Zeelo, a London-based platform for smart, carbon-neutral bus commuting, has partnered with Prologis UK to provide a ‘mass transport solution’ to attract and retain workers in areas surrounding the largest of Prologis’ 22 UK logistics parks.
The service will operate around Daventry International Rail Freight Terminal (DIRFT) in Northamptonshire. This site measures at over 14 million ft² and has properties leased by the likes of Royal Mail, DHL, and Boohoo. An estimated 9,000 staff are said to be employed on the site.
Zeelo claims to be 100% carbon neutral and aims to make commutes easier for staff along routes where public transport links are limited. Since October 2022, Zeelo has been running over 700 bus services per month, transporting an monthly average of 150,000 workers and students across the UK and the US.
It estimates that workers at DIRFT will book 21,000 smart bus journeys in 2023, and expects this number to increase once additional routes from Rugby, Daventry, and Northampton are added.
Sam Ryan, Zeelo’s Chief Executive said: “We’re delighted to support companies like Prologis that are making it possible for all their clients to attract staff from nearby towns to manage their inventories.
“Logistics and distribution is essential work, but public transport services around business parks are not designed for the daily commutes of shift workers. Typically, you need a car, which not everyone can afford these days.
“That’s where Zeelo has come in to resolve a recruitment issue with a tech-enabled shared mobility solution that actually improves their access to the best jobs. Our proprietary software can identify recruitment hotspots and plug in bus routes to and from these areas within a matter of hours.”
With the warehousing and logistics industry facing issues with recruitment and retention of staff, Zeelo hopes that its services can make working at distribution centres more feasible for existing and potential workers in the industry.
