Delivering Amazon Packages To the Top of the World (nytimes.com) 44
Vindu Goel, writing for The New York Times: Perched high in the Himalayas, near India's border with China, the tiny town of Leh sometimes seems as if it has been left behind by modern technology. Internet and cellphone service is spotty, the two roads to the outside world are snowed in every winter, and Buddhist monasteries compete with military outposts for prime mountaintop locations. But early each morning, the convenience of the digital age arrives, by way of a plane carrying 15 to 20 bags of packages from Amazon. At an elevation of 11,562 feet, Leh is the highest spot in the world where the company offers speedy delivery.
When the plane arrives from New Delhi, it is met by employees from Amazon's local delivery partner, Incredible Himalaya, who then shuttle the packages by van to a modest warehouse nearby. Eshay Rangdol, 26, the nephew of the owner, helps oversee the sorting of the packages and delivers many of them himself. The couriers must follow exacting standards set by Amazon, from wearing closed-toe shoes and being neatly groomed to displaying their ID cards and carrying a fully charged cellphone. Amazon began offering doorstep delivery in this region last fall, as part of an effort to better serve the remotest corners of India. Sales volume in Leh is up twelvefold since Incredible Himalaya took over deliveries from the postal service, which was much slower and required customers to pick up packages at the post office.
When the plane arrives from New Delhi, it is met by employees from Amazon's local delivery partner, Incredible Himalaya, who then shuttle the packages by van to a modest warehouse nearby. Eshay Rangdol, 26, the nephew of the owner, helps oversee the sorting of the packages and delivers many of them himself. The couriers must follow exacting standards set by Amazon, from wearing closed-toe shoes and being neatly groomed to displaying their ID cards and carrying a fully charged cellphone. Amazon began offering doorstep delivery in this region last fall, as part of an effort to better serve the remotest corners of India. Sales volume in Leh is up twelvefold since Incredible Himalaya took over deliveries from the postal service, which was much slower and required customers to pick up packages at the post office.
Exacting standards... (Score:2)
Economic position (Score:3)
Closed toed shoes...probably lead with something a little more exacting. But I do like that a remote place like this has access to Amazon.
Closed toed shoes is probably a safety issue, it protects the feet in case you drop something. We have that restriction here in the US in light workshop areas.
I'm curious about the economic position of the town. Purchasing goods requires money, so money leaves the town, and to be sustainable money has to also come into the town, which means the town produces something that is saleable.
What saleable item does [a small town high in the Himalayas] produce? Just wondering.
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Based on TFS, religion and military?
I don't know how economically participating the monks would be, but I suspect the military brings a sustainable economy to the town.
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"What saleable item does [a small town high in the Himalayas] produce? Just wondering."
They produced children and grand-children, who work in New Delhi and send money back too peepaw and meemaw.
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Professional Image Standard can say a lot about the company.
If a Guy was dressed in street clothing to a delivery to the Himalayas it is Amazon saying to the customers, "We are delivering this to use as a favor from us, you got your stuff so you should be happy." Vs. Having it delivered with a professional image, which says "We value you as a customer, and are willing to go the extra mile for you."
In the past I have ordered some goods, and it went to some third party shipping company, So I got a 70 lbs S
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I'd much rather have a disheveled delivery guy who handles my packages carefully and diligently, than someone in a pristine uniform who throws my packages around, leaves them in a puddle on my porch, doesn't ring before slipping a 'not home' notice in my mailbox, etc.
IOW you're looking at irrelevances.
Re: Exacting standards... (Score:2)
Closed toed shoes...probably lead with something a little more exacting. But I do like that a remote place like this has access to Amazon.
It is a slightly odd requirement to have for a contractor. It implies that they are treating them more like an employee and extension of Amazon that just another independent delivery service. Around Christmas time, I've had packages delivered from the back of uhauls and pickup trucks by people in street clothes presumably because ups and usps can't keep up so are hiring whatever temp workers they can find.
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Mountain canyons. (Score:5, Funny)
And, the Himalayan valleys produce really good echos (another Amazon reference).
Repetition in the Slashdot story: (Score:2)
"... plane carrying 15 to 20 bags..."
"... plane carrying 15 to 20 bags..."
RAID 1 information transfer? Gotta have a backup. Suppose something disturbed the electrons delivering the 1st phrase?
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I don't know, I am not a journalist and my writing sucks
Just my 2 cents
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Replace Postal Service (Score:1)
If the post office in the US ( and in many other countries ) wasnâ(TM)t heavily cost controlled and subsidized Iâ(TM)d wager Amazon ( and others ) could provide a much more effective and efficient replacement.
The only problems I ever have with Amazon deliver is when the carrier is the postal service.
I appreciate that this would reduce postal access to lower income individuals but I should think we could solve that with the $18 billion we give the post office every year.
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I should think we could solve that with the $18 billion we give the post office every year.
Since the Post Office receives zero tax dollars [usps.com], I am curious who you think this "we" is.
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I should think we could solve that with the $18 billion we give the post office every year.
Since the Post Office receives zero tax dollars [usps.com], I am curious who you think this "we" is.
He probably thinks those contracts the USPS has with the US government are "subsidies". You know, we haven't heard about that in a very long time. I guess they were good deals after all......
Re:Replace Postal Service (Score:5, Informative)
The USPS is not subsidized. And yet all the anti-government types keep trying to point to it as a failure when it's probably one of the best run government departments. Mostly because the USPS is required to act much like an independent business because of the 1971 Postal Reorganization Act. Tax dollars are only used in limited cases, such as delivery of voting materials overseas. Junk mail actually keeps the system going. Amazon can deliver to this remoate place in the Himalayas, but it won't deliver to some places in the US that the post office does serve. Profit is what matters to Amazon.
Certainly the postal system could be improved, but I don't understand why it's constantly held up as an example of wasteful government.
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In Arizona we have one Indian village deep in the Grand Canyon that has its mail delivered by mule every day. No extra change.
Airports at high altitudes are exciting (Score:3)
At an elevation of 11,562 feet,
I recommend travelling in and out of airports over 11K for anyone looking for adventure. Make sure to get a window seat. I did it once and it's about the wildest ride you can do on commercial. The landing and takeoff speeds are more than double compared to typical airports.
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My bucket list is full of uneventful and unadventurous activities, like sleeping in, walking on a beach, watching a play.
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Not me. When the last mile is handled by the USPS, it arrives on the day marked in my mailbox or on the front porch as expected.
The times I tried Amazon delivery, which was to THEIR OWN STORE, it was late every time.
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Eh I've been a pax on tactical landings in a C130 and various helicopters. I'm pretty sure that has high altitude airports beat.
All fine (Score:1)
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" by no-body ( 127863 )
I still despise Amazon and avoid it!"
Nobody does that.
The Himalayas... (Score:3)
Mount Everest. Forbidding, aloof, terrifying. The mountain with the biggest tits in the world.
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Start again!
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exacting standards indeed (Score:2)
The couriers must follow exacting standards set by Amazon, from wearing closed-toe shoes and being neatly groomed to displaying their ID cards and carrying a fully charged cellphone.
In our brave new world, these are exacting standards ...
Well, I suppose they are. In parts of the US, Amazon will let any slob deliver who can pony up the money for some vans ...
Lucky Eshay (Score:2)
Who lives at the North Pole exactly? (Score:2)
Who lives at the North Pole exactly? Or did someone's PR team shoot their load five months too early?
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Who lives at the North Pole exactly? Or did someone's PR team shoot their load five months too early?
Becvause of thinning polar ice and the elves” recent unionization vote, the toy manufacturer you’re thinking of has already relocated to Shanghai.
Oops, wrong address! (Score:2)
The irony of this story is that I just walked in from running a special errand. Four days ago, Friday, the Amazon delivery service dropped off a box at my house. It was addressed to someone else. I live in a large metro area. The intended recipient is in the same metro area, but a neighboring town 14 miles away. Our names have no resemblance to each other, none whatsoever, nor was there anything else that could have caused confusion. The shipping label said (paraphrasing) deliver to Fred, 123 Main St