Here’s a roundup of the most relevant city logistics news from last week and the past few weeks:
Urban Consolidation Centers: No Silver Bullet
A recent analysis by the Dutch Kennisinstituut voor Mobiliteitsbeleid (KiM), published on 21 March, provides a systematic review of urban consolidation centers (city hubs) and reaches a key conclusion: their effectiveness is highly context-dependent. In dense urban areas, particularly historic city centers, hubs combined with small electric vehicles can reduce emissions, noise, and spatial pressure, but they are not a universal fix.
Uber & Rivian: Autonomous Urban Delivery Partnership
Uber and Rivian announced a major strategic partnership, with Uber investing up to $1.25 billion in Rivian through 2031, tied to autonomous performance milestones. The focus is on deploying a fleet of fully autonomous R2 robotaxis, starting with 10,000 vehicles (scalable to 50,000), with commercial operations planned in San Francisco and Miami in 2028 before expanding to 25 cities globally by 2031. Maxfreights
Last-Mile Delivery: Store Pickup vs. Home Delivery
A new Monte Carlo simulation study published in March found that in-store pickup with returns actually generates higher CO₂ emissions than optimized last-mile delivery by professional logistics providers — unless at least 24 packages are collected per trip. The findings highlight the need for strategies promoting electric delivery fleets and shared mobility solutions. Sage Journals
West Africa: Urban Freight Under Pressure
A new study published 16 March examined urban freight challenges in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, finding a congestion index of 0.29 and the city accounting for 60% of national urban road accidents, mostly between 9 am and 5 pm. Researchers recommend time-window restrictions for goods vehicles — moving between 9 pm and 6 am, or 1–3 pm on weekdays — as a key mitigation strategy. Springer
Broader Supply Chain Pressures Affecting Urban Freight
Major carriers like FedEx and UPS are pushing rate hikes, with ground parcel prices projected to be more than 5% higher year-on-year in Q1 2026. Micro-fulfillment centers, urban dark stores, and hybrid fleets are gaining traction to shorten distances and manage cost pressures. Wodely
Einride IPO
Swedish electric and autonomous trucking company Einride raised $113 million in an oversubscribed funding round, bringing total committed investment to $213 million, as it positions itself for a 2026 NYSE debut FreightWaves — a signal of continued investor confidence in zero-emission urban freight technology.