, since they are heavily reliant on gratuities.
“On the weekends, we’re very, very inundated because [ordering food] is like the last thing that people can do to kind of feel like they’re going out somewhere,” Jamison said. “I’m so psyched about it, but just know our restaurants are often working with a skeleton crew so [food] will take a while to get to us, and then it’s going to take us a while to get to you. So just be kind.”
- CMI is based in the Valencia Industrial Center, Santa Clarita, providing transportation of time sensitive shipments of all sizes from envelopes to full truckloads.
- CMI provides same day, Overnight and Time definite Ltl point to point deliveries, through out the USA. Same day truck service is determined by availability at time of call.
- CMI provides our customers with internet tracking, and proof of deliveries at time of completion in real time.
Phone: (661) 257-8689 – Fax: (661) 257-1895
Email: Sales@Courier-MessengerInc.com – Website: ShipCMI.com
This startup wants to replace traditional package delivery with hyperlocal, electric-trike-driving couriers
BY ADELE PETERS 3 MINUTE READ
If you walk down Lexington Avenue in Midtown Manhattan, you might see a brightly striped cargo trike leave a small storefront. The location is one in a growing network of “nano distribution centers,” serviced by the electric vehicles, owned by a startup called Bond. Bond doesn’t sell anything itself. Rather, it’s a new urban shipping company that wants to make online shopping both more sustainable and less annoying for customers.
When someone in the neighborhood places an order in the morning with one of the brands working with the service, they can get a delivery the same afternoon—and schedule the time that the local bike courier will arrive with the package, chatting in real time with the courier, if needed. If someone misses a delivery, the package will go back to the storefront rather than a more distant distribution center. Returns can also be scheduled for pickup.
The company is working with brands that offer perishable goods, like Wild Alaskan Co., a retailer that ships wild salmon and other fish from Alaska, and Rose Box, which ships fresh flowers, along with others that sell consumer electronics, cosmetics, and other products. The company is in talks with some larger brands, as well. Customers place orders on the brand’s website or app and can schedule delivery there.
The company looks at data to determine how much stock that a neighborhood needs of a particular product in each tiny distribution center. “We’re calculating demand within hyperlocal territories,” says Asaf Hachmon, Bond’s CEO. “And based on this calculation, we know how much supply or how much inventory needs to be held in each one of these nano distribution centers.” The system means that brands can avoid the carbon footprint of sending packages next-day air on planes. Ohi, another startup working with online brands, is using a similar model.
Travel smarter with Jonathan Adler & Tan France
It also means that delivery inside the neighborhood can be much more efficient. At night, when roads are clear, trucks make larger deliveries to the distribution centers. During the day, when streets are crowded, the small cargo trikes can avoid the pollution of trucks or vans stuck in traffic, and can operate more nimbly, making deliveries faster. The company has calculated that one of the logistics companies that it works with has reduced its use of trucks by 22%.
The startup, which announced $15 million in new funding today, grew out of an online grocery service in Tel Aviv called Shookit. At first, the delivery company was struggling with the cost of its delivery. “We dug deep into the data and saw that 30% of our logistical cost was from getting to the neighborhoods, and the other 70% was being spent around the neighborhoods because of reasons like inefficient proof of delivery, traffic jams, and parking tickets,” says Hachmon. Shookit decided to experiment with storing its inventory directly inside neighborhoods instead of using more traditional warehouses and then use electric trikes, and saw that it worked: deliveries were more efficient, and customers were so much less frustrated with delivery times that customer retention increased 60%. The founders decided to spin off Bond to work with other brands that were struggling with the typical problems of online delivery, like missed packages.
Bond can deploy its distribution centers in basements, unused space in office buildings or parking garages, or, somewhat ironically, storefronts that may now be empty because neighborhood stores were pushed out of business by online shopping. It’s worth wondering whether “nano distribution centers” may someday evolve back into the concept of neighborhood stores—but for now, it’s a model that more online retailers and logistics companies are beginning to adopt. In some European cities, UPS brings shipping containers into city centers early in the morning, and then couriers on electric trikes start making deliveries; the company, along with Amazon and others, is also beginning to test cargo bike delivery in New York City from in-city locations.
Bond has six distribution centers in Manhattan and Brooklyn, and plans to deploy as many as 30 more in the coming months; most serve customers within roughly a mile radius. It also plans to launch in additional cities later this year. “I believe that within the upcoming month or two, you’ll be able to see these tricycles running around Manhattan every day,” says Hachmon.
- CMI is based in the Valencia Industrial Center, Santa Clarita, providing transportation of time sensitive shipments of all sizes from envelopes to full truckloads.
- CMI provides same day, Overnight and Time definite Ltl point to point deliveries, through out the USA. Same day truck service is determined by availability at time of call.
- CMI provides our customers with internet tracking, and proof of deliveries at time of completion in real time.
Phone: (661) 257-8689 – Fax: (661) 257-1895
Email: Sales@Courier-MessengerInc.com – Website: ShipCMI.com
If you want to order groceries online, ordering local is a greener option
Buying groceries and toiletries online can lower the carbon emissions from your purchase, but only if they’re delivered from a brick-and-mortar shop nearby, according to a new study from the UK. If your local grocer offers deliveries, that could have a smaller environmental impact (at least when it comes to planet-heating greenhouse gases) than driving to the store to pick them up yourself.
In contrast, buying the same products from an online market (like, say, Amazon) will contribute more to climate change because more emissions are generated when the items are shipped from a distribution center via courier.
The recent study adds to growing evidence that the environmental costs of online shopping are getting more complicated as online retailers drive new consumer habits. Online shoppers can minimize their impact by bundling their items and purchasing them from the same retailer, even if doing so means it takes longer to deliver, the study suggests. Online retailers, on the other hand, can shrink their emissions by finding cleaner delivery vehicles along what’s called the “last mile” — the last stretch from a warehouse to someone’s front door.
Taking these steps into consideration is only going to become more important as more shoppers turn to the internet to buy everyday items like groceries, toiletries, and cleaning supplies, which are referred to as “fast-moving consumer goods” in the study. People buy more of these products every week compared to other items that are frequently bought online, like clothes or electronics.
“The overall impacts from [fast-moving consumer goods] shopping is much larger compared to shopping for other products,” Sadegh Shahmohammadi, an author and researcher with the Radboud University in the Netherlands, said to The Verge in an email. He points out that the number of people buying these household necessities online is growing rapidly. That’s worrying because his study finds that online-only shopping is also the most greenhouse gas-intensive option.
In-store purchases had a smaller greenhouse gas footprint than online purchases shipped from faraway distribution centers in 81 percent of the study’s simulation runs. Purchases shipped from afar had median total greenhouse gas emissions that were twice as high as in-store purchases and about two to five times higher than items bought online but delivered from a local store.
The study published today in the journal Environmental Science & Technology was completed by researchers with Unilever and from the Radboud University Nijmegen; they received funding from the European Union. They modeled the greenhouse gas emissions from fast-moving consumer goods (using Unilever products as examples for calculating the weight and volume of goods bought as well as data from Unilever on energy usage from warehouses and on whether their products are typically transported via ship, train, or truck). They took into account the greenhouse gas emissions generated at every step of the shipping process, from transport from a factory to a warehouse and / or store, storing the item, and sending it out to a customer. They also considered packaging for deliveries from warehouses only, contending that packaging from brick-and-mortar stores was negligible.
Research from about a decade ago found that buying stuff online can result in less planet-heating pollution than driving to a store yourself. Shoppers stayed at home instead of driving gas-guzzling cars to and from the mall. But a lot has changed since then. Delivery vans make more trips in order to satisfy consumers’ expectations for fast deliveries. Returns add on more trips.
“The world has changed over the past few years. And therefore, it’s quite right that people are coming along and saying we have to reassess what the net environmental effect is of online retailing,” says Alan McKinnon, a professor at the Kuehne Logistics University in Hamburg, Germany. He was not involved in the study, but his research was cited in the paper.
McKinnon says he welcomes new studies like this that call into question whether there are still environmental gains to shopping online, and he points to some of the study’s limitations. One limitation is that the study calculates emissions from courier services like UPS. Amazon is increasingly shipping products itself and is purchasing electric vehicles to cut down its emissions. Another major limitation: people still don’t mirror their supermarket purchases online. The study authors explain that people still buy a lot of food in grocery stores, while items like baby care and personal care products are more popular online.
“At the end of the day, it’s still a complex subject,” McKinnon cautions. “It’s hard to make a consistent comparison.”
- CMI is based in the Valencia Industrial Center, Santa Clarita, providing transportation of time sensitive shipments of all sizes from envelopes to full truckloads.
- CMI provides same day, Overnight and Time definite Ltl point to point deliveries, through out the USA. Same day truck service is determined by availability at time of call.
- CMI provides our customers with internet tracking, and proof of deliveries at time of completion in real time.
Phone: (661) 257-8689 – Fax: (661) 257-1895
Email: Sales@Courier-MessengerInc.com – Website: ShipCMI.com
How to Become a Truck Driver
How to Become a Truck Driver
Have you ever dreamed of getting paid to see parts of this country that you’ve never been able to see? The life of a truck driver is extremely challenging, but if you’re up to the task, it can be very rewarding and worthwhile.
Requirements:
- Complete high school or obtain your GED. Although not a formal requirement, most trucking companies (with about one-third of all jobs in this field) strongly prefer to hire high school graduates.
- Maintain a clean driving record. Excessive moving violations and/or any Driving Under the Influence (DUI) convictions can disqualify you from trucking.
- Obtain a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) to drive trucks over 26,000 lbs. or any size truck that transports hazardous materials. Getting a CDL requires applicants to pass both a written and driving exam to prove their ability to operate a commercial truck.
- Prepare for and pass the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSR) exam of the U.S. Department of Transportation. In addition to a written test, truck drivers must pass a physical exam, including vision and hearing screenings.
Consider this:
- Many private schools offer training to prepare potential truckers for the CDL exam, which includes a period of driving under the direction of a licensed truck driver.
- Contact your state’s Department of Motor Vehicles for specific instructions on how to apply for a commercial driver’s license where you live.
- Keep in mind that the life of a truck driver can be lonely, with countless hours spent on the highway for long stretches of time.
- All employers must now conduct pre-employment and periodic drug testing of truck drivers. Failing a drug test can result in immediate termination.
You’re on your way to a new career as a long haul truck driver. The life of a trucker is not an easy one, so be certain you are up to the task. It is a tough job, but if you’re made to be a truck driver and have what it takes to succeed, you’ll love the freedom it offers.
- CMI is based in the Valencia Industrial Center, Santa Clarita, providing transportation of time sensitive shipments of all sizes from envelopes to full truckloads.
- CMI provides same day, Overnight and Time definite Ltl point to point deliveries, through out the USA. Same day truck service is determined by availability at time of call.
- CMI provides our customers with internet tracking, and proof of deliveries at time of completion in real time.
Phone: (661) 257-8689 – Fax: (661) 257-1895
Email: Sales@Courier-MessengerInc.com – Website: ShipCMI.com
How to Choose a Delivery Service
Nothing moves slowly in the world of business. Speed always counts, whether completing a sales agreement, responding to your customers, or delivering a finished product.
That’s why it’s important to find a delivery service that can meet your business needs and leave a good impression with your clients. Pick the right one, and you’ll wonder how you ever lived without it.
RELIABILITY
First, you want to make sure you find a delivery company that is reliable, not a fly-by-night outfit without a track record.
Simple courier services are relatively easy to start — they’re just a person on a bicycle at their most basic — but a small, inexperienced delivery company isn’t likely to be able to provide the kind of reliability and suite of services you’ll need.
Look for a delivery service with a long track record and lots of happy clients. It helps to have some inside information from friends or co-workers about what services they use, so ask around. And if a particular delivery service has done a great job bringing things to your office, that’s a good sign that you ought to hire them to deliver for you, too.
Ultimately, you need a delivery service you can count on. Your business reputation depends on it.
SERVICE
Delivery companies typically offer a range of services with prices that vary based on how quickly you need delivery and how big and heavy the contents are.
In general, it’s good to pick a company that offers more services than you think you’ll need.
Right now, you may only need envelopes delivered overnight, but what happens if your needs change? If there is any chance you might need same-day service or freight hauling at a later date, you ought to look for a company that can meet even your unforeseen needs.
CONVENIENCE
Since business happens all the time — even after hours and on weekends — you need to consider whether a delivery company is able to work with your schedule.
Delivery services ought to make your job easy. The best ones will go out of their way to make sure you have a good, trouble-free experience.
It’s a good idea to look for a delivery company that offers after-hours service for those times when you might need it. This will typically cost more, but convenience and speed will make it necessary for your most critical deliveries.
PRICING
Prices matter, of course, but your delivery service is no place to cut corners. As long as their prices aren’t extremely out of line, it’s worth it to pay a few extra pennies or dollars for a company that meets your needs.
Delivery services are typically too mission-critical to pinch pennies. If you end up going with a cheaper service that leaves a bad impression with your customers or can’t deliver a critical package on time, you’re ultimately going to lose money. It’s not worth the risk.
No matter what, always know what you’re getting for that price, too. Is there a delivery time guaranty? Are the package contents insured, and can you buy insurance? Can you get a Proof of Delivery (POD) emailed to you as soon as the package is delivered?
In the end, you need to consider the quality of service most closely when picking a delivery company. Finding someone who can provide a pleasant, speedy, trouble-free experience — for both pick-up and delivery — is the key to choosing a good delivery service.
- CMI is based in the Valencia Industrial Center, Santa Clarita, providing transportation of time sensitive shipments of all sizes from envelopes to full truckloads.
- CMI provides same day, Overnight and Time definite Ltl point to point deliveries, through out the USA. Same day truck service is determined by availability at time of call.
- CMI provides our customers with internet tracking, and proof of deliveries at time of completion in real time.
Phone: (661) 257-8689 – Fax: (661) 257-1895
Email: Sales@Courier-MessengerInc.com – Website: ShipCMI.com
All Of The Last Days To Ship Your Holiday Gifts
- CMI is based in the Valencia Industrial Center, Santa Clarita, providing transportation of time sensitive shipments of all sizes from envelopes to full truckloads.
- CMI provides same day, Overnight and Time definite Ltl point to point deliveries, through out the USA. Same day truck service is determined by availability at time of call.
- CMI provides our customers with internet tracking, and proof of deliveries at time of completion in real time.
Phone: (661) 257-8689 – Fax: (661) 257-1895
Email: Sales@Courier-MessengerInc.com – Website: ShipCMI.com
© 2017 Courier-Messenger, Inc. | All Rights Reserved.
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© 2017 Courier-Messenger, Inc. | All Rights Reserved.
Web Design by Bright Mind Media