Courier Post will no longer deliver packages to residential addresses.

The Bay of Plenty is the test ground for Courier Post's new business model, where Courier Post will no longer drop off courier packages to residential addresses, instead goods will be delivered by regular posties.

Courier Post packages will now be delivered by posties.

New Zealand Post and Courier Post are currently trialling integrated services in suburban Tauranga.

New Zealand Post communications manager John Tulloch says this is a major step forward to providing a sustainable physical delivery network offering customers more choice.

'Posties will be delivering overnight Courier Post items to suburban areas of Tauranga, including Mount Maunganui and Papamoa,” says John.

Posties will still attempt to get a signature where possible for goods sent with signature request, or they will leave a card to call.

Courier Post couriers will continue to provide overnight and same day services to business and high density areas.

New Zealand Post General Manager of Operations Ashley Smout says the pilot is the result of two years of extensive testing and trialling.

'New Zealand Post's long-term strategy is to expand in the growing parcel/express delivery sector and to be New Zealand's physical network provider of choice.

'We see the potential to create greater customer value and offerings through alignment of our postal and express delivery networks. The combined resources of our Postie and Courier Post networks gives New Zealand Post unmatched reach and service delivery capacity.

'While letter volumes are declining rapidly and irreversibly, there is sold growth in the time critical document and parcel business.

'It's made perfect sense to get together with Courier Post and look to see where we can work effectively and efficiently together to provide a better service for customers,” says Ashley.

Courier Post General Manager Steve Beaumont says in the courier market, businesses and domestic customers alike want competitive pricing and great service. He says combining with the power and reach of New Zealand Post will help achieve that.

'Having a postie and a Courier Post courier go down the same suburban street represents a certain amount of duplication, which the changes will remove while playing to the strengths of our respective networks.

'Posties already go past all residential addresses so it makes sense to have them handle these deliveries while couriers will focus on the high demand areas where they may need to visit the same area two or three times a day.

'Extensive testing has shown the postie network can meet the high standards we've set in overnight courier delivery while enabling Courier Post to develop its business including same day services” says Steve.

A reduction in NZ Post mail volume in the last year. Photo: NZ Post.

Posties will be delivering mail and parcels to residential addresses using new equipment such as eBikes (power assisted bicycles), pulling trailers to transport more items, scanning the tracked parcels and delivering them to customer's doors.

Posties will also be clearing local posting boxes, which are usually cleared by couriers, and items too large for posties to transport will be delivered by vehicle.

Ashley Smout and Steve Beaumont say Tauranga is the ideal location to pilot this new service given its strong economic growth and diverse population and business mix.

New Zealand Post is rolling out several strategies to ensure it provides improved and continued services to New Zealand businesses and communities.

The Tauranga pilot is aligned with New Zealand Post's strategy for a sustainable physical network of the future. This strategy is operating alongside those to provide a better customer store and banking experience and access to new digital services.