The old becomes new again

California based company Robomart is hoping to begin an on-demand grocery service. The service would be provided through an app and delivered by a remotely controlled truck. The buyer would meet the truck street side, open a door with the app, and retrieve their purchase. This may sound futuristic or a new angle on grocery delivery. But is it? Of course, remote-controlled trucks roaming the streets and ordering through your phone are, but not grocery delivery service. Ask your parents or grandparents. Depending on the reader maybe you already guess what I mean. 

MIlkmen

Dairy delivery by “milkmen” began to fade in the U.S. in the 1970s. Driven by stay at home moms who didn’t have access to transportation or grocery stores during business hours, the milkman was a necessity. Fresh milk, butter, and eggs delivered on a predetermined schedule. But as women joined the workforce in greater numbers and began driving their own vehicles the need for home delivery faded. In some areas of the country, milkmen have again begun roaming the streets. Once again built on necessity, some are finding it more convenient to have dairy products delivered.

In cities like Baltimore, Arabbers, up until recently, would walk horse-drawn carts through the streets selling produce. Pronounced Ay-rabber, from the 19^thcentury defining the homeless who wandered the streets selling small objects. People knew the Arabbers schedule and made their daily purchase of fresh items. In cities and rural locales, street merchants would go street-to-street selling merchandise or offering services such as cobbling, repairs, and knife sharpening, People could stay at home and have food delivered to their door. What a concept, huh? Over time, as grocery and department stores began to emerge in neighborhoods and people became more mobile the street vendors began to disappear. 

What a concept

The street vendor or home delivery of groceries is not a new concept. How the merchandise is delivered is the new twist. In addition to drone delivery of packages, Amazon is also working on its own robotic delivery service. Robomart doesn’t call their delivery trucks robots or autonomous, because they are operated by humans in real time remotely. Amazon's small cooler sized robots are being tested to navigate neighborhood streets using sidewalks. They will be deployed from nearby distribution centers and carry packages to homes. FedEx is close behind Amazon in robotic delivery of packages. In February 2019 FedEx unveiled an autonomous robot that will handle “last mile deliveries. The robot is designed to handle any terrain and climb stairs. Delivering your package to the front door. Currently, FedEx has partnered with Walmart and Pizza Hut to test the robot.

While technology is thrusting us into the future the new is being applied to the old. While our grandparents may not understand all the newfangled gadgetry, they would recognize milk being delivered to their door.