Monthly archives: June, 2019

Alphabet: new smart container for last-mile logistics

Alphabet’s plan for a new waterfront city in Toronto includes a standard smart container for last-mile logistics. Sidewalk Labs unveiled its Master Innovation and Development Plan to transform the site into the most innovative district in the world, with a network of sensors generating data on how people, goods, and vehicles move throughout the new community.

Research: combining traditional and green business models

Parcel delivery has been subject to significant paradigm shifts over recent decades, caused by urbanization. The economic development in the mid-1990s led to the rise of faster-growing medium-large-sized companies that specialized in the delivery of small parcels, giving birth to the Global Courier, Express, and Parcel (CEP) market.

The rise of light electric freight vehicles in the postal sector

In previous decades the postal sector experienced drastic changes. Liberalization and digitization resulted in a continuous mail market decline. Simultaneously the booming e-commerce parcel delivery market requires Postal Operators (POs) to rigorously restructure their delivery networks to reduce distribution costs. POs are evaluating synergy opportunities between the mail and parcel delivery network.

HoReCa: the next frontier in city logistics?

In major cities, almost one in four retail spaces is HoReCa and his number is increasing. Thousands of HoReCa entrepreneurs receive their products from many small distributors every day. As a result, the HoReCa distribution of food services is growing fast. Researchers from the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences did research into HoReCa distribution in Amsterdam and offer …

Research: lessons learned of 10 years Binnenstadservice (NL)

During the International City Logistics Conference, 2019 Hans Quak (TNO NL) presented his research on lessons learned of 10 years of Binnenstadservice. In the Netherlands, Binnenstadservice (BSS) runs UCCs and UCC services for over a decade now. The research discusses the development and the experiences of running a UCC in practice in the form of lessons learned.

Research: from home delivery to parcels lockers in Amsterdam (NL)

During the International City Logistics Conference, 2019 Ron van Duin (TUDelft, Netherlands) presented his research parcels lockers in the Amsterdam De Pijp district. Currently, parcels are being delivered with large delivery vans which will usually deliver single parcels to doorsteps of their customers. The last mile is the most expensive logistics activity. In the literature, it is proposed that …