PH-owned forwarder to set up branches in Dubai smart shelters
Dubai: A leading Philippine-based courier and cargo solutions provider has joined hands with the operator of Smart Shelters in Dubai to help the residents send and receive parcels and couriers via five of its smart bus stops.
The tie-up between Al Shamil Foodstuff and the Philippines’ LBC Express offers UAE residents an easy option to send parcels and cargo to 236 destinations across the globe, covering the Middle East, Asia Pacific, North America, Europe and Australia, reported Gulf News.
Rohit Dalmia, managing director, Al Shamil Foodstuff, reportedly said: “Smart Shelter provides on-the-go convenience products and services in air-conditioned bus shelters across Dubai, giving public transport users a most convenient shopping and service experience. The courier service is one of our many initiatives to make daily chores easier and more manageable for UAE residents.”
Among the services available at the Smart Shelter cargo stalls is express pickup, offering same day pick-ups and deliveries from on-site bookings. This will allow the residents to avoid the hassle of calling and requesting for a schedule, the report said.
Apart from the five locations — Al Satwa, Mankhool, Shaikh Zayed road, Khalid Bin Waleed street and Al Riqqa – customers will also be able to purchase LBC Express cargo boxes round the clock through the Al Shamil convenience stores situated in 30 other Smart Shelters across Dubai, said the news portal.
The service will be available from a sixth location on Al Muteena Street soon.
Dalmia reportedly said that the courier service will be available at more locations, with many bus stops set to become last mile delivery and pick-up points for couriers.
“One of the biggest issues with delivery service providers is covering the last mile which is mostly the most expensive and time-consuming part. We are in talks with several retailers who are selling goods online to use our bus stops as delivery points. The idea is to turn smart bus stops at various locations as delivery hubs from where customers can pick up their goods at their convenience,” Dalmia was quoted as saying by Gulf News.
The service is likely to be ready by the end of this year.
The Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) had launched 100 smart shelters across 15 districts of Dubai earlier this year. The air-conditioned shelters offer free WiFi, mobile charging, Nol and telecom recharge, bill payments and grocery shopping, the news portal reported.
Apart from the five stops with cargo services, 30 stops have minimarts, 30 others have food and beverage stalls, while the remaining 35 will have food stalls soon.
By the end of this year, Smart Shelters are also set to have mini stalls by telecom operators.
“Our idea is to make smart shelters key kerb-side locations from where people can do most of their regular tasks on the go. Just as people visit offices of telecom providers in any mall to buy a Sim card, to upgrade their mobile plans or any complaints we are looking to provide similar services from smart shelters by the end of this year,” said Dalmia.
Among the other services that will be available later this year are free health monitoring and weather sensors that will provide information about temperature, air quality and noise level.
“We will be installing sensors that collect data from the vicinity and relay this to the government authorities, which will help them make policy decisions about the environment,” he added.
Smart Shelters have reportedly proven popular over the last six months with 90,000 unique WiFi users every week and Dh2 million worth of transactions through the smart kiosk.
Following the enthusiastic response to smart bus stops, Dalmia reportedly said, studies are under way to build 400 more smart bus stops by the end of 2018.
(Source: FilipinoTimes.ae)