Cargo bike rental: a sustainable transport solution for your business

A cargo bike: flexible, accessible and sustainable

Cities are becoming less and less accessible to cars, vans and trucks. More restrictions are being implemented by municipalities to limit traffic. As a business, it’s important to look for innovative solutions and plan ahead, in order to keep on track with ever-changing regulations. The answer? A cargo bike!

The advantages of a cargo bike:

•   Compliance with the latest regulations surrounding transport in large cities and flexible in the face of changes or stricter standards.
•   Your delivery operations and business transport are far more sustainable, which makes for cleaner cities and a positive image towards your customer – you show that you care about sustainability.
•   You can access the city faster because you’re no longer getting stuck in traffic all the time. Also, you won’t have any problems with parking, loading or unloading. Our customer Proximus carried out a test to see how much time they could save using a cargo bike. Peter, Line Manager: “We were curious about the difference in when comparing travel times. We deployed three bikes in Brussels at the beginning of 2023. Our technicians could choose when to use the cargo bike for their IT interventions. After a year of testing, it turns out: the turnaround time for their interventions when they used a cargo bike was significantly reduced compared to when they used the car. In some cases, the travel time decreased from 45 to 15 minutes.”
•   You can use a cargo bike without a driver’s license. This gives you a greater choice when hiring personnel, in an already competitive job market. In addition, cargo bikes keep your people healthy because they get plenty of exercise every day and are able work outdoors in the fresh air.
•   More economical: the purchase or rental price on a cargo bike is far lower than for a car, or a van. Furthermore, you save money on depreciation costs and fuel and you don’t need to stress out about finding a charging station – you can travel up to eighty kilometres on two batteries! A side effect is that you save drastically on costs. Clara, Central Operations Manager at Dott explains: “When we only used vans, these shifts were often scheduled for the evenings. During the day, it was too busy in the city centre to get from A to B. It simply took too long. Therefore, our employees would sometimes drive in the evenings, as it was more efficient. But, evening shifts are more expensive than regular daytime working hours. Nowadays, our employees no longer need to use the vans in the evenings. They can simply grab the electric cargo bike during the day. As a result, the hourly wages have been reduced, operating during regular working hours. As such, the use of electric cargo bikes has not only made our operations more sustainable and efficient, it has also reduced costs.”

Comparing purchasing, renting and leasing a cargo bike

What exactly is the difference between renting, leasing or buying a cargo bike? Buying speaks for itself: you pay for the purchase and the cargo bike is yours. Buying involves making a one-off investment and then you’re done. But, there’s more to consider. Purchasing a cargo bike also involves maintenance, insurance, and not to forget the value depreciates over time.

We make things easy for you. Leasing, renting, or a DOCKR subscription is a smart choice. You don’t have to make the initial investment, because you’re paying a fixed monthly fee, although the cost varies between renting, leasing, and a DOCKR subscription.

•   A cargo bike rental is intended for short-term use. It’s flexible: you can easily extend or shorten the rental period and cancel any time. Rental often costs more than leasing.
•   Leasing tends to be less expensive, but you’re committed to an agreement for at least a year, or more. Most lease agreements even have a duration of 48 months or longer. Leases are also less flexible: the term is fixed and therefore less flexible.
•   A DOCKR subscription offers a great price and can be cancelled month-to-month. In many cases, it’s even cheaper than a lease contract. And it gives you the flexibility you get with renting!

A cargo bike rental DOCKR subscription: the best of three worlds

We briefly discussed the pros and cons of buying vs renting and leasing. But what exactly is so appealing about a cargo bike rental with DOCKR?

•   Month-to-month cancellation policy and competitive prices: Flexibility often comes with a hefty price tag. But unlike traditional rentals, with a DOCKR subscription you pay a fixed, low rate – sometimes this costs even less than leasing. So you are not tied to a fixed contract and can cancel monthly, at a low price.
•   Flexible scalability: A big event coming up? Peak season starting soon? Or would you simply prefer a larger box container on your cargo bike? Do you anticipate a dip in sales following a store closure? With a DOCKR subscription, you can easily scale your fleet up or down. Everything is arranged within a week, and you get to choose from a wide range of cargo bikes to suit the needs of your company. For example, there are small 180-litre loading containers, but you can also go for three times more capacity. Edward Brots from GGD Amsterdam explains: “With DOCKR you always have a choice of the latest models. And the box containers are big, so everything fits easily. Our advisors often have tools with them, but other items too, such as iPads or shovels, all easily fit into the box container. There are handy compartments in the front, so you can separate everything properly. And all our cargo bikes display our corporate identity – so we stand out!”
•   Completely carefree: a strange sound? Flat tyre? No worries, we’ll come to you. And if we can’t fix it in a day? Then you get a temporary replacement cargo bike. The insurance for the DOCKR cargo bike is also included in the price. 
•   Meets the latest standards: the legislation in Amsterdam is not the same as in Brussels. With a DOCKR cargo bike, you 100% meet the latest environmental and safety standards.

Calculate your savings with a cargo bike rental

For many entrepreneurs, sustainability is an important factor when choosing a cargo bike rental. It’s our obligation, of course, but we are also becoming increasingly aware of our carbon footprint.

Have you ever calculated the carbon footprint left behind as a result of your business transport? And would it make a big difference if you used a cargo bike instead of a van, for example? Contact us to find out how much CO₂ you can save. Find out immediately how many more packages you can deliver in the same amount of time, and how much of your business transport you can handle with an electric cargo bike. Spoiler alert – it’s more than you think!

Conclusion: a cargo bike rental as the ultimate solution

A DOCKR cargo bike offers all kinds of benefits: compliance with the latest regulations, quicker turnaround times, increased sustainability and the flexibility to respond quickly in ever-changing conditions. In addition, with DOCKR you have a full-service agreement including maintenance and repair services, and contribute to corporate social responsibility.

So whether you’re a small business just starting out with sustainable delivery, or a large enterprise looking to scale quickly, a DOCKR subscription gives you the flexibility and cost benefits you need. Discover for yourself the advantages of renting a cargo bike. Get in touch and we’ll be happy to tell you more.