Old electric post vans made available for anyone to hire
GUERNSEY Post has taken a small step towards earning extra revenue by teaming up with electric vehicle hire company Evie to rent out three of its old vans.
Finance director Steve Sheridan said that the initiative was one of several the company will be looking at in the coming year in an effort to diversify its income.
‘This represents a low-risk commercial opportunity for us. If it proves successful we’re ready to mobilise additional vehicles.’
Guernsey Post announced last month that it would have to lose 30 staff after making a loss of £2m. last year.
The Nissan vans are seven years old and were part of the company’s original electric fleet.
‘Typically, we reduce the number of fleet vehicles after the busy Christmas period so this represents a perfect time,’ said Mr Sheridan.
‘Normally we’d have been looking to sell them on the market.’
The three vans have been fitted out with Evie’s rental technology and can be hired from the same app that is used to access its electric bikes when they are available.
Evie CEO Jamie Kelly said it had four vans in Jersey and could do with six more, such is their popularity.
They had been used by people buying large items, transporting a lot of recycling and moving house.
‘We’re also looking at a business-to-business offering where businesses can have a monthly account and have a van for certain hours.’
The vans are offered on an ‘A to A’ basis meaning they must be returned after use, unlike the bikes which can be left anywhere.
For the time being they will be parked on the access road between Envoy House and Millbrook Estate where Guernsey Post has rented six parking spaces – three for the vans and three for hirers to leave their own vehicle.
Mr Sheridan said the company will be redesigning its customer car park and the vans will be available from there once the work is complete.
The vehicles will be charged by Guernsey Post overnight, but people could charge them at home if necessary.
Depending on the weight being carried, the vans should do about 80 miles and be usable for an average of about four hours.
They can be hired for £15 an hour for the first six hours, or £80 for 24 hours and Mr Sheridan said a revenue-sharing agreement had been made between Guernsey Post and Evie.
