A Stakeholder-Based Evaluation of the Most Suitable and Sustainable Delivery Fleet for Freight Consolidation Policies in the Inner-City Area

Design of a Sustainable Last Mile in Urban Logistics—A Systematic Literature Review

This paper provides a systematic and up-to-date review and classification of 87 studies on green last-mile business for sustainable management. In particular, the most important study areas and results are highlighted and an outlook on future research opportunities in the field of sustainable stock management is given. Sustainability in logistics depends on many factors, and elementary differences in the orientation of the logistics sector can bring further challenges. This is shown by the number of published papers. This paper examines the literature that does not focus on courier, express or parcel delivery (CEP). For this purpose, a systematic literature search was conducted on the topic of sustainability in the last-mile business. Publications for the period from 2014 to 2021 were identified as significant. It becomes clear that the logistics industry must further differentiate itself to be able to act in a future-oriented manner. The effects of the logistics industry and the technologies used in it have far-reaching consequences for social coexistence and should therefore be included. Challenges lie not only with logistics companies, but also with consumers and government authorities. In the paper it becomes clear that the logistics concept of the last mile is applied in all forms, but the research area of one-person delivery or two-person delivery is on a different level. Here, the concept of two-person delivery will be pursued further, as it functions similarly to a CEP service provider, but the framework conditions differ greatly. The two-person loading system makes it possible to transport large and bulky goods such as furniture without the risk of damage during delivery. Furthermore, the specifics of sustainable management of the last mile as well as the limits of the topic are discussed. This should stimulate future research.

Last mile delivery in logistics and supply chain management: a bibliometric analysis and future directions

Purpose

The main objective of this paper is to provide a systematic literature review (SLR) and structured insight into last mile delivery, ultimately identifying gaps in current knowledge and proposing a framework for future research direction in terms of sustainability in the area.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper identifies and synthesizes information from academic journals and examines “Journals and Publishing place,” “Geographic location,” “Year of Publication,” “University and Author Affiliation,” “Themes and Sub-themes,” “Theory,” “Research Design, Methods and Area” and “Industry Involvement.” A collection of online databases from 2005 to 2020 were explored, using the keywords “Last mile delivery,” “Last mile logistics,” “Last mile transportation,” “Last mile fulfillment,” “Last mile operations” and “Last mile distribution” in their title and/or abstract and/or keywords. Accordingly, a total of 281 journal articles were found in this discipline area, and data were derived from a succession of variables.

Findings

There has been significant growth in published articles concerning last mile delivery over the last 15 years (2005–2020). An in-depth review of the literature shows five dimensions of the last mile: last mile delivery, transportation, operations, distribution and logistics. Each of these dimensions is interrelated and possess clustered characteristics. For instance, last mile operations, last mile transportation and last mile delivery are operational, whereas last mile distribution is tactical, and last mile logistics possess strategic characteristics. The findings also indicate that even though the sustainability concept can be incorporated into all levels of the last mile, the current literature landscape mainly concentrates on the operational level.

Research limitations/implications

This review is limited to academic sources available from Emerald Insight, Science Direct, Taylor and Francis, Springer, MDPI and IEEE containing the mentioned keywords in the title and/or abstract/or keywords. Furthermore, only papers from high-quality, peer-reviewed journals were evaluated. Other sources such as books and conference papers were not included.

Practical implications

This study dissects last mile delivery to produce a framework that captures and presents its complex characteristics and its interconnectedness with various related components. By analyzing last mile delivery in its entirety, the framework also helps practitioners pinpoint which levels of last mile delivery (operation, tactical or strategic) they can incorporate the concept of sustainability.

Originality/value

The research findings enrich the contemporary literature landscape and future work by providing a conceptual framework that incorporates the “economic,” “environmental” and “social” pillars of sustainability in all dimensions of the last mile delivery.

Trends of Environmentally Sustainable Solutions of Urban Last-Mile Deliveries on the E-Commerce Market—A Literature Review

The growth of e-commerce has increased urban freight transport, bringing negative externalities of emissions, pollution, noise, congestion, and habitat loss. There is a visible effort to make the urban last-mile (LM) deliveries more sustainable, mainly in the environmental aspects; however, the related literature lacks a synthesis of the up-to-date research trends and available solutions. This paper reviews relevant literature following SRL methodology in terms of topics related to green LM deliveries on the e-commerce market in urban areas, and identifies trends and the research gaps in this field. In addition, current research topics and existing solutions within the e-commerce market, which increase its environmental sustainability are presented. The findings provide an accurate and comprehensive synthesis of research in green LM e-commerce deliveries in cities, identify current and emerging interests of researchers worldwide, and discover areas requiring further studies. The topics of ICT and smart solutions, customer behavior, and performance assessment certainly seem to be underestimated in the current research. In practical terms, it is a source of knowledge and guidelines on the current developments regarding the existing solution for the LM e-commerce deliveries in the urban area, which might help local governments, freight operators, and other stakeholders of last-mile logistics to improve their sustainability.

The Growth of E-Commerce Due to COVID-19 and the Need for Urban Logistics Centers Using Electric Vehicles: Bratislava Case Study

Before the COVID-19 pandemic there had already been an increase in individual shipment transportation including inner-city areas. During the pandemic and implementation of adopted preventive measures, it has increased by more than 100% in some cities. This presents an unsustainable development, particularly in terms of urban environment. The above-mentioned development has accelerated the research related to optimal allocation of logistics centres considering the last-mile distribution. Unfortunately, the theoretical mathematical model that finds an optimal urban logistics centre location based on the matrix of distance, number, and weight of shipments is not applicable in most cities. Therefore, the following research methodology was chosen in accordance with the approved territorial plan. The authors considered those locations in Bratislava—the capital of Slovak Republic—which are designated, or suitable for building up of an urban logistics centre. These localities were afterwards evaluated in a real-world case study employing methods of mathematical programming (linear programming), the nearest neighbour method, and the Clarke-Wright method. The presented methodology can be applied not only when deciding on the appropriate location of the city logistics centre, but also at optimizing the vehicle routing problem. Taking into account the urban logistics sustainability and the e-commerce growth, it was analysed whether the suggested location of urban logistics centre is feasible to provision examined facilities using electric vehicles. The range of considered electric vehicles of N2 category present in the market tends to be at the limits of distribution routes length for the given case study. Therefore, the article also deals with the fast-charging possibilities of vehicles during handling operations and the use of hybrid freight vehicles in city logistics.

City Logistics as an Imperative Smart City Mechanism: Scrutiny of Clustered EU27 Capitals

In large urban agglomerations, various logistical problems arise due to high population density and deficient transport infrastructure. City logistics involves the efficient distribution of freight transport in urban areas and approaches to mitigate environmental impacts and traffic congestion. This paper aims to use a two-step cluster analytic approach to segmentation of EU27 capital cities based on their city logistics performance. To obtain primary outcomes, the log-likelihood measure in SPSS Statistics was used. The results can be used to identify the development and implementation of logistics measures in capitals across the EU. In addition to clustering, the statistical analysis evaluates the position of investigated cities concerning traffic congestions, and from an environmental point of view, the carbon dioxide produced from transport. The scrutiny delivers practical outlooks on how clustering can be undertaken and proves how the clusters can be used to plan city logistics and supply chain management. Finally, the paper deals with smart city indices from the perspective of sustainable mobility and examines its correlation with city logistics.

Introducing the Shared Micro-Depot Network for Last-Mile Logistics

Last-mile logistics is both a source and cause of problems in urban areas, especially problems related to traffic congestion, unsustainable delivery modes, and limited parking availability. In this context, multiple sustainable logistics solutions have been proposed. We focus on micro-depots (MDs), which can function as a consolidation center and a collection-and-delivery point for business-to-consumer (B2C) small parcels. This paper presents a new research idea that extends the existing MD solution by introducing the concept of a shared MD network with parcel lockers. Such networks enable multiple logistics service providers (LSPs) and/or business partners to use an MD while minimizing their individual costs and optimizing the use of urban space. We present case studies of such shared MD networks operating in the cities of Helsinki and Helmond. We provide a framework for auxiliary businesses that can exploit the existing MD structure to offer services to the surrounding population. Finally, we define metrics for evaluating the success of shared MD networks while considering social, environmental and economic objectives. The case studies highlight the complexity of implementing such a solution; it requires stakeholders’ involvement and collaboration. In particular, deciding on the location for a shared MD network is a critical phase, since local authorities have their own regulations, and residents’ preferences are usually different than LSPs’ ones. Nevertheless, if these challenges are overcome, this sustainable last-mile logistics solution has a promising future.

Efficiency of Methods for Determining the Relevance of Criteria in Sustainable Transport Problems: A Comparative Case Study

Problems related to sustainable urban transport have gained in importance with the rapid growth of urban agglomerations. There is, therefore, a need to support decision-making processes in this area, a trend that is visible in the literature. Many methods have already been presented as a useful decision-making tool in this field. However, it is still a significant challenge to properly determine the relevance of the criteria because it is one of the most critical points of many presented techniques to solve decision problems. In this work, we propose two new approaches to determining the relevance of particular decision criteria effectively in sustainable transport problems. For this purpose, we examine a study case for the evaluation of electric bikes evaluated against eight criteria, which have been taken from earlier work. We calculate the relevance of each criterion using four different approaches and then evaluate their effectiveness using a reference ranking and popular multi-criteria decision analysis methods. The results are compared with each other by using similarity coefficients. Finally, we summarize the results obtained and set out further methods of development.

An Examination of Last Mile Delivery Practices of Freight Carriers Servicing Business Receivers in Inner-City Areas

Freight carriers experience major challenges while operating in highly dense inner-city areas. Timely deliveries are crucial for the success of businesses and for the long-term economic growth of metropolitan areas. Previous freight studies have paid little attention to the characteristics of freight movements in a highly dense urban context. Accordingly, this study sought to quantify the operational practices for freight carriers that deliver light parcels to inner-city business receivers. Direct insights were collected using semistructured interviews and an online survey with freight carriers in Melbourne, Australia. The intent was to describe the delivery trips and vehicle types involved in this unique segment. An assessment of operational challenges to the efficiency of freight carriers is presented in the study. In general, freight deliveries to inner-city receivers are characterised by underutilised transport capacity along with a large number of delivery stops. The findings shed light on the challenges that couriers encounter in congested inner-city areas.

A Systematic Literature Review of Green and Sustainable Logistics: Bibliometric Analysis, Research Trend and Knowledge Taxonomy

Ever-growing globalization and industrialization put forward impending requirements for green and sustainable logistics (G&SL). Over the past decades, G&SL initiatives triggered worldwide deliberations, aiming at easing negative transport externalities and improving supply chain performance. This review-based paper attempts to offer a joint quantitative and qualitative understanding for the overall evolutionary trend, knowledge structure, and literature gaps of the G&SL research field. Employing the science mapping approach, a total of 306 major paper published from 1999 to 2019 were retrieved, elaborated on, and synthesized. Visualized statistics regarding publication years, journal allocation/co-citation, inter-country/institution collaboration, influential articles, co-occurred keywords, and time view clusters of research themes were analyzed bibliographically. On this basis, a total of 50 sub-branches of G&SL knowledge were classified and thematically discussed based on five alignments, namely (i) social-environmental-economic research, (ii) planning, policy and management, (iii) application and practice, (iv) technology, and (v) operations research. Finally, the current knowledge obstacles and the future research opportunities were suggested. The findings contribute to portray a systematic intellectual prospect for the state quo, hotspots, and academic frontiers of G&SL research. Moreover, it provides researchers and practitioners with heuristic thoughts to govern transportation ecology and logistics service quality.

Framework of Last Mile Logistics Research: A Systematic Review of the Literature

Coincident with the rapid growth of omni-channel retailing, growing urbanization, changing consumer behavior, and increasing focus on sustainability, academic interest in the area of last mile logistics has significantly increased. The growth in academic publications has been tremendous, with three out of four articles appearing within the past five years. The influx of research spans multiple disciplines and various methodologies, underlining the complexity and fragmentation of last mile logistics research, which leads to a lack of unity in the understanding of the concept. We provide a systematic review and classification of the literature to provide a more coherent view of last mile logistics research. The review covers 155 peer-reviewed journal publications focusing on last mile logistics. Findings demonstrate that the literature embraces a diversity of aspects and facets that are classified into five themes: emerging trends and technologies, operational optimization, supply chain structures, performance measurement, and policy. Further, we propose a framework of last mile logistics literature that comprises five components and their interrelationships, namely, last mile logistics, last mile distribution, last mile fulfillment, last mile transport, and last mile delivery. The results provide a foundation for further development of this research area by proposing avenues for future research.

Transport Service Provider Perception of Barriers and Urban Freight Policies in Brazil

The aim of this paper is to analyze the perceptions of the transport service providers on the barriers in urban freight transport and the restrictions imposed on freight vehicles, identifying which urban freight transport policies can improve this activity in Brazil. Principal component analysis allowed us to identify which are barriers in urban cargo transport and the restrictions imposed on freight vehicles. In addition, we evaluated freight policies that can improve the activity using probabilistic preference. We obtained the database from a web-based survey of transport service providers in Brazil. The results indicate that the urban freight vehicle restriction is related to congestion and availability of loading and unloading areas. The freight vehicle restriction is a result of the lack of information and data. The theft of cargo significantly impacts urban freight transport. Transport service provider company perceptions indicate an urban mobility plan as the most-required freight policy to improve freight mobility. To reduce the barriers to urban freight planning, an understanding of the problem involving the stakeholders is needed. To do so, the challenge is to change the culture in the transportation planning process by integrating various actors to create an urban logistics plan that generates opportunities for the city.

Implementation of Sustainable Motorways of the Sea Services Multi-Criteria Analysis of a Croatian Port System

Motorways of the Sea present a practical example of combined and sustainable transport. With respect to the present model of functionality of the transport system in the Republic of Croatia, where the development of the port and of the gravitational transport system is left to each individual port (six independent ports), and where there is no systematic approach to specialization of each port or route, the results of the analysis are not promising. The goal of this research is to explain why the current Motorways of the Sea implementation model is inefficient and unsustainable. The analysis shows that a scientific approach to multicriteria analysis, which includes the identification of all relevant factors, the analysis of the transport infrastructure, as well as the identification of criteria which could potentially affect the Motorways of the Sea system, can correctly define the optimal model for the implementation of a sustainable Motorways of the Sea system.

Agent-Based Simulation Model for Evaluating Urban Freight Policy to E-Commerce

This study aims to assess delivery lockers as a last-mile solution, considering the behavior and interaction among e-commerce stakeholders. In Brazil, a large portion of deliveries are attended home. This results in a large number of failed deliveries and redelivery attempts, which can reach up to three delivery attempts. Delivery lockers (DL) represent a solution to reduce the number of re-deliveries and consolidate the delivery of goods. The implementation of DL and the exclusion of the third delivery attempt are evaluated in this study via an agent-based simulation model (ABSM) in the city of Belo Horizonte, Brazil. Four scenarios were simulated by varying delivery locker implementation and the exclusion of the third attempts, which allowed comparable results to be obtained for each agent, in terms of gains and operational and external costs (emission, noise, and congestion). The scenario that most closely resembles the current situation was the one that presented the worst results. The implementation of the lockers brings improvements to this scenario in terms of reducing re-deliveries and distances traveled by trucks. When the possibility of three delivery attempts is excluded, the benefits are even greater. The deployment of lockers also enables carriers to reduce the number of trucks required to make deliveries, thereby increasing their profits.

Multicriteria Approach to Sustainable Transport Evaluation under Incomplete Knowledge: Electric Bikes Case Study

The problem of sustainable city transport is a growing field of study, and will be addressed in this paper. With the rising significance of present transportation systems’ negative externalities on the environment, such as the unavoidable increase of air pollution levels, cities seek sustainable means of transport and reduction of combustion cars’ utilization. Moreover, improvements in the area of renewable energy sources have led to rising trends in sustainability, driving the usage and production of electric vehicles. Currently, there is an increasing tendency of looking for more sustainable transport solutions, especially in highly congested urban areas. It seems that in that case, electric bicycles can be a good option, as they yield more benefits in comparison to cars, especially combustion cars. In this paper, we identify an assessment model for the selection of the best electric bicycle for sustainable city transport by using incomplete knowledge. For this purpose, the Characteristic Objects METhod (COMET) is used. The COMET method, proven effective in the assessment of sustainable challenges, is a modern approach, utterly free of the rank reversal phenomenon. The evaluated model considers investigated multiple criteria and is independent of chosen alternatives in the criteria domain. Hence, it can be easily modified and extended for diverse sets of decisional variants. Moreover, the presented approach allows assessing alternatives under conditions of incomplete knowledge, where some data are presented as possible interval numbers.