by Walther Ploos van Amstel
Food delivery platform Just Eat Takeaway.com has partnered with robotics company RIVR to introduce autonomous delivery robots in Europe. The first pilot has started in Zürich, Switzerland, where robots are now delivering meals from local restaurants. Expansion to other European cities is planned later this year, with possible applications in retail and convenience delivery. The …
The last mile is one of the most critical and costly segments in logistics. It directly shapes both operational efficiency and profitability. Yet, managing courier workflows remains complex due to varying work patterns, route deviations, traffic congestion, and other external factors. A recent study based on real-world data from a Spanish logistics company sheds light …
DISCO launched a new e-course. Mastering Evaluation for Sustainable Urban Logistics Solutions: Insights from the DISCO Project is designed to give you the knowledge, tools, and confidence to evaluate sustainable urban logistics solutions and connect them to bigger policy goals like Sustainable Urban Logistics Plans (SULPs) and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Whether you’re …
Food delivery services have more than tripled in size since 2017, accelerated mainly by the COVID-19 pandemic. This explosive growth has not only reshaped consumption habits but also had profound implications for urban mobility and last-mile logistics. A systematic literature review conducted between 2012 and 2022 offers the first comprehensive overview of how food delivery …
As cities worldwide strive to transition to more sustainable food systems, small and niche circular food businesses are increasingly recognized as innovation leaders. However, scaling such initiatives beyond the experimental phase remains a significant challenge. A recent study based on eleven circular food ventures in Toronto, Canada, provides critical insights into what helps or hinders these …
Which frontier technologies matter most for companies in 2025? McKinsey’s annual tech trends report highlights the latest technology breakthroughs, talent trends, and use cases, as well as their potential impact on companies across various sectors, such as mobility. The mobility landscape is undergoing rapid transformation, shaped by technological innovation, sustainability demands, and evolving urban dynamics. …
The strategic design of city logistics networks is fundamental to enhancing efficiency, sustainability, and resilience. Key dimensions of this strategic design include network structure, mode selection, fleet composition, governance, service design, regulatory adaptation, and digital infrastructure. The network is determined by balancing high service standards, economic efficiency, optimized network configuration, and market responsiveness. A complex …
In cities around the world, logistics plays a crucial but often invisible role. From early morning supermarket deliveries to the increasing number of parcel vans navigating through neighborhoods, urban freight is an integral part of daily life. Yet, despite its importance, city logistics remains under-researched and poorly understood, mainly due to a lack of good …
Urban logistics is at a turning point. Today, last-mile operations already account for 30% of transport-related CO₂ emissions in cities. While the EU Green Deal targets a 50–55% reduction in emissions for vans and cars by 2030, many local authorities are also moving toward zero-emission zones to advance clean urban logistics. To address these challenges, …
As urban freight volumes increase and sustainability pressures intensify, cities are exploring innovative solutions to mitigate the environmental impact of transportation. One emerging concept is the Driverless Multipurpose Vehicle (DMV)—an autonomous, electric heavy-duty vehicle capable of switching between transport applications or combining them during a single operation. But how do these modular vehicles compare to …