Last Mile Delivery

Publications

The impact of creating parking for freight vehicles on last-mile distribution for nanostores

The lack of designated parking for freight vehicles in urban areas significantly disrupts goods distribution, leading to increased logistics costs, traffic congestion, and higher carbon emissions. This issue is particularly acute in developing cities, where the rapid growth of urban populations and freight transportation amplifies these challenges. Implementing loading and unloading zones (LUZs) has emerged as a promising solution to mitigate these impacts.

Fieldwork:

Our research included a field experiment conducted in Zapopan, Mexico, in 2021, to evaluate the impact of LUZs on environmental, economic, and operational outcomes. The findings revealed a 14% reduction in noise levels (dBA), a 3.55% decrease of CO2 in the air, a 10% reduction in logistics costs, and a 4% reduction in the carbon intensity factor. These results highlight the significant positive influence of LUZs on urban freight operations.
Our study demonstrates that dedicated LUZs can dramatically enhance the efficiency and sustainability of last-mile logistics. By reducing environmental impacts, easing congestion, and lowering costs for businesses, this scalable solution addresses the logistical challenges faced by growing urban centers in developing markets, offering a pathway to more sustainable urban freight systems.
We invite you to read the paper: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1361920924004437?via%3Dihub

Watch this video to learn more:

Dwell Time:

Furthering our research, we seek to understand the impact of dwell time on drivers.

Delivery vehicles spend 90% of the time parked or idling. Not only does this translate into the parking inefficiencies that lead to higher carbon emissions, pollution and traffic, but this also translates into the 90% the time delivery drivers spend walking. Leading to job-related injuries unloading from distant parking locations to stores due to the lack of infrastructure.