Baptistine Smets sent a text to say she would be back at the hub “in eight minutes.” Exactly six minutes and 30 seconds later, the Cargo Velo hub manager pulled in. Over the next few hours, it became apparent that the desire to beat expectations was ingrained in the mentality of the delivery company’s riders. This motivation has contributed to Cargo Velo’s rise to becoming the largest bicycle courier company in Belgium, with over 30 contract riders in three cities.
Willem-Frederik Schiltz, the company’s CEO, arrived shortly afterwards on his commuter bike. “Gotta practice what I preach,” he said, joking that his bike was his Porsche. “Sustainability is our cornerstone value and transforming urban logistics is our mission,” he told REVOLVE.
An average day for the Brussels team can involve around 350 deliveries, requiring seven riders. A busy day can involve 11 riders making up to 500 deliveries, which fall into three main categories: care (medical samples, fragile items), catering (usually B2B), and last-mile delivery (e-commerce packages).
The CEO said it was becoming increasingly difficult to sell their business based on sustainability alone. What matters is performance, and Cargo Velo outperforms car and van deliveries every time. A 2021 study in London found that electric cargo bikes make deliveries up to 60% faster than vans. Next to being faster and pollution-free, bikes have a lower carbon footprint, don’t get stuck in traffic and are able to navigate a challenging city with ease and dexterity simply impossible for a car. At Cargo Velo, over 99% of deliveries are successful.
Cargo Velo riders know the city intimately. When Baptistine plans the day ahead, she understands the value of flow, choregraphing one delivery with the next, like a dance. Once the routes are made and the deliveries delegated, it’s over to the drivers. Speed and agility are part of what makes cycling fun. And Cargo Velo’s riders like to indulge.
