Category «Research»

Research: analysis of stakeholder roles in balancing freight transport in the city logistics ecosystem

Sustainability objectives determine the current guidelines for urban freight transport. Therefore, local authorities face the challenge of making urban freight transport sustainable. To do so, it is necessary to involve the various stakeholder groups of the city logistics ecosystem in ongoing sustainability efforts. This problem formed the basis for the formulated objective of a recent …

Research challenges in circular urban supply chains

Implementing circular urban supply chains is a significant economic transformation that can only work if coordination decisions are solved between the actors involved. What are the research challenges in circular urban supply chains? Creating regional ecosystems On the one hand, this requires the implementation of efficient urban collection technologies, where waste collection companies collaborate with manufacturers, …

A robust Euro 7 will substantially improve air quality in Europe

New research by lobby group Transport and Environment debunks carmakers’ claims that Euro 7 standards won’t significantly improve the quality. The truck industry organization ACEA says: ‘Significant progress has been made in the EU on reducing air pollution from vehicles, under the current Euro 6/VI standards. Euro 7 is unlikely to make much more of …

Digital twin applications in urban logistics: an overview

Urban traffic attributed to commercial and industrial transportation largely affects living standards in cities due to external factors like pollution and congestion. To counter this, smart cities deploy technologies such as digital twins (DT)s to achieve sustainability. Research suggests that DTs can be beneficial in optimizing the physical systems they are linked with. The concept …

Handbook about urban and periurban logistics real estate

The Logistics City Chair team published the digital version of the handbook n°3 of the “Welcome to Logistics City” series dedicated to urban and periurban logistics real estate.  The development of logistics real estate adapted to professionals and respectful of the requirements of cities has gradually emerged as an adequate response. It allows for mobility optimization and the accelerated decarbonization …

Comparing letter prices in Europe

For the 22nd time, Deutsche Post (DP) has published a study comparing current letter prices in Europe. The study reviews the 27 member states of the European Union, Great Britain, and the EFTA countries of Norway, Switzerland, and Iceland. Recognizing that a purely nominal approach does not go far enough, DP has also included criteria …

Waste statistics data for urban circular logistics

As appointed in the EU Circular Economy Action Plan, cities and regions in EU member countries start accompanying their circular economy strategies by monitoring frameworks, often called Circular Economy Monitors (CEM). CEMs need to rely on many statistics and datasets to assess performance towards achieving set targets and steer decision-making. Waste statistics play an essential role in …

A review of last-mile literature

Globalization, urbanization, and the recent COVID-19 pandemic have raised the demand for logistic activities. This change is affecting the entire supply chain, especially the last-mile step. This step is considered the most expensive and ineffective part of the supply chain and a source of negative economic, environmental, and social externalities. A publication by Portuguese researchers …

German research: delivery preferences of residents in new development areas

Alternative solutions for sustainable last-mile parcel deliveries have been piloted and partially implemented in Europe in the past decade. However, these delivery concepts have mainly been considered in inner-city areas. There are a few examples of applying these concepts in peripheral urban areas, where new housing is being built to accommodate high population pressure. However, …