The ITF project ‘The Final Frontier of Urban Logistics‘ examines various options for tackling the final step in the logistics chain for parcels. Last-mile deliveries are critical, but how can parcels efficiently and securely travel from the delivery vehicle, package locker, or local drop-off location to the recipient’s front door?
These very last meters are the final frontier for urban deliveries. E-commerce has increased the number of deliveries in already crowded cities. Accommodating the growing demand in sustainable and socially acceptable ways is a critical challenge for cities. Proposed solutions include porters, bicycle deliveries, and automated delivery pods.
The report discusses the challenges and potential solutions for last-metre parcel delivery in urban areas. It explores the limitations of automated drones and robots and alternative methods such as pick-up points and porters. The section also highlights the importance of managing street-space tensions and balancing public interests with innovation in urban logistics.
- Due to operational limitations and access restrictions, automated delivery drones and robots may not be effective for last-metre operations in urban areas.
- Emerging alternatives like pick-up points and porters are considered more suitable for improving operational efficiencies in urban parcel deliveries.
- The use of small sidewalk robots is found to be the most promising among automated alternatives, but their use cases remain limited.
- Due to their large dimensions and limited carrying capacities, delivery drones are unlikely to displace existing last-mile alternatives in dense urban areas significantly.
- Increased city freight demand has led to environmental and economic costs, such as congestion and parking pressure.
- Implementing lower-tech solutions like pick-up points could be more efficient and effective at mitigating negative externalities than automated solutions.
- Policymakers should anticipate the risks and legal complexities associated with potential logistics interventions, especially in the context of urban automated deliveries.
- Urban logistics policy must balance private stakeholders’ interests with public and societal needs to ensure innovation aligns with the greater good.
Source: ITF