by Walther Ploos van Amstel
In 2025, Dutch PostNL continued its strategic transformation from a traditional postal and parcel operator into a digitally driven, data-powered logistics platform. Innovation focused on modernising the digital ecosystem, embedding AI into daily operations, strengthening cybersecurity, and improving customer experience across the entire delivery journey. At the customer interface, the PostNL app became the central …
Parcel delivery is structurally failing due to a race-to-the-bottom price war that undermines service quality, labour conditions, and customer trust.Consumers face unreliable delivery, poor tracking, and weak customer service, while retailers’ focus on the cheapest delivery shifts responsibility and accelerates the decline in service.The sector needs consolidation, fair pricing, stronger collaboration, and accountability from online …
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 …
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 …
The growth of e-commerce has reshaped retail and city streets. Today, more than 20% of global retail sales happen online, a trend that shows no sign of slowing. This has brought undeniable convenience to consumers and economic gains for retailers and logistics providers. However, it has also led to a surge in delivery vehicles on …
At Deliver Europe in Amsterdam, Maersk’s Head of E-commerce, Thiago Paiva, shared how the company uses AI to optimize last-mile parcel delivery through partner carriers. With last-mile costs accounting for up to 40% of total logistics expenses, Maersk views this as a key area for enhancing performance and improving customer experience. AI helps Maersk manage …
A recent academic study offers practical guidance for local authorities in smaller cities, helping them better understand and manage freight consolidation within their urban areas. Rather than prescribing specific regulatory measures—which are often subject to political change—the study introduces a structured framework that supports evidence-based policy development to improve urban livability. The approach is grounded …
Last-mile delivery is under increasing pressure. With booming e-commerce, growing urban congestion, and mounting sustainability targets, cities struggle to keep deliveries efficient, affordable, and clean. This thesis investigates how optimization models can help last-mile logistics adapt, balancing operational efficiency with environmental and regulatory demands. A recent Ph.D. Thesis by Pinar Ozyavas addresses the issues around optimizing …
The DELPHI project aims to tackle key challenges in last-mile delivery and urban logistics—such as high costs, environmental impacts, data fragmentation, and stakeholder misalignment—by integrating passenger and freight transport through a cross-modal, multilevel governance model. Central to the project is the development of a Federated Network of Freight and Passenger Platforms designed to improve data …
Cities around the world are taking bold steps to reduce car traffic and reclaim public space. In Bergen, Norway, a new zoning proposal aims to reduce traffic in the historic city center, restricting access primarily to public transportation and emergency services. While this is a commendable move toward a more livable and pedestrian-friendly urban environment, …