Efficient city logistics is crucial for creating innovative, sustainable cities that prioritize the well-being of their residents. However, despite the critical importance of city logistics processes, many cities struggle to improve them. While emerging technologies are increasingly used, it is questionable whether implementing technological tools and filling cities with sensors alone can adequately address the challenges of rapidly growing urban freight transport. This paper aims to examine the role of knowledge management in city logistics and identify barriers to implementing knowledge-based city logistics.
A key aspect of recent research involved surveying 31 international experts specializing in city logistics with extensive experience in relevant research projects. The study applied four knowledge management processes to city logistics. The findings indicate that the main difficulties lie in data gathering and knowledge acquisition. The primary reason for these challenges is the reluctance of city users, retailers, transport, and logistics operators to share information.
Recognizing these processes as the most problematic provides valuable insights for logistics managers, municipalities, and academics. To enhance knowledge-based city logistics, it is essential to focus on improving these processes and seeking new organizational and business support solutions. The study proposes creating a city logistics collaborative knowledge base, which combines an IT tool (the city logistics knowledge management platform) and the Freight Quality Partnership to address the identified problems.
Source: Iwan S, Wagner N, Kijewska K, Jensen SA. Concept of the knowledge-based city logistics: Problems and solutions. PLoS One. 2024 Jun 25;19(6):e0305563. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0305563. PMID: 38917141; PMCID: PMC11198860.