City logistics: challenges and opportunities for technology providers

Current last-mile logistics operations are inefficient. The economic competitiveness of logistics service providers is affected by distinct factors, such as the limited time windows they are given to deliver freight in increasingly complex urban environments. This paper presents the different challe...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: Bachofner, Monika, Lemardelé, Clément|||0000-0003-1673-6509, Estrada Romeu, Miguel Ángel|||0000-0002-5114-7796, Pagès Giralt, Laia
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Fecha de publicación:2022
País:España
Institución:Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC)
Repositorio:UPCommons. Portal del coneixement obert de la UPC
Idioma:inglés
OAI Identifier:oai:upcommons.upc.edu:2117/367583
Acceso en línea:https://hdl.handle.net/2117/367583
https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.urbmob.2022.100020
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:Logistics
City logistics
Original equipment manufacturer
Logistics digitization
Autonomous deliveries
Stakeholder collaboration
Logística (Indústria)
Àrees temàtiques de la UPC::Economia i organització d'empreses::Direcció d'operacions::Modelització de transports i logística
Àrees temàtiques de la UPC::Enginyeria civil::Infraestructures i modelització dels transports::Transport urbà
Descripción
Sumario:Current last-mile logistics operations are inefficient. The economic competitiveness of logistics service providers is affected by distinct factors, such as the limited time windows they are given to deliver freight in increasingly complex urban environments. This paper presents the different challenges that the sector faces to make its operations more sustainable, from both economic and environmental perspectives. Then, an exhaustive list of measures and initiatives is presented and for each of them, the impact on the different agents involved in last-mile operations is analyzed. This study is expected to help understand the relations between the different actors and design compensatory mechanisms between the parties that mostly benefit from the measures and the most affected ones. Finally, a particular focus is set on the technological developments that are expected to shape the evolution of last-mile operations in the medium or long term. As in the passenger mobility industry, digitization, the emergence of more innovative and modular vehicles, and automation are trends that will undoubtedly affect the market. To maximize the impact of these new technologies, balanced and fair governance schemes and compensatory mechanisms between agents should be designed. The authors believe that the EIT Urban Mobility framework is perfectly adequate to improve this required collaboration between all agents. As a first step towards an increased sustainability of last-mile operations, win-win and agreed measures should be implemented to set the ground for more innovative and disruptive solutions that will emerge in future years.