Pilot Project

The Institute for Transport and Logistics jointly with Poste Italiane will run tests to introduce digital technology enabling e-commerce in rural areas. A smart digital locker has been installed in Monghidoro in the Metropolitan City of Bologna, and its use was monitored by the local project partners.

The smart locker offers several services: shipment and collection of parcels (B2C, C2X), collection of correspondence requiring a signature or payment, such as registered mail, postal bills, phone credit and prepaid debit cards recharge. Users will be able to access the digital locker interface through an app installed on their mobile devices (e.g. smartphone or tablet).

The Local Municipality and Città metropolitana di Bologna has been involved as stakeholders, together with INDIMO target groups, and their support revealed essential for the success of our project.

The aim of the pilot was to facilitate digital inclusion by extending the benefits of digital technologies to targets groups that are usually not reached due to their location, through the installation of a smart locker in a rural municipality. The smart locker allowed users to enjoy the benefits of a more digitally connected society and to have access to services, including e-commerce, that may have been limited or difficult to use before.