About the Organisation
CROW Kurierdienst is described on its website as a cooperative bicycle courier in Berlin, operating since 2017. The text says it works without cars, delivering by cargo bike across the city, and that it is run as a cooperative in which couriers help lead the company.
Services Offered
- Stadtkurier: same-day express delivery and direct trips from pickup to handover.
- Medizin: pharmacy and laboratory deliveries with documented handover; couriers are described as certified under UN3373.
- Last-Mile: storage, order picking and delivery from a hub in Kreuzberg.
- B2B: recurring tours for businesses, with collective invoicing or SEPA payment. Clients named in the text include Berlin businesses, laboratories, pharmacies, roasteries, wholesalers, retailers and private customers.
Speed and Parking Claims
The text cites studies from London and Brussels stating that cargo bikes complete up to 60 % more stops per hour than vans in city centres. It adds that in London they beat vans by an average factor of 1.6. It also cites a study claiming that 40 % of van deliveries take place in the second row or without valid permits.
Emissions Comparison
The organisation states that its bikes emit no exhaust gases while in use. It contrasts this with electric vans, which need considerably more electricity and a large battery whose materials, the text says, include lithium, cobalt and rare earths.
CO₂ Savings Calculation
The website describes its CO₂ counter as an estimate, not a live measurement. It assumes a typical monthly output of around 11,350 bicycle kilometres and multiplies each kilometre by 250 g CO₂, the diesel van value attributed to the Umweltbundesamt. Production, maintenance, electricity for pedal-assist bikes and warehouse operation are not included. The company states that it does not offset through purchased certificates and therefore does not call itself climate-neutral.
Customers, Community and Contact
The page lists a partner network with backlinks to customers and partners, offered on request and by mutual agreement. A monthly column by a cooperative member appears in the local Kreuzberg newspaper Kiez und Kneipe. Job openings and specific contact teams are available through the website.
Why It Matters for Urban Delivery
In its own terms, CROW presents itself as a service for Berlin businesses and private customers that wants deliveries carried out with personal responsibility and low emissions, and that invites companies to join its partner network.