Robot Postal Service Launches in Texas

PostNet is launching a robot delivery service in Northlake, Texas, alongside autonomous delivery provider Clevon.

Under the partnership, Clevon will provide its Autonomous Robot Carriers (ARCs) to deliver parcels to PostNet customers in Northlake, following successful tests of the service over a few weeks. 

The service will see residents scheduling a delivery time, with the robots working Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

According to Clevon’s CEO, Sander Sebastian Agur, the project is intended to make suburban deliveries “affordable, safe, and foremost convenient for consumers.”

“Clevon’s ARCs are transforming how goods are transported and delivered locally, leading to greater convenience and less expense, reduced energy consumption, and improved environmental outcomes,” said Agur. “This partnership demonstrates how the future of the last mile deliveries can be experienced already today.”

“We want to be the problem solvers for our customers’ pain points, and having the Clevon ARC help us do that is amazing,” said Gary L Good, multi-unit PostNet owner. “With the ARC, our customers…can watch the ARC deliver straight to their doors. Moreover, customers who run home-based businesses can streamline their busy days by having the ARC securely retrieve their packages and bring them safely to PostNet Northlake.”

Moving forward, the companies said the service can be expanded to deliver a wider range of goods, such as food and groceries.

The project marks a significant step in Clevon’s move into the U.S. market. The Estonian company has been deploying its ARCs on public roads in Europe for the past three years and announced its move into North America last September with the opening of its U.S. headquarters in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex at the AllianceTexas Mobility Innovation Zone (MIZ).

According to Clevon, the move to the U.S. responds to rising consumer demand for same-day, contactless delivery of goods, alongside ongoing labor shortages seen globally.

“The global autonomous last-mile delivery market is expected to grow almost five times to $57B in the next six years,” the company said. “This growth presents a significant challenge for global e-commerce businesses and traditional brick-and-mortar retailers. These businesses will need to differentiate and innovate their last-mile delivery solutions to compete in a marketplace where on-demand delivery options dominate.”