Our third article of the news series "Inside the Hubs" focuses on the City of Amsterdam. Every day, approximately 1,800 contractors, painters, plumbers, and other service technicians drive to Amsterdam's city center. They often lose significant time in traffic jams and searching for parking, sometimes incurring thousands of euros in parking costs.
Pilot Area: Amsterdam | Partner: City of Amsterdam
Amsterdam has taken a major step towards more sustainable and efficient service logistics with the introduction of its first hub, the Park + Switch MoLo hub. The hub offers service companies (e.g. technicians) a smart solution to reach clients in busy urban areas, such as the city center, more quickly and cleanly. It was tested in 2025 with three different partners, and the initial results are now available.
Partner #1: AG Allround
Type of organisation: Small family business in construction
Type of work during P+S: House renovation
P+S Modality: Scooter | Period: 1 month in March 2025
For contractor AG Allround, who carried out a major home renovation in the city center, the P+S hub was less effective. Without on-site storage, he had to transport materials daily using his van, resulting in extra trips to the hub and significant time loss. Unpredictable job requirements also meant frequent trips to the wholesaler, requiring him to retrieve his van from the hub.
Ultimately, he reverted to parking near the customer's location, incurring over €5,000 in parking costs and exemptions over three months. This was significantly higher than the P+S scooter subscription (€490 per month for five days a week). "However, the job would have taken an extra week otherwise, which would have been even more expensive," says Balm. The contractor sees potential in the hub but emphasizes the need for on-site storage. AUAS analysis confirms that with storage, P+S could reduce costs compared to traditional methods.
Partner #2: Lantwaard Plumbing
Type of organisation: Self-employed plumber
Type of work during P+S: Bathroom renovation, plumbing
P+S Modality: Cargo bike | Period: 3 weeks in May-June 2025
Caspar from Lantwaard Klus Consultancy, used a cargo bike from the P+S hub for three weeks while renovating a bathroom in the western canal belt. By using the cargo bike five days a week, his customer saved €750 in parking costs, as the P+S subscription (€255 per month for a cargo bike) is much cheaper than city-center parking (€8 per hour).
However, Caspar's travel time increased by 20 minutes daily due to the switch. On days when he needed his van for heavy or large materials, an additional 30 minutes was required. He did not pass on the extra travel time to his customer. "If the customer were to reimburse the plumber for the extra travel time, both parties would benefit."
Partner #3: BAM Energie & Water
Type of organisation: Department within a large organization
Type of work during P+S: Replacement of electricity and gas meters in homes
P+S Modality: Cargo bike, scooter and city car + container for storage in working area
Period: 6 weeks in Oct-Nov 2025
For BAM Energy & Water, the hub proved highly effective. This division of the BAM Group replaces gas and electricity meters, requiring many short stops daily with minimal tools and materials.
"Previously, technicians drove vans from address to address," says Balm. "In the city center, it takes an average of 20 minutes to find parking and walk back and forth to the customer."
With P+S, technicians transfer their tools to a cargo bike, scooter, or Birò and use a local storage container for new and old meters. This saves significant time. "A technician can now complete 16-18 meter replacements per day with a cargo bike, compared to just 10 or fewer with a van." AUAS analysis shows that the P+S approach reduces project duration by 40% and costs by 40-75% compared to using a van.
Who Benefits from the Hub?
The P+S hub is particularly effective for predictable work with many stops in close proximity and limited materials. For less predictable jobs, such as renovations, the hub becomes more viable if on-site storage is available, as seen in BAM's case. Additional services, such as deliveries from wholesalers, could also enhance its appeal.
Source: City of Amsterdam, Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences