by Walther Ploos van Amstel
Urban freight is growing fast, and its adverse effects bring consequences for the residents, the environment, and the liveability of cities. Although understanding its dynamics has become a priority for governments, the multiplicity of actors with conflicting objectives makes it a significant urban planning challenge. A study by Juan E. Muriel et al. focuses on …
The gig economy and digital platforms have developed exponentially over the past few years. In large cities, instant on-demand meal delivery has gained tremendous momentum. Self-employed workers mainly take on this activity; consequently, they provide their own equipment and vehicle, whether their own or a rented vehicle. The aim of a paper by Camille Krier …
Since the publication of PostNL’s Q2 2022 results in August 2022, the global macroeconomic environment has further deteriorated, impacting many industries. Inflation has increased, with The Netherlands reaching a record-high level of almost 15% in September, while consumer confidence has dropped to an all-time low. This is negatively impacting consumer spending and is expected to …
Changing consumer behavior in Europe is accelerating e-commerce and the demand for city logistics. The kilometers driven by delivery vans increased by 111% between 2016 and 2020 in the Netherlands. While the growth of the city logistics sector enables a wide availability of on-demand delivery services for residents, businesses, and organizations, the sector also contributes …
Zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs) are widely regarded as an effective way to reduce CO2 emissions and decarbonize the heavy-duty vehicle (HDV) sector. However, the speed at which the transition from internal combustion engine vehicles (ICEVs) towards battery electric vehicles (BEVs) and fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) will happen and for which vehicle segments is still uncertain. …
Last-mile delivery success depends on consumer acceptance of such services, yet little is known about the unattended delivery experience. To address the challenges in last-mile deliveries, retailers have pushed to develop innovative delivery solutions. In particular, the emerging service of unattended home delivery offers the potential to enhance consumers’ delivery experience, as they can receive …
A US Department of Labor rule proposed this week would make it more difficult for companies to treat workers as independent contractors, a change expected to shake up ride-hailing, delivery, and other industries that rely on gig workers. The proposal would require that workers be considered employees, entitled to more benefits and legal protections than …
At the Bloomberg Citylab conference in Amsterdam, I spoke with the mayor of Bogota (Colombia), Claudia López Hernández, about the challenges of megacities in city logistics. Surrounded by mountains, Bogota has transformed itself in recent decades from a city with poor infrastructure and significant safety and security problems to a more sustainable and liveable city. …
Thousands of new electric vehicles will more than double the size of Amazon’s European zero-emission fleet—bringing it to at least 10,000 electric delivery vans and more than 1,500 electric heavy goods vehicles. Amazon today announced plans to invest more than €1 billion over the next five years to further electrify and decarbonize its transportation network …
Quick commerce has rapidly conquered the inner cities of Europe. With the economy under pressure, questions about quick commerce’s longevity, sustainability, and profitability are asked. Walther Ploos van Amstel, Professor of City Logistics at the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences, spoke to Commerce Trends on the topic. Quick commerce is a niche market. In food …