by Walther Ploos van Amstel
The transition to zero-emission city logistics is not only about switching from diesel vans to electric ones. It’s also about rethinking the very vehicles we use. A recent study published in Future Transportation (2025) by Lucia Colonna, Edoardo Marcucci, Valerio Gatta, and Antonio Comi takes a deep look at one of the most promising alternatives …
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, …
A new research paper examines the views of 35 local authorities in England on potential solutions for decarbonizing last-mile parcel deliveries, focusing on the perceived challenges and drivers of implementation. Using co-design and participatory methods, the study engaged stakeholders with diverse expertise in a back-casting process to develop actionable strategies for reducing emissions. The proposed …
A new study presents a generic modeling framework that integrates agent-based models (ABM), specifically HUMAT and MASS-GT, to address the complexity of last-mile delivery (LMD) systems. This framework simulates and evaluates the dynamics of urban goods flow across different cities, focusing on consumer behavior and delivery logistics, which are crucial for optimizing LMD strategies. Key …
Last-mile operations (LMO), the processes involved in the critical last stage of delivering goods and services, are widespread across major economic sectors, including retail, food services, healthcare, humanitarian services, energy distribution, telecommunications, public services, and others. These operations account for many of these sectors’ costs, jobs, and economic output. Global economic output involving last-mile deliveries …
The rapid growth of e-commerce has transformed urban logistics, raising concerns about congestion, pollution, and the impact of delivery vehicles on city life. Some argue that home deliveries are overwhelming our streets and that pick-up points and cargo bikes are the ultimate solution. However, the reality is far more nuanced. Home delivery myths : One-size-fits-small? from …
To enhance customer satisfaction, e-retailers have prioritized last-mile e-grocery delivery services that incorporate time windows. However, the sustainability challenges associated with this approach necessitate an evaluation of its impact. A recent article aims to define a method for assessing the sustainability effects of time windows and apply it to a specific case study. Through desk …
In recent years, cities worldwide have grappled with last-mile logistics’ impact, particularly its contribution to urban traffic congestion and pollution. These dynamics have had significant environmental consequences, including noise, road safety concerns, and air pollution. As a result, both public and private sectors must adopt innovative solutions to mitigate the adverse effects of last-mile logistics …
The decline in post-pandemic logistics funding persists. After peaking at an unprecedented $25.6 billion in 2021, venture funding for logistics start-ups plummeted to just $2.9 billion in 2023, marking a nearly 90 percent drop over two years and the lowest funding level since 2015. Venture capitalists (VCs) and logistics entrepreneurs are now facing the reversal of trends …
Supply chain management includes strategic, tactical, and operational decisions for long, medium, and short-term planning. Strategic decisions, such as network design, and operational decisions, such as last-mile routing, have mutual implications. Therefore, modeling them separately can lead to sub-optimal solutions. Integrated modeling of these decisions has been addressed as a location routing problem (LRP). A …