Category «Uncategorized»

Light Electric Freight Vehicles: beyond the hype

The advancements in city logistics are fostering a rise in smaller, time-sensitive deliveries. Over the past decade, the parcel market has expanded, driven by emerging business models like ship-from-store (B2C and B2B) and quick commerce. Additionally, companies are increasingly emphasizing sustainability. To tackle the challenges of quicker delivery demands, clean transportation (low/zero-emission), and limited space …

Research: encouraging customers to make a more sustainable delivery choice

The rise of e-commerce has led to an increase in parcel deliveries, increasing the need to address last-mile delivery’s cost and environmental impact. Customers accustomed to next-day free delivery can play an essential role by choosing more sustainable delivery options. Retailers and logistic service providers could allow customers to wait for their delivery or pick …

Review: decisive drivers contributing toward modern last mile delivery

A research article by Sharma et al. investigates the drivers of logistics management for Last-Mile Delivery (LMD) in a contemporary business situation. It refers to the 21st century’s innovative and revolutionary changes in the logistics sector. It explains advanced technology and the digital revolution as driving forces in the modern logistics industry. This study adopts …

UPS to acquire Happy Returns, a leader in reverse logistics

UPS announced that it has agreed to acquire Happy Returns from PayPal. Happy Returns is a U.S.-based software and reverse logistics company that enables frictionless, no-box, no-label returns for U.S. merchants and consumers. “We know that returns have long frustrated shoppers and retailers looking for quick and easy solutions,” UPS CEO Carol B. Tomé said. …

Call for paper Innovation for Community Services conference June 12-14

The 24th I4CS conference will be hosted in Maastricht (the Netherlands) at Maastricht University from June 12 to 14, 2024. I4CS stands for Innovation for Community Services. (Smart) City Logistics has a unique opportunity to contribute significantly to enhancing community services. Integrating smart city logistics into community well-being initiatives is vital for optimizing the movement of goods …

Valuable ICCT-report on zero emission zones, however not comprehensive

ICCT published a paper to aid cities in planning and implementing low- and zero-emission zones by sharing lessons learned from Europe and North America. The study identifies underlying legal frameworks and enforcement mechanisms, reviews incentives to encourage the transition to zero-emission vehicles and other modes of mobility, and summarizes critical actions for cities to consider …

Mobility and the mall: three solutions for efficient and sustainable omnichannel goods transportation

Urban shopping malls depend not only on consumer mobility to operate and thrive but also on goods mobility. With the emergence of omnichannel retail, stores are now multifunctional hubs accommodating collection, delivery, and return of online purchases. As a consequence, goods transportation requirements for stores have intensified. This impacts the malls in which they are …

Three recent Delphi studies on the future of last-mile deliveries

In 2022 three Delphi studies (based on scenarios) were published about the future of last-mile innovations in urban areas: Peppel, M., Ringbeck, J., & Spinler, S. (2022). How will last-mile delivery be shaped in 2040? A Delphi-based scenario study. Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 177, 121493. The researchers developed projections of future consumer behavior, delivery technologies, delivery services, …