Cargo Business Techwire

Friday, August 21, 2015

Amazon applies for patent to use public transit to deliver packages

An Amazon patent application, recently made public , describes a plan for delivering packages via public transit — turning buses, trains, subways and other vehicles into mobile pickup locations.

One model described in the patent is essentially an Amazon Locker on wheels, installed inside or attached to the outside of a bus, train or other form of transit. Customers who ride a particular route regularly could opt to have a package delivered to

their preferred bus, to pick up while they’re riding. Or those in a specific area could choose to pick up their package at a bus stop, receiving a text message when their item is approaching.

That latter option could be especially useful in rural areas "where carriers for delivering items are rare or prohibitively expensive," the filing says.

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