Sustainable Urban Freight Transport Research Articles

Fuzzy assessment framework for sustainable urban-freight transport

Fuzzy assessment framework for sustainable urban-freight transport

Urban Environment’s Contributory Factors for the Adoption of Cargo Bike Usage: A Systematic Literature Review

The supply chain sector plays a crucial role in driving economic development and globalization. However, the environmental repercussions of logistics and freight transport have become more pronounced. Nowadays, there is an ever-increasing acceptance regarding the opinion that the use of more sustainable urban freight transport has the potential to offer great social, economic, and environmental benefits. This study examines and highlights, via a systematic literature review, the urban environment’s factors that can essentially influence the promotion and usage of cargo bikes for last-mile deliveries in the urban environment. The aforementioned literature review revealed the importance of the quality of the urban environment’s components for the perceived and objective safety of people who make use of cargo bikes. In particular, the most essential factors for the increased use of cargo bikes were found to be traffic load, speed limits, and heavy vehicle traffic. Bicycle infrastructure is also an important factor in bicycling acceptance, as it provides the backbone for a comfortable and safe bicycle ride. Two other factors that can seriously affect cyclists’ sense of safety are street intersections and the width and number of road lanes, as the interaction between cargo bikes and motorized vehicles increases the possibility of traffic accidents. All the above factors need to be considered via various public policies that are not isolated countermeasures but form part of Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans that are currently being implemented in many European cities to ensure continuity and create a sustainable future.

Planning City Logistics Flexibility Using Sustainable Urban Logistics Plans

Planning for complex sustainability problems requires flexibility regarding regularly updated knowledge, mandates, and collaboration. Focussing on sustainable urban freight transport in plans, we investigate how urban logistics is accommodated in today's strategic plans in Norway and Poland. Based on plans from the most populated municipalities, we find flexibility in the type of plans and topics that frame sustainable urban logistics issues. We conclude that including urban logistics in strategic plans that are flexible and sustainable is more important to the municipalities than only adopting a separate sustainable urban logistics plan (SULP).

The scope for more sustainable urban freight transport through shared resources, An exploratory study

Urban freight transport is vital for cities, yet it presents challenges like air quality, noise, safety, and visual impacts. Public and private entities aim to enhance citizen well-being and economic viability, necessitating a sustainable urban freight transport system. This study explores opportunities and barriers to resource sharing in urban freight through an exploratory investigation. The research included a literature review on sustainable shared freight resources. McKinsey reports were also reviewed for a balanced perspective. Furthermore, five semi-structured interviews were conducted to deepen insights. The results highlight seven distinct shared resources, both tangible and intangible.

Analysis of Selected Solutions for Sustainable Urban Deliveries in the Construction Industry

Modern cities are places where the ever-increasing human needs are met. This is possible through the creation of friendly living conditions and enabling economic exchange, as a result of which enterprises provide their clients with goods and services. Urban freight transport is an element that supports these processes. However, in addition to the benefits it delivers, its organization and impacts pose challenges in environmental, economic, and social terms. Implementation of construction projects is a determinant of the development of modern cities. However, this entails transport for supply purposes, which significantly affects the volume of freight transport in cities. Such a large share translates into a growing interest in the topic of using more sustainable ways of organizing and providing construction-related transport. The paper presents the first stage of research aimed at building a model for the implementation of good practices in the field of construction supplies. The aim of the paper was to analyze the transport of construction supplies in terms of compliance with the principles of sustainable development on the example of construction projects currently implemented in Szczecin. Furthermore, this paper is centered around collecting good practices in the field of construction transport. The goal was achieved using the analysis of the statistical data, non-structured observation, and surveys regarding construction projects being carried out in Szczecin, and also paper-and-pencil interviews with experts. It was possible to identify irregularities and gaps in knowledge in the field of sustainable urban freight transport for the implementation of construction supplies. The diagnosed current condition may be a significant source of problems in the future and clearly indicates the need for further research and action by both city authorities and enterprises in the direction of implementing measures for sustainable urban freight transport. As part of the paper, the possibility of using Petri nets in decision-making processes on the implementation of selected organizational solutions contributing to a more sustainable organization of construction supplies was also examined. The developed decision models were simulated in the HPSim software. Models created by the authors using Petri nets can be an important tool that clearly and transparently shows enterprises their possibilities in the implementation of good practices.

Application of the Experimental Method in the Assessment of the Electromobility Paradigm for Courier Shipments in an Urban Agglomeration

The main idea of this article is to identify the benefits of the full vehicle substitution process for a fully sustainable Urban Freight Transport (UFT) in economic, social, and environmental terms, based on the application of the experimental method. The scientific assumption was made that Electric Delivery Vehicles (EFV) can be complementary in the first stage, and only in the next stage, substitutable to the traditional diesel-powered fleet servicing transport (courier) tasks within the delivery limits in the Szczecin Agglomeration. To assess the level of substitutability, observational instruments were used, while ensuring an active modification of the studied phenomenon (introduction to the operation of selected routes of electric vehicles). The focus was on three key elements, the environment, rules, and regularities. The article presents the architecture of such experiments regarding 22 selected routes, which allowed for the calculation of selected performance indicators for ex-ante evaluation in planning delivery scenarios. The results were verified using a simulation-based approach in the Szczecin Metropolitan Area. As a result, it made it possible to find answers to the research questions posed, in particular: is it possible to fully replace combustion-engine vans with electric ones, and what integrated benefits can be identified, and their systematics has been illustrated in the proposed proprietary model “Electromobility Octagon Profit”. Future research could extend the theoretical knowledge by further exploring the development processes for the use of electric vehicles in the urban freight transport system and by adding insights from other contexts, stakeholders, and theoretical areas.

Integrating Freight and Public Transport Terminals Infrastructure by Locating Lockers: Analysing a Feasible Solution for a Medium-Sized Brazilian Cities

Integrating freight and public transport infrastructure can lead to providing economic feasibility to public transportation systems and reducing externalities related to urban freight transport. This can be achieved by sharing the infrastructure of freight and public transportation systems. Additionally, failed deliveries represent a major challenge in e-commerce. Lockers can address this problem and promote sustainable urban freight transport. This paper identified a locker network in a public transportation infrastructure. The framework considered scenarios built under the 15-min city concept, and the analysis is based on a case study in Jaraguá do Sul (Brazil, a mid-sized Brazilian city, and its conurbated area. The networks were found by solving a p-median problem, which minimised the maximum distance between the lockers and the population. The findings showed that, in the best scenario with 16 lockers, the population could reach the lockers within a 10-min cycling ride. Additionally, the results showed that the public transportation network provides a locker network to integrate freight and public transportation. The locker network is accessible to public transportation and micromobility users. With this solution, residents play an active role in last-mile deliveries. In addition, lockers can work as mini hubs for crowdshipping services. In addition to reducing urban delivery trips, this solution can encourage public transportation usage, which contributes to more sustainable cities.

Governance challenges for urban logistics: Lessons from three Norwegian cities

AbstractAchieving more sustainable urban freight transport is a key challenge for cities, especially with the rise of diverse urban delivery services. However, the governance of urban freight transport and urban logistics has typically been seen as the domain of the private sector. In this paper we argue for a reframing of urban logistics as a matter of concern for public authorities, and subsequently, we examine logistics as an urban governance challenge: how is urban logistics addressed by urban level authorities? The empirical basis for the paper is a study of three Norwegian cities—Bergen, Trondheim, and Stavanger—currently working to integrate logistics into their governance processes. These cities are currently piloting solutions, sharing experiences, and attempting to establish effective regulations and measures. Nonetheless, various institutional barriers are preventing the implementation of public governance processes for urban logistics. We emphasise the need for clarified responsibilities in the public sector and for reconciliation between different users of public space, including urban logistics actors. In conclusion, we point to key issues to be addressed by an emerging research literature on the governance of urban logistics for sustainability.

Fuzzy Assessment Framework for Sustainable Urban Freight Transport

Fuzzy Assessment Framework for Sustainable Urban Freight Transport

Contribution of Best Practices to Promote Sustainable Urban Freight Transport

Urban logistics decision makers face serious challenges in trying to make urban freight transport (UFT) efficient and sustainable. Therefore, it is necessary to identify best practices (BPs) to promote improvements on activity levels, modal shifts to lower-carbon transport systems, lowering energy and intensity, and reducing fuel carbon intensity. This paper conducts an exhaustive literature review that seeks to identify that are directly applicable to BPs promoting sustainable UFT and that indicate the opportunities and challenges of urban logistics. The results indicate that, although BPs make sense for themselves, the most powerful effect occurs when two or more of them are used together, multiplying their strengths. Furthermore, there is an expressive participation of environmental and economic indicators (costs and service levels) to the detriment of social indicators, thus indicating a literary gap.

Act locally? Are female online shoppers willing to pay to reduce the carbon footprint of last mile deliveries?

E-commerce results in more last mile deliveries, increased freight traffic and potentially also higher CO2- emissions. This paper is a novel contribution to the literature in terms of investigating consumers’ willingness to pay (WTP) for climate-friendly last mile deliveries through reduced or no CO2-emissions from the delivery. 460 females between 18 and 70 years of age responded to an internet panel survey about their stated preferences for last mile delivery options for online clothing rentals. A discrete choice experiment (DCE) was performed and the data analyzed using both multinomial logit (MNL) and mixed multinomial logit (MMNL) models. The results show that females are willing to pay for CO2-mitigation, and that their WTP increases with consumer income, employment, willingness to change habits to solve the environmental challenges of today, and preferences for sustainable online shopping and delivery alternatives, but decreases with the frequency of online shopping. The WTP for 1 kg CO2 exceeds the WTP for any other aspects of the last mile delivery; i.e. delivery time, delays and information services (notification of departure and arrival). The results indicate that freight operators (carriers) and online retailers can transfer (some of) the costs of climate-friendly last mile delivery to their customers. This is important knowledge for urban planners as it provides support for CO2-mitigating measures aimed at last mile delivery services in order to achieve more environmentally sustainable urban freight transport.

A Conceptual Model Based on the Activity System and Transportation System for Sustainable Urban Freight Transport

Urban freight transport (UFT) is simultaneously responsible for maintaining the urban lifestyle and the negative externalities impacting urban areas, necessitating strategies that promote sustainable urban freight transport (SUFT). In addition, the stakeholders and geographic factors involved in UFT impose specific concerns in the planning and operation stages of SUFT. Therefore, this paper proposes a model addressing sustainable last-mile delivery considering the relationship between the activity system, transportation system, and stakeholders involved in UFT. Based on the literature review, we identified UFT planning procedures to achieve SUFT. In a cyclical process, these procedures were considered on the proposed model, integrating freight transport planning with urban planning to develop SUFT and, consequently, sustainable cities.

The role of Integrated Logistics Centers (ILCs) in modelling the flows of goods in urban areas based on the example of Italy

The article presents the results of research on the role of Integrated Logistics Centers (ILCs) in urban logistics. Italian ILCs constitute an example of a comprehensive approach to economic development of regions. The main aim of the article was to identify the function of ILCs and assess whether they could perform additional tasks of Urban Consolidation Centers (UCCs), in accordance with the assumptions of Sustainable Urban Freight Transport (SUFT). To this end, the following research methods were used: literature review, documentary method, and case study. The area of research focused on selected Italian ILCs, including: Interporto Qadrante Europa, Verona and Cityporto Padova, Padua. The research process proved the possibility of introducing new environmentally friendly solutions in Italian urban logistics. As an example, the authors presented the possibility of using innovative Light Freight Railway (LFR) system for handling transport between Interporto Sud Europa and selected cities. The case study showed that implementing LFR in the delivery of goods in urban areas may increase the functionality of Italian ILCs, thus enabling the implementation of SUFT assumptions and benefiting the environment and quality of life in society. The results can be used both in subsequent research stages as well as in business practice.

Evaluating problems and measures for a sustainable urban freight transport in Brazilian historical cities

Urban freight transport (UFT) poses as a challenge in historical cities given the impacts on cultural heritage. This paper presents retailers’ perceptions about urban freight transport in Brazilian historical cities, characterising current operations, identifying problems, and proposing measures for a sustainable urban freight transport. A survey was conducted in seven Brazilian cities to obtain data for the analysis. The research approach is based on descriptive statistics (characterisations of retailers and operations), a method of successive intervals (identifying the problem and freight policies), linear regression (urban delivery generation models), and ordered logit regression (influence of UFT-related problems on solutions). The results indicate that trade in these cities primarily consists of small and independent retailers (nanostores). Unloading zones is the most significant problem and the solutions suggested by retailers are not related with this problem. Moreover, ordered logit regression model showed that delivery time is the UFT-related problem with influence on the freight solutions. We proposed three measures to improve the mobility and accessibility of cargo in historical cities: transhipment areas, truck routes, and unloading bays. Results could support the sustainable urban freight transport in historical cities to preserve the historical heritage and, consequently, Brazil’s memory.

Exploring opportunities of using the sharing economy in sustainable urban freight transport

Reliance on the sharing economy is becoming crucial to the functioning of modern cities. Certain sharing economy-based solutions can contribute to the development of sustainable urban freight transport by reducing the number of delivery vans in service and using green vehicles. This paper evaluates the potential of the sharing economy for freight deliveries in the Polish cities. The authors examine two types of sharing platform-based solutions for light commercial vehicles (LCV), namely LCV-sharing and crowdshipping, along with the general perception of sharing platforms by the Polish citizens and their motivation to use them. Two research methods have been employed. The multi-case study method has been applied to assess the LCV-sharing market and identify the best crowdshipping practices. General interest of the public in the sharing economy has been examined by means of a survey analysis. The results show that, albeit with little market presence, the LCV-sharing is continuously winning new customers in the major Polish cities. Provided by car-sharing operators who have expanded their offering with delivery vans, or by operators who target the freight market alone, the service is a more environmentally-friendly and economical alternative to leasing, especially for companies which do not need extensive use of delivery vans. Further development of LCV-sharing depends largely on availability of the service and its price, as well as on the general awareness of benefits from the sharing business model and the strengthening of confidence in it.

Light Freight Railway (LFR) as an innovative solution for Sustainable Urban Freight Transport

This article discusses the issues of rail freight transport functioning in urban areas. The main purpose of this article is to identify the conditions for implementing the Light Freight Railway (LFR) as an innovative solution for Sustainable Urban Freight Transport. To achieve the assumed goal, the following research methods were used: literature review, documentary method and Delphi method. The area covered by the research is the Szczecin Metropolitan Area, Poland. The study has demonstrated that despite the features that univocally determine the place and role of rail transport on the service market, it is important to implement innovative solutions that involve rail transport. The concept presented by the authors can help use railway to carry cargoes on short distances in urban areas. The proposed system is in line with the assumptions of sustainable development of transport. The conducted research has shown that implementation of the LFR is conditioned by a number of factors of technical and organisational nature, but it can contribute to achieving certain short- and long-term benefits. The LFR concept is an autonomous solution that can be implemented in individual urban areas, regardless of any solutions applied in other areas within a given transport chain.

ROAD FREIGHT TRANSPORT PLANNING UNDER SUSTAINABLE CITY DEVELOPMENT

This research paper devoted to the urban freight transport planning under sustainable city development. Continued urban population growth, traffic congestions, financial losses because of longer delivery times, harm-ful impact on environmental are highlighted as strong arguments for the freight traffic management in the cities. The article aims to help all stakeholders understand the challenges brought about by freight activities in an urban context, and make the planning process consistent and comprehensive for the city freight transportation system improvement. The brief overview of some recent foreign and native studies in urban transport planning and traffic engi-neering reveals main field of interests for modern researchers. The clear focus of the analysed scientific works di-rected on such aspects in sustainable urban freight transport development as energy and economic efficiency, eco-friendliness, safety, institutional and legal issues of freight transportations. Special attention is paid to the analy-sis of government initiatives in sustainable transport system development of Ukraine. Identification of the main freight transportation features in an urban area is carried out on the initial re-search stage. Each feature has an explanation for better understanding necessity of their usage in the freight transport planning process. The other focus of the research devotes to the description of the stages during urban freight transport planning process. Author attends a deep freight transport demand and supply analysis for a de-termination of the basic freight distribution regularities in an urban context. Therefore, a list of indicators for subsystem of city freight transportation evaluation is presented in the article. The whole set of indicators is divid-ed into economical, operational, environmental, social and general groups of indicators. Moreover, the compo-nents of successful measures implementation for an urban freight transport subsystem improvement are highlight-ed. Financial management, political support, institution, organisation and legal framework condition are consid-ered as the key elements of successful plans and measures implementation. Keywords: planning, sustainable development, freight transport, urban population, authorities.

A Theoretical Research Framework of Future Sustainable Urban Freight Transport for Smart Cities

This paper aims to construct a theoretical research framework for sustainable urban freight transport (SUFT) from the perspectives of future urban development and distribution innovations, and appropriate research methods are discussed, as well. Urban freight transport plays a critical role in the promotion of sustainable and livable cities. According to the literature review, considerable research on SUFT has focused on resolving some specific problems with a short-term perspective. The existence of an urban freight transport strategy is noted, which should be embedded in an overall sustainable development strategy with a long-term perspective (approximately 20–30 years). Nevertheless, considerable research has paid scant attention to the long-term planning of SUFT. Given this, this paper contributes to the closure of this gap. First, this paper presents a systematic literature review (SLR) to highlight published papers involving foresight research within the past 16 years (2003–2018). This step contributes to the understanding of research methods that can be used in foresight research. Subsequently, this paper discusses the impacts of both urban development and distribution innovations on future SUFT, and these effects are used to select the appropriate methods to construct the theoretical research framework. Finally, the theoretical research framework of long-term planning for SUFT is developed on the basis of two future perspectives: the trends of urban development and the application of urban distribution innovations. This framework is intended to provide an approach to designing sustainable urban logistics, taking into account urban development and distribution innovations.

The Tendency of Urban Stakeholders to Adopt Sustainable Logistics Measures on the Example of a Polish Metropolis

The scale of policies and measures for sustainable urban freight transport in European cities is still insignificant. However, the situation is changing as more and more cities are adopting sustainable urban logistics plans (SULPs). The situation in cities is extremely heterogeneous, so it would be difficult to point to one single policy that fits all. Yet the tool created with European projects constituting an instruction to prepare SULP allows us to follow the standardized steps, regardless of the conditions found in particular cities. The effectiveness of implementing sustainable measures to a large extent depends on the level of acceptability of individual urban space stakeholders. The article presents the results of a survey conducted among stakeholders of a Polish metropolis—the Gdansk–Gdynia–Sopot metropolitan area. The analysis showed that acceptability rises with the increase in the size of the surveyed entities. The most diversified acceptability ratings were obtained for the transport infrastructure solutions. Proposals for Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) solutions are rated more positively by medium-sized and large enterprises. These solutions are assessed with greater caution by small and micro enterprises. The least diversified and clearly higher acceptance indicators were obtained for proposals in the scope of shaping sustainable urban transport development. The assessments obtained from the respondents should therefore constitute an important element of the works for developing the sustainable urban logistics plans starting in 2020 and also the opinions can be an important element of the future sustainable urban logistics plans, which are currently being developed in many European cities.

Towards Sustainable Urban Logistics: Creating Sustainable Urban Freight Transport on the Example of a Limited Accessibility Zone in Gdansk

The purpose of the article is to identify the conditions for the implementation of deliveries in the Limited Accessibility Zone (LAZ) in Gdansk, based on interviews conducted among suppliers in October 2018. Another goal is to identify guidelines for the need to create a new transport policy for cities, which will be in line with sustainable urban logistics. The presented analysis is not an economic or technical analysis of an executive nature. It focuses on indicating the nature of the impact of factors conditioning further actions related to the discussed area. To define a sustainable urban logistics plan road map, the desk research method was used. It involved analyzing, verifying and merging existing data and information from the results of European projects. The paper can be used as a road map to proceed with planning urban logistics in the city and to create a document of Sustainable Urban Logistics Plan (SULP). This is the first study carried out in the LAZ of Gdansk since its introduction in 2014, therefore conclusions can be used by scientists and the creators of urban transport policy to create limited accessibility zones.