LONDON, Jan. 11, 2023 /PRNewswire/ – Zeelo, the smart and 100% carbon neutral bus commute platform, has partnered with Prologis UK, the country’s leading developer and owner of logistics parks, to provide a mass transport solution to attract and retain key workers living in the surrounding areas. Prologis, which has 22 parks in the UK alone, contracted Zeelo to run a work-commute service to its largest hub located at Daventry International Rail Freight Terminal (DIRFT) a site measuring over 14 million square feet and leased by household names including Royal Mail, DHL, Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Boohoo, Clipper and Dunelm. Zeelo provides a seamless, comfortable, affordable and tech-optimised bus commute to frontline logistics staff along several routes where there are limited public transport links.
Zeelo which transports 150,000 riders per month for corporate and education clients across the UK and US, has seen 1000% revenue growth since first lockdowns by ensuring direct, safe daily bus commutes in areas poorly served by public transport for people who take up frontline work in warehousing, cargo management, shipment and the logistics and delivery service industries. Zeelo has been running over 700 bus services per month, seven days a week since October 2022. In the same timeframe, almost 2,000 rides have been booked to transport hundreds of frontline workers from Coventry and Leicester to the DIRFT site. Zeelo estimates that workers at DIRFT will book 21,000 Zeelo journeys next year, with this number expected to increase once additional routes from Rugby, Daventry and Northampton are added.
Prologis has attracted leading brands to DIRFT thanks to its location in the heart of the UK. The site has strategic road connections to the M1 (adjacent to the J18) and the M6/A14 interchange which is within 4 miles. However, there is only a limited public transport service, which poorly aligns with shift patterns to make commuting to work more affordable amid a growing cost-of-living crisis for the estimated 9,000 frontline staff employed on the site. Riding with Zeelo is therefore a fast, green and smart solution for tenants of the site to attract and retain their employees. Bus passes and routes can be tracked live on Zeelo’s mobile apps for riders and drivers. Over 70 percent* of Zeelo bus riders state the smart bus service made it easier for them to be able to accept a job that they would not have been able to commute to otherwise.
Sam Ryan, CEO at Zeelo, commented: “We’re delighted to support companies like Prologis that are making it possible for all their clients to attract staff from nearby towns to manage their inventories. Logistics and distribution is essential work, but public transport services around business parks are not designed for the daily commutes of shift workers. Typically, you need a car, which not everyone can afford these days. That’s where Zeelo has come in to resolve a recruitment issue with a tech-enabled shared mobility solution that actually improves their access to the best jobs. Our proprietary software can identify recruitment hotspots and plug in bus routes to and from these areas within a matter of hours.”
Paul Weston, Regional Head at Prologis UK commented: “In recent years, our customers have talked to us about their increasing need for key workers to manage warehouse and logistics operations in the UK. Zeelo’s tech-optimised bus services have made it easier to attract new people to our largest UK site. For one operator at DIRFT, we saw a 525% increase in job applications following publicity of the direct bus services we provide staff. Zeelo’s services have helped reassure our customers that work would carry on seamlessly throughout the Christmas rush.”
Zeelo has recorded 4 million rides booked since 2016 and 2m rides in 2022 alone, due to increased demand from the warehouse and logistics parks across the UK, US and South Africa. The company has pledged to transition Zeelo services to net-zero by 2030 when it anticipates 8 million Zeelo rides will run on electric buses. Zeelo’s first electric buses are already on the road since 2021 for clients including Ocado, Amazon and Dwight School London.
*source: Zeelo survey of 2000 bus riders – Nov 2022
