Defining Urban Freight Microhubs: A Case Study Analysis

On-Demand Logistics: Solutions, Barriers, and Enablers

The urban freight sector provides an essential service by delivering goods that are required by shops, companies, and households at a specific place and time. However, the growth of e-commerce and the dawn of on-demand logistics (hereinafter ODL) have raised citizens’ expectations of logistics systems, further stressing them and thereby increasing their operational and environmental costs. To the authors’ best knowledge, there are no extensive literature reviews specifically on the topic of ODL and on suggestions for policy prioritisation for tackling its effects. This paper aims at addressing this issue by providing an extensive literature review of ODL and its enablers. This research, after a thorough explanation of the ODL rationale, its trends, and its effects, analyses possible solutions to its inefficiencies, focusing on enablers and barriers. Furthermore, it illustrates and clarifies the role of external factors in influencing ODL. Finally, it proposes a systematic evaluation approach by identifying knowledge gaps and consequently defining the subsequent actions needed, broken down by the individual influencing components, rendering these solutions compatible with the status quo and effective for solving the highlighted issues.

A Multimodal Transport Model to Evaluate Transport Policies in the North of France

We developed a passenger transport model for the North of France and used it to discuss the impacts of some policies focusing on the limitations of polluting gas emissions and congestion. The model is calibrated for the North of France and includes both urban and intercity trips. Four transport modes are considered: walking, biking, public transport and private cars. To some extent, the combination of these modes is possible. The model is calibrated to match mode shares and the dynamic of congestion along a full day. The simulations are conducted within the MATSim framework. We evaluate the impacts, on traffic flows and polluting gas emissions, of two pricing reforms: free public transport and road pricing in city center of Lille (the main metropolitan area in the study region). Free public transport yields a significant modal shift towards public transport, resulting in a reduction in the usage of private cars. The road pricing scheme we have considered results in similar impacts but with limited magnitude. Overall, a significant reduction in congestion and emissions of pollutant gases can be obtained by applying convenient pricing reforms. Since we use an agent-based model, we are able to identify the specific location of the main impacts on the network.