"Because parcel volumes fluctuate significantly not just from month to month, but also week to week and even day to day, there are times when we need extra hands to deliver packages the same or next day," explained Martti Kuldma, head of the Omniva group, in outlining the background of the project.

As a solution, Omniva developed an app that allows those who have signed a partnership agreement with the company to work as couriers on their own terms — at times and volumes that suit them. Couriers can use the app to see whether Omniva currently needs assistance, how much time the delivery would take and how much they could earn, then decide whether to accept the job.

According to Omniva, the citizen delivery system will enable faster deliveries for customers and expand same-day delivery options.

"The new model gives citizen couriers a flexible way to earn extra income, while allowing Omniva to adjust labor costs in line with current parcel volumes," the company stated.

Omniva launched the pilot project first in Riga in April. As of May 1, it is also seeking couriers in Tallinn. A total of 250 people in the two countries have expressed interest through a social media campaign; to date, 17 in Riga and 21 in Tallinn have signed contracts and successfully delivered their first parcels.

"The pilot project will show whether the solution is sustainable in the long term — whether the technical platform works, whether courier interest remains steady, whether the expectations of all parties align and whether service quality meets expectations. So far, we've seen that the technical solution works well, and thanks to the help of citizen couriers, packages are reaching their destinations faster than we could deliver them with our regular courier network," Kuldma confirmed.

To become a courier, applicants must be at least 18 years old, hold a valid driver's license, have a personal vehicle and operate a registered business or have an entrepreneurial account to formalize the partnership. After signing a partnership agreement, citizen couriers can download the Omniva Citizen Delivery app.

Omniva tracks the delivery route and status and remains responsible for the customer's parcel.

If the pilot projects prove successful, citizen delivery will be expanded to other regions in the future. "The future could look like this: if you live in Nõva and commute to work in Keila every day, you'd see in the citizen delivery app that seven parcels are waiting in a parcel locker in Nõva that need to be brought to the Keila post office. That would only mean about six minutes of extra driving for you, but you'd recoup part of your fuel cost," Kuldma said by way of example.

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