Parcel locker systems in a car dominant city: Location, characterisation and potential impacts on city planning and consumer travel access

Abstract

Automated systems enabling customers to pick-up e-purchased goods from designated 24 h Parcel Locker pick-up points are proliferating. While they offer the promise of improved access to goods and reduced travel for consumers and delivery vehicles, the integration of these systems in cities, and their impact on access, generally and by mode are understudied.

This paper explores the development, site characteristics and regional location characteristics of Parcel Lockers in five South East Queensland (SEQ) cities, Australia, and discusses implications for urban and transport planning in a car-oriented city.

Micro level site analyses for 45 locker locations provide information on facilities (e.g. access by modes and universal accessibility, ground level, tenure type, safety). Hierarchical cluster analysis helps identify categories of locations. Suburb-level census and land use data as well as distance from transportation infrastructure and other Australia Post facilities were gathered and used to compare regional suburbs with and without Parcel Lockers. Logistic regression identifies the suburb level characteristics associated with the presence of a Parcel Locker (n = 273).

Parcel Lockers in Brisbane are generally located at Australia Post locations, on commercial streets, shopping centres, suburban arterials and industrial parks. Automobile access and nearby parking is nearly ubiquitous, whereas alternative transport access is limited. Though site locations are constrained by commercial decisions, proximity to highways, to public transport, population density, a good balance of jobs and population, and higher rates of household Internet access are associated with the presence of a Parcel Locker.

Documenting and assessing site characteristics and regional location of Parcel Lockers can help ensure its optimal and adequate integration and distribution across the region to satisfy city and transport planning goals. In its current state, Australia Post's Parcel Lockers partially meet the objectives of a sustainable city.