The last mile isn’t always on the road

In logistics, the “last mile” is the final leg of the delivery process when goods are transported to their destination, typically a customer’s home or business. As you might expect, we normally use a vehicle to do that, be it a truck, van, or bicycle. But there are some places where these vehicles just won’t work.

So, what do you do when you run out of road? You have to get creative and adapt to the local environment. Below, we share a few examples of the unconventional delivery methods we use to reach customers, no matter where they are.

From the canals of Venice to the rivers of Nigeria and from snowy Scandinavia to the German Alps, let’s take a trip to discover some unusual last-mile deliveries:

Travel to the historic city of Venice, Italy, and there are two things you won’t find: streets and cars. Instead, you’ll discover a unique landscape of canals in a city that seems to rise up out of the water. We navigate this network of canals in special gondolas to deliver packages to our Venetian customers. Although they are slightly wider than the familiar slender boats rowing tourists through the canals, our DHL red and yellow gondolas are a common site on the Grand Canal.

Can you name the other celebrated canal city where we rely on gondolas for last-mile deliveries? Here’s a hint: the canals there are called Grachten. Check your answer at the end of the story.

Lagos, Nigeria, is a West African city known for its vibrant culture and bustling markets, which make it a popular destination for tourists. However, the city is also notorious for having some of the worst traffic congestion in the world. That is, of course, a challenge for a logistics company like DHL. To make deliveries as fast and efficient as possible, we operate boats daily between the mainland of Lagos and the southern district of Victoria Island. The water crossing takes only about 18 minutes in contrast to the journey by road, which can take up to three hours due to heavy traffic and poor roads.

Boats are also handy in Germany’s capital city. The Spree River runs through the heart of the city, providing the perfect waterway for last-mile deliveries. We use innovative, solar-powered boats to not only reduce traffic on Berlin’s busy streets but also maximize our environmental impact, keeping emissions to a minimum. Our customers think it’s great, and our couriers enjoy serving as boat captains.

One thing that’s pretty much guaranteed in Scandinavia in the winter is snow – and lots of it. The wintery wonderland is a magical place for many – but also one that can be hard to reach that time of year. Certain places simply can’t be accessed by regular delivery vehicles. That’s where snowshoes come in. Yes, you read correctly. In regions in Norway with heavy snowfall, our delivery personnel strap on large snowshoes – 50 cm long and 20 cm wide – to make their deliveries. The flat and large surface of the shoes keeps them from sinking into the snow.

At an altitude of about 2,600 meters (8,500 feet), the famous Zugspitze in the Alps is Germany’s tallest mountain. And it’s also where you’ll find the country’s highest post office. Every day, hundreds of people ride the cable car to the peak to take in the spectacular view – and drop a postcard in the mail if they so choose. Our mail carriers deliver letters and packages daily to this remote location and empty the mailbox – all via cable car. Whether under sunny or stormy skies, they reliably bring up the mail on the Zugspitzbahn, unless the cable car – and therefore the restaurant and viewing platform – is closed for routine maintenance.

These unconventional delivery methods may be fun to learn about, but the moral of this story is the social impact of innovation, even when it seems small. By adapting to local conditions, we’re not only significantly improving our services and customer satisfaction in challenging environments, but we’re also improving quality of life, supporting local economies, and doing our part for the environment.

There’s a reason our company’s purpose is “Connecting People. Improving Lives.” We’re committed to keeping everyone connected and making a positive impact, even if that means strapping on snowshoes.

ANSWER: Where else do we use gondolas for last-mile deliveries? Amerstdam!