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Delivering Amazon Packages To the Top of the World (nytimes.com)
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.
"by way of a plane carrying 15 to 20 bags of packages from Amazon the convenience of the digital age arrives, by way of a plane carrying 15 to 20 bags of packages from Amazon"
And, the Himalayan valleys produce really good echos (another Amazon reference).
"National Security is the chief cause of national insecurity." - Celine's First Law
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.
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.
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 Sun Workstation (in the year 2000 and it came with a monitor too) shipped to me from some guy in the back of flatbed truck, with some disheveled delivery guy. I paid over 3k for this computer, I was expecting a little more professionalism on getting it. Granted they boxes were in clean order and no damage. But it gave me a bit of a sour taste in my mouth from it.
If something is so important that you feel the need to post it on the internet... It probably isn't that important.
Mount Everest. Forbidding, aloof, terrifying. The mountain with the biggest tits in the world.
#DeleteChrome
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.