Urban freight distribution has become one of the toughest sustainability challenges for modern cities. In a new study published in Transportation Research Part D, Jiménez and colleagues analyse how different distribution strategies influence operational efficiency and environmental impact of city logistics. Their goal is clear: to quantify how choices about vehicle deployment, routing, and consolidation affect key indicators such as vehicle kilometres travelled (VKT), curb-space occupation, and CO₂ emissions.
Modelling urban deliveries
The researchers developed a simulation model to test various urban freight strategies. They compared traditional “many-small-truck” operations with more consolidated approaches, explored the use of off-peak delivery windows, and examined variations in vehicle size and load factors. From these scenarios, the model estimated the total travel distance, the use of curb and loading space, and the emissions linked to each freight configuration.
Main insights
The findings are clear: consolidation pays off. Fewer but fuller trucks, smarter routing, or shifting deliveries to less congested hours can substantially cut VKT and emissions. Streamlined logistics also reduces street-space occupation (meaning fewer trucks double-parked or blocking bike lanes) and thus contributes to smoother traffic flow and improved urban liveability. Importantly, when the same volume of goods is moved more efficiently, CO₂ emissions drop proportionally with reduced travel distance.
Why this matters now
Cities are caught between two powerful trends: exploding e-commerce volumes that drive more urban deliveries, and growing pressure to meet climate and air-quality goals. This study shows that operational choices in logistics, how deliveries are organised, timed, and shared, directly shape both environmental outcomes and how public space is used. It offers a much-needed bridge between logistics engineering and urban sustainability policy.
Policy and practice implications
Jiménez and colleagues recommend that policymakers and logistics operators focus on four levers:
- Delivery consolidation through shared or multi-client operations and higher vehicle fill rates.
- Off-peak or night deliveries to ease daytime congestion and curb-space competition.
- Smarter routing and load management to avoid empty or under-utilised trips.
- Integrated curb-space management, recognising loading and unloading as part of the urban mobility system rather than a nuisance.
At the same time, the authors caution that these strategies must remain operationally feasible: costs, timing constraints, and service expectations set practical boundaries to rapid change.
While the model offers valuable quantitative insights, it still needs validation in real-world pilots across different city types, regulatory frameworks, and fleet compositions. Future studies could also expand to other impacts such as noise, local air pollutants, or social equity.
Smarter urban freight distribution—better planned, more consolidated, and digitally coordinated—can achieve a triple win: fewer vehicle kilometres, lower CO₂ emissions, and more usable urban space. The key, the authors conclude, is to rethink how we deliver, not just what we deliver.