[ { "id": "https://openalex.org/W7111763892", "doi": null, "title": "Digital Transformation in Maritime and City Logistics: Smart Solutions for Logistics. Proceedings of the Hamburg International Conference of Logistics (HICL), Vol. 28", "year": null, "publication_date": null, "type": "book", "language": null, "authors": [ "Lange, Ann-Kathrin", "Krüger, Stephan", "Schwientek, Anne Kathrina", "Jahn, Carlos" ], "first_author": "Lange, Ann-Kathrin", "venue": "RePEc: Research Papers in Economics", "publisher": "Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis", "abstract": "Purpose: Truck appointment systems (TAS) are a reliable method for seaport container terminals to reduce peaks in truck arrivals. Thereby, the operation costs for terminals and the waiting times for trucking companies are reduced. The focus of this study is to optimize TAS by analyzing and transferring the components of nonport time slot booking systems. Methodology: A comprehensive systematic literature analysis is applied to identify the potential of non-port time slot booking systems. Three industries are identified whose time slot booking systems are well transferable to TAS. The most promising industry, the health care sector, and specific approaches are selected for a benchmark. Findings: The results show that in particular the time window booking systems from the health care sector have a good transferability to TAS in ports. Of the approaches examined, the overbooking of appointments in fixed time windows was rated most positively in the benefit analysis. Originality: Past studies usually treat TAS in ports as a completely new subject area. Findings from other industries are rarely taken into account. A systemic study on the transferability of selected approaches from other sectors has not yet been carried out for TAS.", "keywords": [ "Transferability", "Truck", "Container (type theory)", "Window (computing)", "Digital transformation", "Focus (optics)" ], "cited_by_count": 0, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "https://www.econstor.eu/bitstream/10419/209391/1/hicl-2019-28-138.pdf" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W7152396760", "doi": "10.70675/b90f39c1z06aez479ez8948z62d4786c3e87", "title": "Solving vehicle routing problems with drones in urban logistics : an approach based on exact and approximate optimization methods", "year": 2026, "publication_date": "2026-02-04", "type": "dissertation", "language": "en", "authors": [ "Sylvain Lichau" ], "first_author": "Sylvain Lichau", "venue": null, "publisher": null, "abstract": "Résolution de problèmes de tournées de véhicules avec drones en logistique urbaine : une approche basée sur les méthodes d’optimisation exactes et approchées Les drones constituent un complément prometteur pour la logistique de livraison. Ils présentent des caractéristiques fondamentalement différentes de celles des véhicules classiques : des coûts d’utilisation plus faibles et des vitesses plus élevées, au détriment d’une autonomie et d’une capacité réduite. Pour les applications où ces contraintes sont acceptables, les drones peuvent remplacer entièrement les véhicules de livraison. Cependant, dans la plupart des cas, il est nécessaire de combiner stratégiquement ces types de véhicules complémentaires afin de tirer le meilleur parti de leurs atouts opérationnels respectifs. Cette thèse propose principalement des méthodes mathématiques d’optimisation exactes pour les problèmes de routage avec drones. Le premier chapitre propose une revue de littérature consacrée aux problèmes de routage avec drones dans le domaine de la recherche opérationnelle, en mettant l’accent sur les méthodes d’optimisation exactes. Nous soulignons la diversité des problèmes abordés par les chercheurs ainsi que la nécessité d’augmenter la taille des instances résolues à l’optimale. Le deuxième chapitre rappelle brièvement les concepts de programmation mathématique nécessaires à la compréhension des algorithmes de «branch-cut-and-price». Nous décrivons également l’algorithme utilisé dans cette thèse, en détaillant ses composantes avancées ainsi que l’algorithme de «labeling» employé pour résoudre les sous-problèmes. Le troisième chapitre traite du «Two-Echelon Vehicle Routing Problem with Drones». Nous proposons un nouveau modèle de partitionnement d’ensembles, dans lequel les chemins partiels correspondant aux mouvements des drones sont énumérés à l’aide d’un programme dynamique. Nous présentons également une adaptation des «rounded capacity cuts», spécialement conçue pour résoudre ce problème. Par ailleurs, nous développons une heuristique basée sur l’algorithme exact. Les expériences numériques montrent que l’algorithme exact augmente considérablement la taille des instances résolues de manière optimale. Pour évaluer le modèle, l’algorithme est ensuite étendu pour traiter le «Park-and-Loop Routing Problem». Le quatrième chapitre traite du «Truck-based Drone Delivery Routing Problem with Time Windows». Nous développons un algorithme exact de branch-cut-and-price ainsi qu’un algorithme de «labeling» pour résoudre le sous-problème. Nous comparons deux modèles de sous-problème alternatifs définis sur des graphes distincts et montrons qu’aucun des deux ne domine l’autre : le meilleur choix dépend des caractéristiques de l’instance considérée. Les expériences numériques démontrent l’efficacité des approches proposées. Nous introduisons également de nouvelles instances plus complexes, où la capacité des drones est augmentée. Le cinquième chapitre étudie une variante du «Vehicle Routing Problem with Time Windows», qui intègre deux caractéristiques pertinentes sur le plan opérationnel : des heures de départ flexibles depuis le dépôt et des limites strictes sur la durée des routes. Bien que plus générique, ce problème peut s’apparenter à un problème de routage de drones dans lequel la portée est limitée par la durée du trajet. Nous développons un algorithme de branch-cut-and-price, dont la composante principale est un algorithme de «labeling» bidirectionnel résolvant le sous-problème. Nous montrons également comment traiter le problème connexe de minimisation de la durée totale du trajet. Les expériences numériques confirment les performances de l’algorithme.", "keywords": [ "Drone", "Vehicle routing problem", "Routing algorithm", "Routing (electronic design automation)" ], "cited_by_count": 0, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "http://www.theses.fr/2026BORD0010/document" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W767625420", "doi": null, "title": "TADIRAM project: organizational and technical proposals for freight distribution in the sustainable city", "year": 2006, "publication_date": "2006-01-01", "type": "conference-paper", "language": "en", "authors": [ "S Genta", "Francesco Marangon", "Giovanna Messina", "Maria Pia Valentini" ], "first_author": "S Genta", "venue": null, "publisher": null, "abstract": "The current configuration of freight distribution systems in urban areas is reaching unsustainable levels of negative impact on quality of life and economic efficiency. In the TADIRAM project (Advanced Technologies and Innovative Sw Tools for Freight Distribution in the Sustainable City), co-funded by the Italian Ministry of Research and Universities and the Consortium TRAIN, recently closed, research activities have been carried out aimed at identifying new organizational and technological solutions for the optimization of freight distribution process, to improve the quality and the efficiency of logistic services in urban areas and to contribute to the sustainability in terms of traffic and air pollution. Train is a consortium for RTD on INnovative TRAnsport, it is a no-profit organization promoted by ENEA - Italian National Agency on New Technologies, Energy and Environment. The partners involved in Tadiram are: Ansaldobreda, Bertolotti, D'Appolonia, ENEA (ENETEC and BIOTEC department) and Uniontrasporti. The Tadiram Project has studied and designed all the elements of a new organization of delivery based on logistic bases and transit-points. The Tadiram City Logistics concept is that freight hubs are established in a suburban areas for receiving goods coming from outside and distributing them in the inner town using ecological transport vehicles (road and rail) and optimising the delivery tours. The last mile can be operated either by single private operators or operators cooperative or public/private partnerships. The location sites are defined on the basis of town configuration and the freight hubs are equipped with a computerized control center (CCC) both for communications and elaborations. The Tadiram partners have developed an IT system to manage delivery orders coming from hubs customers (haulage operators); this system allows to filter demand and to easy delivery optimisation, even though the hubs operational scheme provides also the possibility of using the last mile service without any previous announcement. In Tadiram, a new version of SIRIO Cargo Tram (AnsaldoBreda) has been studied. According to the TADIRAM results, cargo tram is particularly suitable for fruits and vegetables distribution from general market to local markets, in the first morning, when passenger traffic is low and tram tracks can be easier occupied by freight vehicles; another possible application of cargo tram is hospitals goods supplying by night; more generally, cargo tram can be usefully used when big amounts of goods have a unique origin or a unique destination. The new load units have been designed and realised as demonstrators by TRAIN partners; they are two types: one to carry pallets and the other one to carry small load units o single parcels, also to be delivered to different destinations. An innovative equipment for load units handling - carried out within the TADIRAM project - allows a semi-automatic loading and unloading of tram and lorries and helps short trips as well. At the conclusion of the project, a study of application of the innovative logistic schema in an Italian southern town (Cosenza ) is be carried out and technological and computing prototypes are been tested. The goal of the TADIRAM project has been basically the demonstration of the feasibility of the new distribution scheme at a multi-level framework i.e. at technological level, at operative and operation management level, at users level, at administration and sociality level, at economical level. These results will constitute the necessary basis for implementing in real contexts operative systems in their final complete configuration and for establishing a permanent staff to perform the service. For the covering abstract see ITRD E135582.", "keywords": [ "Business", "Sustainability", "Transport engineering", "Distribution (mathematics)", "Last mile (transportation)", "Sustainable transport", "Ministry of Transport", "Public transport", "Engineering", "Mile", "Geography" ], "cited_by_count": 3, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "https://trid.trb.org/view/846550" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W7112499676", "doi": null, "title": "Data Science in Maritime and City Logistics: Data-driven Solutions for Logistics and Sustainability. Proceedings of the Hamburg International Conference of Logistics (HICL), Vol. 30", "year": null, "publication_date": null, "type": "book", "language": null, "authors": [ "Lange, Ann-Kathrin", "Kreuz, Felix", "Langkau, Sven", "Jahn, Carlos", "Clausen, Uwe" ], "first_author": "Lange, Ann-Kathrin", "venue": "RePEc: Research Papers in Economics", "publisher": "Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis", "abstract": "Purpose: Truck appointment systems (TAS) are a widely used method to alleviate peaks in truck arrivals at container terminals in seaports and in the hinterland. One big advantage is the opportunity to reduce operation costs for the terminals and the truck queue length in front of the terminal gate. This study aims to analyze and classify different approaches used in science and industry to determine the quota of allowed trucks per time window. Methodology: A comprehensive systematic literature analysis is applied to identify the different approaches to determine the quota of time windows in science and in industry. Findings: The results of the study show that many approaches have been based on experience and are mostly used to improve individual terminals rather than the port as a whole. Methods used to improve and analyze interrelationships are mainly methods of mathematical optimization and simulation. Originality: The question under consideration was mostly only marginally considered in existing investigations, even though it has a major impact on the success of a TAS. Furthermore, only individual solutions have been examined so far and not the suitability of the approaches compared.", "keywords": [ "Truck", "Port (circuit theory)", "Container (type theory)", "Queue", "Terminal (telecommunication)", "International shipping" ], "cited_by_count": 0, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "https://www.econstor.eu/bitstream/10419/228951/1/hicl-2020-30-211.pdf" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W2957233020", "doi": "10.4018/978-1-5225-9697-4.ch003", "title": "Impact of E-Commerce on the Urban Landscape", "year": 2019, "publication_date": "2019-07-10", "type": "book-chapter", "language": "en", "authors": [ "Sotheeswari Somasundram" ], "first_author": "Sotheeswari Somasundram", "venue": "Advances in marketing, customer relationship management, and e-services book series", "publisher": "IGI Global", "abstract": "Consumers in large cities are projected to contribute 81% to global consumption in 2030 with B2C e-commerce sales growth projected to increase globally by 24% in 2020. The inquiry of the present study is to understand the impact of this growth on the urban landscape. Three key areas influenced by e-commerce which in turn impact the urban landscape, city logistics, warehousing, and retail experience. Rising home deliveries impact city logistics where delivery trucks contribute to traffic congestion and environmental hazards. E-commerce influences locational demand for warehouses differently, depending on the section of the logistic chain. The positive gains include reduced damage to road infrastructures and higher valuation of logistics real estate in urban areas. The final area, retail experience, influences the sustainability of malls in urban areas. Malls in urban centers could remain relevant by reconfiguring retail spaces to accommodate temporary guide stores and pop-up stores instead of anchor tenants.", "keywords": [ "Business", "Real estate", "Sustainability", "Valuation (finance)", "Truck", "Urban landscape", "Environmental planning", "Geography", "Finance", "Engineering" ], "cited_by_count": 1, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "https://doi.org/10.4018/978-1-5225-9697-4.ch003" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W3194669057", "doi": "10.15488/11265", "title": "A Deep Learning Framework for automated collection and analysis of traffic data based on identifying and classifying Delivery Vehicles in Logistics", "year": 2021, "publication_date": "2021-01-01", "type": "book-chapter", "language": "en", "authors": [ "Jin, Meng", "Lars Mauch", "Bernd Bienzeisler" ], "first_author": "Jin, Meng", "venue": "Institutional Repository of Leibniz Universität Hannover (Leibniz Universität Hannover)", "publisher": "Leibniz University Hannover", "abstract": "In urban logistics, analyzing urban traffic data plays an important role in achieving higher schedule reliability and delivery time efficiency. To increase the diversity of urban traffic data, we developed a solution for the automated collection and analysis of different types of traffic data. These are needed to optimize and control the flow of traffic. The use of traditional on-road sensors (e.g., inductive loops) for collecting data is necessary but not currently sufficient because it cannot draw any conclusions about the type of goods being transported. In this paper, we propose a framework in which different classes of delivery vehicles and types of goods being shipped are identified in road videos by deep-learning-based image recognition method. Video sequences are automatically evaluated according to the following criteria: (i) distinguish between individual and commercial vehicles, (ii) identify the category of commercial vehicles, for example, van, box trucks, small trucks, etc. (iii) identify the special features of the vehicle body (such as the name of the carrier) to classify commercial transportation of food, general goods or package services, etc. Using this method, logistics throughput of a designated city or region and the peak time of goods transportation can be obtained. This provides the carrier with better pre-advice and potential actions to improve transportation efficiency. For the evaluation of our framework, we collected real street videos at different time points in the main traffic arteries of Heilbronn, Germany. In particular, the difference between traffic flow of logistics services before and during the COVID-19 epidemic was compared. The results of implementation and testing demonstrated a high-precision, low-latency performance of the framework for obtaining urban logistics data.", "keywords": [ "Computer science", "Data science", "Transport engineering", "Engineering" ], "cited_by_count": 1, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "https://www.repo.uni-hannover.de/handle/123456789/11352" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W2532039143", "doi": "10.1007/978-3-319-48472-3_7", "title": "Cooperative Routing and Scheduling of an Electric Vehicle Fleet Managing Dynamic Customer Requests", "year": 2016, "publication_date": "2016-01-01", "type": "conference-paper", "language": "en", "authors": [ "Panagiotis Liakos", "Iosif Angelidis", "Alex Delis" ], "first_author": "Panagiotis Liakos", "venue": "Lecture notes in computer science", "publisher": "Springer Science+Business Media", "abstract": null, "keywords": [ "Computer science", "Truck", "Scheduling (production processes)", "Electric vehicle", "Geolocation", "Operations research", "Fleet management", "Battery electric vehicle", "Dynamic pricing", "Transport engineering", "Vehicle routing problem", "Routing (electronic design automation)" ], "cited_by_count": 2, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-48472-3_7" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W2533031736", "doi": null, "title": "Collaborative Logistics in Vehicle Routing", "year": 2008, "publication_date": "2008-10-06", "type": "dissertation", "language": "en", "authors": [ "Selvaprabu Nadarajah" ], "first_author": "Selvaprabu Nadarajah", "venue": "UWSpace (University of Waterloo)", "publisher": "University of Waterloo", "abstract": "Less-Than-Truckload (LTL) carriers generally serve geographical regions that are more localized than the inter-city routes served by truckload carriers. That localization can lead to urban freight transportation routes that overlap. If trucks are traveling with less than full loads there may exist opportunities for carriers \\nto collaborate over such routes. That is, Carrier A will also deliver one or more \\nshipments of Carrier B. This will improve vehicle asset utilization and reduce asset-repositioning costs, and may also lead to reduced congestion and pollution in cities. \\nWe refer to the above coordination as “collaborative routing”. \\n \\nIn our framework for collaboration, we also propose that carriers exchange goods at logistics platforms located at the entry point to a city. This is referred to as “entry-point collaboration”. One difficulty in collaboration is the lack of facilities to allow transfer of goods between carriers. We highlight that the reduction in pollution and congestion under our proposed framework will give the city government an incentive to support these initiatives by providing facilities. Further, our analysis has shown that contrary to the poor benefits reported by previous work on vehicle routing with transshipment, strategic location of transshipment facilities in urban areas may solve this problem and lead to large cost savings from transfer of loads between carriers. \\n \\nWe also present a novel integrated three-phase solution method. Our first phase uses either a modified tabu search, or a guided local search, to solve the vehicle routing problems with time windows that result from entry-point collaboration. The \\npreceding methods use a constraint programming engine for feasibility checks. The second phase uses a quad-tree search to locate facilities. Quad-tree search methods \\nare popular in computer graphics, and for grid generation in fluid simulation. These methods are known to be efficient in partitioning a two-dimensional space for storage and computation. We use this efficiency to search a two-dimensional region and locate possible transshipment facilities. \\n \\nIn phase three, we employ an integrated greedy local search method to build collaborative routes, using three new transshipment-specific moves for neighborhood definition. We utilize an optimization module within local search to combine multiple moves at each iteration, thereby taking efficient advantage of information from neighborhood exploration. Extensive computational tests are done on random data sets which represent a city such as Toronto. Sensitivity analysis is performed on important parameters to characterize the situations when collaboration will be beneficial. Overall results show that our proposal for collaboration leads to 12% and 15% decrease in route distance and time, respectively. Average asset utilization is seen to increase by about 5% as well.", "keywords": [ "Vehicle routing problem", "Routing (electronic design automation)", "Transport engineering", "Computer science", "Business", "Engineering", "Computer network" ], "cited_by_count": 8, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "http://hdl.handle.net/10012/4083" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W7211906392", "doi": "10.3390/wevj17090472", "title": "Urban Freight Drivers’ Symbolic Perceptions and Identity-Related Experiences of Electric Light Commercial Vehicles (E-LCVs): A Bengaluru Case Study", "year": 2026, "publication_date": "2026-09-07", "type": "article", "language": "en", "authors": [ "Aditya Umeshkumar Swarankar", "Himani Jain" ], "first_author": "Aditya Umeshkumar Swarankar", "venue": "World Electric Vehicle Journal", "publisher": "Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute", "abstract": "Urban freight plays a vital role in supporting India’s growing cities, which contribute over 58% of the national GDP. Bengaluru, a key logistics hub, faces increasing freight-related pollution, with freight vehicles accounting for nearly 50% of the city’s PM2.5 emissions. While E-LCV adoption is gaining attention, most studies focus on economic and technical factors, neglecting drivers’ symbolic and identity-based motivations. This study examines the association of symbolic perceptions, perceived social status, and reported motivations with freight drivers’ current E-LCV and ICE-LCV use in Bengaluru. A field survey of 112 drivers (54 E-LCV and 58 ICE-LCV) was conducted. The variables examined included pride, symbolic meaning, educational attainment, reported information sources, peer-related perceptions, and reported motivations. Because conventional maximum-likelihood logistic regression encountered complete or quasi-complete separation, Firth penalised logistic regression and bivariate comparative tests were used alongside descriptive analysis. Clear descriptive differences were observed between E-LCV and ICE-LCV drivers in perceived pride, social status, education profiles, media exposure, and reported motivations. Current E-LCV drivers reported substantially stronger pride and status-related perceptions associated with E-LCV use. However, given the cross-sectional design, these associations should not be interpreted as causal determinants of adoption. Differences were also observed in educational attainment and reported information sources between the two driver groups. The findings highlight the value of considering drivers as stakeholders with identity-related perceptions rather than solely as vehicle users. Understanding the social and symbolic meanings attached to E-LCVs may provide useful insights for future research and policy development concerning urban freight electrification. Recognising drivers not only as vehicle users but also as stakeholders with identity-related motivations may help inform more targeted policies and outreach strategies in cities such as Bengaluru.", "keywords": [ "Bivariate analysis", "Perception", "Descriptive statistics", "Logistic regression", "Pride", "Educational attainment", "Value (mathematics)", "Regression analysis" ], "cited_by_count": 0, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "https://doi.org/10.3390/wevj17090472" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W7111452929", "doi": null, "title": "Adapting to the Future: Maritime and City Logistics in the Context of Digitalization and Sustainability. Proceedings of the Hamburg International Conference of Logistics (HICL), Vol. 32", "year": null, "publication_date": null, "type": "book", "language": null, "authors": [ "Kaidabettu, Chiraag Dinesh", "Lange, Ann-Kathrin", "Jahn, Carlos" ], "first_author": "Kaidabettu, Chiraag Dinesh", "venue": "RePEc: Research Papers in Economics", "publisher": "Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis", "abstract": "Purpose: A rising global container throughput has necessitated the need for more efficient terminals. This work focuses on identifying past developments, important methods, key performance indicators and the future trends, related to the main decision tasks in an inland rail-road terminal. Prime focus is upon day-to-day operations performed on container entry through trains and trucks. Methodology: A comprehensive systematic literature survey is carried out and a classification scheme developed, which is applied to the considered publications. Various techniques used to formulate the model and common solution approaches are identified for the key decision problems. Limitations in the current literature recognized and potential future research directions suggested. Findings: Crane scheduling and storage space allocation are the most concentrated-upon problems. Simulation platforms have been largely used to model the problems and heuristics is the most common approach to solve other models. Time taken and costs involved are sought to be minimized. Originality: In literature, marine container terminals have received greater attention as compared to inland terminals. Due to differing operation procedures, relevant research results from marine cannot be applied directly to railway terminals. Moreover, some of the existing works related to inland were found to disregard certain practical issues rendering them inapplicable for real applications.", "keywords": [ "Heuristics", "Container (type theory)", "Train", "Scheduling (production processes)", "Key (lock)", "Context (archaeology)", "Work (physics)" ], "cited_by_count": 0, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "https://www.econstor.eu/bitstream/10419/249660/1/hicl-2021-32-457.pdf" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W7105649581", "doi": "10.1016/j.retrec.2025.101672", "title": "Designating optimal location of urban consolidation centres in the city of Istanbul: A triple-staged approach in the context of sustainable supply chain management", "year": 2025, "publication_date": "2025-11-14", "type": "article", "language": "en", "authors": [ "Mehmet Tanyas", "Ozden Ozkanlisoy" ], "first_author": "Mehmet Tanyas", "venue": "Research in Transportation Economics", "publisher": "Elsevier BV", "abstract": null, "keywords": [ "Sustainability", "City logistics", "Supply chain", "Analytic hierarchy process", "Stakeholder", "Context (archaeology)", "Consolidation (business)", "Truck" ], "cited_by_count": 1, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "https://doi.org/10.1016/j.retrec.2025.101672" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W2782829150", "doi": null, "title": "An investigation of how consolidation and collaboration between stakeholders in a local supply chain can improve the economic, social and environmental sustainability of city logistics.", "year": 2017, "publication_date": "2017-01-01", "type": "dissertation", "language": "en", "authors": [ "Rebecka Ringøy", "Ingvild Ranheim Næverdal" ], "first_author": "Rebecka Ringøy", "venue": "NORA - Norwegian Open Research Archives", "publisher": null, "abstract": "The objective of the thesis is to implement consolidation and collaboration\\nbetween stakeholders in a local supply chain to improve the economic, social and\\nenvironmental sustainability aspects of city logistics. The following research\\nquestion has been developed:\\n“How can consolidation and collaboration between stakeholders in a local supply\\nchain improve the economic, social and environmental sustainability of city\\nlogistics?”\\nA case study has been used as our research strategy since we are investigating a\\nlimited geographical area. The study has mainly a deductive approach\\nemphasizing quantification in the collection and analysis of data. Data was\\nobtained through questionnaire distributed to the retailers and transporters\\noperating in the area, and is secondary data provided to us from researchers in\\nRogaland Fylkeskommune.\\nOur main focus have been to prove the benefits of having all actors involved when\\nimplementing new initiatives within city logistics, emphasizing the economic,\\nsocial and environmental aspect. The developed research models contributes to all\\nthree aspect, and reduced impact from freight vehicles were obtained from both.\\nFocusing on consolidation and collaboration in city logistics measures has lead to\\nthe decrease of traffic congestion, proven by the reduction in annual deliveries of\\n27 000. The delivery time for the average transporter have been reduced through\\nconsolidating the goods by using a local consolidation centre. Through replacing\\nthe 102 ordinary freight vehicles with diesel motors with electric vehicles, an\\naverage reduction of 61 kilograms NO2 per year can be expected.", "keywords": [ "Sustainability", "Consolidation (business)", "Business", "Supply chain", "Social sustainability", "City logistics", "Environmental planning", "Process management", "Environmental resource management", "Environmental economics", "Engineering", "Economics" ], "cited_by_count": 0, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "http://hdl.handle.net/11250/2476663" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W1599813437", "doi": null, "title": "Coordinating for priority on urban arterial freight routes", "year": 2005, "publication_date": "2005-01-01", "type": "conference-paper", "language": "en", "authors": [ "Euan Ramsay", "Jonathan M. Bunker" ], "first_author": "Euan Ramsay", "venue": "QUT ePrints (Queensland University of Technology)", "publisher": "Queensland University of Technology", "abstract": "Demands of freight and passenger traffic are often considered to be in competition, particularly on designated urban freight routes that use major arterial signalised traffic corridors. A microsimulation model of an urban traffic corridor in Brisbane was developed in order for corridor performance to be evaluated for alternative priority treatments. The model was calibrated with GPS travel time and trajectory data for a range of vehicle classes typical of those found on Australian urban freight routes. Intersection status was recorded simultaneously by the STREAMS traffic management system, enabling the progression of different vehicle classes to be validated under existing signal timing plans. The model can be applied to the optimisation of corridor signal timings. Unlike other models, it was possible to define vehicle-specific performance measures, such as delay, number of stops, and a combination of these. The model can be used to find the best combination of signal timings to favour the progression of particular vehicle classes, such as large freight vehicles. The effects on other vehicle classes can be noted; finding that, although being suboptimal for other classes, it may be possible to achieve some overall gains in traffic efficiency.", "keywords": [ "Intersection (aeronautics)", "Microsimulation", "Transport engineering", "Global Positioning System", "Computer science", "Travel time", "Range (aeronautics)", "Operations research", "Engineering", "Telecommunications" ], "cited_by_count": 1, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "https://eprints.qut.edu.au/1992/1/AITPM2005RamsayBunker.pdf" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W590799237", "doi": null, "title": "MARKET UPTAKE OF ICT USAGE FOR ENHANCED VISIBILITY ON SUPPLY CHAIN", "year": 2013, "publication_date": "2013-01-01", "type": "conference-paper", "language": "en", "authors": [ "Konstantinos N. Papoutsis", "Michael A. Gogas", "Eftihia Nathanail" ], "first_author": "Konstantinos N. Papoutsis", "venue": "European Transport Conference 2013Association for European Transport (AET)", "publisher": null, "abstract": "Information and Communication Technologies significantly assist enhanced tracking and tracing of goods across supply networks providing optimized interfaces between long and short distance transport and focusing especially on the efficiency of the ‘last-mile’ distribution. The European Union’s research and freight transport logistics action plan to “keep freight moving” (European Commission, 2007) aim towards the implementation of measures that foster the efficient and reliable interconnection of the international leg of transportation and the interurban-urban freight transport networks. In this regard, large-scale demonstration projects of new policies and respective measures are set up to encourage market uptake of new concepts (European Commission, 2011). STRAIGHTSOL (Strategies and measures for smarter urban freight solutions) is a three-year transport research project, co-funded by European Commission under the 7th Framework Programme. Amongst the project’s objectives, an impact assessment framework to be applied on certain urban and interurban logistics concepts is included. This framework is evaluated mainly in terms of stakeholders’ interest and point of view. In parallel, seven medium and large scale field conceptual demonstrations are supported and evaluated. Amongst these seven field demonstrations, the use of information and communication technologies (ICT) for improved visibility of transport chain is assessed. In particular, global positioning system (GPS) and radio frequency identification (RFID) systems with concrete types of devices affixed onto train wagons capture and disseminate the exact location of international cargo transported by rail in real-time. The logistics service provider being aware of the location of incoming cargo prepares the final transport leg that consists of urban and interurban distribution performed by trucks on the road network. Within this context, substantial share of the current situation excessive truck-kilometers is expected to be avoided. In addition, the level of time reliability of freight transport assignments is expected to be upgraded, especially in the ‘last-mile’ distribution. Also, the quality assurance of deliveries will increase, providing guarantee that all cargo is delivered in right form and quantity, increasing the market uptake success and strengthening the customer satisfaction. The main scope of this paper is to investigate the market uptake of this application and how each involved stakeholder group reacts and is benefited towards this concept. Six different groups of stakeholders are considered, consisting of shippers, logistics service providers, receivers, truck operators, rail infrastructure owner, and public – both as civilians and as consumers. Their point of view is investigated through interviews with selected executives of each stakeholder group paying special attention to the diversification of their profiles so as to broaden the credibility range of final outcomes. To this direction, questionnaires addressed to each one of the stakeholders (one per stakeholder) were structured to screen out the main impact areas of the application. The methodology was shaped taking into account the expected, targeted impact of this application on different stakeholders. General public was addressed under the framework of environmental impacts perception and customer behavior towards delays in a delivery of a product. Shippers and truck operators were treated in accordance with the transport characteristics of transported cargo (load factor, truck-kilometers, delays, etc). Costs, benefits and delays were the main features that were taken into consideration in the context of infrastructure provider. Both delays and loss of profits constituted principal impact areas that such application may have on receivers. The logistics service providers who were interviewed pinpointed notable changes in truck-kilometers. This, in turn, may affect the level of environmental emissions, reliability of deliveries, renting and handling costs. The expected results will portray the market behavior towards such applications that support real-time information and supply chain visibility for freight transport actors. However, this survey endeavors to provide an insight of the benefits that each involved actor may derive by this new measure and bear witness of how such research efforts are dealt with by the industry community. The added-value of this survey is that a clear link between transport research and transport industry is established validating, at hand, the uptake potential of such policies.", "keywords": [ "European union", "Information and Communications Technology", "Interurban", "Supply chain", "Last mile (transportation)", "Transport network", "Transport engineering", "Multimodal transport", "Business", "Global Positioning System", "Service (business)", "Telecommunications" ], "cited_by_count": 1, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "https://trid.trb.org/view/1329812" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W7127102251", "doi": "10.1016/j.retrec.2026.101723", "title": "Designing a collection and delivery point network based on distributive justice principles", "year": 2026, "publication_date": "2026-02-02", "type": "article", "language": "en", "authors": [ "Luísa Tavares Muzzi de Sousa", "Gracielle Gonçalves Ferreira de Araújo", "Maria Leonor Alves Maia", "Jorge Luiz dos Santos", "Lilian dos Santos Fontes Pereira Bracarense", "Leise Kelli de Oliveira" ], "first_author": "Luísa Tavares Muzzi de Sousa", "venue": "Research in Transportation Economics", "publisher": "Elsevier BV", "abstract": "Collection and delivery points (CDPs) consolidate parcel deliveries and reduce the circulation of freight vehicles, lowering operational costs. They also offer a more accessible alternative to home delivery, which is often restrictive, as not everyone is available during working hours and some areas lack coverage. Addressing these challenges is essential for increasing efficiency and mitigating negative externalities. This study proposes a CDP network design that ensures equitable access to small nonperishable goods. A location-allocation problem is solved to determine optimal CDP locations, maximising facility coverage while minimising the number of required facilities through fair resource allocation. The proposed network is compared with the Brazilian Post Office Box (PO Box) service to evaluate improvements in accessibility. From a planning perspective, the findings provide valuable information for both public and private sectors in decision-making on parcel delivery services. Public authorities can use the results to develop policies that improve urban logistics, while private companies can establish a CDP network that ensures accessibility to users while maintaining low operational costs. Ultimately, the study contributes to improving last-mile logistics by offering an efficient and inclusive alternative to traditional home delivery methods, reducing environmental and economic impacts in urban freight distribution. • Equity criteria were used to establish a collection and delivery point network. • The use of Rawls' Egalitarianism and Sufficientarianism theories to address the location-allocation problem. • The ideal network increases the population coverage by 268.3 % compared to the existing service (PO box). • The coverage of the low-income population increases by 1381.3 % compared to the existing service.", "keywords": [ "Population", "Equity (law)", "Service delivery framework", "Service (business)", "Point (geometry)", "Network planning and design", "Public transport", "Service provider", "Data collection" ], "cited_by_count": 1, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "https://doi.org/10.1016/j.retrec.2026.101723" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W2769257771", "doi": null, "title": "Applying a behavioural change model to the adoption of freight electric vehicles: lessons for effective instruments", "year": 2015, "publication_date": "2015-01-01", "type": "article", "language": "en", "authors": [ "Susanne Balm", "Jop Spoelstra", "Hans J. Quak" ], "first_author": "Susanne Balm", "venue": "Data Archiving and Networked Services (DANS)", "publisher": "Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences", "abstract": "Objectives and motivation The adoption of electric mobility (e-mobility) is important to achieve the objectives as set in the “Roadmap to a single European transport area” (EC, 2011). In addition to the exclusion of ‘conventionally fuelled’ cars by 2050, the roadmap sets a specific ambition for city logistics, which should be essentially CO2-free in major urban centres by 2030. Next to European CO2 targets, cities adopt emobility as measure to reduce local air pollution. While vans and trucks represent approximately 10% in total national fleets (BOVAG, 2014), they are responsible for about 70% of the road transport related NOx concentrations in cities (TNO, 2015). Cleaning logistics fleets is crucial to achieve the GHG emission reduction targets for transport and to improve the sustainability of cities. Despite many incentive programs and improvements in the technology of electric freight vehicles (EFV), large scale implementation of EFV does not come off. The market share of electric vehicles among vans and trucks in the Netherlands is only 0,08% (BOVAG-RAI, 2014) and its growth in the last years is unpromising as compared to personal electric cars. So why does the logistics sector does not adopt this highly needed technology? An increasing number of projects such as ENCLOSE, FREVUE and NSR E-Mobility focus on the uptake of freight electric vehicles in urban areas. The projects explore current challenges, demonstrate the viability of EFV in pilot studies and disseminate knowledge. The preconditions for large-scale uptake of EFV that are mentioned in these projects are related to:  Presence and affordability of vehicles and charging infrastructure;  Suitability of logistics operations;  Policy scheme of public authorities. Behavioural aspects seems to be left out of scope in these projects. ENCLOSE (2014) addresses ‘user acceptance’, but only as an issue within the early implementation phase, that is, among test drivers. FREVUE (2013) mentions the potential positive influence of EFV on the company’s image, which may imply a positive behavioural attitude towards EFV from an entrepreneurial perspective. Yet proof of this influence is lacking and more importantly, it is not known whether non-EFV companies commonly share or, are aware of this vision. Let alone, whether it motivates them to adopt e-mobility for their logistics operations. Research on the preconditions for EFV uptake from a non-user’s behavioural perspective, is lacking. Simultaneously, policy makers introduce financial incentives, supportive measures and pilot projects, while not being aware of the behavioural status of the target group. The objective of this paper is to provide lessons for appropriate instruments, for each phase of behavioural change, to increase the effectiveness of government spending on the uptake of EFV.", "keywords": [ "Truck", "Business", "Transport engineering", "Sustainability", "Incentive", "Scale (ratio)", "Sustainable transport", "Environmental economics", "Engineering", "Economics", "Automotive engineering", "Geography" ], "cited_by_count": 1, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "https://research.hva.nl/en/publications/f8af8af0-c6ce-4b89-9910-1a3db0057db8" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W7171697670", "doi": "10.5281/zenodo.21678409", "title": "BUILDING A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE BY DEVELOPING THE CONCEPT OF DOUBLE DIAMOND IN TRIPLE DIAMOND, A NEW CONCEPT IN CREATING A NUDGE TOWARDS PRO-ELECTRIFICATION BEHAVIOR IN URBAN FREIGHT TRANSPORT", "year": 2025, "publication_date": "2025-05-31", "type": "article", "language": "en", "authors": [ "Irina Calotă", "Alexandra Perju-Mitran", "Augustin Semenescu" ], "first_author": "Irina Calotă", "venue": "Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)", "publisher": "European Organization for Nuclear Research", "abstract": "In the present economic setting, road freight transportation accounts for 77% of the total products moved by land inside the European Union. However, it is undeniable that, from a certain perspective Historically, vehicles were detrimental to the environment. The freight transport sector accounts for one-fourth of greenhouse gas emissions from road transport and roughly 6% of overall greenhouse gas emissions in Europe. Consequently, the vehicle electrical industry is poised for growth in Europe in the future. Electrification is a growing trend driven by the necessity to reduce carbon emissions, enhance air quality, and ensure compliance. Regulations governing urban emissions are stringent. These policies are contextualized within the European Union's target of achieving \"a reduction of at least 55% of greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 and climate neutrality by 2050,\" as outlined in the European Green Deal. The Truck E-mobility concept in urban agglomerations pertains to the use of electric vehicles, both high and small tonnage, for freight transportation in urban settings. This movement is driven by the necessity to mitigate pollution, enhance logistical efficiency, and comply with stringent regulations in densely populated urban areas .To promote sustainable development, we propose the saddle transformer within the framework of a novel Diamond idea based on the Double Diamond model. The first offers a strategic design framework applicable to innovation processes and issue-solving. The Triple Diamond is a novel idea that effectively provides a strategic framework for implementing solutions in problem resolution.", "keywords": [ "Urban agglomeration", "Greenhouse gas", "Electrification", "Truck", "Sustainable transport", "Carbon neutrality", "Green growth", "Sustainable development", "Carbon footprint" ], "cited_by_count": 0, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.21678409" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W606309944", "doi": null, "title": "An Analysis of Air Pollution Impacts from PierPASS in the Alameda Corridor, California", "year": 2014, "publication_date": "2014-01-01", "type": "article", "language": "en", "authors": [ "Ankoor Bhagat", "Jean-Daniel M. Saphores", "R. Jayakrishnan", "Jaeyoung Jung" ], "first_author": "Ankoor Bhagat", "venue": "Transportation Research Board 93rd Annual MeetingTransportation Research Board", "publisher": null, "abstract": "Freight movement is critical to prosperity, but it also generates substantial external costs such as additional congestion and air pollution. One possibility to mitigate congestion and air pollution from urban freight is to shift freight deliveries to off-peak hours but the environmental benefits of this approach are still uncertain. The purpose of this paper is to start filling this gap by analyzing the impacts on the emissions of selected air pollutants of the PierPASS program, which was implemented in 2005 for drayage trucks serving the San Pedro Bay Ports (SPBP, ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach). The analysis combined TransModeler (a microscopic traffic simulation software) with Motor Vehicle Emissions Simulator (MOVES) to simulate traffic for 24 hours on freeways and arterials in the study area, which extends from the SPBP complex to downtown Los Angeles. Overall, it was found that PierPASS had little impact on congestion in the study area and likely resulted in a small decrease in the emissions of various air pollutants, ranging from -0.1% for carbon monoxide (CO) to -2.3% for particulate matter (PM10). At the same time, while the emissions of air pollutants decreased by approximately 10% for NOx and PM during peak time, they increased by approximately 28% for these same pollutants during off-peak hours compared to pre PierPASS levels. Additional analyses are needed to assess the health impacts of these changes for local residents.", "keywords": [ "Air pollution", "Downtown", "Environmental science", "Truck", "Particulates", "Pollutant", "Criteria air contaminants", "Traffic congestion", "Pollution", "Air quality index", "Meteorology", "Air pollutants" ], "cited_by_count": 2, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "https://trid.trb.org/view/1289993" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W7171658047", "doi": "10.5281/zenodo.21681972", "title": "BUILDING A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE BY DEVELOPING THE CONCEPT OF DOUBLE DIAMOND IN TRIPLE DIAMOND, A NEW CONCEPT IN CREATING A NUDGE TOWARDS PRO-ELECTRIFICATION BEHAVIOR IN URBAN FREIGHT TRANSPORT", "year": 2025, "publication_date": "2025-05-31", "type": "article", "language": "en", "authors": [ "Irina Calotă", "Alexandra Perju-Mitran", "Augustin Semenescu" ], "first_author": "Irina Calotă", "venue": null, "publisher": null, "abstract": "In the present economic setting, road freight transportation accounts for 77% of the total products moved by land inside the European Union. However, it is undeniable that, from a certain perspective Historically, vehicles were detrimental to the environment. The freight transport sector accounts for one-fourth of greenhouse gas emissions from road transport and roughly 6% of overall greenhouse gas emissions in Europe. Consequently, the vehicle electrical industry is poised for growth in Europe in the future. Electrification is a growing trend driven by the necessity to reduce carbon emissions, enhance air quality, and ensure compliance. Regulations governing urban emissions are stringent. These policies are contextualized within the European Union's target of achieving \"a reduction of at least 55% of greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 and climate neutrality by 2050,\" as outlined in the European Green Deal. The Truck E-mobility concept in urban agglomerations pertains to the use of electric vehicles, both high and small tonnage, for freight transportation in urban settings. This movement is driven by the necessity to mitigate pollution, enhance logistical efficiency, and comply with stringent regulations in densely populated urban areas .To promote sustainable development, we propose the saddle transformer within the framework of a novel Diamond idea based on the Double Diamond model. The first offers a strategic design framework applicable to innovation processes and issue-solving. The Triple Diamond is a novel idea that effectively provides a strategic framework for implementing solutions in problem resolution.", "keywords": [ "Urban agglomeration", "Greenhouse gas", "Electrification", "Truck", "Sustainable transport", "Carbon neutrality", "Green growth", "Sustainable development", "Carbon footprint" ], "cited_by_count": 0, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "http://www.rebe.rau.ro/RePEc/rau/jisomg/SU25/JISOM-SU25-A02.pdf" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W4308043994", "doi": "10.1002/appl.202200060", "title": "Development of a single subfloor plate for a light cargo vehicle in sandwich construction", "year": 2022, "publication_date": "2022-11-01", "type": "article", "language": "en", "authors": [ "Sebastian Scheibe", "Michael Kriescher" ], "first_author": "Sebastian Scheibe", "venue": "Applied Research", "publisher": "Wiley", "abstract": "Abstract The Institute for Vehicle Concepts of the German Aerospace Center is developing new concepts for very light vehicles. One of these concepts is a light freight vehicle for urban logistics. The complete chassis is designed as a sandwich structure. Challenges in using these sandwich structures are the introduction of loads and joining technology. Additionally, the structure should be easy and efficient to produce. This leads to the question, if it is possible to use a single sandwich subfloor plate as the load‐bearing structure of this vehicle. As a solution, the implementation of through‐the‐thickness inserts, which are mounted in the production process of the sandwich structure are proposed. Validation with simulations will be presented and the production process of such structures will be illustrated.", "keywords": [ "Chassis", "Aerospace", "Process (computing)", "Automotive engineering", "Shell (structure)", "Sandwich-structured composite", "Production (economics)", "Automotive industry", "Engineering", "Computer science", "Mechanical engineering", "Core (optical fiber)" ], "cited_by_count": 1, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdfdirect/10.1002/appl.202200060" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W97488259", "doi": "10.1016/b978-008044799-5/50111-x", "title": "Efforts to Make Distribution and Transportation More Efficient Through Cooperation amongst Japanese Companies", "year": 2006, "publication_date": "2006-01-01", "type": "book-chapter", "language": "en", "authors": [ "Katsuhiko Hayashi", "Hideaki Ono", "Yuji Yano" ], "first_author": "Katsuhiko Hayashi", "venue": "Elsevier eBooks", "publisher": "Elsevier BV", "abstract": null, "keywords": [ "Business", "Distribution (mathematics)", "Transport engineering", "Engineering", "Mathematics" ], "cited_by_count": 1, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "https://doi.org/10.1016/b978-008044799-5/50111-x" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W7171697740", "doi": "10.5281/zenodo.21681973", "title": "BUILDING A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE BY DEVELOPING THE CONCEPT OF DOUBLE DIAMOND IN TRIPLE DIAMOND, A NEW CONCEPT IN CREATING A NUDGE TOWARDS PRO-ELECTRIFICATION BEHAVIOR IN URBAN FREIGHT TRANSPORT", "year": 2025, "publication_date": "2025-05-31", "type": "article", "language": "en", "authors": [ "Irina Calotă", "Alexandra Perju-Mitran", "Augustin Semenescu" ], "first_author": "Irina Calotă", "venue": "Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)", "publisher": "European Organization for Nuclear Research", "abstract": "In the present economic setting, road freight transportation accounts for 77% of the total products moved by land inside the European Union. However, it is undeniable that, from a certain perspective Historically, vehicles were detrimental to the environment. The freight transport sector accounts for one-fourth of greenhouse gas emissions from road transport and roughly 6% of overall greenhouse gas emissions in Europe. Consequently, the vehicle electrical industry is poised for growth in Europe in the future. Electrification is a growing trend driven by the necessity to reduce carbon emissions, enhance air quality, and ensure compliance. Regulations governing urban emissions are stringent. These policies are contextualized within the European Union's target of achieving \"a reduction of at least 55% of greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 and climate neutrality by 2050,\" as outlined in the European Green Deal. The Truck E-mobility concept in urban agglomerations pertains to the use of electric vehicles, both high and small tonnage, for freight transportation in urban settings. This movement is driven by the necessity to mitigate pollution, enhance logistical efficiency, and comply with stringent regulations in densely populated urban areas .To promote sustainable development, we propose the saddle transformer within the framework of a novel Diamond idea based on the Double Diamond model. The first offers a strategic design framework applicable to innovation processes and issue-solving. The Triple Diamond is a novel idea that effectively provides a strategic framework for implementing solutions in problem resolution.", "keywords": [ "Urban agglomeration", "Greenhouse gas", "Electrification", "Truck", "Sustainable transport", "Carbon neutrality", "Green growth", "Sustainable development", "Carbon footprint" ], "cited_by_count": 0, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.21681973" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W7122455105", "doi": "10.3390/urbansci10010045", "title": "An Empirical Analysis of Running-Behavior Influencing Factors for Crashes with Different Economic Losses", "year": 2026, "publication_date": "2026-01-12", "type": "article", "language": "en", "authors": [ "Peng Yun Song", "Yiping Wu", "Hongpeng Zhang", "Jian Rong", "Ning Zhang", "Jun Ma", "Xinwei Sun" ], "first_author": "Peng Yun Song", "venue": "Urban Science", "publisher": "Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute", "abstract": "Miniature commercial trucks constitute a critical component of urban freight systems but face elevated crash risk due to distinctive driving patterns, frequent operation, and variable loads. This study quantifies how long-term and short-term driving behaviors jointly shape crash economic loss levels and identifies factors most strongly associated with severe claims. A driver-level dataset linking multi-source running behavior indicators, vehicle attributes, and insurance claims is constructed, and an enhanced Wasserstein generative adversarial network with Euclidean distance is employed to synthesize minority crash samples and alleviate class imbalance. Crash economic loss levels are modeled using a random-effects generalized ordinal logit specification, and model performance is compared with a generalized ordered logit benchmark. Marginal effects analysis is used to evaluate the influence of pre-collision driving states (straight, turning, reversing, rolling, following closely) and key behavioral indicators. Results indicate significant effects of inter-provincial duration and count ratios, morning and empty-trip frequencies, no-claim discount coefficients, and vehicle age on crash economic loss, with prolonged speeding duration and fatigued mileage associated with major losses, whereas frequent speeding and fatigue episodes are primarily linked to minor claims. These findings clarify causal patterns for miniature commercial truck crashes with different economic losses and provide an empirical basis for targeted safety interventions and refined insurance pricing.", "keywords": [ "Crash", "Duration (music)", "Truck", "Multinomial logistic regression", "Logit", "Logistic regression", "Empirical research", "Mixed logit" ], "cited_by_count": 1, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "https://www.mdpi.com/2413-8851/10/1/45/pdf?version=1768212209" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W3094023342", "doi": "10.3390/futuretransp1030034", "title": "A Simulation-Based Evaluation of a Cargo-Hitching Service for E-Commerce Using Mobility-on-Demand Vehicles", "year": 2021, "publication_date": "2021-11-03", "type": "article", "language": "en", "authors": [ "André Romano Alho", "Takanori Sakai", "Simon Oh", "Cheng Cheng", "Ravi Seshadri", "Wen Han Chong", "Yusuke Hara", "Julia Caravias", "Lynette W. Cheah", "Moshe E Ben-Akiva" ], "first_author": "André Romano Alho", "venue": "Future Transportation", "publisher": "Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute", "abstract": "Time-sensitive parcel deliveries—shipments requested for delivery in a day or less—are an increasingly important aspect of urban logistics. It is challenging to deal with these deliveries from a carrier perspective. These require additional planning constraints, preventing the efficient consolidation of deliveries that is possible when demand is well known in advance. Furthermore, such time-sensitive deliveries are requested to a wider spatial scope than retail centers, including homes and offices. Therefore, an increase in such deliveries is considered to exacerbate negative externalities, such as congestion and emissions. One of the solutions is to leverage spare capacity in passenger transport modes. This concept is often denominated as cargo hitching. While there are various system designs, it is crucial that such a solution does not deteriorate the quality of service of passenger trips. This research aims to evaluate the use of mobility-on-demand (MOD) services that perform same-day parcel deliveries. To test the MOD-based solutions, we utilize a high-resolution agent- and activity-based simulation platform of passenger and freight flows. E-commerce demand carrier data collected in Singapore are used to characterize simulated parcel delivery demand. We explore operational scenarios that aim to minimize the adverse effects of fulfilling deliveries with MOD service vehicles on passenger flows. Adverse effects are measured in fulfillment, wait, and travel times. A case study on Singapore indicates that the MOD services have potential to fulfill a considerable amount of parcel deliveries and decrease freight vehicle traffic and total vehicle kilometers travelled without compromising the quality of MOD for passenger travel. Insights into the operational performance of the cargo-hitching service are also provided.", "keywords": [ "Spare part", "Transport engineering", "TRIPS architecture", "Leverage (statistics)", "Business", "On demand", "Demand patterns", "Service (business)", "Traffic congestion", "Demand management", "Computer science", "Environmental economics" ], "cited_by_count": 3, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "https://www.mdpi.com/2673-7590/1/3/34/pdf?version=1636710302" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W7154211226", "doi": "10.6084/m9.figshare.32013786.v1", "title": "Low-cost hybrid energy recovery system for heavy-duty urban vehicles (Truck / Bus ): reducing fuel consumption, emissions, and urban heat through regenerative braking and electric assist propulsion", "year": 2026, "publication_date": "2026-04-14", "type": "other", "language": null, "authors": [ "Ricardo Riveros" ], "first_author": "Ricardo Riveros", "venue": "Figshare", "publisher": "Figshare (United Kingdom)", "abstract": "Low-cost hybrid energy recovery system for heavy-duty urban vehicles (Truck / Bus ): reducing fuel consumption, emissions, and urban heat through regenerative braking and electric assist propulsion1. IntroductionHeavy-duty urban vehicles is one of the main contributors to energy consumption, pollutant emissions, and heat generation in densely populated urban environments. This work proposes a low-cost hybrid system based on braking energy recovery and its reuse during acceleration phases, aiming to improve the energy efficiency of urban Truck/Bus fleets.The system integrates regenerative braking technologies, energy storage through reinforced batteries or supercapacitors, and electric start-up assistance using an auxiliary motor and mechanical torque multiplication systems. This architecture reduces the load on the internal combustion engine in high-frequency stop-and-go urban cycles.Estimated results indicate a potential fuel consumption reduction of 10%–15%, along with decreases in CO₂, NOx, and particulate matter emissions, as well as an indirect reduction in urban heat generated by thermal dissipation from braking and combustion processes.The proposal is designed for implementation in existing fleets through modular retrofit systems, minimizing deployment costs and enabling scalability. Additionally, a public incentive model is suggested to accelerate adoption in urban environments, aiming to improve the sustainability of Heavy-duty urban vehicles. 2. Scientific foundationThe system is based on:Regenerative brakingHybrid energy systemsEnergy efficiencyKinetic energy that is normally dissipated as heat during braking is recovered, stored, and reused, improving overall system efficiency. System descriptionThe system consists of three main components:🔹 3.1. Energy recoveryconversion of kinetic energy into electrical energy during brakingreduction of heat dissipation in braking systems🔹 3.2. Energy storagelow-cost reinforced batteriesalternative: supercapacitors for fast cycling🔹 3.3. Acceleration assistanceauxiliary electric motorpulley or mechanical ratio system for torque multiplicationimproves efficiency during start-up from standstill4. Operational workflowthe truck decelerates → energy is recoveredenergy is storedduring acceleration → electric motor assiststhermal engine load is reduced5. Estimated resultsParameterEstimateFuel consumption reduction10% – 15%CO₂ emissions reduction10% – 20%NOx and particulate reductionsignificantUrban heat reductionmoderate to highEnergy efficiency improvementnotable6. Impact on urban heatUrban heat reduction is achieved through:reduced heat dissipation in braking systemslower thermal load on combustion enginesreduced exhaust heat emissionscontributing to mitigation of the urban heat island effect in high-traffic areas.7. Economic evaluation🔹 7.1 Base assumptionannual fuel cost per truck: 50,000 USD🔹 7.2 Estimated savings10% reduction → 5,000 USD/year🔹 7.3 System costimplementation: 5,000 – 15,000 USD per truck🔹 7.4 Return on investment1 – 3 years8. Public policy proposalA state incentive scheme is proposed:🔹 8.1 Implementationdeployment in 50% of each company’s urban truck fleet🔹 8.2 Financingpartial government subsidy (30% – 50%)low-interest financing schemes🔹 8.3 Objectives✔ reduction of urban pollution ✔ mitigation of urban heat ✔ reduction of national fuel consumption9. Environmental impactreduction of pollutant emissionsimproved air qualitylower urban temperature accumulationcontribution to climate policy targets10. Limitationsdependency on urban stop-and-go cyclesbasic maintenance requirementsperformance variability depending on traffic conditions11. ConclusionThe proposed hybrid system represents a viable, low-cost, and scalable solution for improving urban freight transport efficiency.Its implementation enables:✔ reduced fuel consumption ✔ lower pollutant emissions ✔ mitigation of urban heat ✔ improved urban sustainability Sistema híbrido de recuperación de energía de bajo costo para vehículos urbanos pesados (Camion/Bus): reducción de consumo, emisiones y calor urbano mediante frenado regenerativo y asistencia eléctrica1. IntroducciónLos vehículos urbanos pesados (Camiones/ Buses) es una de las principales fuentes de consumo energético, emisiones contaminantes y generación de calor en entornos urbanos densamente poblados. Este trabajo propone un sistema híbrido de bajo costo basado en la recuperación de energía durante el frenado y su reutilización en la fase de aceleración, con el objetivo de mejorar la eficiencia energética de flotas de vehículos urbanos pesados. El sistema integra tecnologías de frenado regenerativo, almacenamiento de energía mediante baterías reforzadas o supercapacitores, y asistencia eléctrica en el arranque mediante un motor auxiliar y sistemas de multiplicación mecánica de torque. Esta arquitectura permite reducir la carga del motor de combustión interna en ciclos urbanos de alta frecuencia de detención y arranque. Los resultados estimados indican una reducción potencial del consumo de combustible entre 10% y 15%, una disminución de emisiones de CO₂, NOx y material particulado, así como una reducción indirecta del calor urbano generado por disipación térmica en frenado y combustión. La propuesta está diseñada para su implementación en flotas existentes mediante sistemas de adaptación modular, minimizando costos de implementación y facilitando su escalabilidad. Asimismo, se propone un modelo de incentivo público para acelerar su adopción en entornos urbanos, con el objetivo de mejorar la sostenibilidad de vehículos urbanos pesados. 2. Fundamento científicoEl sistema se basa en:Frenado regenerativoSistemas híbridos de energíaEficiencia energéticaLa energía cinética que normalmente se disipa en forma de calor durante el frenado es recuperada, almacenada y reutilizada, mejorando la eficiencia global del sistema.3. Descripción del sistemaEl sistema consta de tres componentes principales:🔹 3.1. Recuperación de ", "keywords": [ "Regenerative brake", "Energy recovery", "Internal combustion engine", "Energy consumption", "Energy management", "Energy storage", "Energy conservation", "Fuel efficiency", "Efficient energy use", "Combustion" ], "cited_by_count": 0, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.32013786.v1" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W7154418207", "doi": "10.6084/m9.figshare.32013786", "title": "Low-cost hybrid energy recovery system for heavy-duty urban vehicles (Truck / Bus ): reducing fuel consumption, emissions, and urban heat through regenerative braking and electric assist propulsion", "year": 2026, "publication_date": "2026-04-14", "type": "article", "language": null, "authors": [ "Ricardo Riveros" ], "first_author": "Ricardo Riveros", "venue": "Figshare", "publisher": "Figshare (United Kingdom)", "abstract": "Low-cost hybrid energy recovery system for heavy-duty urban vehicles (Truck / Bus ): reducing fuel consumption, emissions, and urban heat through regenerative braking and electric assist propulsion1. IntroductionHeavy-duty urban vehicles is one of the main contributors to energy consumption, pollutant emissions, and heat generation in densely populated urban environments. This work proposes a low-cost hybrid system based on braking energy recovery and its reuse during acceleration phases, aiming to improve the energy efficiency of urban Truck/Bus fleets.The system integrates regenerative braking technologies, energy storage through reinforced batteries or supercapacitors, and electric start-up assistance using an auxiliary motor and mechanical torque multiplication systems. This architecture reduces the load on the internal combustion engine in high-frequency stop-and-go urban cycles.Estimated results indicate a potential fuel consumption reduction of 10%–15%, along with decreases in CO₂, NOx, and particulate matter emissions, as well as an indirect reduction in urban heat generated by thermal dissipation from braking and combustion processes.The proposal is designed for implementation in existing fleets through modular retrofit systems, minimizing deployment costs and enabling scalability. Additionally, a public incentive model is suggested to accelerate adoption in urban environments, aiming to improve the sustainability of Heavy-duty urban vehicles. 2. Scientific foundationThe system is based on:Regenerative brakingHybrid energy systemsEnergy efficiencyKinetic energy that is normally dissipated as heat during braking is recovered, stored, and reused, improving overall system efficiency. System descriptionThe system consists of three main components:🔹 3.1. Energy recoveryconversion of kinetic energy into electrical energy during brakingreduction of heat dissipation in braking systems🔹 3.2. Energy storagelow-cost reinforced batteriesalternative: supercapacitors for fast cycling🔹 3.3. Acceleration assistanceauxiliary electric motorpulley or mechanical ratio system for torque multiplicationimproves efficiency during start-up from standstill4. Operational workflowthe truck decelerates → energy is recoveredenergy is storedduring acceleration → electric motor assiststhermal engine load is reduced5. Estimated resultsParameterEstimateFuel consumption reduction10% – 15%CO₂ emissions reduction10% – 20%NOx and particulate reductionsignificantUrban heat reductionmoderate to highEnergy efficiency improvementnotable6. Impact on urban heatUrban heat reduction is achieved through:reduced heat dissipation in braking systemslower thermal load on combustion enginesreduced exhaust heat emissionscontributing to mitigation of the urban heat island effect in high-traffic areas.7. Economic evaluation🔹 7.1 Base assumptionannual fuel cost per truck: 50,000 USD🔹 7.2 Estimated savings10% reduction → 5,000 USD/year🔹 7.3 System costimplementation: 5,000 – 15,000 USD per truck🔹 7.4 Return on investment1 – 3 years8. Public policy proposalA state incentive scheme is proposed:🔹 8.1 Implementationdeployment in 50% of each company’s urban truck fleet🔹 8.2 Financingpartial government subsidy (30% – 50%)low-interest financing schemes🔹 8.3 Objectives✔ reduction of urban pollution ✔ mitigation of urban heat ✔ reduction of national fuel consumption9. Environmental impactreduction of pollutant emissionsimproved air qualitylower urban temperature accumulationcontribution to climate policy targets10. Limitationsdependency on urban stop-and-go cyclesbasic maintenance requirementsperformance variability depending on traffic conditions11. ConclusionThe proposed hybrid system represents a viable, low-cost, and scalable solution for improving urban freight transport efficiency.Its implementation enables:✔ reduced fuel consumption ✔ lower pollutant emissions ✔ mitigation of urban heat ✔ improved urban sustainability Sistema híbrido de recuperación de energía de bajo costo para vehículos urbanos pesados (Camion/Bus): reducción de consumo, emisiones y calor urbano mediante frenado regenerativo y asistencia eléctrica1. IntroducciónLos vehículos urbanos pesados (Camiones/ Buses) es una de las principales fuentes de consumo energético, emisiones contaminantes y generación de calor en entornos urbanos densamente poblados. Este trabajo propone un sistema híbrido de bajo costo basado en la recuperación de energía durante el frenado y su reutilización en la fase de aceleración, con el objetivo de mejorar la eficiencia energética de flotas de vehículos urbanos pesados. El sistema integra tecnologías de frenado regenerativo, almacenamiento de energía mediante baterías reforzadas o supercapacitores, y asistencia eléctrica en el arranque mediante un motor auxiliar y sistemas de multiplicación mecánica de torque. Esta arquitectura permite reducir la carga del motor de combustión interna en ciclos urbanos de alta frecuencia de detención y arranque. Los resultados estimados indican una reducción potencial del consumo de combustible entre 10% y 15%, una disminución de emisiones de CO₂, NOx y material particulado, así como una reducción indirecta del calor urbano generado por disipación térmica en frenado y combustión. La propuesta está diseñada para su implementación en flotas existentes mediante sistemas de adaptación modular, minimizando costos de implementación y facilitando su escalabilidad. Asimismo, se propone un modelo de incentivo público para acelerar su adopción en entornos urbanos, con el objetivo de mejorar la sostenibilidad de vehículos urbanos pesados. 2. Fundamento científicoEl sistema se basa en:Frenado regenerativoSistemas híbridos de energíaEficiencia energéticaLa energía cinética que normalmente se disipa en forma de calor durante el frenado es recuperada, almacenada y reutilizada, mejorando la eficiencia global del sistema.3. Descripción del sistemaEl sistema consta de tres componentes principales:🔹 3.1. Recuperación de ", "keywords": [ "Regenerative brake", "Energy recovery", "Internal combustion engine", "Energy consumption", "Energy management", "Energy storage", "Energy conservation", "Fuel efficiency", "Efficient energy use", "Combustion" ], "cited_by_count": 0, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.32013786" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W7113353699", "doi": null, "title": "Digitalization in Maritime and Sustainable Logistics: City Logistics, Port Logistics and Sustainable Supply Chain Management in the Digital Age. Proceedings of the Hamburg International Conference of Logistics (HICL), Vol. 24", "year": null, "publication_date": null, "type": "book", "language": null, "authors": [ "Lange, Ann-Kathrin", "Schwientek, Anne Kathrina", "Jahn, Carlos" ], "first_author": "Lange, Ann-Kathrin", "venue": "RePEc: Research Papers in Economics", "publisher": "Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis", "abstract": "Truck drayage in container ports faces several challenges. Due to the ongoing growth of container ship sizes, there are increasingly high peak situations in landside container handling at logistic nodes in the port, e.g. container terminals, empty depots, freight stations. In combination with rising demands to improve the port's ecological footprint this requires the port and its companies to adapt to the situation in order to reduce congestion. To identify important methods, key parameters, past developments and future trends a classification scheme based on an extensive literature survey on waiting times at terminals and drayage operations is conducted and applied to 71 publications. The analyzed methods to reduce congestion in the port range from optimizing the infrastructure to controlling truck arrival times. While this problem is mainly analyzed from a container terminal perspective, its impacts also affect other stakeholders in the port as trucking companies, empty depots or freight stations. Past literature surveys mainly focus on either one method or one stakeholder. This led to limited assessments for the whole drayage networks in ports. Therefore, the developed classification scheme is a basis to identify promising further research areas while enabling a more holistic approach.", "keywords": [ "Port (circuit theory)", "Container (type theory)", "Truck", "Supply chain", "Ecological footprint", "Order (exchange)", "Supply chain management", "Footprint" ], "cited_by_count": 0, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "https://www.econstor.eu/bitstream/10419/209325/1/hicl-2017-24-037.pdf" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W7113659533", "doi": null, "title": "Digitalization in Maritime and Sustainable Logistics: City Logistics, Port Logistics and Sustainable Supply Chain Management in the Digital Age. Proceedings of the Hamburg International Conference of Logistics (HICL), Vol. 24", "year": null, "publication_date": null, "type": "book", "language": null, "authors": [ "Engel, Tobias", "Wolfenstetter, Thomas", "Sakiotis, Nikolaos" ], "first_author": "Engel, Tobias", "venue": "RePEc: Research Papers in Economics", "publisher": "Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis", "abstract": "Technological evolvement creates new business opportunities such as the optimization of distribution networks by using big data to calculate optimal delivery routes respecting individual time windows. The optimized network enhances firms to improve customer satisfaction, reduce delivery costs, and increase the utilization of the truck load by integrating reverse flows. Following the design science approach, we review and evaluate relevant data and scientific theories. Subsequently, requirements and system design are analyzed. On this basis we implement a prototypical information system to realize the optimized distribution network. The prototype consists of a mobile user-app and a back-office-system. Major functionalities of the prototype include the data analysis and the specification of settings for the desired delivery times and locations being actively influenced by the parcel recipients. The results of this research indicate that several tradeoffs have to be faced against the optimal use and analysis of available data, in order to provide a prototype that aims at improving customer satisfaction and reducing distribution costs at the same time. Hence, the focus has been laid on the analysis of dedicated, user-defined delivery time and location time windows by using a customized heuristic approach in order to decrease the complexity of the distribution process. We simulated the results, while a field study would enhance more insights. Practitioners can use the prototype to reduce their transportation costs to improve the utilization of the truck load or for new city services such as same day deliveries or as part of cyber-physical (distribution) systems (CPS).", "keywords": [ "Truck", "Supply chain", "Port (circuit theory)", "Order (exchange)", "Distribution management system", "Delivery Performance", "Customer satisfaction", "Supply chain management", "Big data" ], "cited_by_count": 0, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "https://www.econstor.eu/bitstream/10419/209335/1/hicl-2017-24-229.pdf" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W7113437695", "doi": null, "title": "Digitalization in Maritime and Sustainable Logistics: City Logistics, Port Logistics and Sustainable Supply Chain Management in the Digital Age. Proceedings of the Hamburg International Conference of Logistics (HICL), Vol. 24", "year": null, "publication_date": null, "type": "book", "language": null, "authors": [ "Hoff-Hoffmeyer-Zlotnik, Marit", "Schukraft, Susanne", "Werthmann, Dirk", "Oelker, Stephan", "Freitag, Michael" ], "first_author": "Hoff-Hoffmeyer-Zlotnik, Marit", "venue": "RePEc: Research Papers in Economics", "publisher": "Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis", "abstract": "Logistic processes on sea and inland ports play an important role in the context of finished vehicle logistics as the vehicles are turned over for import and export here. Due to increasing dynamics and complexity, the planning and control of these processes requires high flexibility and reactivity. For example, changing dealer demands or delays of trucks, trains and ships may require a short-term replanning of the logistics processes on sea and inland ports. In this context, this paper describes the procedures and challenges within finished vehicle logistics. Furthermore, an approach for developing highly flexible and efficient logistics planning and control processes for sea and inland ports is introduced. On the one hand, this approach involves an interactive planning tool that visualizes the outcomes of different planning alternatives computed by discrete event simulation. On the other hand, a concept for a novel control system for order allocation will be presented that is based on tracking and tracing of vehicles and workers. This includes a novel method for tracking and tracing as current methods are not suitable in terms of accuracy or cost-efficiency. It is envisioned that the introduced concept will offer significant improvements in terms of reactiveness to spontaneous changes and efficiency in travel paths compared to current practices.", "keywords": [ "Flexibility (engineering)", "Supply chain", "Context (archaeology)", "Port (circuit theory)", "Train", "Control (management)", "Humanitarian Logistics", "Order (exchange)" ], "cited_by_count": 0, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "https://www.econstor.eu/bitstream/10419/209327/1/hicl-2017-24-077.pdf" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W2284691980", "doi": "10.26021/1357", "title": "The Geographic Adaptive Potential of Freight Transportation and Production System in the Context of Fuel and Emission Constraints", "year": 2014, "publication_date": "2014-01-01", "type": "dissertation", "language": "en", "authors": [ "J. Asuncion" ], "first_author": "J. Asuncion", "venue": "UC Research Repository (University of Canterbury)", "publisher": "University of Canterbury", "abstract": "Freight transportation is an integral element of various supply chains and has a complex and dynamical interrelationship with human economic activities. Modern logistical strategies paved way to the current supply chain organisation and logistics network design resulting in a more global economy and huge economies of scale. Recent trends of volatility of oil price have major implications in the movement of commodities across the supply chains. Likewise, climate change issues have presented urgent challenges in reducing carbon emissions for the transport and logistics sector. Pressure on the sector comes from both governments and consumers alike, demanding future sustainability as well as corporate environmental and social responsibility. The original contribution of this research is to investigate the system-wide dynamics of freight transportation and production in the context of supply chains. A theoretical framework called the ‘Geographic Adaptive Potential’ or GAP is built to understand how constraints in energy and emissions affect the production and distribution of commodities. The changes in the supply chain were investigated in four different components, namely a) the potential to shift to less energy and emissions intensive modes for long-haul freight, b) logistical strategies in the last leg of the chain or urban freight and c) local production and distribution, and d) the accessibility of potential customers to the markets. The design of the GAP components is in correspondence with the links of the supply chain. The analyses yielded an evaluation of the adaptive capacity of the freight transport and production system. For long-haul freight, a GIS-based model was created called the ‘New Zealand Intermodal Freight Network’ or NZIFN. It is an optimisation tool integrating the road, rail and shipping network of New Zealand and calculates that minimum time, operating costs, energy and emissions routes between 2 given locations. The case studies of Auckland to Wellington and Auckland to Christchurch distributions of non-perishable products established that even a marginal increase of rail and coastal shipping share produced around 10% reduction in both freight energy and greenhouse gas emissions. In the study of the last leg of the supply chain, the truck trip generation rates of different food stores were investigated. The strongest factors influencing the trip rates to a store are its size and product variation, the latter being a new parameter introduced in the dissertation. It is defined as the total number of brands for 6 chosen commodities commonly found in the stores. The trip rates together with the truck type and distance travelled were used to compute the freight energy usage of the stores. Results revealed that supermarkets consume the most energy for their delivery operations but relative to its physical size, they are more energy efficient than smaller stores. This is due to the utilisation of advanced logistical strategies such as freight consolidation and the effective use of distribution centres. The localised production chapter was explored in the context of Farmers’ markets and their difference with the conventional supermarket distribution system. Using a freight transport energy audit, the energy intensities of both systems were compared. The findings showed that Farmers’ markets were more energy-intensive than supermarkets owing to the low volumes of goods delivered to the market and the lack of freight consolidation effort in the system. The study on the active mode access of potential customers to both Farmers’ markets and supermarkets captured the interplay between freight and personal transport and is the final component of GAP. The results of the ArcGIS based model called ‘Active Mode Access’ or AMA demonstrated that both Farmers’ markets and supermarkets have the same level of accessibility for walking or biking customers. However, the calculations also showed that almost 87% of New Zealanders have no AMA to stores and are at risk for fuel price increase. Finally, the key result of this dissertation is the assessment that there is actually limited adaptive capacity of the freight transport and production system. This is due to network infrastructure and geographical constraints as well as commodity type and mode compatibility and other operational concerns. Due to these limitations, the GAP model assessed that reduction in energy and allowable emissions will ultimately reduce the amount of commodities moved in the system.", "keywords": [ "Context (archaeology)", "Production (economics)", "Transport engineering", "Environmental science", "Computer science", "Business", "Geography", "Engineering", "Economics" ], "cited_by_count": 4, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "http://hdl.handle.net/10092/9230" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W7111939812", "doi": null, "title": "Digitalization in Maritime and Sustainable Logistics: City Logistics, Port Logistics and Sustainable Supply Chain Management in the Digital Age. Proceedings of the Hamburg International Conference of Logistics (HICL), Vol. 24", "year": null, "publication_date": null, "type": "book", "language": null, "authors": [ "Trapp, Markus", "Lütjen, Michael", "Arango Castellanos, Juan Daniel", "Jelsch, Oliver", "Freitag, Michael" ], "first_author": "Trapp, Markus", "venue": "RePEc: Research Papers in Economics", "publisher": "Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis", "abstract": "The online grocery market is facing big challenges. In addition to products for daily use, it is necessary to deliver fresh, chilled and frozen foods quickly and reliably to the customer. For decades frozen products have been delivered to the customers by using small cooling vans. Since some years, also normal parcel delivery services in combination with insulated shipping containers have been used. This article examines in a comparative analysis the environmental impact based on CO2 emissions of alternative distribution schemes (supermarket, cooling van, parcel delivery) by using a life cycle assessment (LCA) according to DIN EN ISO 14040. Thereby, the parcel delivery of insulated containers made of EPS (Expanded Polystyrene) was studied in detail, including recycling difficulties for the end customer. The LCA study showed that the transport scenario using small cooling vans lead to higher CO2 emissions, whereas the classical transport using high-capacity refrigerator trucks and refrigerated storage houses represented the scenario with less CO2 emissions. Additionally, recycling EPS-packaging in private households showed that reducing its volume is complicated and troublesome. The tests indicated that forces higher than 500 newtons were needed to break certain EPS-packaging.", "keywords": [ "Truck", "Port (circuit theory)", "Supply chain", "Supply chain management", "Life-cycle assessment", "Reverse logistics", "Refrigerator car" ], "cited_by_count": 0, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "https://www.econstor.eu/bitstream/10419/209337/1/hicl-2017-24-267.pdf" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W4415760861", "doi": "10.1016/j.seta.2025.104644", "title": "Energetic, comparative analysis of package delivery by drones and e-vehicles", "year": 2025, "publication_date": "2025-11-01", "type": "article", "language": "en", "authors": [ "Dániel Rohács", "Utku Kale", "Artūras Kilikevičius", "József Rohács" ], "first_author": "Dániel Rohács", "venue": "Sustainable Energy Technologies and Assessments", "publisher": "Elsevier BV", "abstract": null, "keywords": [ "Drone", "Payload (computing)", "Energy consumption", "Key (lock)", "Efficient energy use", "Work (physics)", "Energy conservation" ], "cited_by_count": 1, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "https://doi.org/10.1016/j.seta.2025.104644" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W7112460390", "doi": null, "title": "Digitalization in Maritime and Sustainable Logistics: City Logistics, Port Logistics and Sustainable Supply Chain Management in the Digital Age. Proceedings of the Hamburg International Conference of Logistics (HICL), Vol. 24", "year": null, "publication_date": null, "type": "book", "language": null, "authors": [ "Schöder, Dustin" ], "first_author": "Schöder, Dustin", "venue": "RePEc: Research Papers in Economics", "publisher": "Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis", "abstract": "Utilizing battery electric vehicles in daily distribution operations of logistics service providers and freight forwarders goes along with major uncertainties for companies. There is no mechanism how to evaluate the technical and economical use of battery electric vehicles in companies use cases and processes in status quo in contrast to vehicles with an internal engine. This paper adopts an evaluation mechanism from literature, which is bases on a value benefit analysis with compensation factors, and applies this evaluation model to three real life use cases of a renowned logistics service provider with worldwide activities and strong business in road-bound transportation of palletized goods for B2B and B2C customers. The results of the evaluation showed that a substitution of vehicles with internal combustion engines with battery electric vehicles is not an applicable approach. The evaluation shows, that using battery electric vehicles in distribution generates only 41% (3:5 t vehicles) respectively 34% (7:5 t trucks) of the benefit value as using conventional vehicles with internal combustion engine. The results of the evaluation confirm, that not parameters of range and the operating costs, but parameters of payload and the vehicle asset costs are determining the utility evaluation in distribution use cases. In fact planning of distribution operations need to be adapted to the specific performance parameters of battery electric vehicles. The presented evaluation model in this paper can identify the fields of action, in which a company needs to adapt existing distribution activities.", "keywords": [ "Battery (electricity)", "Service (business)", "Battery electric vehicle", "Port (circuit theory)", "Supply chain", "Status quo", "Electric vehicle", "Asset (computer security)", "Product (mathematics)", "Fleet management" ], "cited_by_count": 0, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "https://www.econstor.eu/bitstream/10419/209334/1/hicl-2017-24-215.pdf" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W1540652817", "doi": null, "title": "Impacts of Delivery and Service Vehicle Activity in Urban Centers: Opportunities for Green Logistics", "year": 2010, "publication_date": "2010-01-01", "type": "article", "language": "en", "authors": [ "Tom Cherrett", "Fraser N. McLeod", "Sarah Maynard", "Adrian J. Hickford", "Michael J. Browne", "Julian Allen" ], "first_author": "Tom Cherrett", "venue": "Transportation Research Board 89th Annual MeetingTransportation Research Board", "publisher": null, "abstract": "Over the past 30 years, there have been many urban freight surveys undertaken by local authorities across the UK, in an attempt to understand freight issues at the local level. This paper describes the findings from a business managers survey (2008) undertaken on retailers in Winchester High Street, UK (n=83, 69%), designed to quantify the logistics associated with the supply of core goods, material take-back and service provision, and identify areas where more sustainable ‘green logistics’ policies could be targeted. The results suggested that the 120 businesses on the high street generated 618 core goods deliveries (5.8/business/week) and 1049 service visits (9.8/business/week) during a typical non-peak trading week. Smaller specialist stores could be responsible for considerable freight vehicle activity and one should not assume that larger retailers (over 500m2 sales area) are the significant freight generators. 21% of businesses expected to receive additional delivery vehicles from their main supplier during peak trading periods, whilst 57% saw only increases in their mean consignment sizes. 41% of respondents did not back-load their main supplier/logistics providers’ vehicles. Over 70% of service visits were made by motorised transport, 52% by vans. Each respondent generated an estimated 50 minutes of service vehicle dwell time per week. Consolidating service vehicle activity (as opposed to core goods delivery), particularly related to waste management, could be one way of reducing freight vehicle impacts in urban centres. Encouraging the back-loading of delivery vehicles with recyclate, or the wider adoption of joint domestic/commercial waste collections could bring this about.", "keywords": [ "Business", "Service (business)", "Consignment", "Respondent", "City logistics", "Service provider", "Service delivery framework", "Supply chain", "Green logistics", "Marketing", "Transport engineering", "Operations management" ], "cited_by_count": 1, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "https://eprints.soton.ac.uk/73873/" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W3096679216", "doi": "10.1016/b978-0-12-821268-4.00010-1", "title": "Freight modeling and policy analysis for megacities: the case of New Delhi", "year": 2020, "publication_date": "2020-10-16", "type": "book-chapter", "language": "en", "authors": [ "Madhu Errampalli", "Lóránt Antal Tavasszy", "Jeroen H.C. Borst" ], "first_author": "Madhu Errampalli", "venue": "Elsevier eBooks", "publisher": "Elsevier BV", "abstract": null, "keywords": [ "Transport engineering", "Truck", "Megacity", "Software deployment", "Enforcement", "Toll", "Electrification", "Trip generation", "Business", "Traffic management", "Distribution (mathematics)", "Geography" ], "cited_by_count": 1, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "https://doi.org/10.1016/b978-0-12-821268-4.00010-1" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W4379506159", "doi": "10.5281/zenodo.8009791", "title": "Enhancing the competitiveness of inland waterway transport: A multi-methodological approach applied to port barge congestion and urban areas.", "year": 2023, "publication_date": "2023-06-06", "type": "dissertation", "language": "en", "authors": [ "Peter Shobayo" ], "first_author": "Peter Shobayo", "venue": "Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)", "publisher": "European Organization for Nuclear Research", "abstract": "Inland shipping could provide a competitive and more sustainable mode of transport in Europe, as it could take advantage of this region's large and dense inland waterway network. However, this is not the case due to the different challenges faced in the Inland Waterway Transport (IWT) sector. Furthermore, there have been growing concerns about the negative societal impact of road transport within dense cities and urban areas. This brings an opportunity for inland shipping to utilize the dense IWT networks that connect to the city centers to use last-mile transport to the urban areas. By doing this, inland shipping can offer a better alternative to road transport and take over some urban freight flows, enhancing its competitiveness and maximizing its underutilized capacities. The rationale of this thesis stems from the need to enhance and strengthen the competitiveness of IWT. IWT competitiveness in this research is a multifaceted concept involving a range of factors that affect the ability to transport cargo to shippers efficiently and effectively. This includes the ability of IWT to provide reliable, efficient, and cost-effective transportation services compared to other transport modes (mainly road transport). Thus, enhancing competitiveness is examined in two stages: the IWT port-hinterland container transport (specifically focusing on port barge operations) and the IWT urban freight transport. These two stages are examined due to the major issues they generate in the hinterland supply chain between the seaports and urban areas, such as barge congestion in seaport operations and the increasing negative externalities of urban freight delivery with trucks. Based on this, three main research questions were identified and addressed in the thesis. These are: 1. What are the main challenges of container barge operations in seaports in North-Western Europe? 2. How can these challenges be addressed? 3. Is it possible to deploy (small) inland vessels for urban freight use from a private and welfare viewpoint? These questions were answered through a multi-methodological approach. A quantitative survey was used to answer the first research question. In contrast, multiple quantitative techniques, such as the agent-based and economic assessment models, answered the second research question. Finally, a social cost-benefit (SCBA) model answered the third research question. The main answer to the first research question reveals that the challenges of container IWT are interrelated and can be categorized into three main themes: handling, coordination, and flexibility. These three themes can further be broken down into specific problems. These include the interference of deep-sea vessels, lack of dedicated barge spaces, small call sizes, poor planning, fixed slots, flexible schedules, and low service levels due to port congestion. The analysis further reveals that while some problems could be addressed by innovation within the container IWT sector, others can only be addressed through a change in mentality within the industry. Based on this finding, the thesis focuses only on problems that can be addressed via innovation within the sector, such as barge handling in sea terminals, small call sizes, dedicated barge space, planning, and barge slots/scheduling in sea terminals. xv The answer to the second research question suggests that dedicated barge space could solve container barge challenges in seaport operations. In this sense, if the terminals can create a dedicated handling space and invest in suitable infrastructures for the container barges, it could significantly reduce the waiting time of the barges and ensure that they do not spend an extended period at the terminals. With this, there could be a shorter lead time leading to more reliability and the enhancement of the logistical operations. Based on the above, a further analysis was conducted to examine the economic feasibility of a Modular Mobile Terminal (MMT) as a potential concept for the dedicated barge space solution for port-barge operation. This was analyzed for the Port of Antwerp-Bruges (PoAB) and the Port of Rotterdam (PoR). The overall conclusion of the analysis suggests that the MMTs are most suitable for regions and vessels with small cargo volumes and can deal with the effects of a high seasonality pattern (caused, for example, by a disruption). Regarding the specific ports, the study indicates that four MMTs would be optimal for PoR, while two MMTs would optimally be installed in PoAB. The main answers to the third research question reveal that the small vessel concept for urban freight delivery appears feasible for the vessel owner both from the private and the welfare point of view. A possible reason is a short distance from the pick-up to the drop-off point in the vessel trajectory. Regarding the Total Logistics Cost (TLC), the analysis reveals that the small vessel concept is the cheapest option for low-value goods from the private point of view, while trucks remain the cheapest option for high-value goods. However, when internalizing the external costs, the small vessel option offers the cheapest option for all categories of goods for the cargo owners from the welfare viewpoint.", "keywords": [ "BARGE", "Port (circuit theory)", "Transport engineering", "Traffic congestion", "Business", "Civil engineering", "Environmental planning", "Engineering", "Environmental science", "Marine engineering" ], "cited_by_count": 1, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "https://zenodo.org/record/8009791" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W3106887015", "doi": "10.25077/josi.v19.n2.p122-132.2020", "title": "Sequential Routing-Loading Algorithm for Optimizing One-Door Container Closed-Loop Logistics Operations", "year": 2020, "publication_date": "2020-11-20", "type": "article", "language": "en", "authors": [ "Paulina Kus Ariningsih", "Titi Iswari", "Kevin Djoenneady Poetra", "Y.M. Kinley Aritonang" ], "first_author": "Paulina Kus Ariningsih", "venue": "Jurnal Optimasi Sistem Industri", "publisher": "Andalas University", "abstract": "One-door container type of vehicle is the main tool for urban logistics in Indonesia which may take the form of truck, car, or motorcycle container. The operations would be more effective when it is performed through pickup-delivery or forward-reverse at a time. However, there is difficulty to optimize the operation of routing and container loading processes in such a system. This article is proposing an improvement for algorithm for sequential routing- loading process which had been tested in the small datasets but not yet tested in the case of big data set and vehicle routing problem with time windows. The improvement algorithm is tested in big data set with the input of the vehicle routing problem with time windows (VRP-TW) using the solution optimization of the Simulated Annealing process with restart point procedure (SA-R) for the routing optimization and Genetic Algorithm (GA) to optimize the container loading algorithm. The large data sets are hypothetical generated data for 800-2500 single-sized products, 4 types of container capacity, and 100-400 consumer spots. As result, the performance of the proposed algorithm in terms of cost is influenced by the number of spots to be visited by the vehicle and the vehicle capacity. Limitations and further analysis are also described in this article.", "keywords": [ "Container (type theory)", "Vehicle routing problem", "Simulated annealing", "Computer science", "Pickup", "Routing (electronic design automation)", "Genetic algorithm", "Truck", "Algorithm", "Process (computing)", "Set (abstract data type)", "Mathematical optimization" ], "cited_by_count": 1, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "https://doi.org/10.25077/josi.v19.n2.p122-132.2020" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W2564416554", "doi": null, "title": "Desafíos para la movilidad de carga en zonas de alta congestión", "year": 2016, "publication_date": "2016-01-01", "type": "article", "language": "es", "authors": [ "Daniel Merchán", "Edgar E. Blanco" ], "first_author": "Daniel Merchán", "venue": "Economía industrial", "publisher": null, "abstract": "espanolA pesar de la importancia del transporte de carga en la economia y el funcionamiento de las ciudades, este no ha sido adecuadamente considerado en los planes de movilidad y desarrollo urbano. Si bien la mayoria de ciudades, continuamente revisan y amplian sus planes de movilidad, el interes por plantear soluciones sistemicas para el transporte de carga ha sido marginal y las acciones se han concentrado principalmente en restricciones de acceso con poca efectividad a largo plazo, particularmente en zonas de alta congestion. En el presente articulo se revisa la problematica de la movilidad de carga en este tipo de zonas, y se plantean herramientas y recomendaciones para la politica publica. En el articulo se analizan ciudades de Latinoamerica, como referencia de areas metropolitanas en rapido crecimiento Englishn spite the vital social and economic role of freight movement, urban planning has not properly considered the intensity of urban freight needs in mobility and urban development plans. Even though most cities continuously revise and update such plans, attention to systemic urban freight solutions has been scant. Most policy decisions have focused on access restrictions to freight vehicles, particularly to dense urban areas, having limited effectiveness overtime. In this paper, we review the key challenges of freight operations in congested urban areas, we introduce tools and present policy recommendations. In addition, we analyze several Latin American cities as a reference for fast-growing metropolitan areas.", "keywords": [ "Metropolitan area", "Welfare economics", "Political science", "Humanities", "Geography", "Urban sprawl", "Regional science", "Urban planning", "Economics", "Engineering", "Civil engineering" ], "cited_by_count": 1, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "https://dialnet.unirioja.es/servlet/articulo?codigo=5687068" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W7108447677", "doi": "10.3390/futuretransp5040188", "title": "Regulatory Enablers and Stakeholders’ Acceptance in Defining Eco-Friendly Vehicle Logistics Solutions for Rome", "year": 2025, "publication_date": "2025-12-04", "type": "article", "language": "en", "authors": [ "Riccardo Erriu", "Bhavani Shankar Balla", "Edoardo Marcucci", "Valerio Gatta", "Antonio Comi", "Giuseppe Napoli", "Antonio Polimeni" ], "first_author": "Riccardo Erriu", "venue": "Future Transportation", "publisher": "Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute", "abstract": "Urban freight generates a disproportionate share of urban externalities, yet the large-scale integration of eco-friendly vehicles (EFVs) remains limited. Barriers include high capital costs, inadequate charging/refuelling infrastructure, and fragmented governance frameworks. This article examines how regulatory structures and stakeholder alignment shape EFV adoption in Rome, analysing two pilot solutions: (i) a shared hub for electric and hydrogen freight vehicles, and (ii) a cargo-bike programme combining service-trip separation with reverse logistics. The methodological approach integrates a structured review of recent scholarship—organised in line with PRISMA guidance and enriched with bibliometric analysis—with empirical insights from five Living Lab workshops involving logistics providers, energy firms, technology suppliers, and industry associations. The findings highlight that progress depends less on technological capability than on policy mixes matched to stakeholder incentives. For the hub, decisive factors include siting, governance, and scale, while for cargo-bikes, reliability of dispatch, remuneration models, and certified training are critical. The study concludes that Rome’s path to freight decarbonisation requires regulatory and financial packages continuously tailored to actors’ operational priorities and behavioural responses.", "keywords": [ "Corporate governance", "Remuneration", "Stakeholder", "Certification", "Reliability (semiconductor)", "Stakeholder analysis", "Empirical research", "Capital (architecture)" ], "cited_by_count": 1, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "https://www.mdpi.com/2673-7590/5/4/188/pdf" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W2947709395", "doi": null, "title": "Modeling the Sustainability of Small Unmanned Aerial Vehicles Technologies: Final Report", "year": 2018, "publication_date": "2018-01-01", "type": "article", "language": "en", "authors": [ "Miguel Figliozzi" ], "first_author": "Miguel Figliozzi", "venue": "PDXScholar (Portland State University)", "publisher": "Portland State University", "abstract": "In the past decade, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) have become increasingly more popular in the commercial sector. Drones are being used for all kinds of purposes, such as surveillance, inspecting architecture, filming, wildlife research, and more. Freight delivery is a potential application that is getting lots of attention from large companies. This research presented novel data, relationship, and models for deliveries utilizing small UAVs. Small UAVs were defined as aircrafts with a tare of up to 15 kilograms (kg) and a potential payload of up to 15 kg. Since the weight of the UAVs is capped, only drones with engines that are electric were included; noise and pollution problems are likely to hinder urban deployments of internal combustion engines. Internal combustion engines are mostly used in larger UAVs. The scope of the search was limited to multicopter drones that can potentially deliver in both urban and rural areas. Fixed-wing drones were excluded from the search because currently only copters have the capability of hovering and delivering products in tight spaces (required in urban areas); fixed-wing UAVs typically cannot land or take off vertically. Single copters can hover similarly to helicopters, but were not included in the search because these aircrafts tend to be larger, and the size of the propeller and blade made them unsafe for areas without a large. Multicopters or multi-rotor drones can hover but also have higher stability and maneuverability, which makes them more suitable for navigating tight spaces or flying near humans and/or valuable property. The survey of currently available UAVs shows that payload, size, energy consumption, and cost are positively correlated and tend to increase together. Unfortunately, potential safety, noise, and last-yard constraints also increase as drone capabilities and size increase. Cost metrics such as cost per flying hour (CPFH) are the most relevant for small UAVs since they readily take into account the impact of operator labor cost and utilization, clearly the largest cost components. The economic analysis indicates that labor/staff costs can range between 30% and 85% of UAV costs per flying hour. The impact of labor costs will be highly dependent on future regulations and the level of automation of the last-mile delivery process. A novel analysis of lifecycle UAV and ground commercial vehicles’ CO2e emissions is presented. Different route and customer configurations are modeled analytically. Utilizing real-word data, tradeoffs and comparative advantages of UAVs are discussed. Breakeven points for operational emissions are obtained and the results clearly indicate that UAVs are more CO2e efficient for small payloads than conventional diesel vans on a per-distance basis. Drastically different results are obtained when customers can be grouped in a delivery route. UAV deliveries are not more CO2e efficient than tricycle or electric van delivery services if a few customers can be grouped in a route. Vehicle phase CO2e emissions for UAVs are significant and must be taken into account. Ground vehicles are more efficient when comparing vehicles’ production and disposal emissions per delivery. Currently available UAV technology can fill a delivery service niche in sparsely populated areas with low numbers of customers and density. In rural areas, the regulatory landscape and last-yard delivery constraints are also more relaxed. In rural areas, the economic benefit brought about by reducing the cost of a driver to visit remote customers are obvious, but in this environment, UAV range is a key consideration. In dense urban areas, several first- and last-mile service, privacy, regulatory, and security issues must be addressed before UAV services are feasible. UAVs are likely to have an edge regarding speed delivery if they are operated in uncongested skies where they can outperform slower ground vehicles delayed by conditions of the congested ground road network. On the other hand, drones may not be able to compete solely in terms of costs with a delivery truck that can deliver hundreds of packages to one location in an urban setting. The urban landscape is a place where larger payload capacity may be more beneficial than flight distance for some delivery types. The future of UAV deliveries will also depend on other factors such as UAV noise levels, regulations and safety concerns, and last-yard delivery configurations.", "keywords": [ "Sustainability", "Business", "Remote sensing", "Computer science", "Environmental science", "Geography" ], "cited_by_count": 2, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "https://pdxscholar.library.pdx.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1488&context=cengin_fac" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W3116427384", "doi": null, "title": "Recycling Barge in Gothenburg – a sustainability analysis", "year": 2020, "publication_date": "2020-06-17", "type": "other", "language": "en", "authors": [ "Agneta Andersson", "Alicia Björkman" ], "first_author": "Agneta Andersson", "venue": "Gothenburg University Publications Electronic Archive (Gothenburg University)", "publisher": "University of Gothenburg", "abstract": "Previous innovations and services that have been developed in the area of sustainable urban\\nmobility have sometimes had consequences that lead to unsustainability. This creates the need\\nfor investigating the potential outcomes of a service to identify the degree of sustainability.\\nBased on the estimated growth in population and consumption an increase of waste and need\\nfor recycling can be expected. The purpose of this study is, therefore, to investigate under what conditions a recycling barge operating on inland waterways in the city of Gothenburg could be a sustainable option for urban waste logistics. The theoretical framework gives the reader the\\nneeded knowledge base for understanding how sustainable development is defined. Moreover,\\nit gives insights on how sustainability interferes with urban logistics and make urban logistics\\na rather complex topic, which also interfere with waste projects conducted in urban areas. The\\nstrategy and design of this research is a qualitative case study. The major findings of this\\nresearch are that the barge has significantly higher emission costs than the trucks currently\\ngoing between the recycling centers and the sorting facility. The result also shows that the cost of operating the barge is high compared to the amount of waste collected. On a more positive note, the result indicates that the recycling barge has the potential of promoting people to recycle their waste more correctly and in this way create social value. The result also shows that the recycling barge creates a social value that the existing recycling centers have not been able to create. It can be concluded that the barge will mainly add on cost and environmental impact rather than replace parts of it created by the already existing recycling centers. Some of the important characteristics identified for making the recycling barge a sustainable option are; having an engine that emits low amounts of emissions, an infrastructure that enables the barge to be emptied without the need of being towed for a long-distance and having a high loading capacity so the barge gets fully utilized when moved.", "keywords": [ "BARGE", "Sustainability", "Business", "Engineering", "Marine engineering" ], "cited_by_count": 1, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "http://hdl.handle.net/2077/64856" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W607049294", "doi": null, "title": "What's wrong with freight models?", "year": 2005, "publication_date": "2005-01-01", "type": "article", "language": "en", "authors": [ "M R Wigan", "Frank Southworth" ], "first_author": "M R Wigan", "venue": null, "publisher": null, "abstract": "There is a wide perception that freight models need a careful review, updating and overhaul to meet current requirements. This is partly true, but the context of the applications has a major influence, and in many areas the current methods are adequate for at least some purposes. Freight and commodity flow models are used in a wide range of situations. Some of these are best described as 'predicting the present'. Freight vehicle flow matrix estimation, as it is frequently used, is a good example of this, and is entirely satisfactory for many user requirements. Dissatisfaction arises when the match between the expectations of the end users are not well matched to the constraints inherent in the model. There are several quite different types of freight model, each suited to a different group of applications, and none of which are suitable for all. Reviews over recent years have bee oriented towards national and urban transport planning, and so adopted a comparatively narrow view of 'freight models'. range is rather wider. Traffic planning and management have substantial requirements for freight vehicle and movement modelling. Logistics operations and optimisations provide a very different and supply driven view of movement patterns, and capacity management requires detailed simulation of the wide variety of vehicle movement and response characteristics. There are many other specialised areas, from shipment choicer and empty running estimation to the unresolved role of service industries on urban freight movements. Models aimed at each of these areas have been reasonably effective to at least some extent in their limited domains, although there are clear shortfalls in modeling capacity, data supply and validation even then. The unease about shortfalls in freight modeling is focussed more on issues of forecasting and demand estimation than the operational areas. The distinctions between four major categories are used to identify where efforts may best be applied to improve the current state of practice, and of theory in modeling. Both are critical to transport planning and management. However the major distinctions are drawn between the following categories: Predictions of the present Models aimed at pivot point analysis of variations in freight conditions or demand. Models aimed at predictions of the present and recent past. Forecasting models. These distinctions are very helpful in identifying where improvements in practice or theory are needed, but the management demands of the road and transport system now demand real time and monitoring capacities as a major function. These demands cross over the above categories, and make new demands. The decision making elements in overall transport systems are no longer always optimal, or even rational, unless a satisficing approach is taken. If the emphasis is moving towards monitoring and adaptation then the types of models required will be more and more data intensive and be linked to optimal control approaches, not yet common in the transport arena. This and other modeling approaches demand data from ITS sources, and make good use of them. At the other end of the scale, it is not necessarily possible or indeed appropriate to exclude decision making parties - who may not be entirely rational or working on full information. These areas may therefore require models including elements of agent behaviour. The paper considers each of these areas progressively, and drawn conclusions on where data, now theories and different approaches to modeling and problem formulation may be the most appropriate to meet new and emergent demands in each domain. For the covering abstract please see ITRD E135207.", "keywords": [ "Context (archaeology)", "Variety (cybernetics)", "Traffic management", "Computer science", "Operations research", "Transport engineering", "Range (aeronautics)", "Commodity", "Risk analysis (engineering)", "Engineering", "Business", "Artificial intelligence" ], "cited_by_count": 2, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "https://trid.trb.org/view/846410" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W650634367", "doi": null, "title": "FREIGHT TRANSPORT ENERGY CONSUMPTION: A COMPARISON BETWEEN THE EFFICIENCY OF THE MODES IN THE NON-BULK TASK", "year": 1981, "publication_date": "1981-01-01", "type": "article", "language": "en", "authors": [ "R Quarterman" ], "first_author": "R Quarterman", "venue": null, "publisher": null, "abstract": "This paper looks at the Australian domestic freight task to determine what parts of the task are suitable for the purpose of making comparisons between the modes, and then examines the energy efficiency of road, rail and sea freight when undertaking comparable tasks. Existing information on freight movements in Australia is reviewed, from which it is deduced that the non-urban non-bulk component, which is considered to be the main area where significant potential for modal transfer exists, represents approximately 19 per cent of the total tonne-kilometres carried by all modes. This sector is at present shared between the modes in the proportions road 62 per cent, rail 30 per cent and sea 8 per cent. The general characteristics of energy consumption by transport are then discussed in the context of the overall liquid fuel supply, and it is found that transport as a whole consumes 57 per cent of total oil supplies. All non- urban freight (including bulk movements) consumes 8.3 per cent, with the non-bulk component difficult to estimate accurately, but almost certainly consuming less than 4 per cent of total supplies. Thus it is seen that the fuel conservation potential of intermodal transfers of non-bulk freight is small in percentage terms (probably less than 1 per cent) although the effect measured in terms of numbers of truck or train movements along trunk routes could be very significant. From these preliminary considerations of the freight task and fuel usage in aggregate terms the paper then turns to a detailed examination of the energy efficiency characteristics of road, rail and sea transport in the non-bulk task. (TRRL)", "keywords": [ "Truck", "Context (archaeology)", "Fuel efficiency", "Transport engineering", "Energy consumption", "Task (project management)", "Tonne", "Environmental science", "Modal", "Aggregate (composite)", "Engineering", "Geography" ], "cited_by_count": 1, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "https://trid.trb.org/view/176089" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W2612702875", "doi": null, "title": "Commodity-based heavy vehicle model for Greater Sydney", "year": 2017, "publication_date": "2017-03-28", "type": "conference-paper", "language": "en", "authors": [ "Richard B. Ellison", "Collins Teye", "David A. Hensher" ], "first_author": "Richard B. Ellison", "venue": "International Choice Modelling Conference 2017", "publisher": null, "abstract": "1. Introduction Almost without exception, the design, planning and management of the road network is determined by travel demand largely derived from passenger travel models. The neglect of freight modelling or development of analysis tools in the past was typically justified on the assumption that freight constitutes a very small fraction of the daily road traffic. The difficulty and the cost of collecting freight data has also contributed in large measure to the general absence of freight model systems that are sophisticated and behaviourally appropriate.  However, with the growing acknowledgment of the importance of freight to both the local and national economies and also the disproportionate impacts of trucks on congestion, pollution, accidents and other road hazards, there is stronger call for a better understanding of the freight system (Hensher and Figliozzi 2007). Network planners or managers are also keen to understand freight movements and their impacts on road capacity so as to better manage congestion and plan for the future. To achieve this, we need innovative freight models ( Hensher and Figliozzi 2007) capable of capturing all the key behavioural responses and the interaction of actors within the freight system. Freight models are critical to assessing national, regional and local road capacities, economic development initiatives, and for informing the transport planning process. Freight is however difficult to model due to several factors, among them the non-availability of data on commodities, shipments, demand and production cycles; the lack of understanding about the actors and how they interact on the supply and logistics corridors, and the broad economic influences on local freight movements (Hensher  and Figliozzi  2007).  These limitations mean that in the short to medium term modellers may not have the resources needed to develop a freight model system with the level of detail and richness similar to the current state of the art in passenger modelling (e.g., activity-based models) to answer policy questions of interest. The current practice in freight modelling is therefore based on the efficacy of building models using existing data sources to answer as many important policy questions as possible. Drawing on existing commodity-based freight models that have incorporated the generation and attraction of commodities into freight models (Wisetjindawat et al., 2006; Holguin-Veras and Patil (2008) and models that incorporate interaction between agents in the supply chain (Hensher and Pucket, 2005; Pucket et al, 2007), this paper presents a novel approach, implemented for the Sydney metropolitan area,  of combining diverse pieces of data from various sources on commodity flows, vehicle usage, and distribution of freight by time of day, trip length distribution by commodity type and other relevant information, to construct a model framework of linked logit models suitable for explaining the main interactions between the key stakeholders (shipper-carrier-consumer) in the freight system, and how changes in land-use and transport network conditions affect commodity productions and distributions.  To achieve this, the Greater Sydney Metropolitan Area (SGMA) is divided into commodity production and consumption areas where commodities can be seen as being produced and transported to their consumption areas for consumption. The key models in the framework include a commodity generation chain model (CGCM) model at the national level, a commodity generation model (CGM) at the zonal level of the study area, a commodity distribution model (CDM), avehicle class model (VCM), and a time of day (TOD) distribution model. The framework also involves other sub-routines including an empty trips model (ETM), conversion of commodities to vehicle trips, and preparing matrices of trips for assignment.  The demand sub-models form the cargo flow model (CFM) and its interactions with the assignment models is illustrated in Figure 1. An important aspect of this model is the CGCM, which will briefly be described below. Figure 1: Supply-demand model framework 2. Methodology The CGCM is modelled at the national level and uses commodity flows between states together with land-use and other commodity attributes to capture the chain reactions triggered by the production or consumption of one commodity on other commodities. The main output of this model is the total commodity by type produced/consumed in each state and the evaluated factors governing the generation of these commodities. The outputs are then transformed into logit models to predict the level of production and consumption of each commodity for each freight analysis zone in Greater Sydney as shown in Equation (1): The quantity of commodity by type k generated by FAZ can be estimated as: where is the estimated production (or consumption) of commodity type in zone , is the total quantity of commodity type produced in the Greater Sydney Metropolitan Area, is the set of explanatory variables representing land-use and other transport variables describing production or consumption of each commodity type in each zone, and and are estimated parameters of the model. An illustrative example of key features of this model is shown in Figure 2 showing direct influence of employment in Agriculture (Agr) and indirect influence of employment in manufacturing and population on the production of food (Fod). Food production (Fod) is also influenced by food consumption (CFd) and is also indirectly influenced by cereal production (Crl). This then triggers a chain reaction, with food production influencing beverage consumption (CBv) and live animals consumption (CLv), and CBv in turn influences the production of beverages (Bvr). Detailed discussion of the working of this model and how it was used in the development of the commodity based model will be presented in the paper. Figure 2: Illustrative chain reactions of commodity productions and consumptions 3. Co", "keywords": [ "Commodity", "Environmental science", "Business", "Computer science", "Finance" ], "cited_by_count": 5, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "https://www.icmconference.org.uk/index.php/icmc/ICMC2017/paper/view/1226" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W7135051914", "doi": "10.1109/fists67319.2026.11421746", "title": "Robust Two-Stage Deep Reinforcement Learning-based Connected Eco-Driving Strategy along Adaptive Signalized Corridors", "year": 2026, "publication_date": "2026-02-04", "type": "conference-paper", "language": null, "authors": [ "Haishan Liu", "Peng Hao", "Ziye Qin", "Matthew Barth", "Kanok Boriboonsomsin" ], "first_author": "Haishan Liu", "venue": null, "publisher": null, "abstract": "This paper proposes a robust strategy for connected truck eco-driving along coordinated signalized corridors considering the variability of real-world actuated signal control. We introduce a two-stage deep reinforcement learning (DRL) algorithm designed to learn optimal segment-level travel time to efficiently traverse upcoming intersections, reducing total energy consumption without sacrificing mobility efficiency. The strategy consists of a high-level DRL agent that recommends a segment travel time recommendation based on observations of distances to the remaining intersections and time-in-cycle of the traffic signals at those remaining intersections. The agent employs the proximal policy optimization algorithm to learn the optimal strategy under dynamic traffic signal patterns. Given each segment travel time, dynamic programming is then applied to obtain an optimal speed profile. A vehicle energy consumption model estimates the energy consumption of the speed profile, which is provided as feedback to the DRL agent in order to encourage more energy-efficient decisions. The DRL agent learns to make efficient long-term and short-term decisions from different traffic signal patterns including coordination, phase extension, and phase skipping. We conducted simulation studies using real-world signal phase and timing data collected from an urban freight corridor of Atlantic Avenue in Long Beach, California. The results demonstrated that the proposed strategy is robust and adaptive to various signal patterns over multiple days. Compared to the intelligent driver model, the proposed strategy achieves an average of 15.03% energy savings with 8.12% reduction in travel time. The proposed strategy can be adapted for other types of vehicles and powertrains, by customizing the vehicle dynamics and energy consumption modules accordingly.", "keywords": [ "Adaptive control", "Control (management)", "Control theory (sociology)", "Noise (video)", "Stability (learning theory)", "Robustness (evolution)" ], "cited_by_count": 1, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "https://doi.org/10.1109/fists67319.2026.11421746" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W7112667669", "doi": null, "title": "Last mile drone delivery: complexity and research challenges", "year": 2024, "publication_date": "2024-01-01", "type": "conference-paper", "language": "en", "authors": [ "Xhafa Xhafa, Fatos", "Domínguez, Cristian", "Juan, Angel A." ], "first_author": "Xhafa Xhafa, Fatos", "venue": "UPCommons institutional repository (Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya)", "publisher": "Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya", "abstract": null, "keywords": [ "Drone", "Last mile (transportation)", "Mile", "Truck", "Pace", "Product (mathematics)", "Process (computing)", "Heuristic" ], "cited_by_count": 0, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "https://hdl.handle.net/2117/423621" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W4200121685", "doi": "10.46783/smart-scm/2021-9-3", "title": "Modeling daily dynamics of speed and fuel consumption for urban delivery means", "year": 2021, "publication_date": "2021-10-01", "type": "article", "language": "en", "authors": [ "Lidiia Savchenko", "Miroslava Semeriahina", "И В Шевченко" ], "first_author": "Lidiia Savchenko", "venue": "Electronic Scientific Journal Intellectualization of Logistics and Supply Chain Management #1 2020", "publisher": null, "abstract": "Road transport is one of the most important elements of the functioning of a modern city. Maneuverability, mobility, speed of delivery of goods and other criteria have provided him with a special and leading place in urban logistics. However, along with the benefits of a developed transport network for society, its progress is accompanied by negative consequences for the environment and the population of the city. High rates of growth in the number of cars, especially in large cities, cause an increase in emissions of harmful products into the atmosphere, which, accordingly, negatively affects the health of the population. Consequently, the problem of environmental pollution in large cities from harmful emissions from vehicles requires an urgent solution. The increase in emissions of harmful substances is affected by an increase in the consumption of fuel materials due to a decrease in speed because of an increase in traffic density in the city. The frequency, duration, prevalence of congestion is increasing along with the urbanization of the population and the increase in the number of cars in cities. The dense development of the central historical districts of the city exacerbates the problem of unhindered passage of individual, public and freight vehicles. In addition, a decrease in the speed of city traffic affects the speed of delivery of goods, correspondence, etc., which negatively affects the speed of business processes, and ultimately worsens the level of logistics services for customers. The purpose of this study is to analyze the current situation in terms of the dynamics of the average speed of the city's traffic flow by hours of the day and to obtain a mathematical model of the dependence of the speed of movement on the consumption of fuel materials for various environmentally friendly means of urban delivery (car, motorcycle, bicycle and pedestrian courier). The research was carried out in two stages. At the first, the study of the dependence of the average speed of movement in the city on the time of day (for all means of city delivery) was carried out. At the second stage, the study of the dependence of the average consumption of fuel materials in the city (which, accordingly, is a function of the speed of movement) on the time of day for motorized urban delivery vehicles was done. In the course of the study, at each stage, an equation of the trend lines was obtained with a sufficient approximation accuracy. In conclusion, the study proposes an algorithm for determining the average speed and average amount of fuel consumption when delivering small consignments in an urban environment using four urban logistics means - a car, a motorcycle, a bicycle, and a pedestrian courier (with the possibility of using public transport). The proposed algorithm can be applied in any delivery conditions in the city.", "keywords": [ "Urbanization", "Fuel efficiency", "Consumption (sociology)", "Population", "Traffic congestion", "Business", "Public transport", "Transport engineering", "Goods and services", "Natural resource economics", "Environmental economics", "Environmental engineering" ], "cited_by_count": 1, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "https://smart-scm.org/wp-content/uploads/9-21-j_savchenko.pdf" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W202189234", "doi": "10.1201/9780849307744-9", "title": "Maglev Freight Conveyor Systems", "year": 2008, "publication_date": "2008-03-24", "type": "book-chapter", "language": "en", "authors": [ "Kenneth A. James" ], "first_author": "Kenneth A. James", "venue": null, "publisher": null, "abstract": "Existing sea-based ports are typically surrounded by major metropolitan areas, requiring movement of shipping containers through those areas, which places unwelcome strain on the existing infrastructure. While a number of the nation’s ports—New York, New Orleans, Oakland, Houston, and so forth—experience this container movement problem, the paradigm example is supplied by the Port of Los Angeles/Long Beach (hereby referred to as the “Port”), the nation’s largest and most important port. Almost one-half of the nation’s port-related traffic passes through the Los Angeles metropolitan area on its way into the interior, as shown in figure 9.1 . Figure 9.1 Container growth at the ports of LA/LB. https://s3-euw1-ap-pe-df-pch-content-public-p.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/9780429123528/61e564e6-88ae-4448-b64e-05ec54117cd2/content/fig9_1.tif\"/> The Alameda rail corridor was developed to help accommodate the unprecedented growth of container traffic generated by the Port’s intensifying customer base. However, this project’s anticipated capacity has not been fully realized due to constraints on train building and rail throughput at the corridor terminus and the unplanned transition to transshipping approaches. The impact of freight movement on the Los Angeles community has not significantly been reduced. A number of terminals at the Port must truck containers to the terminus of the Alameda Corridor, 4 and 20 miles from the Port, imposing significant congestion and concomitant diesel pollution to the surrounding community. Costly proposals to expand the area’s existing highways in conjunction with a growing recognition of the dangers of diesel particulate 136 emission (DPE) have prompted a novel approach to the container movement challenge. This approach utilizes a proven Maglev conveyor-belt technology that shows promise for both short-haul urban freight movement and interstate-bound containers. The application of this technology to container freight movement inside the Port and beyond its confines will reduce both highway congestion and pollution throughout the Los Angeles area.", "keywords": [ "Maglev", "Automotive engineering", "Aeronautics", "Engineering", "Electrical engineering" ], "cited_by_count": 1, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "https://doi.org/10.1201/9780849307744-9" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W4413869911", "doi": "10.1007/978-3-032-02106-9_78", "title": "CODEL: Collaborative Multi-robot Parcel Delivery for Last-Mile Logistics", "year": 2025, "publication_date": "2025-01-01", "type": "conference-paper", "language": "en", "authors": [ "Sumbal Malik", "Majid Khonji", "Khaled Elbassioni", "Jorge M.M. Dias" ], "first_author": "Sumbal Malik", "venue": "Mechanisms and machine science", "publisher": "Springer Nature (Netherlands)", "abstract": null, "keywords": [ "Last mile (transportation)", "Mile", "Robot", "Computer science", "Transport engineering", "Engineering", "Geography", "Artificial intelligence" ], "cited_by_count": 0, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-032-02106-9_78" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W2811132562", "doi": "10.32469/10355/63580", "title": "New model of flying sidekick traveling salesman problem with a charge-station", "year": 2017, "publication_date": "2017-12-01", "type": "dissertation", "language": "en", "authors": [ "Pengkun Zhou" ], "first_author": "Pengkun Zhou", "venue": null, "publisher": null, "abstract": "Cooperation between a truck and a drone for last-mile delivery has been viewed as a way to help make more efficient ways of delivery of packages because of the great advantage of drones delivery. This problem was described and formulated a as FSTSP by Maurry and Chu. Because of the weakness concerning drones' batteries lifespan, this paper proposed a new delivery scenario in which a charge-station will be applied in the truck-drone delivery network to increase the performance of the last-mile delivery. This new delivery problem is formulated for the first time in this thesis as a multi-objective problem. The purpose of this is to address both transportation cost and total time consumption. Data analysis is conducted to explore the relation between factors and the overall objective. The analysis shows that a charge-station will significantly increase the performance of the last-mile delivery. Lastly, future work is discussed that will enhance the model even more and possibly lead to better ways to use drones for delivery.", "keywords": [ "Drone", "Last mile (transportation)", "Mile", "Travelling salesman problem", "Truck", "Engineering", "Operations research", "Relation (database)", "Transport engineering", "Computer science", "Automotive engineering", "Geography" ], "cited_by_count": 0, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "https://mospace.umsystem.edu/xmlui/bitstream/10355/63580/1/public.pdf" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W2228550115", "doi": null, "title": "Constrained Vehicle Routing and speed optimization Problem (CVRsoP) for electric vehicles.", "year": 2015, "publication_date": "2015-07-01", "type": "conference-paper", "language": "en", "authors": [ "Maud Bay", "Sabine Limbourg" ], "first_author": "Maud Bay", "venue": "ORBi (University of Liège)", "publisher": "University of Liège", "abstract": "One of the goals of the EU is to achieve essentially CO2-free city logistics in major urban centers by developing and deploying new and sustainable fuels and propulsion systems. To meet European air quality standards, authorities of some major European cities have already introduced Low Emissions Zones where access to urban areas is limited to freight vehicles that satisfy certain emissions limits. This paper, therefore, copes with zero-emission last mile delivery.", "keywords": [ "Propulsion", "Zero emission", "Transport engineering", "Vehicle routing problem", "Air quality index", "Routing (electronic design automation)", "Business", "Automotive engineering", "Environmental economics", "Engineering", "Meteorology", "Geography" ], "cited_by_count": 0, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "https://orbi.uliege.be/handle/2268/182055" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W7168378905", "doi": "10.1016/j.trpro.2026.04.106", "title": "Delivering by eco-friendly vehicles: an overview", "year": 2026, "publication_date": "2026-01-01", "type": "article", "language": "en", "authors": [ "Antonio Comi", "Ippolita Idone" ], "first_author": "Antonio Comi", "venue": "Transportation research procedia", "publisher": "Elsevier BV", "abstract": "The transition to eco-friendly vehicles in urban logistics is crucial for achieving sustainable urban development. This study presents an innovative approach by combining a systematic review of the literature with bibliometric analysis to explore the multifaceted impacts of adopting eco-friendly freight vehicles, particularly for last-mile deliveries. Using data from Scopus and the Web of Science, 264 studies were analysed to uncover emerging trends, challenges, and gaps. By focusing on environmental, economic, social, operational, and regulatory dimensions, the research identifies critical barriers and opportunities. The paper offers a comprehensive assessment framework and strategic insights for policy-makers and stakeholders to advance sustainable, inclusive, and efficient urban logistics systems.", "keywords": [ "Scopus", "City logistics", "Web of science", "Systematic review", "Sustainable transport", "Sustainable development" ], "cited_by_count": 0, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trpro.2026.04.106" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W7161096224", "doi": null, "title": "Blended wing-body unmanned aerial transport aircraft", "year": 2024, "publication_date": "2024-09-01", "type": "book", "language": "en", "authors": [ "College Of Engineering UiTM" ], "first_author": "College Of Engineering UiTM", "venue": "UiTM Institutional Repositories (Universiti Teknologi MARA)", "publisher": "Universiti Teknologi MARA", "abstract": "Most parcel delivery companies aspire to replace road-going riders and drivers with unmanned drones for last-mile delivery purposes. These multirotor drones are limited to a range of only 10 kilometres. 60 to 100-kilometre inter-city parcel transport still uses land transport such as postal vans or lorries and is susceptible to traffic conditions. There is a need for fast or urgent inter-city parcel transport service that is quicker than regular land transport without waiting for bulk postages.", "keywords": [ "Drone", "Multirotor", "Truck", "Service (business)", "Air transport", "Passenger transport" ], "cited_by_count": 0, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "https://ir.uitm.edu.my/id/eprint/135573/1/135573.pdf" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W7127039515", "doi": "10.1117/12.3101855", "title": "Efficient routing and scheduling for multitruck multidrone cooperative delivery: a hybrid optimization approach", "year": 2026, "publication_date": "2026-02-01", "type": "conference-paper", "language": null, "authors": [ "Lianzhen Wang", "Yingzi Wu", "Keyi Liu", "Guan Lian", "Jiyong Zhang", "Lifan Li" ], "first_author": "Lianzhen Wang", "venue": null, "publisher": null, "abstract": "With the rapid growth of urban logistics demand, air-ground cooperative transportation has become a promising approach to enhance last-mile delivery efficiency and system resilience. To address the task-allocation and path-optimization problem in multi-agent cooperative environments, we propose an integrated multi-truck–multi-drone scheduling and routing method. First, the model aims to minimize the total transportation cost by jointly considering the fixed activation cost of trucks, distance-dependent operating costs, and the endurance limitations of drones, while incorporating constraints on service integrity, sub-tour elimination, and synchronization of launch and recovery operations. Then, a hybrid intelligent optimization framework combining an improved Genetic Algorithm (GA) with the 2-opt local search and a feasibility repair mechanism was embedded during the evolutionary process to enhance convergence stability. Finally, the validation results demonstrated that the proposed method achieved effective truck–drone coordination, with a vehicle load utilization of 94.7%, ensuring balanced routing and cost-efficient performance.", "keywords": [ "Scheduling (production processes)", "Convergence (economics)", "Vehicle routing problem", "Routing (electronic design automation)", "Genetic algorithm", "Job shop scheduling", "Process (computing)" ], "cited_by_count": 0, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "https://doi.org/10.1117/12.3101855" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W4377967267", "doi": "10.46254/na07.20220329", "title": "Learning Models for Delivery Location Clustering and Drone-Based Routing Decisions in Last-Mile Distribution", "year": 2023, "publication_date": "2023-05-24", "type": "conference-abstract", "language": "en", "authors": [ "Ali Arishi", "Krishna Krishnan" ], "first_author": "Ali Arishi", "venue": null, "publisher": null, "abstract": "With the rise in e-commerce and growing consumer demand, supply chains are striving to achieve cost-efficient delivery operations. One of the most challenging distribution problems is the last-mile delivery which generally refers to the very last leg of the delivery operation when a parcel is moved from a depot to the end customer. Despite the significant increase in the number of products ordered online and delivered directly to customers, the reliance on truckbased delivery has remained unchanged for decades. The integration of drones in the last-mile delivery can overcome many operational challenges and provide competitive advantages. Traditional optimization algorithms for truck-drone suffer from high computational time and can solve only small-sized problems. This study focuses on finding an effective approach for solving the last-mile delivery problem. We propose a hybrid machine learning model to tackle the problem of delivering products to a set of delivery locations using a modern truck equipped with multiple drones. A constrained clustering algorithm is proposed to cluster delivery locations based on user-specified constraints in the first stage. The center of each constrained cluster serves as a launching site where the truck can park, and drones can be dispatched to make all final deliveries. A deep reinforcement learning model is proposed in the second stage to find an optimal route among all clusters. Extensive experiments are conducted to evaluate the proposed approach. Solutions obtained are compared with other traditional algorithms. Results show that our approach can produce quality solutions in real-time.", "keywords": [ "Drone", "Last mile (transportation)", "Cluster analysis", "Mile", "Computer science", "Routing (electronic design automation)", "Distribution (mathematics)", "Computer network", "Artificial intelligence", "Geography", "Mathematics" ], "cited_by_count": 0, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "https://ieomsociety.org/proceedings/2022orlando/329.pdf" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W4404265274", "doi": "10.2139/ssrn.5018299", "title": "Parametric Design of Time-Sensitive Routing with Recipient-Dependent Contributions", "year": 2024, "publication_date": "2024-01-01", "type": "preprint", "language": "en", "authors": [ "Bahar D. Viniche", "Opher Baron", "Oded Berman", "Mehdi Nourinejad" ], "first_author": "Bahar D. Viniche", "venue": "SSRN Electronic Journal", "publisher": "RELX Group (Netherlands)", "abstract": null, "keywords": [ "Parametric statistics", "Routing (electronic design automation)", "Computer science", "Economics", "Econometrics", "Mathematics", "Computer network", "Statistics" ], "cited_by_count": 0, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.5018299" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W7161139235", "doi": "10.1109/temscon-aspac65329.2025.11512185", "title": "Solving a Bi-Objective Two-Echelon Vehicle Routing Problem with Drones Using a Hybrid K-Means and NSGA-II Algorithm", "year": 2025, "publication_date": "2025-09-14", "type": "conference-paper", "language": null, "authors": [ "Santoso Santoso", "Nurhadi Siswanto", "Ir. Budi Santosa", "Budisantoso Wirjodirdjo" ], "first_author": "Santoso Santoso", "venue": null, "publisher": null, "abstract": "Recent technological advances and COVID-19 pandemic have shifted consumer behavior from direct shopping to online shopping. This shift has led to a significant increase in package delivery volumes, resulting in negative impacts such as higher CO2emissions in urban areas. The advancement of drone technology has introduced a promising alternative for last-mile delivery through a joint method involving both drones and trucks. This study addresses the two-echelon vehicle routing problem with drones (2E VRP-D), adopting a bi-objective approach: minimizing both the total arrival time of trucks at the depot and the CO2emissions produced. A metaheuristic approach is employed to handle large problem instances. Initial solutions are generated by clustering customers based on their locations using the k-means algorithm. Subsequently, the Non-Dominated Sorting Genetic Algorithm II (NSGA-II) is applied to solve the bi-objective optimization problem, as no single solution can simultaneously optimize all objectives in such cases. The innovative use of truck-drone collaboration has the potential to significantly enhance the efficiency of last-mile delivery operations.", "keywords": [ "Drone", "Vehicle routing problem", "Routing (electronic design automation)", "Hybrid algorithm (constraint satisfaction)", "Key (lock)" ], "cited_by_count": 0, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "https://doi.org/10.1109/temscon-aspac65329.2025.11512185" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W2581424765", "doi": "10.18174/344124", "title": "Decision support modeling for sustainable food logistics management", "year": 2015, "publication_date": "2015-01-01", "type": "dissertation", "language": "en", "authors": [ "Mehmet Soysal" ], "first_author": "Mehmet Soysal", "venue": null, "publisher": null, "abstract": "Summary For the last two decades, food logistics systems have seen the transition from traditional Logistics Management (LM) to Food Logistics Management (FLM), and successively, to Sustainable Food Logistics Management (SFLM). Accordingly, food industry has been subject to the recent challenges of reducing the amount of food waste and raising energy efficiency to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. These additional challenges add to the complexity of logistics operations and require advanced decision support models which can be used by decision makers to develop more sustainable food logistics systems in practice. Hence, the overall objective of this thesis was to obtain insight in how to improve the sustainability performance of food logistics systems by developing decision support models that can address the concerns for transportation energy use and consequently carbon emissions, and/or product waste, while also adhering to competitiveness. In line with this overall objective, we have defined five research objectives. The first research objective (RO), which is to identify key logistical aims, analyse available quantitative models and point out modelling challenges in SFLM, is investigated in Chapter 2. In this chapter, key logistical aims in LM, FLM and SFLM phases are identified, and available quantitative models are analysed to point out modelling challenges in SFLM. A literature review on quantitative studies is conducted and also qualitative studies are consulted to better understand the key logistical aims and to identify the relevant system scope issues. The main findings of the literature review indicate that (i) most studies rely on a completely deterministic environment, (ii) the food waste challenge in logistics has not received sufficient attention, (iii) traveled distance is often used as a single indicator to estimate related transportation cost and emissions, and (iv) most studies propose single objective models for the food logistics problems. This chapter concludes that new and advanced quantitative models are needed that take specific SFLM requirements from practice into consideration to support business decisions and capture food supply chain dynamics. These findings motivated us to work on the following research objectives RO2, RO3, RO4 and RO5. RO2, which is to analyse the relationship between economic (cost) and environmental (transportation carbon emissions) performance in a network problem of a perishable product, is investigated in Chapter 3. This chapter presents a multi-objective linear programming (MOLP) model for a generic beef logistics network problem. The objectives of the model are (i) minimizing total logistics cost and (ii) minimizing total amount of greenhouse gas emissions from transportation operations. The model is solved using the e-constraint method. This study breaks away from the literature on logistics network models by simultaneously considering transportation emissions (affected by road structure, vehicle and fuel types, weight loads of vehicles, traveled distances), return hauls and product perishability in a MOLP model. We present computational results and analyses based on the application of the model to a real-life international beef logistics chain operating in Nova Andradina, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil, and exporting beef to the European Union. Trade-off relationships between multiple objectives are observed by the derived Pareto frontier that presents the cost of being sustainable from the point of reducing transportation emissions. The results indicate the importance of distances between actors in terms of environmental impact. Moreover, sensitivity analysis on important practical parameters show that export ports' capacities put pressure on the logistics system; decreasing fuel efficiency due to the bad infrastructure has negative effects on cost and emissions; and green tax incentives result in economic and environmental improvement. RO3, which is to investigate the performance implications of accommodating explicit transportation energy use and traffic congestion concerns in a two-echelon capacitated vehicle routing problem (2E-CVRP), is investigated in Chapter 4. The multi-echelon distribution strategy in which freight is delivered to customers via intermediate depots rather than using direct shipments is an increasingly popular strategy in urban logistics. Its popularity is primarily due to the fact that it alleviates the environmental (e.g., energy usage and congestion) and social (e.g., traffic-related air pollution, accidents and noise) consequences of logistics operations. This chapter presents a comprehensive mixed integer linear programming formulation for a time-dependent 2E-CVRP that accounts for vehicle type, traveled distance, vehicle speed, load, multiple time zones and emissions. A case study in a supermarket chain operating in the Netherlands shows the applicability of the model to a real-life problem. Several versions of the model, each differing with respect to the objective function, are tested to produce a number of selected Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) relevant to distance, time, fuel consumption and cost. This chapter offers insight in the economies of environmentally-friendly vehicle routing in two-echelon distribution systems. The results suggest that an environmentally-friendly solution is obtained from the use of a two-echelon distribution system, whereas a single-echelon distribution system provides the least-cost solution. RO4, which is to investigate the performance implications of accommodating explicit transportation energy use, product waste and demand uncertainty concerns in an inventory routing problem (IRP), is investigated in Chapter 5. Traditional assumptions of constant distribution costs between nodes, unlimited product shelf life and deterministic demand used in the IRP literature restrict the usefulness of the proposed models in current food logistics systems. From this point of view, o", "keywords": [ "Scope (computer science)", "Sustainability", "Greenhouse gas", "Decision support system", "Business", "Product (mathematics)", "Process management", "Risk analysis (engineering)", "Environmental economics", "Computer science", "Economics" ], "cited_by_count": 14, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "https://edepot.wur.nl/344124" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W4389612522", "doi": "10.4337/9781800889866.00047", "title": "Combined carriage", "year": 2023, "publication_date": "2023-12-07", "type": "book-chapter", "language": "en", "authors": [ "Julia Hörnig" ], "first_author": "Julia Hörnig", "venue": "Edward Elgar Publishing eBooks", "publisher": "Edward Elgar Publishing", "abstract": "According to Article 38, the Montreal Convention 1999 is only applicable to the aerial segment as per Article 1. Article 38 also clarifies the scope of application of the Convention in a multimodal transport context. Given the complex operations of airports, ‘last mile’ delivery services are often performed by lorries and they are not covered by the Convention as ‘last mile’ services often go beyond the scenario envisaged in Article 18 (4) of the Montreal Convention 1999. Article 38 is a unique provision in the context of unimodal transport Conventions. Other unimodal Conventions only provide rules for the so-called ‘unimodal-plus’ regime, i.e., where the transport means in question is combined with another means of transport under prescribed situations, such as roll-on/roll-off carriage, which takes place where the lorry containing the cargo is carried over part of the journey by an aircraft or a vessel.", "keywords": [ "Convention", "Multimodal transport", "Context (archaeology)", "Carriage", "Scope (computer science)", "Truck", "Transport engineering", "Last mile (transportation)", "Mile", "Engineering", "Operations research", "Business" ], "cited_by_count": 0, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "https://doi.org/10.4337/9781800889866.00047" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W4403851677", "doi": "10.54254/2754-1169/121/20242550", "title": "Optimization and Application Analysis of the UAV \"Last Mile\" Mobile Terminal Distribution Station in Rural Area under the Background of E-Commerce", "year": 2024, "publication_date": "2024-10-25", "type": "article", "language": "en", "authors": [ "Zhongsheng Luo" ], "first_author": "Zhongsheng Luo", "venue": "Advances in Economics Management and Political Sciences", "publisher": null, "abstract": "With the booming demands of global consumers, the grand total of international e-commercial procurement in 2024 will be expected to exceed 6.3 trillion USD. Under the pressure of huge orders and shipping lag, figuring out a cost-effective last mile delivery achieving real door-to-door service, especially in rural areas, has become one of the focuses in the international e-commercial market. To better solve this problem, this paper starts with the analysis of international e-commercial status and the feasibility of UAV mobile terminal station launch, taking good account of drone delivery route setting, time schedule, and costs spent to optimize the mobile station moving. Based on a series of experiments to iterate the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) mobile terminal station delivery mode, it will provide some insights to the market about how the last mile delivery will develop in the next decade. This paper will focus on applying the hybrid ant colony algorithm to improve truck-drone collaborative last mile delivery route settings and figure out the best delivery route combo for cost saving.", "keywords": [ "Terminal (telecommunication)", "Mile", "Last mile (transportation)", "Computer science", "Transport engineering", "Telecommunications", "Geography", "Engineering", "Geodesy" ], "cited_by_count": 0, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "https://aemps.ewapub.com/article/view/16299.pdf" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W429377970", "doi": null, "title": "Intermodal Liner Freight Trains : Opportunities and Limitations", "year": 2011, "publication_date": "2011-01-01", "type": "article", "language": "en", "authors": [ "Behzad Kordnejad" ], "first_author": "Behzad Kordnejad", "venue": null, "publisher": null, "abstract": "The global trend of urbanization is evident and also valid in Sweden and for the Stockholm-Malaren region, also referred to as the Malaren valley, a region consisting of metropolitan Stockholm and areas around the lake of Malaren. In this context, efficient urban freight transportation has emerged as essential for sustainable development of urban areas. Geographic regions are being expanded due to the fact that rapid transport options have expanded the range of action of people and businesses. Metropolitan regions require freight transports that are often categorized by an inflow of consumables and an outflow of waste and recyclable material. Within urban areas there are ports, terminals and storage facilities that require incoming and outgoing transport. Altogether, these shipments have led to increased congestion on the road network within urban areas, which is a contributing factor to why a shift to intermodal land transports have been advocated both in Europe and in Sweden, thus encouraging more freight to be moved from road to rail. Another contributing factor is the relatively low impact on the environment generated by rail transportation. Efficient use of resources and low emissions of greenhouse gases are factors that are in favor of the train as a transport mode.Furthermore, conventional rail freight is commonly competitive on long distances and in end-point relations between two nodes. However, an intermodal liner train, as a transport system for freight differs from conventional rail freight transport systems, as it similar to a passenger train makes stops along the route for loading and unloading. Due to the stops made at intermediate stations it enables the coverage of a larger market area. For regional or inter-regional relations, the concept has the potential of reducing drayage by truck to and from intermodal terminals and to make rail freight competitive also over medium and short distances.The main aim of this thesis project has been to analyze under which conditions a combined transport system with the railway as a base can be implemented in the Stockholm-Malaren region. Based on a case study for a shipper distributing daily consumables in the region, the feasibility of creating a regional rail freight transport system has been evaluated.This study provides a methodology for evaluating the feasibility, regarding costs and emissions, of concepts and technologies within freight transportation chains. This has been accomplished by the development of a cost modal, Intermodal Transport Cost Model (ITCM). From the results of the case study one can conclude that a regional rail based intermodal transport system regarding costs is on the threshold of feasibility in the studied region. As for emissions, all evaluated intermodal transport chains contribute to a significant decrease in CO2 emissions compared to unimodal road haulage. The loading space utilization of the train and the transshipment cost are the most critical parameters. The latter restricting the competitiveness of intermodal services to long distances as it is not proportional to transported distance but rather to the utilization rate of resources. Hence, the concept of cost-efficient small scale (CESS) terminals is introduced in this study.A main prerequisite in order to make the intermodal liner train efficient is a stable and balanced flow of goods with optimized loading space utilization along the route. As the objective is to consolidate small flows, imbalances along the route will constitute an obstacle for the liner train to be competitive. Thus regarding loading space utilization it is necessary to consolidate other freight flows in the train in order to achieve high loading space utilization and a balanced flow along the route. The third parameter which is critical for the results are the fuel prices, where a sensitivity analysis of the results shows that if diesel prices would increase so would the feasibility of the intermodal option. The same is also valid for train length increase as long as the loading space utilization is maintained.The results of the feasibility study indicate that the evaluated transshipment technologies are closing the gap for intermodal transport to unimodal road haulage regarding transport cost over short- and medium distances and that they contribute to a substantial reduction of CO2 emissions. However, it is essential that also the transport quality is ensured, especially regarding reliability and punctuality. Thus a demonstration project is recommended as these aspects require operational testing. This is particularly crucial regarding novel transshipment technologies.", "keywords": [ "Metropolitan area", "Train", "Transport engineering", "Context (archaeology)", "Urbanization", "Traffic management", "Rail freight transport", "Sustainable transport", "Greenhouse gas", "Business", "Sustainability", "Geography" ], "cited_by_count": 2, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "http://www.diva-portal.org/smash/record.jsf?pid=diva2:588491" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W3108761254", "doi": "10.4230/oasics.atmos.2020.17", "title": "Crowdsourced Delivery with Drones in Last Mile Logistics", "year": 2020, "publication_date": "2020-01-01", "type": "article", "language": "en", "authors": [ "Mehdi Behroozi", "Dinghao Ma" ], "first_author": "Mehdi Behroozi", "venue": "DROPS (Schloss Dagstuhl – Leibniz Center for Informatics)", "publisher": "Schloss Dagstuhl – Leibniz Center for Informatics", "abstract": "We consider a combined system of regular delivery trucks and crowdsourced drones to provide a technology-assisted crowd-based last-mile delivery experience. We develop analytical models and methods for a system in which package delivery is performed by a big truck carrying a large number of packages to a neighborhood or a town in a metropolitan area and then assign the packages to crowdsourced drone operators to deliver them to their final destinations. A combination of heuristic algorithms is used to solve this NP-hard problem, computational results are presented, and an exhaustive sensitivity analysis is done to check the influence of different parameters and assumptions.", "keywords": [ "Drone", "Computer science", "Truck", "Last mile (transportation)", "Heuristic", "Metropolitan area", "Crowdsourcing", "Mile", "Operations research", "Transport engineering", "Engineering", "Artificial intelligence" ], "cited_by_count": 0, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "https://drops.dagstuhl.de/storage/01oasics/oasics-vol085-atmos2020/OASIcs.ATMOS.2020.17/OASIcs.ATMOS.2020.17.pdf" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W4412223773", "doi": null, "title": "Innovative Sustainable Urban Last Mile : Small Vehicles and Business Models", "year": 2024, "publication_date": "2024-01-01", "type": "article", "language": "en", "authors": [ "Virva Tuomala", "Anna Aminoff", "Niklas Arvidsson", "Britta Gammelgaard", "Helleke Heikkinen", "Howard Twaddell Weir" ], "first_author": "Virva Tuomala", "venue": "Työväentutkimus Vuosikirja", "publisher": null, "abstract": "The report introduces the last-mile delivery landscape, emphasizing key stakeholders like shippers, logistics providers, customers, and local authorities. It focuses on Light Electric Freight Vehicles (LEFVs) through diverse case studies, exploring operational experiences. The report also analyzes last-mile development, business models, and current trends, emphasizing sustainability beyond CO2 reduction. A DHL Express case study illustrates the applicability of e-cargo bikes. It identifies barriers include staffing challenges, transitioning to electric vehicles, and sector immaturity. Finally, the report recommends collaborative efforts between larger logistics players, smaller companies, and local authorities to implement sustainable solutions for improved efficiency and sustainability in last-mile delivery.", "keywords": [ "Mile", "Last mile (transportation)", "Business", "Transport engineering", "Geography", "Engineering" ], "cited_by_count": 0, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "https://www.nordicinnovation.org/2024/innovative-sustainable-urban-last-mile" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W7128360438", "doi": "10.31861/bmj2026.01.05", "title": "Integration of Unmanned Technologies into Logistics Problems", "year": 2026, "publication_date": "2026-02-08", "type": "article", "language": null, "authors": [ "Serhiy Martynyuk", "Mykhailo Sydora" ], "first_author": "Serhiy Martynyuk", "venue": "Bukovinian Mathematical Journal", "publisher": "Yuriy Fedkovych Chernivtsi National University", "abstract": "The paper considers the integration of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs, drones) into last-mile delivery. Key differences between drones and conventional road transport (speed, near-straight trajectories, payload and range constraints, etc.) and their impact on delivery strategies are discussed. A generalized mathematical model of an integrated truck--drone delivery system is proposed, allowing one truck to launch drone(s) to serve a subset of customers. The model accounts for limited drone range and payload, different speeds of aerial and ground transport, and operational constraints (e.g., return requirement). A comparative experiment for three scenarios (truck only, drones only, and hybrid truck+drone) shows that under favorable conditions drones can significantly reduce completion time due to parallel operation. The conditions under which drones are most beneficial and when conventional truck delivery dominates are highlighted.", "keywords": [ "Drone", "Payload (computing)", "Truck", "Key (lock)", "Range (aeronautics)" ], "cited_by_count": 0, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "https://media.chnu.edu.ua/media/0jlpwi4u/43-53-martyniuk-sydora.pdf" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W611855143", "doi": null, "title": "What the transportation industry is telling us about the economy now", "year": 2015, "publication_date": "2015-03-01", "type": "article", "language": "en", "authors": [ "Benjamin H Gordon" ], "first_author": "Benjamin H Gordon", "venue": null, "publisher": null, "abstract": "An army marches on its stomach, Napoleon famously said. While the high-technology sector captures the headlines, the supply chain sector is responsible for the heavy lifting, behind the scenes. The books, clothing, and goods that we purchase are increasingly made in Asia or Mexico; transported through multiple modes including air, ocean, rail and truck; passes through warehouses or cross-dock facilities; and delivered to your home via a last mile delivery company.", "keywords": [ "Truck", "Business", "Supply chain", "Commerce", "Economy", "Last mile (transportation)", "Clothing", "Mile", "Tourism", "International trade", "Finance", "Engineering" ], "cited_by_count": 0, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "http://trid.trb.org/view.aspx?id=1356400" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W4399641908", "doi": "10.1061/9780784485514.020", "title": "Safety Benefits of Parcel Delivery Modes Using Geographically Weighted Negative Binominal Regression", "year": 2024, "publication_date": "2024-06-13", "type": "conference-paper", "language": "en", "authors": [ "Zhenyu Wang", "Pei-Sung Lin", "Yaye Mallon Keita" ], "first_author": "Zhenyu Wang", "venue": null, "publisher": null, "abstract": "Emerging urban parcel delivery (UPD) modes are anticipated to decrease surface UPD truck trips and stops, thus leading to less exposure of UPD trucks on surface roads and reduced UPD crashes. This paper evaluated the safety impacts of innovative last-mile delivery strategies in urban areas. The geographically weighted negative binominal regression (GWNBR) model was developed at zone levels based on the roadway, traffic, and demographic data collected in Hillsborough County, Florida. Future UPD scenarios were projected for coming years (2030, 2040, and 2050) with different replacement rates (10%, 30%, and 50%) of UPD truck stops by emerging UPD modes. The developed GWNBR model was used to predict UPD crashes for future scenarios. The results indicate that emerging UPD technologies cause a decrease in delivery truck stops and reduce UPD crashes by 3%, 11%, and 20% for 2030, 2040, and 2050, respectively.", "keywords": [ "Geographically Weighted Regression", "Computer science", "Regression analysis", "Regression", "Statistics", "Mathematics", "Machine learning" ], "cited_by_count": 0, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "http://dx.doi.org/10.1061/9780784485514.020" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W7122413954", "doi": "10.2139/ssrn.6064655", "title": "REROUTING TRAVELING SALESMAN PROBLEM WITH DRONES", "year": 2026, "publication_date": "2026-01-01", "type": "preprint", "language": null, "authors": [ "Nguyen Anh-Tu", "Shih-Hao Lu" ], "first_author": "Nguyen Anh-Tu", "venue": "SSRN Electronic Journal", "publisher": "RELX Group (Netherlands)", "abstract": null, "keywords": [ "Drone", "Travelling salesman problem", "Truck", "Heuristic", "Cluster analysis", "Process (computing)" ], "cited_by_count": 0, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.6064655" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W7144363968", "doi": "10.15090/0002000253", "title": "過疎地域におけるラストワンマイル配送の効率化に関する研究", "year": 2024, "publication_date": "2024-03-01", "type": "article", "language": "ja", "authors": [ "Yoshio DOI", "Masaya OKAMOTO" ], "first_author": "Yoshio DOI", "venue": "Institutional Repositories DataBase (IRDB)", "publisher": "National Institute of Informatics", "abstract": "The “2024 problem” has further exacerbated the labor shortage of truck drivers. Low delivery efficiency is also a problem in sparsely populated areas, which account for half of Japan’s municipalities. This paper focuses on drone logistics from the viewpoint of “complementability” for problems in sparsely populated areas and labor shortages. It is difficult to improve the efficiency of delivery for the last mile in sparsely populated areas because of the regional characteristics. Therefore, this study clarifies the complementarity of using drone logistics to improve the efficiency of last-mile delivery in sparsely populated areas.", "keywords": [ "Drone", "Economic shortage", "Last mile (transportation)", "Truck", "Complementarity (molecular biology)", "City logistics" ], "cited_by_count": 0, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "https://asahi-u.repo.nii.ac.jp/records/2000253" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W3134364395", "doi": null, "title": "Make Your Autonomous Vehicle Deliver And Earn Money for You.", "year": 2021, "publication_date": "2021-03-06", "type": "preprint", "language": "en", "authors": [ "Navid Mohammad Imran", "Sabyasachee Mishra", "Myounggyu Won" ], "first_author": "Navid Mohammad Imran", "venue": "arXiv (Cornell University)", "publisher": "Cornell University", "abstract": "The drone-based last-mile delivery is an emerging technology designed to automate the delivery process by utilizing drones loaded on a truck to transport parcels to customers. In this paper, we study the next level of drone-based last-mile delivery where autonomous vehicles (AVs) without drivers are recruited to collaborate with drones to serve customers. We formulate the problem of selecting AVs from a pool of available AVs and scheduling them to serve customers to minimize the total cost as an Integer Linear Programming (ILP). A novel greedy algorithm is proposed to solve the problem that incorporates the real-world operational cost of AVs, traveling distances calculated based on Google Map API, and varying load capacities of AVs. Extensive simulations performed with numerous random delivery scenarios demonstrate that both the optimal and greedy algorithms significantly increase profits for the delivery company as well as the owners of AVs. Furthermore, the results indicate that the greedy algorithm is highly effective with a performance difference of only 2% compared with the optimal algorithm in terms of the total amount of profits.", "keywords": [ "Drone", "Greedy algorithm", "Computer science", "Truck", "Last mile (transportation)", "Integer programming", "Scheduling (production processes)", "Mathematical optimization", "Process (computing)", "Mile", "Linear programming", "Real-time computing" ], "cited_by_count": 0, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "https://arxiv.org/abs/2103.04118" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W7166843401", "doi": "10.1007/978-3-032-30494-0_34", "title": "Evaluating Alternative Continuous Metaheuristic Solution Encodings for Routing Problems with Multiple Drones with Interceptions", "year": 2026, "publication_date": "2026-07-01", "type": "conference-paper", "language": "en", "authors": [ "Sarah Dillon", "Jacomine Grobler" ], "first_author": "Sarah Dillon", "venue": "Lecture notes in computer science", "publisher": "Springer Science+Business Media", "abstract": null, "keywords": [ "Drone", "Metaheuristic", "Routing (electronic design automation)", "Network routing", "Vehicle routing problem" ], "cited_by_count": 0, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-032-30494-0_34" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W7165394450", "doi": "10.5281/zenodo.20512796", "title": "Dataset for E-Laas WP2 - Survey research results and simulation model (Deliverable D2.2, D2.3)", "year": 2026, "publication_date": "2026-06-19", "type": "dataset", "language": "en", "authors": [ "Emilian Szczepański", "Mariusz Izdebski", "Roland Jachimowski", "Marianna Jacyna", "Michał Kłodawski", "Konrad Lewczuk", "Jakub Murawski", "Jan Paszkowski" ], "first_author": "Emilian Szczepański", "venue": "Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)", "publisher": "European Organization for Nuclear Research", "abstract": "The purpose of this dataset is: to enable the replication of the research results obtained from a discrete-event simulation of last-mile delivery systems, in which fleet composition and delivery organisation are evaluated in terms of energy consumption and CO2 emissions across seven distinct last-mile delivery modes; to provide empirical information from the perspectives of the main stakeholders involved in the organisation, execution, management, and use of urban delivery services. The presented dataset is an outcome of the work conducted within WP2 of the E-Laas project. The dataset was created as part of the E-Laas project (Energy optimal urban logistics As A Service).Project implemented as part of the call ERA-NET Cofund Urban Accessibility and Connectivity (ENUAC China Call) organized by JPI Urban Europe and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC). This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 875022. E-Laas project is carried out in an international consortium. Project coordinator in Europe: Chalmers University of Technology (Sweden), project coordinator in China: Shanghai University (China), consortium members: Tsinghua University (China), Warsaw University of Technology (Poland), cooperation partners: Stockholms stad, Trafikkontoret (Sweden), ParkUnload (Spain), Metropolis GZM (Poland), Shanghai Urban-Rural Construction and Transportation Department (China), Volvo Group Trucks Technology and Operations (Sweden).- The Chinese part of the project is funded by National Natural Science Foundation of China.- The Swedish part of the project is funded by Swedish Energy Agency.- The Polish part of the project is funded by the National Science Centre, Poland (project no. 2022/04/Y/ST8/00134). The value of the co-financing is PLN 878,107.00. Project duration 27/04/2023 - 26/04/2026 (36 months).", "keywords": [ "Work (physics)", "China", "Truck", "Baseline (sea)", "Duration (music)", "Research program", "Energy consumption", "Foundation (evidence)" ], "cited_by_count": 0, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.20512796" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W7165389297", "doi": "10.5281/zenodo.20512795", "title": "Dataset for E-Laas WP2 - Survey research results and simulation model (Deliverable D2.2, D2.3)", "year": 2026, "publication_date": "2026-06-19", "type": "dataset", "language": "en", "authors": [ "Emilian Szczepański", "Mariusz Izdebski", "Roland Jachimowski", "Marianna Jacyna", "Michał Kłodawski", "Konrad Lewczuk", "Jakub Murawski", "Jan Paszkowski" ], "first_author": "Emilian Szczepański", "venue": "Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)", "publisher": "European Organization for Nuclear Research", "abstract": "The purpose of this dataset is: to enable the replication of the research results obtained from a discrete-event simulation of last-mile delivery systems, in which fleet composition and delivery organisation are evaluated in terms of energy consumption and CO2 emissions across seven distinct last-mile delivery modes; to provide empirical information from the perspectives of the main stakeholders involved in the organisation, execution, management, and use of urban delivery services. The presented dataset is an outcome of the work conducted within WP2 of the E-Laas project. The dataset was created as part of the E-Laas project (Energy optimal urban logistics As A Service).Project implemented as part of the call ERA-NET Cofund Urban Accessibility and Connectivity (ENUAC China Call) organized by JPI Urban Europe and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC). This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 875022. E-Laas project is carried out in an international consortium. Project coordinator in Europe: Chalmers University of Technology (Sweden), project coordinator in China: Shanghai University (China), consortium members: Tsinghua University (China), Warsaw University of Technology (Poland), cooperation partners: Stockholms stad, Trafikkontoret (Sweden), ParkUnload (Spain), Metropolis GZM (Poland), Shanghai Urban-Rural Construction and Transportation Department (China), Volvo Group Trucks Technology and Operations (Sweden).- The Chinese part of the project is funded by National Natural Science Foundation of China.- The Swedish part of the project is funded by Swedish Energy Agency.- The Polish part of the project is funded by the National Science Centre, Poland (project no. 2022/04/Y/ST8/00134). The value of the co-financing is PLN 878,107.00. Project duration 27/04/2023 - 26/04/2026 (36 months).", "keywords": [ "Work (physics)", "China", "Truck", "Baseline (sea)", "Duration (music)", "Research program", "Energy consumption", "Foundation (evidence)" ], "cited_by_count": 0, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.20512795" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W4404481088", "doi": "10.4324/9781003489115-10", "title": "The digital revolution and technology advances are transformative", "year": 2024, "publication_date": "2024-11-18", "type": "book-chapter", "language": "en", "authors": [ "Paul G. Clifford", "C Logan" ], "first_author": "Paul G. Clifford", "venue": null, "publisher": null, "abstract": "We cannot underestimate the transformative impact that technology is having on China’s logistics industry. This transformation is strongly supported and invested in by the Chinese government. This chapter sets out the array of digital technology being deployed in this sector, based on the internet and the IoT, blockchain, and AI. It explains how this technology is deployed through overarching IT platforms that seamlessly link all parties upstream and downstream – shippers, subcontractors, fulfillment firms, customers, and financial institutions. It shows how technology is used to match truckers with return-trip loads, to promote autonomous truck driving, and to monitor truck’s loads and speeds. It delves into how smart warehousing in China is reaching a high level of automation, how e-commerce distribution centers deplore multiple types or robot for handling and sorting. Beyond the digital world, this chapter also examines how other forms of technology such as heavy trucks and railway locomotives are being upgraded, and how new devices such as drones are being deployed for last-mile delivery.", "keywords": [ "Transformative learning", "Digital Revolution", "Engineering ethics", "Sociology", "Political science", "Computer science", "Engineering", "Telecommunications", "Pedagogy" ], "cited_by_count": 0, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "http://dx.doi.org/10.4324/9781003489115-10" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W4385622405", "doi": "10.1201/9781003261513-11", "title": "Access management and pricing", "year": 2023, "publication_date": "2023-08-07", "type": "book-chapter", "language": "en", "authors": [ "Eiichi Taniguchi", "Russell George Thompson", "Ali Gul Qureshi" ], "first_author": "Eiichi Taniguchi", "venue": null, "publisher": null, "abstract": "Chapter 9 describes how big data, analysis tools and models can improve pricing and access management schemes for freight vehicles in urban areas. Descriptive analytics procedures presented include monitoring the usage of loading bays and loading docks. Prescriptive analytics methods including models developed for optimising the number of bays in loading docks and on-street as well as toll levels for trucks are described. This chapter highlights how analytical procedures can determine the best toll levels for urban freight vehicles as well as identify optimal road pricing schemes.", "keywords": [ "Business" ], "cited_by_count": 0, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "http://dx.doi.org/10.1201/9781003261513-11" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W2025813730", "doi": "10.1016/s1775-8785(06)70416-7", "title": "Troubles musculosquelettiques (TMS) et pathologies du rachis dans une population de conducteurs-receveurs d’une entreprise de transport urbain de voyageurs", "year": 2006, "publication_date": "2006-06-01", "type": "article", "language": "fr", "authors": [ "M.-F. Dartois", "V. Gandibleux" ], "first_author": "M.-F. Dartois", "venue": "Archives des maladies professionnelles et de médecine du travail/Archives des maladies professionnelles et de l'environnement", "publisher": "Elsevier BV", "abstract": null, "keywords": [ "Humanities", "Art" ], "cited_by_count": 1, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "https://doi.org/10.1016/s1775-8785(06)70416-7" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W7204551174", "doi": "10.1007/978-981-92-2262-9_10", "title": "Study of Metro Freight Path Optimization Considering Passenger and Cargo Requirements", "year": 2026, "publication_date": "2026-01-01", "type": "conference-paper", "language": "en", "authors": [ "Feiyang Zhang", "Pei Liu", "Zhiwen Deng", "Jinhui Zhao", "Chongjun Chai" ], "first_author": "Feiyang Zhang", "venue": "Lecture notes in electrical engineering", "publisher": "Springer Science+Business Media", "abstract": null, "keywords": [ "Truck", "Traffic management", "Solver", "Path (computing)", "Freight trains", "Flow network", "Travel time" ], "cited_by_count": 0, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-92-2262-9_10" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W4378419943", "doi": "10.1007/978-3-031-34020-8_26", "title": "Robot-Assisted Delivery Problems and Their Exact Solutions", "year": 2023, "publication_date": "2023-01-01", "type": "conference-paper", "language": "en", "authors": [ "Abdullahi Mohammed Jingi", "Xinan Yang" ], "first_author": "Abdullahi Mohammed Jingi", "venue": "Communications in computer and information science", "publisher": "Springer Science+Business Media", "abstract": null, "keywords": [ "Robot", "Computer science", "Service (business)", "Truck", "Mathematical optimization", "Artificial intelligence", "Mathematics", "Engineering", "Business", "Marketing", "Automotive engineering" ], "cited_by_count": 0, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-34020-8_26" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W7172244450", "doi": "10.21256/zhaw-37220", "title": "Launching drones from a vessel : routing unmanned aerial vehicles from a linearly moving depot", "year": 2026, "publication_date": "2026-07-30", "type": "article", "language": "en", "authors": [ "Nils Boysen", "Helmut Sedding" ], "first_author": "Nils Boysen", "venue": "Zürcher Hochschule für Angewandte Wissenschaften digital collection (Zurich University of Applied Sciences)", "publisher": "ZHAW Zurich University of Applied Sciences", "abstract": null, "keywords": [ "Drone", "Depot", "Routing (electronic design automation)", "Cruise missile", "Mobile robot" ], "cited_by_count": 0, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "https://hdl.handle.net/11475/37220" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W7171775806", "doi": "10.1007/s10951-026-00879-y", "title": "Launching drones from a vessel: routing unmanned aerial vehicles from a linearly moving depot", "year": 2026, "publication_date": "2026-07-30", "type": "article", "language": "en", "authors": [ "Nils Boysen", "Helmut Sedding" ], "first_author": "Nils Boysen", "venue": "Journal of Scheduling", "publisher": "Springer Science+Business Media", "abstract": "Abstract Unmanned aerial vehicles (or drones) are expected to free urban areas from the negative impacts of traditional last-mile delivery by trucks and vans. To overcome one of the major operational challenges of drones, their limited range, existing concepts propose to launch them either from decentralized depots or trucks moving through the city center. Both solutions have drawbacks, so recent ideas suggest using river barges as mobile launch platforms. These ships act as linearly moving depots for drone launches, and this paper investigates the resulting routing problem when serving a given set of customers. First, we formulate the basic optimization problem and derive some structural properties through an in-depth computational complexity analysis. Based on these insights, we derive appropriate methods to attain exact, $$\\rho $$ ρ -approximative, or heuristic solutions, and apply them to evaluate the potential savings of delivery vans (benchmarked as a standalone delivery option and as a van-drone tandem) if, instead, drones are launched from ships or trains.", "keywords": [ "Drone", "Truck", "Routing (electronic design automation)", "Heuristic", "Vehicle routing problem", "Set (abstract data type)" ], "cited_by_count": 0, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "https://doi.org/10.1007/s10951-026-00879-y" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W4313202696", "doi": "10.5281/zenodo.7488496", "title": "Lifespan-prolonging Dual Battery System Online Operation Scheduling for In-city Drone Delivery", "year": 2022, "publication_date": "2022-12-28", "type": "article", "language": "en", "authors": [ "Yuan Yiliang", "Xie Jiahang" ], "first_author": "Yuan Yiliang", "venue": "Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)", "publisher": "European Organization for Nuclear Research", "abstract": "Delivery conducted by drones is a significant role in in-city delivery and last-mile delivery cooperated with trucks, owing to their fast speed and economy. Despite all the remarkable advantages of the participation of drones in last-mile delivery, more challenges are introduced. Since drones are powered by batteries, battery lifetime and the associated replacement cost are one of the main hindrances to more cost-efficient drone applications in delivery. In this work, the lifetime-prolonging dual battery scheduling problem for drone operation is introduced. This problem is motivated by the real-world case where drones are utilized for healthcare delivery during the pandemic. As battery degradation induces the main cost in such application scenes, we propose a novel approach to make online decisions in the dual battery operation system to support drone flying tasks and reduce the cost of drone operation without future information concerning flying conditions. The dual battery consists of a new battery bank and a second-life battery bank, in which the scheduling can regulate the output of the new battery pack and thus extend its lifespan and meanwhile make full use of the abundant second-life battery resources. With the battery degradation model, the amortized operation cost curve including the battery reliability is derived. The online optimization algorithm is developed to solve the problem. Adopting the established dual battery schema, battery cost in the delivery system is reduced with new battery sustainable operation in the validation process.", "keywords": [ "Drone", "Scheduling (production processes)", "Dual (grammatical number)", "Battery (electricity)", "Computer science", "Engineering", "Operations management", "Power (physics)" ], "cited_by_count": 0, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "https://zenodo.org/record/7488496" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W1777589764", "doi": null, "title": "Regional Intermodal Transport Systems : Analysis and Case Study in the Stockholm-Mälaren Region", "year": 2013, "publication_date": "2013-01-01", "type": "dissertation", "language": "en", "authors": [ "Behzad Kordnejad" ], "first_author": "Behzad Kordnejad", "venue": "Diva portal (Dalarna University Library)", "publisher": null, "abstract": "The global trend of urbanization is evident and also valid in Sweden and for the Stockholm-Mälaren region, also referred to as the Mälaren valley, a region consisting of metropolitan Stockholm and areas around the lake of Mälaren. In this context, efficient urban freight transportation has emerged as essential for sustainable development of urban areas. Geographic regions are being expanded due to the fact that rapid transport options have expanded the range of action of people and businesses. Metropolitan regions require freight transports that are often categorized by an inflow of consumables and an outflow of waste and recyclable material. Within urban areas there are ports, terminals and storage facilities that require incoming and outgoing transport. Altogether, these shipments have led to increased congestion on the road network within urban areas, which is a contributing factor to why a shift to intermodal land transports have been advocated both in Europe and in Sweden, thus encouraging more freight to be moved from road to rail. Another contributing factor is the relatively low impact on the environment generated by rail transportation. Efficient use of resources and low emissions of greenhouse gases are factors that are in favor of the train as a transport mode. Furthermore, conventional rail freight is commonly competitive on long distances and in end-point relations between two nodes. However, an intermodal liner train, as a transport system for freight differs from conventional rail freight transport systems, as it similar to a passenger train makes stops along the route for loading and unloading. Due to the stops made at intermediate stations it enables the coverage of a larger market area. For regional or inter-regional relations, the concept has the potential of reducing drayage by truck to and from intermodal terminals and to make rail freight competitive also over medium and short distances. The main aim of this thesis project has been to analyze under which conditions a combined transport system with the railway as a base can be implemented in the Stockholm-Mälaren region. Based on a case study for a shipper distributing daily consumables in the region, the feasibility of creating a regional rail freight transport system has been evaluated. This study provides a methodology for evaluating the feasibility, regarding costs and emissions, of concepts and technologies within freight transportation chains. This has been accomplished by the development of a cost modal, Intermodal Transport Cost Model (ITCM). From the results of the case study one can conclude that a regional rail based intermodal transport system regarding costs is on the threshold of feasibility in the studied region. As for emissions, all evaluated intermodal transport chains contribute to a significant decrease in CO2 emissions compared to unimodal road haulage. The loading space utilization of the train and the transshipment cost are the most critical parameters. The latter restricting the competitiveness of intermodal services to long distances as it is not proportional to transported distance but rather to the utilization rate of resources. Hence, the concept of cost-efficient small scale (CESS) terminals is introduced in this study. A main prerequisite in order to make the intermodal liner train efficient is a stable and balanced flow of goods with optimized loading space utilization along the route. As the objective is to consolidate small flows, imbalances along the route will constitute an obstacle for the liner train to be competitive. Thus regarding loading space utilization it is necessary to consolidate other freight flows in the train in order to achieve high loading space utilization and a balanced flow along the route. The third parameter which is critical for the results are the fuel prices, where a sensitivity analysis of the results shows that if diesel prices would increase so would the feasibility of the intermodal option. The same is also valid for train length increase as long as the loading space utilization is maintained. The results of the feasibility study indicate that the evaluated transshipment technologies are closing the gap for intermodal transport to unimodal road haulage regarding transport cost over short- and medium distances and that they contribute to a substantial reduction of CO2 emissions. However, it is essential that also the transport quality is ensured, especially regarding reliability and punctuality. Thus a demonstration project is recommended as these aspects require operational testing. This is particularly crucial regarding novel transshipment technologies.", "keywords": [ "Metropolitan area", "Regional science", "Geography", "Urbanization", "Economic geography", "Trend analysis", "City region", "Economy", "Economic growth", "Economics" ], "cited_by_count": 1, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:kth:diva-122698" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W4410830332", "doi": "10.52783/jisem.v10i48s.10105", "title": "\"Solving the Traveling Salesman Problem with Drones Using Proximal Policy Optimization and Deep Reinforcement Learning\"", "year": 2025, "publication_date": "2025-05-19", "type": "article", "language": "en", "authors": [ "Ali Abdul Razzaq Taresh" ], "first_author": "Ali Abdul Razzaq Taresh", "venue": "Journal of Information Systems Engineering & Management", "publisher": "Lectito Journals", "abstract": "The increasing demand for scalable and efficient last-mile delivery has prompted the integration of drones with trucks in hybrid logistics systems. While reinforcement learning (RL) methods have shown promise in addressing the Traveling Salesman Problem with Drones (TSP-D), most approaches focus on single truck-drone coordination, limiting their real-world applicability. This paper introduces a novel multi-agent reinforcement learning (MARL) framework based on Proximal Policy Optimization (PPO) to address a multi-truck multi-drone TSP-D scenario. Each agent (truck or drone) learns a decentralized policy with a shared global reward, enabling real-time, cooperative route planning. An enhanced state representation captures vehicle positions, battery constraints, and inter-agent interactions. The actor-critic network employs deep residual layers and agent identity encoding to support dynamic adaptation and coordination. A Dijkstra-based module ensures drone reachability under energy constraints, while a task allocation mechanism balances delivery loads and prevents conflicts. Experiments on synthetic and real-world-inspired datasets demonstrate the proposed model’s superiority over single-agent PPO and classical metaheuristics in terms of delivery time, energy efficiency, and scalability. As the number of agents and delivery nodes grows, the system maintains high performance, demonstrating strong potential for real-time autonomous logistics in urban environments.", "keywords": [ "Travelling salesman problem", "Reinforcement learning", "Drone", "Artificial intelligence", "Computer science", "Mathematical optimization", "Reinforcement", "2-opt", "Mathematics", "Psychology", "Biology", "Social psychology" ], "cited_by_count": 0, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "https://jisem-journal.com/index.php/journal/article/download/10105/4645" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W4407723121", "doi": "10.3233/978-1-61499-898-3-857", "title": "Estimation of Delivery Time Considering with Stochastic Service Times", "year": 2018, "publication_date": "2018-01-01", "type": "book-chapter", "language": "en", "authors": [ "Kenji Tanaka", "Kozawa Kazuho", "Araoka Kenji" ], "first_author": "Kenji Tanaka", "venue": "Advances in transdisciplinary engineering", "publisher": "IOS Press", "abstract": "This paper talks about how to plan efficient delivery route by analyzing drivers' behavior. Today, as E-commerce services represented by Amazon are growing, demand of delivery service is getting bigger. It is a problem that not only the amount of delivered baggage is expanding, but also the level of delivery service is rising. On the other hand, the number of drivers is reducing because of a low salary and poor working conditions. From these background, it is required to improve efficiency of delivery to keep delivery service. Especially in urban areas, the most time-consuming work in last mile delivery is not moving between customers by a truck but work occurring after parking (including parking). In spite of this, many researches focus on how to minimize the total time of moving between customers, like solving traveling salesman problem (TSP). So this paper has tried analyzing drivers' “parking behavior”, consisting of a successions of behavior such as searching for parking place, parking a truck, taking out baggage from a truck and visiting customers to entrances.On this paper, I have tried analyzing by following steps. First, I have detected each parking behavior from the GPS data of the trucks by 2-stage clustering method, which has resistance to noise. Next, I have matched each parking behavior with each customers. Then, I can analyze how drivers decide parking behavior by customers, and we can plan efficient delivery routes.", "keywords": [ "Estimation", "Computer science", "Service (business)", "Statistics", "Mathematics", "Business", "Engineering", "Systems engineering", "Marketing" ], "cited_by_count": 0, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "https://doi.org/10.3233/978-1-61499-898-3-857" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W4403753861", "doi": "10.48550/arxiv.2409.14173", "title": "An Evolutionary Algorithm For the Vehicle Routing Problem with Drones with Interceptions", "year": 2024, "publication_date": "2024-09-21", "type": "preprint", "language": "en", "authors": [ "Carlos Pambo", "Jacomine Grobler" ], "first_author": "Carlos Pambo", "venue": "arXiv (Cornell University)", "publisher": "Cornell University", "abstract": "The use of trucks and drones as a solution to address last-mile delivery challenges is a new and promising research direction explored in this paper. The variation of the problem where the drone can intercept the truck while in movement or at the customer location is part of an optimisation problem called the vehicle routing problem with drones with interception (VRPDi). This paper proposes an evolutionary algorithm to solve the VRPDi. In this variation of the VRPDi, multiple pairs of trucks and drones need to be scheduled. The pairs leave and return to a depot location together or separately to make deliveries to customer nodes. The drone can intercept the truck after the delivery or meet up with the truck at the following customer location. The algorithm was executed on the travelling salesman problem with drones (TSPD) datasets by Bouman et al. (2015), and the performance of the algorithm was compared by benchmarking the results of the VRPDi against the results of the VRP of the same dataset. This comparison showed improvements in total delivery time between 39% and 60%. Further detailed analysis of the algorithm results examined the total delivery time, distance, node delivery scheduling and the degree of diversity during the algorithm execution. This analysis also considered how the algorithm handled the VRPDi constraints. The results of the algorithm were then benchmarked against algorithms in Dillon et al. (2023) and Ernst (2024). The latter solved the problem with a maximum drone distance constraint added to the VRPDi. The analysis and benchmarking of the algorithm results showed that the algorithm satisfactorily solved 50 and 100-nodes problems in a reasonable amount of time, and the solutions found were better than those found by the algorithms in Dillon et al. (2023) and Ernst (2024) for the same problems.", "keywords": [ "Drone", "Vehicle routing problem", "Computer science", "Routing (electronic design automation)", "Travelling salesman problem", "Routing algorithm", "Algorithm", "Mathematical optimization", "Mathematics", "Computer network", "Biology", "Routing protocol" ], "cited_by_count": 0, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "https://arxiv.org/pdf/2409.14173" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W4256069984", "doi": "10.1287/trsc.2015.0585", "title": "Editorial Statement", "year": 2015, "publication_date": "2015-05-01", "type": "editorial", "language": "en", "authors": [ "Martin W. P. Savelsbergh" ], "first_author": "Martin W. P. Savelsbergh", "venue": "Transportation Science", "publisher": "Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences", "abstract": "It is a great honor and definite privilege to be asked to serve as Editor-in-Chief of Transportation Science (TS), especially given the renowned scholars who have preceded me. Their efforts have resulted in the journal it is today. My goal is to follow in their footsteps and to ensure that TS continues to enjoy its excellent reputation and remains at the forefront of the journals that focus on the scientific aspects of transportation. It is an exciting time to be involved with transportation. The changes, technological and societal, taking place in the world around us are having a tremendous impact on transportation and, thus, on the science of transportation. For example, it may not be during my tenure as Editor-in-Chief, but autonomous vehicles will become an integral part of our lives: we will see automated truck platoons on the highways, we will go to work in a driverless vehicle, and we will have packages delivered by drones. Companies like Uber and Flinc will continue to challenge and change public transportation. And how will the big data and analytics movement impact transportation? And the need and desire for more sustainable transportation? And…the list goes on and on. Exciting times indeed, and TS is there to publish the scientific underpinnings that drive the consequent innovations in transportation. In this first issue published under my stewardship, I want to elaborate on what I see as my main duties as Editor-in-Chief of TS. First, to serve the readers of TS and the transportation science community by producing a journal that publishes rigorous articles presenting state-of-the-art research on a wide scope of transportation topics. In doing so, I will take care not to lose sight of the mission of the journal: to publish articles on transportation science. I emphasized science on purpose. It serves as a reminder that an article needs to bring new knowledge to our readership and the community, and that an article should clearly articulate what that new knowledge is. Second, and equally important, to serve the authors that submit articles to the journal; without articles, there is no journal to publish. I will do everything under my control to ensure that authors are treated fairly and respectfully and that papers are reviewed as quickly as possible. I am keenly aware that lengthy reviews are a great source of frustration to authors and that, at times, lengthy reviews can create situations in which articles lose their timeliness. Regarding fairness, I will try to avoid situations of conflict-of-interest and narrow-minded reviews. I will strongly encourage (and work with) associate editors and referees to provide authors with constructive feedback that will help them improve their submissions. Third, to serve the reviewers, i.e., the associate editors and referees, who freely contribute a good deal of their time to the journal and, thus, the community. Beyond recognizing their work, which is a longstanding tradition at TS, I will review the procedures in place in Manuscript Central to support their efforts. That not only includes sending them reminders at appropriately chosen times, but making sure they are kept informed about the complete review process for a submission to which they contribute, e.g., provide them with other referee reports for the paper, the associate editor’s report, and the final decision. Because the time of good reviewers is an extremely scarce commodity, I will work hard with the associate editors to recognize submissions that are not likely to meet the standards of TS or that have yet to be put into readable English and return them to the authors immediately rather then sending them out for review. Such accelerated handling of submissions will also be beneficial to authors as they will not have to wait several months before seeing their article turned down. Although I see the duties above as my highest priorities, be assured that I will regularly discuss and seek input on initiatives that might create value for the readership and the community with the associate editors, the advisory board members, and the INFORMS publication committee, and that I am open to all suggestions that could help make Transportation Science an even better journal. Finally, as I mentioned above, technological and societal changes are taking place in the world around us and are having a tremendous impact on transportation. What will the future bring? Urbanization continues across the globe; already more than 50% of people worldwide live in cities. What does that mean for city logistics and public transportation? Africa is now the fast growing continent in the world (in terms of population). What does that mean for international trade and ocean freight routes? Climate change and global warming are real challenges. In 2012, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from transportation accounted for about 28% of the total U.S. GHG emissions, making it the second largest contributor of U.S. GHG emissions after the electricity sector. How can our community contribute and help reduce GHG emissions? The above examples illustrate a need for more cross-disciplinary approaches, e.g., consider freight and passenger movements together, integrate transportation and economics, and combine engineering solutions and improved decision technology. Scientific advances are needed in all cases. I would like Transportation Science to become the go-to journal to find the answers to these and similar questions, and I encourage submissions addressing these challenges and opportunities.", "keywords": [ "Honor", "Publication", "Work (physics)", "Privilege (computing)", "Reputation", "Public relations", "Business", "Political science", "Engineering", "Computer science", "Law", "Internet privacy" ], "cited_by_count": 2, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "https://doi.org/10.1287/trsc.2015.0585" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W7161125795", "doi": "10.2139/ssrn.6732138", "title": "Assessing the Impact of Online Shopping and Drone Delivery on Socio-Economic Profiles and CO2 Emissions", "year": 2026, "publication_date": "2026-01-01", "type": "preprint", "language": null, "authors": [ "Ziyue Li", "Qianwen Guo" ], "first_author": "Ziyue Li", "venue": "SSRN Electronic Journal", "publisher": "RELX Group (Netherlands)", "abstract": null, "keywords": [ "Drone", "Software deployment", "Popularity", "Truck", "Traffic congestion" ], "cited_by_count": 0, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.6732138" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W7204444806", "doi": "10.1038/s41598-026-68348-2", "title": "A hybrid adaptive large neighborhood search algorithm for two-echelon electric vehicle routing problem", "year": 2026, "publication_date": "2026-08-28", "type": "article", "language": "en", "authors": [ "Dian Huang", "Hugang Wang", "Wenlei Wang", "Li Zhang" ], "first_author": "Dian Huang", "venue": "Scientific Reports", "publisher": "Nature Portfolio", "abstract": "The efficient management of urban logistics is important for smart production and service systems, requiring coordinated optimization and planning for sustainable and responsive operations. This study investigates a two-echelon electric vehicle routing problem with time windows (2E-EVRPTW), an important optimization problem in urban delivery networks. The problem involves using fuel-powered trucks for the first-echelon transport from a warehouse to satellites and electric vehicles (EVs) with limited range and charging needs for the second-echelon, time-sensitive last-mile delivery. To tackle this NP-hard problem, we first formulate it as a mixed-integer linear programming (MIP) model. We then propose a hybrid heuristic algorithm, CL-ALNS, which integrates clustering and adaptive metaheuristic search. Specifically, CL-ALNS combines K-means clustering for strategic facility allocation in the first echelon with an adaptive large neighborhood search (ALNS) to support routing and charging scheduling in the second echelon. This algorithm is designed to reduce total cost while obtaining efficient, high-quality solutions. Computational experiments and benchmarks against a commercial solver and heuristic baselines show that our CL-ALNS framework obtains competitive results under the tested settings. Furthermore, sensitivity analysis examines how key operational parameters influence the system, providing valuable insights for managers of smart logistics services.", "keywords": [ "Vehicle routing problem", "Electric vehicle", "Routing (electronic design automation)", "Hybrid algorithm (constraint satisfaction)", "Search algorithm", "Genetic algorithm" ], "cited_by_count": 0, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-026-68348-2_reference.pdf" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W7155533157", "doi": "10.1111/deci.70032", "title": "The value of crowdshipping from microhubs in urban environments", "year": 2026, "publication_date": "2026-04-23", "type": "article", "language": "en", "authors": [ "Sarah Powell", "Ann Campbell", "Iman Dayarian" ], "first_author": "Sarah Powell", "venue": "Decision Sciences", "publisher": "Wiley", "abstract": "Abstract We introduce a framework to assess the value of crowdshipping in last‐mile delivery at a strategic level with a focus on a wave‐based structure for delivery operations, considering service areas that are part of a larger urban environment. For each service area and wave, a truck departs from a depot and completes a route, including a visit to a microhub and a set of customers. The rest of the customers receive deliveries from crowdshippers, who pick up packages from the microhub. We derive a set of analytical results for this base model of the problem on a solid grid to provide strategic decision‐making insights into when crowdshipping can be implemented in a service area at a cost–benefit compared to truck delivery. For this setting, we derive the minimum cost solution based on whether the grid is even or odd and the location of the microhub. We find that the structure of the solution changes at certain breakpoints in the ratio of the cost of crowdshipping to the cost of truck delivery. To understand how the value of crowdshipping changes across settings, we provide a mixed integer programming formulation and extensions to more general settings that we evaluate in a set of computational experiments. We consider the impact of factors such as limited crowdshipper availability and multiple microhubs in a service area. We discuss the effect on the total cost of delivery and the number and location of customers that are assigned to crowdshipped delivery.", "keywords": [ "Truck", "Grid", "Service (business)", "Set (abstract data type)", "Integer programming", "Value (mathematics)", "Total cost", "Focus (optics)" ], "cited_by_count": 0, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "https://doi.org/10.1111/deci.70032" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W4391853314", "doi": "10.1007/978-3-031-50032-9_85", "title": "Case 85 Shyft Group", "year": 2024, "publication_date": "2024-01-01", "type": "book-chapter", "language": "en", "authors": [ "Rajesh Kumar" ], "first_author": "Rajesh Kumar", "venue": "Management for professionals", "publisher": "Springer Nature", "abstract": null, "keywords": [ "Group (periodic table)", "Chemistry" ], "cited_by_count": 0, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-50032-9_85" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W7167900111", "doi": "10.1007/s10288-026-00627-0", "title": "Bidirectional collaborative routing: synchronizing en-route transfers and robot-assisted delivery in heterogeneous multi-depot systems", "year": 2026, "publication_date": "2026-07-10", "type": "article", "language": "en", "authors": [ "Tianyu Mao", "Mingrui Yang" ], "first_author": "Tianyu Mao", "venue": "4OR", "publisher": "Springer Science+Business Media", "abstract": null, "keywords": [ "Synchronizing", "Key (lock)", "Synchronization (alternating current)", "Component (thermodynamics)", "Data transmission" ], "cited_by_count": 0, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "https://doi.org/10.1007/s10288-026-00627-0" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W7118895603", "doi": "10.5281/zenodo.18150352", "title": "Autonomous Commercial Vehicle Market Outlook: Industry Trends, Growth Drivers, and Investment Opportunities (2024–2030)", "year": 2026, "publication_date": "2026-01-05", "type": "report", "language": null, "authors": [ "Next Move Strategy Consulting" ], "first_author": "Next Move Strategy Consulting", "venue": "Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)", "publisher": "European Organization for Nuclear Research", "abstract": "The global autonomous commercial vehicle (ACV) market is undergoing a transformative phase, driven by increasing freight demand, technological advancements, and supportive government policies. Valued at USD 8.50 billion in 2024, the market is projected to reach USD 9.89 billion by 2025 and USD 21.08 billion by 2030, representing a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 16.35% between 2025 and 2030. Key drivers include the integration of AI-enabled logistics systems, vehicle-to-everything (V2X) connectivity, and the adoption of autonomous trucks for long-haul and last-mile deliveries. While regulatory fragmentation presents challenges, government-backed initiatives, funding programs, and infrastructure improvements are accelerating adoption. This manuscript presents a comprehensive overview of market segmentation, regional dynamics, competitive landscape, technological trends, and investment opportunities, providing actionable insights for stakeholders in the autonomous commercial vehicle ecosystem.", "keywords": [ "Investment (military)", "Truck", "Commercial vehicle", "Government (linguistics)", "Key (lock)", "Transformative learning", "Vertical integration" ], "cited_by_count": 0, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.18150352" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W7118440336", "doi": "10.5281/zenodo.18150353", "title": "Autonomous Commercial Vehicle Market Outlook: Industry Trends, Growth Drivers, and Investment Opportunities (2024–2030)", "year": 2026, "publication_date": "2026-01-05", "type": "report", "language": null, "authors": [ "Next Move Strategy Consulting" ], "first_author": "Next Move Strategy Consulting", "venue": "Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)", "publisher": "European Organization for Nuclear Research", "abstract": "The global autonomous commercial vehicle (ACV) market is undergoing a transformative phase, driven by increasing freight demand, technological advancements, and supportive government policies. Valued at USD 8.50 billion in 2024, the market is projected to reach USD 9.89 billion by 2025 and USD 21.08 billion by 2030, representing a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 16.35% between 2025 and 2030. Key drivers include the integration of AI-enabled logistics systems, vehicle-to-everything (V2X) connectivity, and the adoption of autonomous trucks for long-haul and last-mile deliveries. While regulatory fragmentation presents challenges, government-backed initiatives, funding programs, and infrastructure improvements are accelerating adoption. This manuscript presents a comprehensive overview of market segmentation, regional dynamics, competitive landscape, technological trends, and investment opportunities, providing actionable insights for stakeholders in the autonomous commercial vehicle ecosystem.", "keywords": [ "Investment (military)", "Truck", "Commercial vehicle", "Government (linguistics)", "Key (lock)", "Transformative learning", "Vertical integration" ], "cited_by_count": 0, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.18150353" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W4398961466", "doi": "10.7910/dvn/qtuw3j", "title": "Replication Data for: The Spatial Dynamics of Amazon Lockers in Los Angeles County", "year": 2020, "publication_date": "2020-07-16", "type": "dataset", "language": "en", "authors": [ "Jiawen Fang" ], "first_author": "Jiawen Fang", "venue": "Harvard Dataverse", "publisher": "Harvard University", "abstract": "The rise of e-commerce has imposed increasing pressures on urban freight distribution systems with a significant demand for dedicated delivery services to the end consumers. Last-mile delivery, which usually happens in residential areas conducted by small vans or trucks with low speeds, raises concerns for environmental and safety issues. One of the strategies to address these problems is to set up Pick-up Point (PPs) networks or Automated Parcel (APs) systems. This research will focus on the spatial dynamics and the associated potential GHG emission reductions of Amazon Lockers, one of the most popular APs, in Los Angeles County. The location data of Amazon Lockers will be obtained by Google Map API and Python. Specifically, the questions to be answered include: (1) Describing the spatial distribution of lockers using spatial pattern analysis tool (Kernel density and Moran's I statistics); (2) Analyzing the socio-economic and built environmental factors that might affect the spatial distribution of Amazon Lockers using spatial regression models (Geographically Weight Regression); and (3) Predict and estimate the potential GHG emission reduction based on the spatial regression models. The results indicate that (1) There is a \"three-tier-clustering\" pattern based on the level of density; (2) There is a significant positive spatial autocorrelation at 99% confidence level; (3) Geographic Weighted Regression with independent variables population/internet use, income, education, walkability, transit and parking can explain 41% of the variations in dependent variables; (4) Business cooperation and spillover effects also greatly affect the locker distribution.", "keywords": [ "Replication (statistics)", "Amazon rainforest", "Geography", "Archaeology", "Cartography", "Biology", "Ecology", "Virology" ], "cited_by_count": 0, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "https://doi.org/10.7910/dvn/qtuw3j" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W4416712995", "doi": "10.4018/979-8-3373-2240-7.ch013", "title": "Ethical and Legal Dimensions of Drones and Robots in Smart Business", "year": 2025, "publication_date": "2025-11-26", "type": "book-chapter", "language": "ng", "authors": [ "Ananya Pandey", "Jipson Joseph" ], "first_author": "Ananya Pandey", "venue": null, "publisher": null, "abstract": "Use of drones and robots are slowly but surely making their way into people's personal and professional lives. International companies are spending millions of dollars on drone research and development for logistics. Companies like Google, Amazon, DHL, and Walmart are actively experimenting on autonomous systems and robotics. Drones and robots are used in the business strategies of these organizations to ensure last-mile delivery, which involves transporting packages straight from a depot to the ultimate customer, maintaining inventory, loading and unloading of trucks, order processing, and the like. But the usage of these advancements poses some critical ethical and legal issues. Authorities must pay attention to these challenges and difficulties in order to ensure their meaningful usage. This chapter, in this perspective, overviews the most significant legal and ethical concerns pertaining to the use of autonomous vehicles in smart businesses and logistics and provides recommendations for their effective utilization in future.", "keywords": [ "Drone", "Order (exchange)", "Robot", "Ethical issues", "Agency (philosophy)" ], "cited_by_count": 0, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "https://doi.org/10.4018/979-8-3373-2240-7.ch013" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W3044218870", "doi": null, "title": "İstanbul İli Bayrampaşa Yaş Sebze ve Meyve Hali Lojistiği ve Yük Aracı Doluluk Oranlarının Trafik Sıkışıklığına Etkisi", "year": 2020, "publication_date": "2020-02-01", "type": "article", "language": "tr", "authors": [ "Akın Emin", "Mustafa Ilıcalı" ], "first_author": "Akın Emin", "venue": "İstanbul Ticaret Üniversitesi Teknoloji ve Uygulamalı Bilimler Dergisi", "publisher": null, "abstract": "Fresh fruit and vegetable logistics sector in Istanbul started with the logistics of the definition and explanation of the history before the general assessment in this study in the world of logistics mobility, logistics size of Turkey and Istanbul were shared general information about urban logistics with the share of this magnitude. After this information, general information about the sector is explained. This work; Bayrampasa Bayrampasa Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Market in the province of Istanbul in the special load and transport vehicles that contain statistical information. This information includes time, distance, number, vehicle occupancy rates and general data on urban and suburban freight mobility depending on the type of vehicle lorry, truck van, van and minivan and the type of product they carry or will travel. In addition, in the light of the data collected in this study, the occupancy modeling of the load vehicles is made and solutions are proposed for low occupancy. In the light of these solutions, increasing occupancy rates in order to minimize the effects of daily vehicles on daily transportation in urban traffic; traffic congestion, environment and economy.", "keywords": [ "Occupancy", "Truck", "Transport engineering", "Work (physics)", "Traffic congestion", "Business", "Agricultural economics", "Agricultural science", "Environmental science", "Engineering", "Economics", "Civil engineering" ], "cited_by_count": 0, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "https://dergipark.org.tr/en/download/article-file/1331304" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W4385622391", "doi": "10.1201/9781003261513-8", "title": "Evaluation", "year": 2023, "publication_date": "2023-08-07", "type": "book-chapter", "language": "en", "authors": [ "Eiichi Taniguchi", "Russell George Thompson", "Ali Gul Qureshi" ], "first_author": "Eiichi Taniguchi", "venue": null, "publisher": null, "abstract": "Chapter 7 presents a range of analytics methods that can be used for evaluating options to improve the sustainability of urban freight systems. Financial analysis, multi-criteria assessment, and multi-objective optimisation problems are covered. Applications are described for a range of City Logistics initiatives, including collaborative freight networks, electric freight vehicles, urban consolidation centres, and road tolls. This chapter describes techniques that can be used to highlight the trade-offs in the predicted performance of urban freight options and illustrate how sensitive these are to key assumptions within models. Procedures for illustrating the effects of options for multiple stakeholders with different objectives are presented.", "keywords": [ "Computer science" ], "cited_by_count": 0, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "http://dx.doi.org/10.1201/9781003261513-8" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W4415952849", "doi": "10.1080/21680566.2025.2571709", "title": "Evaluation of environmental and operational impacts of a delivery system with parcel lockers", "year": 2025, "publication_date": "2025-11-06", "type": "article", "language": "en", "authors": [ "Pasquale Carotenuto", "Riccardo Ceccato", "Massimiliano Gastaldi", "Stefano Giordani", "Riccardo Rossi", "Alessio Salvatore" ], "first_author": "Pasquale Carotenuto", "venue": "Transportmetrica B Transport Dynamics", "publisher": "Taylor & Francis", "abstract": "Many local authorities have enforced vehicle access restrictions to improve air quality and liveability in urban areas, prompting changes in last-mile delivery to increase the sustainability of the system. This paper aims to quantify the environmental and operational efficiency of a delivery system with parcel lockers. We consider a company operating in the Municipality of Padova (Italy), with an heterogeneous fleet and a given subset of lockers. The lockers' demand is estimated, and a traffic simulation model is implemented to evaluate the traffic conditions in the road network. Pollutant emissions generated by freight vehicles were quantified. The distribution problem is modelled as a vehicle routing problem with or without split delivery. Multiple scenarios are tested, considering the quantitative and spatial changes in the lockers to be served. The results show that the split delivery system decreases the generalised cost for the company and the CO2 emissions.", "keywords": [ "Sustainability", "Vehicle routing problem", "Delivery system", "Routing (electronic design automation)", "Operational efficiency", "Operational costs", "Quality (philosophy)" ], "cited_by_count": 0, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "https://doi.org/10.1080/21680566.2025.2571709" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W4402412686", "doi": "10.2139/ssrn.4952275", "title": "Dynamic Resource Coordination in Healthcare Logistics: Enhancing Efficiency Through Adaptive Neighbourhood Strategies", "year": 2024, "publication_date": "2024-01-01", "type": "preprint", "language": "en", "authors": [ "Tejinder Singh", "Yerasani Sinjana", "Anuj Pal Kapoor" ], "first_author": "Tejinder Singh", "venue": "SSRN Electronic Journal", "publisher": "RELX Group (Netherlands)", "abstract": null, "keywords": [ "Business", "Process management", "Neighbourhood (mathematics)", "Resource (disambiguation)", "Health care", "Knowledge management", "Computer science", "Risk analysis (engineering)", "Economics", "Economic growth", "Mathematics" ], "cited_by_count": 0, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4952275" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W4402060104", "doi": "10.1136/injuryprev-2024-safety.307", "title": "616 Robot deliveries and integration with public transit", "year": 2024, "publication_date": "2024-08-30", "type": "conference-paper", "language": "en", "authors": [ "Prajwal Gudadoor", "Abhishek Sehrawat", "Lokesh Kumar Kalahasthi" ], "first_author": "Prajwal Gudadoor", "venue": null, "publisher": null, "abstract": "This study aims to explore the possibility of using autonomous vehicles and their integration with other transport streams. A successful integration would result in better utilization of public transit resources and reduction in cost for the passengers. Trucks and buses are involved in 70% of fatal crashes in urban areas. Any reduction in the number of trucks plying on the urban roads could result in the roads becoming safer for the vulnerable road users. Autonomous vehicles (robots and drones) can be used for last mile deliveries which could help address several problems including emissions, parking and safety as the autonomous vehicles operate at lower speeds. The navigation and prediction of paths of autonomous vehicles, such as robots and buses, is based on algorithms, GPS, and a variety of sensors. Unlike humans, these systems can process vast amounts of data in real-time. Accuracy in path prediction could smooth traffic flow and reduce congestion in urban areas. Autonomous vehicles are equipped with collision avoiding sensors which would almost zero the chances of it being involved in a fatal crash. We start by assessing the passenger and freight demand data. Followed by planning for robot delivery, scheduling of public transport and their integration. A previous study showed that this integration would result in lower energy consumption.", "keywords": [ "Global Positioning System", "SAFER", "Public transport", "Transport engineering", "Truck", "Robot", "Computer science", "Motion planning", "Energy consumption", "Real-time computing", "Mobile robot", "Engineering" ], "cited_by_count": 0, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "https://doi.org/10.1136/injuryprev-2024-safety.307" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W7167206649", "doi": "10.37609/akya.3956.c2654", "title": "Lojistikte Stratejik Bir Açılım Olarak İnsansız Hava Araçları (İha) ve Drone Lojistiği: Kullanım Alanları, Sınırlılıklar ve IOD Entegrasyon", "year": 2026, "publication_date": "2026-07-03", "type": "book-chapter", "language": "tr", "authors": [ "İsmail Bakan", "Burcu Erşahan", "Yağmur Matyar Tanır" ], "first_author": "İsmail Bakan", "venue": null, "publisher": null, "abstract": "İnsansız hava araçları (İHA), daha yaygın adıyla drone’lar, lojistik ve tedarik zincirlerinde giderek önemli bir rol üstlenmektedir. Özellikle son kilometre teslimat, afet ve acil yardım operasyonları ile sağlık lojistiği gibi kritik alanlarda kullanımları artmaktadır. Drone’lar, yüksek hareket kabiliyeti, insan erişiminin zor olduğu bölgelere ulaşabilme ve kablosuz ağ entegrasyonu sayesinde operasyonel esnekliği arttırırken, teslimat sürelerini kısaltmakta ve maliyetleri düşürmektedir. Bununla birlikte, batarya ömrü, sınırlı taşıma kapasitesi ve siber güvenlik riskleri gibi sınırlılıkları da mevcuttur. Teslimat süreçlerinde drone’lar ve kamyonlar, birbirini tamamlayıcı şekilde kullanılabilir; kamyonlar ana taşımayı gerçekleştirirken, drone’lar son kilometre teslimatlarını hızlı ve etkin biçimde tamamlayarak hibrit bir lojistik modeli oluşturur. Bu bağlamda, İnsansız Hava Araçları İnterneti (IoD), drone’ların birbirleriyle ve yer altyapılarıyla kesintisiz ve koordineli bir şekilde etkileşim kurmasını sağlayan merkezi bir paradigma olarak öne çıkmaktadır. IoD, operasyonel koordinasyonu, veri paylaşımını ve görev yönetimini optimize ederken, güvenlik, gizlilik ve sistem güvenilirliği konularında titiz önlemler alınmasını gerektirmektedir. Bu kapsamda bu çalışma, İHA’ların lojistik amaçlı kullanım potansiyelini, avantajlarını ve sınırlılıklarını değerlendirirken, drone ve kamyon entegrasyonunun lojistik uygulamalardaki önemini vurgulamaktadır. Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), more commonly known as drones, are playing an increasingly important role in logistics and supply chains. Their use is expanding particularly in critical areas such as last-mile delivery, disaster and emergency response operations, and healthcare logistics. Drones enhance operational flexibility by offering high mobility, the ability to access hard-to-reach areas, and integration with wireless networks, while also reducing delivery times and lowering costs. Nevertheless, they face several limitations, including limited battery life, restricted payload capacity, and cybersecurity risks. In delivery processes, drones and trucks can be used in a complementary manner: while trucks perform the main transportation, drones complete last-mile deliveries quickly and efficiently, thereby creating a hybrid logistics model. In this context, the Internet of Drones (IoD) emerges as a central paradigm that enables drones to interact seamlessly and in a coordinated manner with each other and with ground infrastructures. While IoD optimizes operational coordination, data sharing, and mission management, it also necessitates stringent measures in terms of security, privacy, and system reliability. Within this scope, this study evaluates the potential, advantages, and limitations of UAVs for logistics purposes, while emphasizing the importance of drone–truck integration in logistics applications.", "keywords": [ "Drone", "Payload (computing)", "On board", "Flexibility (engineering)" ], "cited_by_count": 0, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "https://doi.org/10.37609/akya.3956.c2654" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W7213665632", "doi": "10.1038/s41598-026-68290-3", "title": "Research on route optimization for bus–drone collaborative delivery under time-dependent road networks", "year": 2026, "publication_date": "2026-09-19", "type": "article", "language": "en", "authors": [ "Leiming Hou", "Zejian Zhang", "Mingxu Chen", "Jing Liu", "Chao Ma", "Xun Wu" ], "first_author": "Leiming Hou", "venue": "Scientific Reports", "publisher": "Nature Portfolio", "abstract": "With the increasing demand for time-sensitive urban distribution services, traditional ground-based last-mile delivery faces challenges such as traffic congestion, rising costs, and unstable timeliness. This study investigates the bus–drone collaborative delivery route optimization problem under time-dependent road network conditions and mixed-cargo demand. Different from most truck–drone delivery studies, fixed-route buses are introduced as mobile transfer platforms for drones, and the coordination between bus stop sequences and drone launch/recovery decisions is considered. A cost-minimization model is developed by incorporating time-dependent bus travel times, drone payload and endurance constraints, customer time windows, and different delivery time requirements of ordinary and fresh products.An improved adaptive large neighborhood search algorithm (IALNS) is proposed, which integrates greedy initialization, multiple destruction and repair operators, adaptive operator weight updating, improved genetic operations, and a simulated annealing acceptance criterion. Computational results show that IALNS reduces delivery costs by 2.69–6.22% compared with ALNS and by 2.79–7.76% compared with GA. The average convergence curve over 10 independent runs indicates that the algorithm converges stably after about 200 iterations. Ablation experiments show that removing key improvement strategies increases the average delivery cost by 2.89–8.82%. Sensitivity analyses further indicate that increasing the proportion of fresh cold-chain customers raises total cost, while improving drone payload capacity helps reduce total cost. This study provides a reference for integrating public transit resources into urban last-mile delivery systems.", "keywords": [ "Payload (computing)", "Drone", "Simulated annealing", "Convergence (economics)", "Food delivery", "Public transport", "Key (lock)", "Genetic algorithm" ], "cited_by_count": 0, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-026-68290-3_reference.pdf" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W623698094", "doi": null, "title": "A REVIEW OF PARKING AND SERVICE FACILITIES FOR GOODS VEHICLES AND THEIR DRIVERS", "year": 1982, "publication_date": "1982-02-01", "type": "article", "language": "en", "authors": [ "M S Hall", "P Worden" ], "first_author": "M S Hall", "venue": "OpenGrey (Institut de l'Information Scientifique et Technique)", "publisher": "Institut de l'Information Scientifique et Technique", "abstract": "Research into planning for urban freight revealed limited knowledge of facilities for drivers, parking places for vehicles and policies to deal with them. This report reviews the provision of facilities for lorries and the costs involved. Types of existing facilities are described. Views of drivers and hauliers supplement information obtained from operators. Local authority action and views are briefly described and, from these various sources, conclusions are drawn about the prospects for an effective role for local authorities in the provision of lorry parks and facilities for goods vehicles and their drivers. The conclusions are generally pessimistic about the potential for facilities though where circumstances are favourable in several ways then it is felt local authority action can be particularly valuable. (TRRL)", "keywords": [ "Business", "Truck", "Transport engineering", "Service (business)", "Action (physics)", "Local authority", "Environmental planning", "Marketing", "Engineering", "Public administration", "Political science", "Geography" ], "cited_by_count": 0, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "http://hdl.handle.net/10068/561202" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W3211931943", "doi": null, "title": "Optimization models and algorithms for unmanned aerial vehicle applications", "year": 2020, "publication_date": "2020-03-12", "type": "article", "language": "en", "authors": [ "Adriano Masone" ], "first_author": "Adriano Masone", "venue": null, "publisher": null, "abstract": "Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) or drones are currently in the prominence of technology expansion of many organizations in different application fields including logistics, surveillance, security, emergency response, agriculture, and investigative science. Indeed, recent advances in unmanned vehicle technology set up new opportunities to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of drone systems that can be exploited by these organizations.\nHowever, there are many complex issues in modeling, solving, and implementing drone systems. \nThese issues constitute a topic receiving considerable attention in the last years but the operations research community has only recently started to focus on them with particular reference to the logistic applications. This thesis brings together an overview of drone technology and applications, and a state-of-the-art of the operational research contributions to the optimization of drone systems. Moreover, it presents three optimization approaches to solve problems which consider the use of a truck and a drone to exploit the advantages of both the vehicles for last-mile deliveries.", "keywords": [ "Drone", "Exploit", "Computer science", "Systems engineering", "Truck", "Operations research", "Aeronautics", "Engineering", "Computer security", "Aerospace engineering" ], "cited_by_count": 0, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "http://www.fedoa.unina.it/13100/" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W7214452083", "doi": "10.2139/ssrn.7528475", "title": "The Team Orienteering Problem with Drones", "year": 2026, "publication_date": "2026-01-01", "type": "preprint", "language": null, "authors": [ "Xuan Ren", "Ola Jabali", "Roberto Roberti", "Chenhao Zhou" ], "first_author": "Xuan Ren", "venue": "SSRN Electronic Journal", "publisher": "RELX Group (Netherlands)", "abstract": null, "keywords": [ "Orienteering", "Iterated local search", "Drone", "Heuristic", "Sequence (biology)", "Local search (optimization)", "Truck", "Stackelberg competition" ], "cited_by_count": 0, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.7528475" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W4313422819", "doi": "10.1002/joom.1233", "title": "Introduction to the special issue on mobility, climate change, and economic inequality", "year": 2023, "publication_date": "2023-01-01", "type": "editorial", "language": "en", "authors": [ "Merieke Stevens" ], "first_author": "Merieke Stevens", "venue": "Journal of Operations Management", "publisher": "Wiley", "abstract": "Operations Management (OM) is at the heart of two global sustainability objectives in the 21st century: to reduce the negative impact of operations and supply chains on the climate, and to improve access to good jobs, in order to address growing income inequality. Nowhere is this more evident than in the mobility sector. Mobility and transportation systems are key producers of greenhouse gas emissions and pollution. They are also vital providers of employment and access to work and have been fundamental to global economic growth. Addressing climate change is one of the most urgent tasks facing society. Research by the World Economic Forum (WEF, 2019) identified extreme weather events and the failure of climate change mitigation and adaptation as potentially the two most severe impacts on the world. Failure to address climate change may result in insurmountable costs to our social and economic structures. Meanwhile, advances in technology, such as automation, have drastically increased efficiency while reducing the cost of transportation. As a result, motorized movement continues to increase globally (IEA, 2021). Transport accounts for 37% of carbon emissions from end-use sectors (IEA, 2021). And while lockdowns during the COVID-19 pandemic reduced the demand for transportation in 2020, by 2021 emissions were back on their pre-pandemic growth track. To reverse the alarming growth in carbon intensity of mobility systems, shifts in transportation modes as well as operational and technical energy efficiency improvements are required (IEA, 2021). Transportation and vehicle production systems are woven into the fabric of global and local economies, and in many places have been a significant source of middle-class jobs such as trucking, auto assembly, and bus driving. Moreover, the mobility provided by our transportation systems has an important effect on patterns of land use, resource consumption, and access to jobs. To ensure broad participation in achieving climate goals, good jobs must be retained, and the trend of widening income inequality reversed. Without concerted efforts of practitioners, policymakers, and researchers, it is unlikely that climate and social goals will be achieved. Mobility and transportation systems have long been a core setting of OM research. Most studies in this area have focused on traditional outcomes such as quality, cost, and delivery (QCD)—in line with the historical focus of most firms. Supply chain participants used their market power to extract concessions from other participants. Inevitably linked with intense competition are uncoordinated management, bottlenecks, and information deficits and asymmetries, all of which characterize global transportation systems. Added to this are a complex mix of public and private actors, diverse and variable customer needs, and overlapping and at times conflicting regulatory regimes. The result is a system that is vulnerable to disruptions and damaging to social and environmental structures. Whether Lean—based on the Toyota production system and just-in-time principles—and its many interpretations contributed to this state of mobility and vehicle production systems is discussed elsewhere (e.g., Browning & de Treville, 2021; de Treville & Antonakis, 2006; MacDuffie, 1995; Schonberger, 2007). Important here is that the precedence of short-term calculations over long-term thinking about climate and social externalities resulted in an unsustainable system. Addressing this is in line with the call to broaden the focus of OM research to include value for all stakeholders affected by operational processes (Browning & de Treville, 2021; Gray et al., 2020). OM scholars are well-positioned to support this move (Pagell & Shevchenko, 2014). One way is to reconsider the traditional idea that sustainability and sound business practices are separate phenomena that need to be balanced (e.g., Wu & Pagell, 2011). Current global challenges raise the question of whether business practices can ever be considered “sound” if their social and environmental impacts are negative. Mobility and transportation systems provide a useful setting to demonstrate the need for expanding the objectives, stakeholders, and research methodologies included in OM research. They are mature industries and among the first to be affected by four global phenomena that require a widening of scope: regulatory attention, supply chain globalization, disruptive technological innovation, and a shift from ownership to usership. Regulatory attention dates back to the beginning of the industry, which is unsurprising considering the impact of mobility and transportation systems on public space and economic life. Due to its negative environmental impact, it has also been a key subject of climate regulations since the 1970s. This long-term pattern of regulatory involvement has only been reinforced by recent trends. Increasing attention to climate change resulted in more stringent environmental regulations in most developed economies. Moreover, to address growing inequality, the European Commission in February 2022 set the first steps in addressing global working conditions by presenting a directive for “corporate sustainability due diligence” (EU, 2022). Its goal is to make all companies based or operating in the European Union, except SMEs, responsible for the “effective protection of human rights included in international conventions” of those who work in their global supply chains. Public policymakers still grapple to address some recent trends, such as autonomous driving and the prominent presence of shared mobility solutions in public space. OM scholars have been encouraged to actively contribute to public policy (Helper et al., 2021), and mobility and transportation systems are settings that would benefit from this attention. Supply chain globalization is another phenomenon that has historically been tied to mobility and transportation systems (Cohen & Mallik, 1997). Effici", "keywords": [ "Greenhouse gas", "Climate change", "Sustainability", "Business", "Natural resource economics", "Extreme weather", "Work (physics)", "Green growth", "Sustainable development", "Environmental economics", "Economics", "Engineering" ], "cited_by_count": 5, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdfdirect/10.1002/joom.1233" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W4400958740", "doi": "10.61527/1684-7016-2024-2-74-79", "title": "Analysis of freight transportation problems in city communication", "year": 2024, "publication_date": "2024-06-28", "type": "article", "language": "en", "authors": [ "Alexey Olegovich Statenin", "Sergey Vizgalin", "Vyacheslav Epifanov" ], "first_author": "Alexey Olegovich Statenin", "venue": "Вестник Ульяновского государственного технического университета", "publisher": null, "abstract": "The main problems of truck road transport in urban communication in the Russian Federation are considered. The economic and social importance of urban freight motor transport is noted. Specific problems of the functioning of urban freight transport are presented, including high wear and tear of trucks for urban transportation, lack of infrastructure and congestion of the road environment, weak implementation of information technologies, insufficient qualification of personnel", "keywords": [ "Transport engineering", "Business", "Engineering" ], "cited_by_count": 0, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "http://dx.doi.org/10.61527/1684-7016-2024-2-74-79" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W4414918615", "doi": "10.1007/s13177-025-00558-w", "title": "A Hybrid Metaheuristic Algorithm for Solving Vehicle Routing Problem with Drone (VRPD)", "year": 2025, "publication_date": "2025-10-07", "type": "article", "language": "en", "authors": [ "Ahmad Rahimi Denjkolaei", "Rasul Enayatifar", "Mahdi Golsorkhtabaramiri", "Kamal Jadidy Aval" ], "first_author": "Ahmad Rahimi Denjkolaei", "venue": "International Journal of Intelligent Transportation Systems Research", "publisher": "Springer Science+Business Media", "abstract": null, "keywords": [ "Drone", "Vehicle routing problem", "Benchmark (surveying)", "Metaheuristic", "Heuristic", "Variable neighborhood search", "Greedy algorithm", "Routing (electronic design automation)" ], "cited_by_count": 0, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "https://doi.org/10.1007/s13177-025-00558-w" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W3166247698", "doi": "10.1007/978-3-030-78230-6_20", "title": "Logic-Based Benders Decomposition for an Inter-modal Transportation Problem", "year": 2021, "publication_date": "2021-01-01", "type": "conference-paper", "language": "en", "authors": [ "Ioannis Avgerinos", "Ioannis Mourtos", "Georgios Zois" ], "first_author": "Ioannis Avgerinos", "venue": "Lecture notes in computer science", "publisher": "Springer Science+Business Media", "abstract": null, "keywords": [ "Truck", "Tardiness", "Benders' decomposition", "Modal", "Integer programming", "Mathematical optimization", "Set (abstract data type)", "Constraint programming", "Computer science", "Constraint (computer-aided design)", "Operations research", "Decomposition" ], "cited_by_count": 0, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-78230-6_20" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W3113273073", "doi": null, "title": "The traveling salesman problem with drone", "year": 2019, "publication_date": "2019-01-01", "type": "dissertation", "language": "en", "authors": [ "Quang Minh Ha" ], "first_author": "Quang Minh Ha", "venue": "Digital Access to Libraries (Université catholique de Louvain (UCL), l'Université de Namur (UNamur) and the Université Saint-Louis (USL-B))", "publisher": "UCLouvain", "abstract": "Over the past few years, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV), also known as drones, have been adopted as part of a new logistic method in the commercial sector called \"last-mile delivery\". In this novel approach, they are deployed alongside trucks to deliver goods to customers to improve the quality of service and reduce the transportation cost. This approach gives rise to a new variant of the traveling salesman problem (TSP), called TSP with drone (TSP-D). A variant of this prob- lem that aims to minimize the time at which truck and drone finish the service (or, in other words, to maximize the quality of service) was studied in the work of Murray and Chu (2015). In this thesis, we propose two new variants of the TSP-D: the Min- Cost TSP-D and the Multi-Visits TSP-D. With each of this variant, a mathematical model – a MIP formulation – is presented. Further- more, with the development of three metaheuristics (GRASP, HGA, ILS) based on local search, we can solve the problem in both min- time and min-cost objective efficiently under an acceptable time. The computational results show that our proposed methods could outperform the ones in the previous work and could significantly improve the solution quality when comparing to the optimal TSP solution. Furthermore, the extensive analysis of the components of the heuristic as well as the parameters of the variants, we can under- stand more about the algorithm’s sensitivity as well as the nature of the problem.", "keywords": [ "Drone", "Travelling salesman problem", "Computer science", "Biology", "Algorithm" ], "cited_by_count": 0, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "http://hdl.handle.net/2078.1/222932" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W7161292891", "doi": "10.2139/ssrn.6773309", "title": "Routing, Scheduling, and Synchronization of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) with Bus Hitchhiking for Last-mile Parcel Delivery", "year": 2026, "publication_date": "2026-01-01", "type": "preprint", "language": null, "authors": [ "Yizhi Zhen", "Fangni Zhang", "Yong‐Hong Kuo", "Kaifeng Ji" ], "first_author": "Yizhi Zhen", "venue": "SSRN Electronic Journal", "publisher": "RELX Group (Netherlands)", "abstract": null, "keywords": [ "Drone", "Scalability", "Synchronization (alternating current)", "Simulated annealing", "Linear programming", "Scheduling (production processes)", "Range (aeronautics)", "Cost reduction" ], "cited_by_count": 0, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.6773309" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W7120724758", "doi": null, "title": "Medidas relacionadas ao transporte urbano de cargas na região metropolitana de São Paulo.", "year": 2021, "publication_date": "2021-10-25", "type": "dissertation", "language": "en", "authors": [ "Maristela Alves Ferreira Destro" ], "first_author": "Maristela Alves Ferreira Destro", "venue": "LA Referencia (Red Federada de Repositorios Institucionales de Publicaciones Científicas)", "publisher": "LA Referencia", "abstract": "There is a general perception that urban freight vehicles are relevant contributors to worsened livability in urban areas. To address citizens complaints, local authorities interfere usually by regulating truck traffic within their jurisdiction boundaries. The objective of this study is to provide insight in the emergence of UFT management measures in large cities and adjacent areas. It is an exploratory research and, as such, it aims to produce generalizations derived from inductive reasoning. To achieve this objective, we conducted a detailed account of UFT measures in the São Paulo Metropolitan Area from 1960 to 2019. We searched cities document databases and employed Python routines to recognize and filter text information, then compared the emergence of measures with changes in population, GDP, fleet and accidents data. We found that public policies have not been coordinated among cities and that most initiatives are not assessed before implementation.", "keywords": [ "Metropolitan area", "Jurisdiction", "Exploratory research", "Exploratory analysis", "Urban management", "Public transport" ], "cited_by_count": 0, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "https://www.teses.usp.br/teses/disponiveis/3/3148/tde-12082022-101111/" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W2892094359", "doi": null, "title": "Advancing the Urban Parcel Delivery System Using Crowdshipping", "year": 2017, "publication_date": "2017-04-18", "type": "dissertation", "language": "en", "authors": [ "Nabin Kafle" ], "first_author": "Nabin Kafle", "venue": "Figshare", "publisher": "Figshare (United Kingdom)", "abstract": "This research presents a methodological investigation on the design, modeling, and evaluation of two types of crowdsourcee-enabled urban parcel delivery systems. The first system couples the existing truck-delivery practice with the locally available crowdsourcees to minimize the cost of last mile delivery. The second system considers the delivery of parcels without the use of any intermediate relay point i.e. crowdsourcees are solely responsible for the pickup of parcels and delivering it to customers’ doorsteps.\\nFor the first system, we consider cyclists and pedestrians as crowdsourcees who are close to customers and interested in relaying parcels with a truck carrier and undertaking jobs for the last-leg parcel delivery and the first-leg parcel pickup. The crowdsourcees express their interests in doing so by submitting bids to the truck carrier. The truck carrier then selects bids and coordinates crowdsourcees’ last-leg delivery (first-leg pickup) with its truck operations. The truck carrier’s problem is formulated as a mixed integer non-linear program which simultaneously i) selects crowdsourcees to complete the last-leg delivery (first-leg pickup) between customers and selected points for crowdsourcee-truck relay; and ii) determines the relay points and truck routes and schedule. To solve the truck carrier problem, we first decompose the problem into a winner determination problem and a simultaneous pickup and delivery problem with soft time windows, and propose a Tabu Search based algorithm to iteratively solve the two subproblems. Numerical results show that this solution approach is able to yield close-to-optimum solutions with much less time than using off-the-shelf solvers. By adopting this new system, truck vehicle miles traveled (VMT) and total cost can be reduced compared to pure-truck delivery. The advantage of the system over pure-truck delivery is sensitive to factors such as penalty for servicing outside customers’ desired time windows, truck unit operating cost, time value of crowdsourcees, and the crowdsourcee mode.\\nFor the second system, a new mechanism design based model is proposed in which a Delivery Service Provider (DSP) solicits ordinary individuals, i.e., crowdsourcees, who walk, bike, or drive to do delivery in urban areas. As an essential part of the model, the DSP collects private information such as one’s willingness-to-do-crowdshipping (WTDC) and available time window from crowdsourcees in order to assign shipments with the minimum cost. The mechanisms embedded in the crowdshipping model recognize that crowdsourcees may strategically misreport their private information to gain self-interest, and devises a joint shipment assignment-payment scheme that aligns the self-interest of the crowdsourcees with the objective of the DSP. Both static and dynamic cases are investigated. Numerical results demonstrate that the proposed mechanisms will lead to reduced shipping cost compared to the state-of-the-practice crowdshipping. A case study of North Chicago is also presented to further demonstrate the promise of the proposed mechanism to the on-demand delivery in urban areas.", "keywords": [ "Truck", "Pickup", "Schedule", "Relay", "Transport engineering", "Last mile (transportation)", "Computer science", "Integer (computer science)", "Tabu search", "Engineering", "Operations research", "Mathematical optimization" ], "cited_by_count": 0, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "https://figshare.com/articles/thesis/Advancing_the_Urban_Parcel_Delivery_System_Using_Crowdshipping/10940135" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W878870223", "doi": null, "title": "Toimintamalleja kaupunkilogistiikan kehittämiseen", "year": 2013, "publication_date": "2013-01-01", "type": "report", "language": "en", "authors": [ "Kiiskinen, Ellinoora", "Erika Kallionpää", "Pasi Metsäpuro", "Jarkko Rantala" ], "first_author": "Kiiskinen, Ellinoora", "venue": "Tampere University Institutional Repository (Tampere University)", "publisher": "Tampere University of Applied Sciences", "abstract": "The lack of non-renewable energy sources and environmental requirements has forced stakeholders to develop their operations into more environmentally friendly direction. Longhaul transportation cover the majority of the kilometres travelled during the trip, but most of the costs and harmful environmental effects compound of distribution and pickups. By investing in urban freight logistics solutions, it is possible to reduce the environmental effects and costs of transport and therefore improve efficiency.\\n\\nThe scope for this study is to define the operations to develop urban logistics and examine which of these operations would be suitable for the city of Tampere. The operations that are used in Europe to develop urban logistics are examined through literature review. The future of these methods and their suitability in Tampere are analyzed by expert interviews and case-cities in Europe.\\n\\nThe most critical methods in developing urban freight logistics are related not only to environmentally friendly and cost-effective equipment but also more effective use of equipment in route and loud factor planning. There are different ways to start to develop the organization’s operations. For example giving subsidies or forcing with laws are ways to direct the operations of the organization. Intensification can also be company driven when the goal might be in getting more profitable operations or improving the image of the company.\\n\\nIn the near future in Tampere the most recommended actions to improve urban freight logistics are those which require only little resources, for example developing the parking and unloading areas, maintaining existing infrastructure and defining the routes for trucks. Over the long haul possible targets for development are low emission zones in the centre-area, where only environmentally friendly vehicles are allowed and consolidation centre, if further studies confirm the benefits of it to overcome the resources required. Other targets for development both in the short and long run are generating common long haul vision for decision makers and companies for the future of the urban freight logistics, sharing real time information with different stakeholders and developing information systems that help to optimize and plan urban logistics.", "keywords": [ "Computer science" ], "cited_by_count": 0, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "https://trepo.tuni.fi//handle/10024/116700" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W4410326989", "doi": "10.2139/ssrn.5252367", "title": "Simulation-Based Validation of Delivery Drone Energy Consumption", "year": 2025, "publication_date": "2025-01-01", "type": "preprint", "language": "en", "authors": [ "SungHyuk Choi" ], "first_author": "SungHyuk Choi", "venue": "SSRN Electronic Journal", "publisher": "RELX Group (Netherlands)", "abstract": null, "keywords": [ "Drone", "Energy consumption", "Computer science", "Consumption (sociology)", "Energy (signal processing)", "Engineering", "Statistics", "Mathematics", "Electrical engineering", "Sociology" ], "cited_by_count": 0, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.5252367" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W4406281813", "doi": "10.2139/ssrn.5094253", "title": "Operational Cost Optimization of Robot-Assisted Electric Delivery Fleets Using Geographic Information System", "year": 2025, "publication_date": "2025-01-01", "type": "preprint", "language": "en", "authors": [ "Hyunjin Ahn", "Huihai Wang", "Ji Hwan Park", "Hyosup Shin", "Junfeng Jiao", "Junmin Wang" ], "first_author": "Hyunjin Ahn", "venue": "SSRN Electronic Journal", "publisher": "RELX Group (Netherlands)", "abstract": null, "keywords": [ "Geographic information system", "Truck", "Adaptability", "Software deployment", "Last mile (transportation)", "Computer science", "Robot", "Vehicle routing problem", "Transport engineering", "Routing (electronic design automation)", "Engineering", "Mile" ], "cited_by_count": 0, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.5094253" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W7204530562", "doi": "10.1007/978-981-92-2258-2_17", "title": "Study on Predicting Station-To-Door Delivery Time in Railway Logistics Based on Dynamic Data", "year": 2026, "publication_date": "2026-01-01", "type": "conference-paper", "language": "en", "authors": [ "Linkai Peng", "Baicheng Yan", "ZhiPing Peng" ], "first_author": "Linkai Peng", "venue": "Lecture notes in electrical engineering", "publisher": "Springer Science+Business Media", "abstract": null, "keywords": [ "Reliability (semiconductor)", "Truck", "Travel time", "Scalability", "Dijkstra's algorithm", "Plan (archaeology)", "Dynamic data", "Graph", "Empirical research" ], "cited_by_count": 0, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-92-2258-2_17" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W7136350548", "doi": "10.1109/itsc60802.2025.11423254", "title": "Real-World Impacts of the Parallel Scheduling Vehicle Routing Problem in Rural Environments", "year": 2025, "publication_date": "2025-11-18", "type": "conference-paper", "language": null, "authors": [ "John Squires", "Marcella Kaplan", "Kevin P. Heaslip" ], "first_author": "John Squires", "venue": null, "publisher": null, "abstract": "The last-mile delivery problem in rural areas faces higher costs and environmental impacts than in urban areas. In this study, the performance of the Parallel Scheduling Vehicle Routing Problem (PSVRP)—an advanced delivery routing system utilizing electric vans, autonomous delivery vehicles, drones, and truck-drone combinations—is studied in rural settings. To analyze real-world potential, the PSVRP is modeled in real-world rural scenarios, comparing cost and emissions with traditional diesel fleets. Additionally, synthetic customer-location models (uniform and clustered) are assessed on how well they approximate real-world instances. Using minimal fleet sizes, the PSVRP was found to reduce real-world costs by$50 - 58 \\%$and emissions by$39 - 46\\%$compared to diesel fleets. The uniform distribution adequately approximated modeled real-world costs (within$6-8 \\%$), whereas clustered distributions consistently underestimated costs and emissions. This study demonstrates the PSVRP's economic and environmental benefits in rural settings and highlights the ability of uniformly distributed theoretical scenarios to approximate real-world conditions.", "keywords": [ "Scheduling (production processes)", "Vehicle routing problem", "Job shop scheduling", "Routing (electronic design automation)" ], "cited_by_count": 0, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "https://doi.org/10.1109/itsc60802.2025.11423254" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W4294643754", "doi": "10.5281/zenodo.7049674", "title": "Configuration of Last-Mile Distribution Networks for an Encroaching Manufacturer", "year": 2022, "publication_date": "2022-09-05", "type": "article", "language": "en", "authors": [ "Nail Tahirov" ], "first_author": "Nail Tahirov", "venue": "Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)", "publisher": "European Organization for Nuclear Research", "abstract": "This dataset is used for the working paper “Configuration of Last-Mile Distribution Networks for an Encroaching Manufacturer” authored by Tahirov, Emde, Akhundov and Glock. These instances (i.e., L) are generated close to the real-world case based on data from a fashion company operating in Berlin, Germany. Set L involves 20 large instances with n = 1000 customer zones. For each set of instances, we split the total customer zones among the three types of customer segments; in-store (T), last-mile delivery customer zones for standard products (S), and last-mile delivery customer zones for customized products (C). Note that the total demand and weight of the set of traditional customers are equivalent to the total demand and weight of the set of retail stores (R). Such that the total demand and weight of T customers are distributed equally among the retail stores. The demand of traditional customers is satisfied directly in retail stores where customers purchase and pick up products. No shipments are made from retail stores to traditional customers. Therefore the coordinates for T customer nodes are not provided in the coordinate section. The location (i.e., [xi, yi]: coordinates) of the manufacturer (M: [405, 5823]) and retail stores are given and remain constant for each instance. We generate xi, i.e., between the interval (370, 416) and yi, i.e., between the interval (5800, 5837) coordinates for each customer zone i, i∈ S∪C. The demand of each customer zone per product type and the capacity of dark stores (K) are generated uniformly in the range of [1,100] and [5000, 10000], respectively. The vehicle capacity for each type (i.e., urban van and heavy truck) was considered Qu = 1000 and Qh = 10000. The fixed opening cost of a dark store is a linear function of the capacity values and is calculated as ⌈0.25 €/unit∙K⌉. Distances between nodes are measured via the Euclidean metric. Each text file is structured as follows: NAME: DIMENSION: CAPACITY: COST: EDGE_WEIGHT_TYPE: NODE_COORD_SECTION_D_W:", "keywords": [ "Mile", "Last mile (transportation)", "Distribution (mathematics)", "Computer science", "Geography", "Mathematics", "Geodesy" ], "cited_by_count": 0, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.7049674" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W4313203001", "doi": "10.5281/zenodo.7488489", "title": "Time Dependent Drone-aided Vehicle Routing Problem with Time Windows and Multi-visits", "year": 2022, "publication_date": "2022-10-12", "type": "article", "language": "en", "authors": [ "Yiliang Yuan", "Jiahang Xie" ], "first_author": "Yiliang Yuan", "venue": "Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)", "publisher": "European Organization for Nuclear Research", "abstract": "The continuous development of e-commerce and ongoing pandemic in recent years leads to a large increase in the demand for last-mile delivery with higher standards of service quality. The usage of unmanned aerial vehicles, also known as drones, is an ideal solution for such complex delivery problems. When designing the delivery system with the drone, we cannot omit the following features of drones: drones have the unique ability to avoid traffic congestion compared to truck traveling; and the dispatched drones need customer assistance to retrieve goods in parcel releasing procedures. In this paper, the time-dependent vehicle routing problem with drones and time windows (TDVRPDTW) is introduced. For practical application scenarios, the parcel releasing operation of drones needs customer assistance. Thus, the drone visits are fulfilled in given time windows for each demand point. Besides, the time-dependent traveling routes of trucks are also considered to capture road congestion. The objective is to minimize total route makespan, and vehicles’ dispatch times at the depot are crucial to avoid urban congestion. We present a branch-and-price algorithm to solve the optimization. The master problem is solved using a customized column generation algorithm and the pricing problem is solved by a tailored labeling algorithm with a novel dominance rule that allows more label dominance. For our numerous experimental results, we modified Solomon’s data sets by adding time dependency. Our algorithm can solve all the small-scale and medium-scale instances optimally. In terms of large-size instances, more than 90\\% are solved optimally within 2 hours.", "keywords": [ "Drone", "Computer science", "Vehicle routing problem", "Routing (electronic design automation)", "Computer network", "Biology" ], "cited_by_count": 0, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "https://zenodo.org/record/7488489" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W4406243733", "doi": "10.5038/cutr-nicr-y2-1-5", "title": "Multimodal Strategies for Mitigating Congestion from Urban Parcel Delivery", "year": 2024, "publication_date": "2024-10-01", "type": "report", "language": "en", "authors": [ "Hansen, Mark", "Lin, Pei-Sung", "Wang, Zhenyu", "Zhang, Yu", "Li, Ang" ], "first_author": "Hansen, Mark", "venue": null, "publisher": null, "abstract": "The explosive growth in e-commerce, the increasing urgency of de-carbonization, the rapid advances in UAV technology, and the continuous disruptive development of the gig economy create needs and opportunities for dramatic improvements in urban package delivery. E-commerce may greatly increase the demand for such deliveries, traditionally made by truck and van, as urban residents substitute purchases made over the Internet for those acquired in brick-and-mortar stores. To mitigate the congestion impact of truck and van traffic, as well as reduce costs and travel times, last-mile delivery should in many cases be shifted toward non-motorized modes (e.g., walkers and bicyclists) and UAVs. While there is literature on how to optimally configure urban delivery systems composed of these modes, most of the research in this area does not consider these problems in the context of urban congestion. In addition to the familiar issues of urban street congestion, in the future, we may also see congestion above the city from UAV traffic, as the use of these vehicles for urban package delivery and other purposes intensifies. In this project, we develop a suite of multimodal, congestion-sensitive strategies for urban delivery, by integrating traditional motorized vehicles, non-motorized modes, and UAVs. Building on prior research for modelling and managing urban road congestion as well as logistics studies for UAV route optimization and scheduling, we develop new models that combine UAVs with other modes for integrated and coordinated urban package delivery. The impacts of the new multimodal strategies on roadway operations and safety are evaluated.", "keywords": [ "Computer science", "Transport engineering", "Engineering" ], "cited_by_count": 0, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "https://doi.org/10.5038/cutr-nicr-y2-1-5" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W7115810994", "doi": "10.71548/22626", "title": "Optimizing Drone-Enabled Logistics", "year": 2025, "publication_date": "2025-01-01", "type": "dissertation", "language": "en", "authors": [ "Pushkar, Shamik" ], "first_author": "Pushkar, Shamik", "venue": "MacSphere (McMaster University)", "publisher": "McMaster University", "abstract": "The integration of drones into last-mile delivery systems has garnered significant attention across sectors such as e-commerce, healthcare, and emergency logistics. Despite technological advancements and industry investment, widespread adoption remains limited due to regulatory, financial, and operational challenges. This thesis investigates the feasibility and efficiency of drone-assisted delivery under real-world constraints, with a particular focus on regulatory frameworks. Three mathematical models are developed. The first evaluates the impact of no-fly zones and flight distance restrictions on coordinated truck-drone delivery. The second introduces a hybrid logistics model incorporating droneports to facilitate delivery in urban areas with zoning laws. The third addresses a rural healthcare application, proposing a synchronized delivery and scheduling model for livestock vaccine administration, balancing workload among veterinarians. Each model is formulated as a Mixed Integer Linear Program (MILP), with computational experiments validating their performance. Heuristic and matheuristic algorithms are proposed to solve large-scale instances. Results demonstrate that while drones can enhance delivery efficiency and equity, their benefits are significantly influenced by regulatory severity and operational design.", "keywords": [ "Drone", "Scheduling (production processes)", "Workload", "Heuristic", "Operational efficiency", "Integer programming", "Job shop scheduling", "Zoning" ], "cited_by_count": 0, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "https://macsphere.mcmaster.ca/items/d899bac9-4b92-4c35-9619-25a9d1e656b1/request-a-copy?bitstream=3497b4a8-0b94-426f-8b7d-e70382272d88" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W2916416896", "doi": null, "title": "Analysis and optimization of distribution logisticsfor Just Water Company", "year": 2018, "publication_date": "2018-04-01", "type": "article", "language": "en", "authors": [ "Jacob Roy", "Sukh Deo" ], "first_author": "Jacob Roy", "venue": null, "publisher": null, "abstract": "This report details the various factors that affect the operational efficiency of distribution logistics. The research aimed at studying the existing components involved in the distribution logistics of Just Water. Distribution logistics begins at the end of the production line where the finished product is emerged until it reaches the\r\ncustomers. The literature review explains the key components of distribution logistics in an organisation. This research analyses the existing components of the distribution logistics of Just Water and discusses possible improvements that can be adapted to increase the overall efficiency of the distribution logistics operation.\r\nThe background of the research is that Just Water faces difficulty with delivering its products on time during peak seasons. The research tries to unveil the reason for this delay and finds that the demands for extra water-out deliveries are interfering with the normal runs of the trucks, therein delaying their regular schedule. One another cause was found to be the shortage of supplies due to slow or less return logistics. The research suggests a change in the existing drop shipping distribution model and recommends the adaptation of intermediary or multi-stage distribution networks, possibly the ‘Last Mile Delivery’ configuration in order to reduce delivery lead-time, reduce transportation costs and improve customer satisfaction.", "keywords": [ "Last mile (transportation)", "Truck", "Schedule", "Distribution (mathematics)", "Business", "Product (mathematics)", "Order (exchange)", "Distribution center", "Customer satisfaction", "Delivery Performance", "Operations research", "Supply chain" ], "cited_by_count": 0, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "http://researcharchive.wintec.ac.nz/6203/" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W7214218602", "doi": "10.71548/22626", "title": "Optimizing Drone-Enabled Logistics: Mathematical Models for Regulatory-Constrained Delivery in Urban and Rural Environments", "year": 2025, "publication_date": "2025-01-01", "type": "dissertation", "language": "en", "authors": [ "Shamik Pushkar" ], "first_author": "Shamik Pushkar", "venue": "MacSphere (McMaster University)", "publisher": "McMaster University", "abstract": "The integration of drones into last-mile delivery systems has garnered significant attention across sectors such as e-commerce, healthcare, and emergency logistics. Despite technological advancements and industry investment, widespread adoption remains limited due to regulatory, financial, and operational challenges. This thesis investigates the feasibility and efficiency of drone-assisted delivery under real-world constraints, with a particular focus on regulatory frameworks. Three mathematical models are developed. The first evaluates the impact of no-fly zones and flight distance restrictions on coordinated truck-drone delivery. The second introduces a hybrid logistics model incorporating droneports to facilitate delivery in urban areas with zoning laws. The third addresses a rural healthcare application, proposing a synchronized delivery and scheduling model for livestock vaccine administration, balancing workload among veterinarians. Each model is formulated as a Mixed Integer Linear Program (MILP), with computational experiments validating their performance. Heuristic and matheuristic algorithms are proposed to solve large-scale instances. Results demonstrate that while drones can enhance delivery efficiency and equity, their benefits are significantly influenced by regulatory severity and operational design.", "keywords": [ "Scheduling (production processes)", "Drone", "Heuristic", "Workload", "Mathematical model", "Integer programming" ], "cited_by_count": 0, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "https://doi.org/10.71548/22626" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W7202312504", "doi": "10.1016/j.samod.2026.100073", "title": "A continuous approximation model for large-scale delivery alternative optimization: Case study in Chicago using POLARIS, an agent-based transportation modeling framework", "year": 2026, "publication_date": "2026-01-01", "type": "article", "language": "en", "authors": [ "Jesus Osorio", "Hyun Seop Uhm", "Abdelrahman Ismael", "Olcay Sahin", "Natalia Zuniga-Garcia" ], "first_author": "Jesus Osorio", "venue": "Sustainability Analytics and Modeling", "publisher": "Elsevier BV", "abstract": "The growing access to technology combined with the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in a significant increase in the demand for e-commerce delivery services. This surge in demand led to several externalities in the last mile of the delivery services, such as illegal parking, cruising for parking, traffic congestion, and missed deliveries. In this paper, we present a multi-mode variable-echelon vehicle routing problem with delivery options (MM-VEVRP-DO) for optimizing parcel deliveries using cargo bikes and lockers. We first present the discrete formulation of the problem which quickly becomes intractable due to the size of real-world networks. We propose a discrete-continuous hybrid model that decomposes the set of customers into regions and estimates the last-mile delivery cost based on asymptotic continuous approximation formulas. We provide a methodology to generate feasible solutions and implement the model on the Chicago transportation network using the POLARIS transportation modeling and simulation framework to obtain realistic estimates of key performance metrics. Numerical results show that the implementation of micro-hubs and lockers has the potential to decrease the number of trucks operating, reduce total operations hours, and improve the delivery system efficiency.", "keywords": [ "Mathematical model", "Data modeling", "Work (physics)", "Continuous modelling", "Term (time)" ], "cited_by_count": 0, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "https://doi.org/10.1016/j.samod.2026.100073" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W7165839405", "doi": "10.47772/ijriss.2026.100600393", "title": "A Hybrid Data-Driven Approach for Optimizing Last-Mile Logistics in an Electrical Products Company Using K-Means Clustering and the Clarke-Wright Savings Algorithm", "year": 2026, "publication_date": "2026-01-01", "type": "article", "language": null, "authors": [ "Dyessa L. Mancia", "Venusmar C. Quevedo", "Noime B. Fernandez" ], "first_author": "Dyessa L. Mancia", "venue": "International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science", "publisher": null, "abstract": "Managing last-mile delivery presents significant challenges when customer locations are widely dispersed, route demand fluctuates across dispatch days, and planning relies on historical route groupings. This study introduces a hybrid, data-driven decision-support framework designed to enhance last-mile delivery planning for an electrical products company. The baseline system was evaluated using 2025 delivery records and operational indicators, including distance per trip, cost per drop, backload rate, loaded volume, drops per trip, trip duration, and truck utilization. Pareto analysis identified recurring backload categories that impeded delivery completion. The proposed framework integrates K-Means clustering with the Clarke-Wright Savings Algorithm. K-Means assigned 1,573 customer delivery points to five geographically coherent service clusters based on coordinate proximity. Within each cluster, the Clarke-Wright algorithm established preliminary route groups by prioritizing customer pairings with greater distance savings. Route outputs were validated against operational constraints, such as a 4-CBM capacity threshold, route continuity, loop prevention, a practical stop-count range of 17 to 22 drops, and flexible merging rules for low-density groups. The framework produced 79 preliminary route groups, all of which satisfied the 4-CBM capacity constraint, while 69 groups (87.34%) met the practical stop-count range. Simulation-based comparisons demonstrated distance reductions ranging from 37.77% to 77.59% across comparable clusters. A controlled-cost simulation for 4W deliveries indicated that the optimized route structure could reduce estimated distance-related fuel costs and decrease the cost per drop from PHP 132.45 to PHP 114.03 under constant-cost assumptions. These findings support the framework as a practical reference for route planning, pending pilot validation using road-network distance, traffic conditions, unloading time, customer receiving conditions, and actual dispatch records.", "keywords": [ "Cluster analysis", "Truck", "Baseline (sea)", "Route planning", "Customer satisfaction", "Service (business)", "Range (aeronautics)", "Total cost" ], "cited_by_count": 0, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "https://rsisinternational.org/journals/ijriss/uploads/vol10-iss14-pg5645-5654-202606_pdf.pdf" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W3121943525", "doi": null, "title": "Trucking Industry Demand for Urban Shared Use Freight Terminals", "year": 2003, "publication_date": "2003-01-01", "type": "preprint", "language": "en", "authors": [ "Amelia Regan", "Thomas F. Golob" ], "first_author": "Amelia Regan", "venue": "RePEc: Research Papers in Economics", "publisher": "Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis", "abstract": "The issue of shared use urban freight facilities first received attention during the 1970's when it was observed that, while inter-urban freight movements were becoming increasingly efficient, there were significant diseconomies in the movement of freight via truck within urban areas. Early research suggested that shared urban freight facilities should be constructed so that trucking companies could consolidate smaller shipments into larger ones. In the past few years, the concept of “Urban Ports” has gained increasing attention, not just for carriers who need to load and unload freight, but to provide a place near the urban center for truckers to wait out peak traffic periods. In this paper, using recently developed survey data, we examine trucking company interest in such facilities by examining the results of an ordered probit demand model.", "keywords": [ "Diseconomies of scale", "Business", "Trucking industry", "Transport engineering", "Truck", "Probit model", "Marketing", "Economics", "Engineering", "Economies of scale" ], "cited_by_count": 0, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "https://www.escholarship.org/uc/item/0v33g422.pdf;origin=repeccitec" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W7130313310", "doi": "10.5281/zenodo.18682969", "title": "URBAN TRANSPORT AND RADICAL GEOGRAPHY: RECONFIGURING BERLIN'S LOGISTICS IN THE GLOBAL CAPITALIST SYSTEM", "year": 2025, "publication_date": "2025-10-24", "type": "article", "language": "en", "authors": [ "Nathaniel James Rowland" ], "first_author": "Nathaniel James Rowland", "venue": "Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)", "publisher": "European Organization for Nuclear Research", "abstract": "Highways are vital to global supply chains, enabling the dominant form of circulating goods inland by truck. Within critical economic geography and related disciplines, however, insufficient attention has been placed on developing a radical highway geography that positions highways within the evolving relationships between global capital, state scales and the labour of moving goods. I fill this silence by applying a historical-geographical materialist lens to Germany’s most congested, costly, and controversial highway – Berlin’s intercity A100 – to explore the entanglements of highways, labour power and the capitalist state within the socio-spatial and temporal dynamics of global capitalism. By following the A100 from the 1950s to the proposed completion of its contentious 16th extension in 2025, I argue that the 16th construction phase is the outcome of continual attempts by the capitalist state – at various scales of intervention – to annihilate space through time. These time–space compressions, which are incomplete, contradictory and contested, facilitate the circulation of commodities – understood here as urban freight and labour power – across space more rapidly and at lower cost, leading not only to a remaking of city logistics but also in the embodied labour of truck drivers, whose working lives increasingly reflect the pressures of accelerated circulation", "keywords": [ "Circulation (fluid dynamics)", "State (computer science)", "Power (physics)", "Space (punctuation)", "Commodification", "Materialism", "Intervention (counseling)", "Boom", "Embodied cognition" ], "cited_by_count": 0, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.18682969" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W2750076254", "doi": null, "title": "Strategic Network Design for Delivery by Drones under Service-based Competition", "year": 2017, "publication_date": "2017-08-14", "type": "dissertation", "language": "en", "authors": [ "Gohram" ], "first_author": "Gohram", "venue": "UWSpace (University of Waterloo)", "publisher": "University of Waterloo", "abstract": "In today’s world, E-commerce is a fast growing industry and e-retailers are looking for innovative ways to deliver customer orders within short delivery times at a low cost. Currently, the use of drone technology for last-mile delivery is being developed by such companies as Amazon, FedEx, and UPS. Drones are relatively cheaper and faster than trucks but are limited in range and may be restricted in landing and takeoff. Most of the work in the Operations Research literature focusses on the operational challenges of integrating drones with truck delivery. The more strategic questions of whether it is economically feasible to use drones and the effects on distribution network design are rarely addressed. These questions are the focus of this work. We consider an e-retailer offering multiple same day services using both existing vehicles and drones, and develop a facility location problem under service-based competition where the services offered by the e-retailer not only compete with the stores (convenience, grocery, etc.), but also with each other. The competition in the market is incorporated using the Multinomial Logit (MNL) market share model. To solve the resulting nonlinear mathematical formulation we develop a novel logic-based Benders decomposition approach. We also show that the nonlinear model can be transformed into a linear mixed integer formulation. Computational experiments show that our algorithm outperforms direct solution of the linear formulation. We carry out extensive numerical testing of the model and perform sensitivity analyses over pricing, delivery time, government regulations, technological limitations, customer behavior, and market size. The results show that government regulations play a vital role in determining the future of drone delivery.", "keywords": [ "Drone", "Competition (biology)", "Business", "Service (business)", "Service delivery framework", "Engineering", "Marketing", "Biology" ], "cited_by_count": 0, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "http://hdl.handle.net/10012/12140" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W4410997363", "doi": "10.2139/ssrn.5280117", "title": "Air Pollution Impacts from Freight Trip Generation on Urban Neighborhoods", "year": 2025, "publication_date": "2025-01-01", "type": "preprint", "language": "en", "authors": [ "Diana Gineth Ramirez-Rios", "Lily MacIver", "Genesis Moran-Gonzalez", "Ángelo Joseph Soto Vergel" ], "first_author": "Diana Gineth Ramirez-Rios", "venue": "SSRN Electronic Journal", "publisher": "RELX Group (Netherlands)", "abstract": null, "keywords": [ "Air pollution", "Transport engineering", "Environmental planning", "Pollution", "Environmental science", "Business", "Geography", "Engineering" ], "cited_by_count": 0, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.5280117" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W7130402011", "doi": "10.5281/zenodo.18682968", "title": "URBAN TRANSPORT AND RADICAL GEOGRAPHY: RECONFIGURING BERLIN'S LOGISTICS IN THE GLOBAL CAPITALIST SYSTEM", "year": 2025, "publication_date": "2025-10-24", "type": "article", "language": "en", "authors": [ "Nathaniel James Rowland" ], "first_author": "Nathaniel James Rowland", "venue": "Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)", "publisher": "European Organization for Nuclear Research", "abstract": "Highways are vital to global supply chains, enabling the dominant form of circulating goods inland by truck. Within critical economic geography and related disciplines, however, insufficient attention has been placed on developing a radical highway geography that positions highways within the evolving relationships between global capital, state scales and the labour of moving goods. I fill this silence by applying a historical-geographical materialist lens to Germany’s most congested, costly, and controversial highway – Berlin’s intercity A100 – to explore the entanglements of highways, labour power and the capitalist state within the socio-spatial and temporal dynamics of global capitalism. By following the A100 from the 1950s to the proposed completion of its contentious 16th extension in 2025, I argue that the 16th construction phase is the outcome of continual attempts by the capitalist state – at various scales of intervention – to annihilate space through time. These time–space compressions, which are incomplete, contradictory and contested, facilitate the circulation of commodities – understood here as urban freight and labour power – across space more rapidly and at lower cost, leading not only to a remaking of city logistics but also in the embodied labour of truck drivers, whose working lives increasingly reflect the pressures of accelerated circulation", "keywords": [ "Circulation (fluid dynamics)", "State (computer science)", "Power (physics)", "Space (punctuation)", "Commodification", "Materialism", "Intervention (counseling)", "Boom", "Embodied cognition" ], "cited_by_count": 0, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.18682968" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W49911493", "doi": null, "title": "Организация системы автоматизированного управления транспортными потоками города", "year": 2009, "publication_date": "2009-01-01", "type": "article", "language": "ru", "authors": [ "О. Ф. Кирьянов", "Andrey A. Korobov" ], "first_author": "О. Ф. Кирьянов", "venue": "Вестник Харьковского национального автомобильно-дорожного университета", "publisher": null, "abstract": "The use of present-day information technologies in motor truck route designing for construction of an urban freight flow management system as means of optimization of the main arteries traffic load is considered.", "keywords": [ "Truck", "Computer science", "Transport engineering", "Engineering", "Automotive engineering" ], "cited_by_count": 0, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "https://cyberleninka.ru/article/n/organizatsiya-sistemy-avtomatizirovannogo-upravleniya-transportnymi-potokami-goroda" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W621976495", "doi": null, "title": "FIDEUS - NEW VEHICLE SOLUTIONS FOR GOODS DELIVERIES IN URBAN AREAS", "year": 2006, "publication_date": "2006-01-01", "type": "article", "language": "en", "authors": [ "Gianfranco Burzio", "Saverio Zuccotti", "G Gallardo" ], "first_author": "Gianfranco Burzio", "venue": "PROCEEDINGS OF THE 13th ITS WORLD CONGRESS, LONDON, 8-12 OCTOBER 2006", "publisher": null, "abstract": "The FIDEUS European project, coordinated by Centro Ricerche FIAT, aims to develop a new approach to the urban logistics, by proposing a family of innovative vehicles, a re-organised logistic flow and a telematic tool for the logistics management. The complementary set of vehicles includes a completely new Micro Carrier for deliveries in pedestrian areas, a van and a lorry with technical solutions that permit a reduction in the environmental impact (noise included) and improve the safety and efficiency of the transhipment operations. This integrated approach will be tested in Barcelona, Lyon and Hannover to validate the FIDEUS concepts and solutions. For the covering abstract see ITRD E134653.", "keywords": [ "Telematics", "Truck", "Transport engineering", "Engineering", "Pedestrian", "City logistics", "Telecommunications", "Automotive engineering" ], "cited_by_count": 0, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "https://trid.trb.org/view/843217" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W4415567286", "doi": "10.3389/ffutr.2025.1720356", "title": "Freight and logistics grand challenges", "year": 2025, "publication_date": "2025-10-27", "type": "article", "language": "en", "authors": [ "Russell George Thompson" ], "first_author": "Russell George Thompson", "venue": "Frontiers in Future Transportation", "publisher": "Frontiers Media", "abstract": "A substantial range of key challenges for freight and logistics systems stem largely from recent changes in demand patterns that is leading to lower levels of efficiency as well as difficulties for increasing sustainability. It is also becoming difficult to improve the resilience of logistics networks.The insatiable demand for goods by consumers has led to variable and dynamic consumption patterns that have forced logistics systems to be transformed from push based to pull based networks. Increasing levels of urbanisation has led to higher levels of consumption and increased traffic congestion.eCommerce has created the need for more distributed delivery systems due to growing demand for home deliveries. The last mile requires individual parcels and small orders of food to be delivered on demand with express deliveries becoming more common. This has substantially increased the distance travelled by delivery vehicles within urban areas.Reverse logistics systems now face increased pressure due to product returns from eCommerce as well as the need to facilitate the circular economy. New networks are required to facilitate reuse and recycling.Growing demand for new residences, offices, retail and industrial developments as well as infrastructure projects generate a large amount of construction activity that requires storage and transport of materials. The transient and intense nature of transport demand patterns from construction projects creates many efficiency and sustainability challenges (Thompson, et al., 2023).Changing demand patterns by consumers are leading to decreasing load factors for freight vehicles that is contributing to lower levels of efficiency for logistics networks (ITF, 2018). Key challenges relate to how to increase consolidation levels in vehicles as well as the utilisation of warehouses. This is difficult since most freight and logistics networks are operated by independent carriers and shippers.Inner urban residential and commercial development has led to depots and warehouses being relocated well away from traditional ports (logistics sprawl). Consequently, the middle mile, transport between ports and warehouses typically involves a large amount of crisscrossing movements of freight vehicles within urban areas.There is also much pressure from the combined effects of both massification and atomisation, where transport vehicles such as ships, trains and trucks are increasing in capacity but consumers are demanding smaller consignments largely individual parcels from eCommerce. This creates bottlenecks, due to demand surges and the need to reconsolidate loads at terminals. A high degree of coordination of the timing of transfers between transport modes to at terminals is necessary to reduce delays.There is also a lack of innovation in freight and logistics. Manual administrative processes and handling procedures are contributing to inefficiencies and inhibiting productivity.The resilience of freight networks is being threatened by the increased frequency and intensity of extreme weather events as well as growing international tension from conflicts and tariffs. Global logistics networks are being disrupted with delays and uncertainty becoming real issues for trade.Decarbonisation is a key challenge for freight and logistics. There is a real need to reduce vehicle emissions and consumption of fossil fuels. Total emissions from freight vehicles is the product of both the emissions produced per vehicle kilometre and the vehicle kilometres travelled. Emissions produced per vehicle kilometre largely depends on vehicle type, fuel type, engine emissions standards and operating conditions. Vehicle kilometres travelled depends on the nature of freight networks such as the location of terminals, warehouses & customers, demand for goods & vehicle load factors. Due to changing demand patterns and low levels of network efficiency, vehicle kilometres travelled by freight vehicles is growing, leading to increasing emissions. In addition to utilising alternative fuels for freight vehicles, it is necessary to implement initiatives to increase consolidation levels of freight vehicles to reduce the total distance travelled by freight vehicles.There are a number social problems that need to be addressed when planning and operating future freight systems. These include how to minimise crashes as well as health costs associated with vehicle emissions and noise. Ecommerce has put pressure on shippers and carriers to deliver goods to homes within narrow time windows. This combined with low pay rates and long shifts can increase safety risks for drivers and has led to a shortage of drivers in many countries.Both City Logistics and the Physical Internet (PI) provide useful frameworks for addressing the challenges described above. City logistics promotes a holistic approach to urban freight combining multi-stakeholder engagement with multi-criteria assessment (including triple bottom line). PI promotes open, shared and connected logistics systems (Montreuil, 2011;Crainic and Montreuil, 2016). The vision of PI is to create an integrated and seamless logistics network. Ongoing research is required for developing analytical tools for designing and evaluating emerging technologies and city logistics schemes to ensure that they can be successfully implemented.A range of City Logistics solutions, including parcel lockers, Autonomous Delivery Vehicles (ADVs), crowdshipping, consolidation and transfer hubs as well as High Performance Freight Vehicles (HPVs) have good potential for addressing sustainability and efficiency challenges.Parcel lockers provide convenient and flexible receival points for receivers that reduce delivery costs and distances travelled by carriers (Mohri et al., 2024). Models need to be developed for determining the optimal number of sites as well as their location and whether they are located within buildings or in public spaces. Parcel lockers can also be used for exchanging goods", "keywords": [ "City logistics", "Demand patterns", "Sustainability", "Demand management", "Traffic management", "Product (mathematics)", "Resilience (materials science)", "Consolidation (business)", "Humanitarian Logistics" ], "cited_by_count": 0, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "https://public-pages-files-2025.frontiersin.org/journals/future-transportation/articles/10.3389/ffutr.2025.1720356/pdf" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W7213597186", "doi": "10.1177/10519815261487194", "title": "Workload and discomfort associated with pushing and pulling manual delivery trolleys", "year": 2026, "publication_date": "2026-09-18", "type": "article", "language": "en", "authors": [ "Jun Jie Deng", "Qi Wang", "Hong-In Cheng" ], "first_author": "Jun Jie Deng", "venue": "Work", "publisher": "IOS Press", "abstract": "BackgroundCourier service workers transport diverse packages on delivery trolleys. The repetitive pushing and pulling tasks of manual delivery trolleys can increase the risk of work-related musculoskeletal disorders among courier workers.ObjectiveA comparison of different trolley types, task types, and transport directions was conducted to determine the physical workload and ergonomic demands of pushing and pulling tasks during last-mile deliveries.MethodsA within-subjects experiment was conducted with 23 professional male courier workers. Participants performed pushing and pulling tasks with three delivery trolleys: a hand truck, hand cart, and rolltainer. Trolley type, task type, and transport direction (straight and curved) were examined. Muscle activity was measured using electromyography (sEMG). Joint flexion angles were obtained from video recordings using the OpenPose Body-25 model. Lumbar compression and shear forces were estimated using the 3D Static Strength Prediction Program (3D SSPP).ResultsPulling generally induced greater activation of upper-limb muscles and greater flexion of the lower arms and neck than pushing, whereas pushing resulted in greater trunk flexion. Among the trolley types, the hand cart produced the highest muscle activity and the greatest lumbar compression and shear force. Hand trucks imposed the lowest biomechanical demands. Pulling a hand cart generated the greatest load on the lower back. Speeds of transport ranged from 0.66 to 1.15 m/s, with pushing and straight-line movements achieving significantly faster speeds than pulling and curved movements. Last-mile delivery caused the most subjective discomfort in the arms, followed by the lumbar region, while shoulders caused the least discomfort.ConclusionThe findings indicate that trolley type and handling method substantially influence courier delivery workload and biomechanical demands. In routine delivery tasks involving moderate loads, hand trucks may be an ergonomically beneficial option. The findings of this study provide practical evidence for improving trolley selection, work methods, and injury prevention strategies in the courier industry.", "keywords": [ "Workload", "Shoulders", "Task (project management)", "Lumbar", "Electromyography", "Torso", "Trunk", "Truck" ], "cited_by_count": 0, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "https://doi.org/10.1177/10519815261487194" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W7135236853", "doi": "10.52710/cfs.980", "title": "Autonomous Delivery Systems: Technological Approaches and Implementation Considerations for Retail Logistics Transformation", "year": 2026, "publication_date": "2026-03-13", "type": "article", "language": null, "authors": [ "Cijin Lonappan Kappani" ], "first_author": "Cijin Lonappan Kappani", "venue": "Computer Fraud & Security", "publisher": "Elsevier BV", "abstract": "Last-mile delivery constitutes a significant cost burden within retail supply chains. Traditional fulfillment models rely on individual drivers navigating congested urban roads. Sequential package handoffs consume considerable time and operational resources. Consumer expectations continue shifting toward same-day and on-demand delivery standards. Conventional logistics architectures struggle to meet accelerating fulfillment demands. Autonomous delivery technologies present viable solutions to address persistent inefficiencies. Ground-based robotic platforms navigate pedestrian infrastructure for neighborhood deliveries. Unmanned aerial vehicles enable direct point-to-point routing unconstrained by surface traffic. Full-scale autonomous trucks handle middle-mile transport between distribution centers. Multi-modal integration architectures combine platform strengths through coordinated handoff systems. Major retailers including Walmart and 7-Eleven have launched pilot programs testing various autonomous delivery modalities. Robot-to-drone transfer mechanisms extend delivery range beyond individual platform capabilities. Regulatory fragmentation across jurisdictions creates compliance complexities for scaled deployment. Infrastructure requirements include charging stations, transfer facilities, and maintenance depots. Environmental conditions affect sensor performance and operational reliability. The article examines technological modalities, current industry implementations, and considerations shaping autonomous delivery adoption within retail logistics networks.", "keywords": [ "Truck", "Supply chain", "Delivery Performance", "Fragmentation (computing)", "Routing (electronic design automation)", "Digital transformation", "Delivery system" ], "cited_by_count": 0, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "https://computerfraudsecurity.com/index.php/journal/article/download/980/700" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W7202089920", "doi": "10.1016/j.spc.2026.08.004", "title": "Investigating public willingness to pay for sustainable underground freight transport systems", "year": 2026, "publication_date": "2026-08-01", "type": "article", "language": "en", "authors": [ "Fengshan Li", "Xue Li", "Kum Fai Yuen" ], "first_author": "Fengshan Li", "venue": "Sustainable Production and Consumption", "publisher": "Elsevier BV", "abstract": null, "keywords": [ "Willingness to pay", "Structural equation modeling", "Truck", "Explanatory power", "Affect (linguistics)", "Ascription", "Sustainable transport", "Sustainability", "Externality" ], "cited_by_count": 0, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "https://doi.org/10.1016/j.spc.2026.08.004" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W4411275081", "doi": "10.2139/ssrn.5292575", "title": "A Milp and a Genetic Algorithm for The Flying Sidekick Tsp with Variable Drone Speeds", "year": 2025, "publication_date": "2025-01-01", "type": "preprint", "language": "en", "authors": [ "Federico Michelotto", "Roberto Roberti" ], "first_author": "Federico Michelotto", "venue": "SSRN Electronic Journal", "publisher": "RELX Group (Netherlands)", "abstract": null, "keywords": [ "Drone", "Variable (mathematics)", "Computer science", "Genetic algorithm", "Algorithm", "Mathematical optimization", "Mathematics", "Biology" ], "cited_by_count": 0, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.5292575" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W7138436588", "doi": "10.5281/zenodo.19071176", "title": "Autonomous Delivery Systems: Technological Approaches and Implementation Considerations for Retail Logistics Transformation", "year": 2026, "publication_date": "2026-03-17", "type": "article", "language": null, "authors": [ "Cijin Lonappan Kappani" ], "first_author": "Cijin Lonappan Kappani", "venue": "Computer Fraud & Security", "publisher": "Elsevier BV", "abstract": "Last-mile delivery constitutes a significant cost burden within retail supply chains. Traditional fulfillment models rely on individual drivers navigating congested urban roads. Sequential package handoffs consume considerable time and operational resources. Consumer expectations continue shifting toward same-day and on-demand delivery standards. Conventional logistics architectures struggle to meet accelerating fulfillment demands. Autonomous delivery technologies present viable solutions to address persistent inefficiencies. Ground-based robotic platforms navigate pedestrian infrastructure for neighborhood deliveries. Unmanned aerial vehicles enable direct point-to-point routing unconstrained by surface traffic. Full-scale autonomous trucks handle middle-mile transport between distribution centers. Multi-modal integration architectures combine platform strengths through coordinated handoff systems. Major retailers including Walmart and 7-Eleven have launched pilot programs testing various autonomous delivery modalities. Robot-to-drone transfer mechanisms extend delivery range beyond individual platform capabilities. Regulatory fragmentation across jurisdictions creates compliance complexities for scaled deployment. Infrastructure requirements include charging stations, transfer facilities, and maintenance depots. Environmental conditions affect sensor performance and operational reliability. The article examines technological modalities, current industry implementations, and considerations shaping autonomous delivery adoption within retail logistics networks.", "keywords": [ "Truck", "Supply chain", "Delivery Performance", "Fragmentation (computing)", "Digital transformation", "Operational efficiency", "Delivery system" ], "cited_by_count": 0, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.19071176" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W7138766941", "doi": "10.5281/zenodo.19071177", "title": "Autonomous Delivery Systems: Technological Approaches and Implementation Considerations for Retail Logistics Transformation", "year": 2026, "publication_date": "2026-03-17", "type": "article", "language": null, "authors": [ "Cijin Lonappan Kappani" ], "first_author": "Cijin Lonappan Kappani", "venue": "Computer Fraud & Security", "publisher": "Elsevier BV", "abstract": "Last-mile delivery constitutes a significant cost burden within retail supply chains. Traditional fulfillment models rely on individual drivers navigating congested urban roads. Sequential package handoffs consume considerable time and operational resources. Consumer expectations continue shifting toward same-day and on-demand delivery standards. Conventional logistics architectures struggle to meet accelerating fulfillment demands. Autonomous delivery technologies present viable solutions to address persistent inefficiencies. Ground-based robotic platforms navigate pedestrian infrastructure for neighborhood deliveries. Unmanned aerial vehicles enable direct point-to-point routing unconstrained by surface traffic. Full-scale autonomous trucks handle middle-mile transport between distribution centers. Multi-modal integration architectures combine platform strengths through coordinated handoff systems. Major retailers including Walmart and 7-Eleven have launched pilot programs testing various autonomous delivery modalities. Robot-to-drone transfer mechanisms extend delivery range beyond individual platform capabilities. Regulatory fragmentation across jurisdictions creates compliance complexities for scaled deployment. Infrastructure requirements include charging stations, transfer facilities, and maintenance depots. Environmental conditions affect sensor performance and operational reliability. The article examines technological modalities, current industry implementations, and considerations shaping autonomous delivery adoption within retail logistics networks.", "keywords": [ "Truck", "Supply chain", "Delivery Performance", "Fragmentation (computing)", "Digital transformation", "Operational efficiency", "Delivery system" ], "cited_by_count": 0, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.19071177" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W7156850340", "doi": "10.48550/arxiv.2604.23015", "title": "Approximating Energy-Constrained Drone Delivery Packing Problem for Last-Mile Logistics", "year": 2026, "publication_date": "2026-04-24", "type": "preprint", "language": null, "authors": [ "Saswata Jana", "Partha Sarathi Mandal" ], "first_author": "Saswata Jana", "venue": "arXiv (Cornell University)", "publisher": "Cornell University", "abstract": "Collaboration between drones and trucks in a last-mile delivery system offers numerous benefits and reduces many challenges of the traditional delivery system. Here, we introduce Drone-Delivery Packing Problem, where a set of parcels, associated with delivery intervals and cost, should be delivered to customer locations. The system comprises a set of identical drones and battery stations along truck's route, where drones swap depleted batteries or recharge them. The objective is to find assignment for all parcels by using the minimum number of drones, subject to the battery budget and compatibility of each drone's assignment. We consider three variants of the problem, based on conflicting characteristics and existence of battery service stations. All are NP-hard, and we have proposed approximation algorithms for each. When there are no battery stations, we propose a constant factor approximation algorithm using first fit decreasing bin packing algorithm. When the intervals are non-conflicting, we design a $(2+ ψ)$-approximation algorithm. In the presence of both battery stations and conflicting intervals, we present a $(4+ψ)$-approximation algorithm. The algorithm is later modified into a $(3+ψ)$-approximation algorithm when the battery service stations act as swapping stations. Here $ψ$ is a function of battery budget, minimum and maximum cost of the deliveries. Finally, we validate our results and compare the performance with the optimum on different instances.", "keywords": [ "Swap (finance)", "Drone", "Approximation algorithm", "Battery (electricity)", "Bin packing problem", "Truck", "Battery capacity" ], "cited_by_count": 0, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "https://arxiv.org/pdf/2604.23015" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W4415399745", "doi": "10.1109/aimv66517.2025.11203569", "title": "Optimizing Parcel Delivery: The Role of Drones in Modern Logistics", "year": 2025, "publication_date": "2025-08-16", "type": "conference-paper", "language": null, "authors": [ "Keni Tandel", "Niya Patel", "Samir B Patel" ], "first_author": "Keni Tandel", "venue": null, "publisher": null, "abstract": "Online shopping has been more popular in recent years, which has resulted in a rise in parcel deliveries. In the past, parcel distribution by truck was an efficient method. However, with developing technologies, deliveries can now be conducted using unmanned air vehicles such as drones. This study paper explains the use of drones in logistics and compares them to traditional delivery techniques in order to develop optimized delivery methods. Deliveries with drones require various critical components, such as determining the trajectory or path to be taken, weight limitations, battery life, and drone speed. Using these drone features and designing a path that includes the warehouse, charging station, and as many delivery destinations as feasible transforms the logistics industry into a smart transport firm. This can be accomplished using a variety of techniques, including the traveling salesman problem, routing problem, and combinatorial optimization. Additionally, deploying multiple drones for distribution is advantageous. This research study examines how parcel delivery might be enhanced to improve the logistics industry. To employ drones, companies must grasp networking and computer vision technology. Drone delivery relies on computer vision to perceive and analyze surrounding data in real time. In the final stage of delivery (last mile delivery), computer vision is used to authenticate or verify the delivery address. All of these aspects and components come together to make smart transportation a reality.", "keywords": [ "Drone", "Variety (cybernetics)", "Last mile (transportation)", "Travelling salesman problem", "Destinations", "Path (computing)", "Truck", "Delivery Performance" ], "cited_by_count": 0, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "https://doi.org/10.1109/aimv66517.2025.11203569" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W829730203", "doi": null, "title": "Evaluation of the Cooperative Multi-Carrier Delivery Initiatives", "year": 2013, "publication_date": "2013-12-01", "type": "article", "language": "en", "authors": [ "Xiaokun Wang", "Yiwei Zhou", "Alison J. Conway", "Quanquan Chen", "Camille Kamga" ], "first_author": "Xiaokun Wang", "venue": null, "publisher": null, "abstract": "In the last several years there has been a surge of interest in fostering more sustainable logistical operations in urban areas. Under the umbrella of the generic term City Logistics, these initiatives try to take advantage of the coordinating power of a municipal government to convince urban delivery companies to participate in collaborative schemes that by reducing truck trips, increasing the utilization of trucks, or both, may reduce the negative externalities associated with urban truck traffic. While most research on this topic focuses on freight models (Holguin-Veras, et al, 2001), freight transport networks (Yamada, et al, 2010) and urban freight project evaluation (Thompson and Hassall, 2005), not much research has been conducted to understand the behaviors of urban carriers and freight receivers in response to the cooperative multicarrier delivery initiatives and assess its impacts on a disaggregate level. Some researchers had studied the behavioral modeling between freight agents (Thompson and Hassall, 2005). It is important to investigate the interactions between freight agent and how those relations impact decision making and policy implementation. To investigate a cooperative multicarrier delivery initiative and assess its impacts on a disaggregate level, this report is divided into two parts. The first part studies freight delivery patterns in New York City and related influential factors. Results would serve the feasibility study of implementing freight consolidation centers (FCC) in New York City. The second part focuses on studying the decision-making process for developing urban FCC using experimental economics approach. Players acting as different stakeholders are given cash bonus to mimic the decision making process.", "keywords": [ "Truck", "TRIPS architecture", "Externality", "Business", "Transport engineering", "Government (linguistics)", "Consolidation (business)", "Engineering", "Finance", "Economics" ], "cited_by_count": 0, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/27001" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W7167577926", "doi": "10.9744/jti.28.1.13-23", "title": "Design and Development of a Power-Free Smart Cooler Box Using Phase Change Materials (PCMs) for Last-Mile Cold Chain Logistics", "year": 2026, "publication_date": "2026-03-26", "type": "article", "language": "id", "authors": [ "Helvina Aulia Zahra", "Ahmad Rusdiansyah", "Ratna Sari Dewi", "Rindi Kusumawardani", "Azzah Dyah Pramata", "Fadila Isnaini" ], "first_author": "Helvina Aulia Zahra", "venue": "Jurnal Teknik Industri", "publisher": "Petra Christian University", "abstract": "The growing demand for fresh products requires efficient and sustainable cold chain logistics, especially in last-mile delivery. Conventional refrigerated trucks utilized in last-mile logistics are hindered by high energy consumption, operational costs, and limited flexibility, creating a critical barrier for small-scale cold chain access. To address these inefficiencies, this research develops a Power-Free Smart Cooler Box that integrates Phase Change Material (PCM) technology with a high-performance composite structure to maintain frozen-grade temperatures without active power. The design methodology employed the Theory of Inventive Problem Solving (TRIZ) to systematically resolve the engineering contradiction between maximizing thermal endurance and minimizing system weight. The resulting configuration features a multi-layer insulation wall (Fiberglass/Vacuum Insulated Panel/Polyurethane) and a validated 6-sided PCM layout. This configuration enables the Smart Cooler Box to maintain an internal air temperature of ≤ −10 °C for more than 10 hours without external power. It is also equipped with a built-in IoT-based temperature sensor to ensure real-time traceability. These findings imply that the developed passive cooler provides a scientifically validated, zero-emission alternative that offers a flexible, energy-efficient, and environmentally friendly option for last-mile logistics while ensuring product safety in the final stage of delivery.", "keywords": [ "Cold chain", "Truck", "Phase change", "Phase-change material", "Phase (matter)", "New product development", "Product (mathematics)", "Automotive industry" ], "cited_by_count": 0, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "https://doi.org/10.9744/jti.28.1.13-23" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W7128818377", "doi": "10.52072/arti.v21i1.1842", "title": "Penerapan Cross-Docking untuk Efisiensi Logistik Shopee di Era Lonjakan Transaksi E-Commerce", "year": 2026, "publication_date": "2026-02-13", "type": "article", "language": null, "authors": [ "Khairunnisa -", "Ahmad Shalihin", "Surya Indrawan" ], "first_author": "Khairunnisa -", "venue": "Jurnal ARTI (Aplikasi Rancangan Teknik Industri)", "publisher": null, "abstract": "Pertumbuhan pesat e-commerce di Indonesia, khususnya dominasi Shopee, menghadirkan tantangan besar dalam pengelolaan logistik, terutama pada saat lonjakan transaksi seperti kampanye 11.11 dan 12.12. Permasalahan utama yang muncul meliputi backlog pengiriman, tingginya inventory di gudang sortir, serta keterlambatan pemenuhan pesanan. Penelitian ini mengusulkan penerapan strategi cross-docking berbasis formulasi Truck Sequencing Problem (TRSP) sebagai solusi untuk meningkatkan efisiensi distribusi. Metode yang digunakan berupa simulasi perbandingan antara sistem konvensional dan sistem cross-docking dengan parameter waktu tinggal (dwell time), jumlah inventory puncak, serta rentang operasi (operation span). Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa cross-docking mampu menurunkan rata-rata dwell time sebesar 86,4%, mengurangi inventory maksimum hingga 68,1%, dan memperpendek operation span sebesar 28,6% dibandingkan sistem konvensional. Temuan ini membuktikan bahwa integrasi TRSP dengan strategi cross-docking berpotensi meningkatkan kecepatan distribusi, mengurangi biaya logistik, serta meningkatkan kepuasan konsumen Shopee. Penelitian selanjutnya disarankan menggunakan data operasional riil Shopee, mempertimbangkan multi-dock, heterogenitas produk, serta integrasi dengan sistem last-mile delivery untuk memperoleh hasil yang lebih komprehensif.", "keywords": [], "cited_by_count": 0, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "https://doi.org/10.52072/arti.v21i1.1842" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W7132961784", "doi": null, "title": "An Agent-based Freight Business and Logistics Decisions Simulation - FREBUILDS", "year": 2022, "publication_date": "2022-11-01", "type": "dissertation", "language": null, "authors": [ "Usman Ahmed" ], "first_author": "Usman Ahmed", "venue": "TSpace (University of Toronto)", "publisher": "University of Toronto", "abstract": "This dissertation focuses on agent-based microsimulation urban freight transportation modelling. Urban freight models are classified based on multiple dimensions of freight transportation. A conceptual framework of an agent-based urban freight model is developed. The framework integrates key business and logistics decisions, from short- to long-term, made by firms. Some of the modelling components of the framework are estimated for the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area. This dissertation contains four empirical studies that are part of the conceptual framework of the urban freight model. The first study focuses on long-term business decisions and estimates an establishment location choice model that incorporates intra-firm interactions. The next three studies focus on key logistics decisions that are part of the shipment formation decisions. The first of these studies estimates models of freight transportation outsourcing and vehicle type choice decisions. The two decisions are modelled independently and jointly using discrete choice methods. The second study compares machine learning and discrete choice methods for the choice of freight vehicle type. The final study, that is part of shipment formation decisions, estimates empirical models of freight vehicle type and shipment size choice. It studies the nature of the choice process i.e., sequential or joint, and recommends the appropriate modelling structure. Together with the remaining modelling components of the urban freight modelling framework, this dissertation is a first step towards operational urban freight models.", "keywords": [ "Traffic management", "Microsimulation", "Outsourcing", "Discrete choice", "Key (lock)", "Process (computing)", "Conceptual model", "Empirical research" ], "cited_by_count": 0, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "https://utoronto.scholaris.ca/bitstreams/6e96ce0f-df02-4fcd-b004-b054d7457d5d/download" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W32175051", "doi": null, "title": "A study on location planning of the on-street loading/unloading bays in the central business district", "year": 2008, "publication_date": "2008-01-01", "type": "article", "language": "en", "authors": [ "Sang-Yong Lee", "Hun-Young Jung" ], "first_author": "Sang-Yong Lee", "venue": "Journal of the Eastern Asia Society for transportation studies/Journal of the Eastern Asia Society for Transportation Studies", "publisher": "Eastern Asia Society for Transportation Studies", "abstract": "Loading zone is necessary to central business district(CBD) due to freight trucks coming into inner city. Currently truck drivers in metropolitan area are forced to illegally park their freight trucks on the roads close to the business facilities because there is no or few loading zones available in the CBD. This situation would bring into traffic congestion and even might block local roads in the CBD. This study reviews the existing improvement plans in city logistics, and examines delivery characteristics related to freight trucks and drivers in Seomyeon, the central downtown of Busan. Also it conducts a location planning for on-street loading/unloading bay using a technical method for arranging loading space. This research estimated the number of parking and stop bays for truck's operation using queueing theory based on truck-service rate and arrival rate, and found locations with the minimum resistance function values for freight movement in arranging on-street loading/unloading bays.", "keywords": [ "Truck", "Metropolitan area", "Downtown", "Central business district", "Transport engineering", "Traffic congestion", "Civil engineering", "Engineering", "Geography" ], "cited_by_count": 0, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "https://www.koreascience.kr:443/article/JAKO200809651050072.pdf" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W4206542987", "doi": "10.1016/b978-0-08-102671-7.10238-6", "title": "Freight Flows in Cities", "year": 2021, "publication_date": "2021-01-01", "type": "reference-entry", "language": "en", "authors": [ "Geneviève Giuliano" ], "first_author": "Geneviève Giuliano", "venue": "Elsevier eBooks", "publisher": "Elsevier BV", "abstract": null, "keywords": [ "Metropolitan area", "Truck", "Business", "Traffic management", "Transport engineering", "Population", "Function (biology)", "Supply chain", "Urban economics", "Distribution (mathematics)", "Traffic congestion", "Economic geography" ], "cited_by_count": 0, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "https://doi.org/10.1016/b978-0-08-102671-7.10238-6" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W4416006608", "doi": "10.5465/amproc.2025.18915abstract", "title": "Last-Mile Operations in Emerging Markets: Dwell Time Efficiency for Nanostore Deliveries", "year": 2025, "publication_date": "2025-07-01", "type": "conference-abstract", "language": "en", "authors": [ "Camilo Andrés Mora-Quiñones", "Josué C. Velázquez-Martínez", "Jan C. Fransoo", "Leopoldo Eduardo Cárdenas‐Barrón" ], "first_author": "Camilo Andrés Mora-Quiñones", "venue": "Academy of Management Proceedings", "publisher": "Academy of Management", "abstract": "Last-mile logistics for nanostore deliveries in emerging markets present significant operational challenges. Dwell time efficiency management is crucial for maximizing delivery productivity and reducing operational costs. Dwell time efficiency is calculated as the ratio of dwell time to the number of boxes delivered per customer. However, factors influencing dwell time efficiency in this context remain underexplored, especially given the unique conditions of urban environments in developing countries. This study aims to identify and analyze the key factors influencing dwell time efficiency in last-mile deliveries to nanostores in emerging markets, focusing on understanding how strategic, tactical, and operational decisions affect productivity, providing useful insights for companies that manage urban freight logistics. We conducted a cross-sectional observational study with over 2,700 observations of freight vehicles across 18 Mexican states. The analysis includes factors such as visit purpose (Sales, Delivery, or Sales and Delivery), vehicle type, door type (side or rear), and parking legality, among others. We use a hierarchical regression model to assess the impact of these variables on dwell time efficiency, considering both global and group-specific effects. Our findings show that integrating sales and delivery tasks (van-sales) is more productive, in terms of dwell time efficiency, than pre-sales strategies, making it the preferred model for serving nanostores. Moreover, vehicles with side doors are more efficient in serving nanostores than those with only rear doors. This advantage is especially important considering that 66% of vehicles are typically parked on the street. In such cases, side doors allow for faster and easier access to cargo, reducing the need for complex maneuvers and decreasing time spent at each stop. This feature is particularly valuable when serving nanostores, as our evidence shows that deliveries on secondary streets are less efficient than in primary streets. Additionally, the study finds no significant difference in dwell time efficiency between legal and illegal parking, challenging the assumption that illegal parking speeds up deliveries. This result is critical for encouraging legal parking practices. These insights are particularly relevant for companies serving nanostores in emerging markets, providing strategies to enhance productivity.", "keywords": [ "Dwell time", "Context (archaeology)", "Operational efficiency", "Doors", "Productivity", "Delivery Performance", "Key (lock)" ], "cited_by_count": 0, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "https://doi.org/10.5465/amproc.2025.18915abstract" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W7127226167", "doi": null, "title": "Developing efficient order and split heuristics for coordinated covering tour problems with drones", "year": 2022, "publication_date": "2022-05-01", "type": "dissertation", "language": "en", "authors": [ "Abhishake Kundu" ], "first_author": "Abhishake Kundu", "venue": "ThinkTech (Texas Tech University)", "publisher": "Texas Tech University", "abstract": "Coordinated Covering Tour Problems (CCTP) represents a class of routing problems that involve a primary vessel that is equipped with one or more secondary vessels who undergo a launch and recovery process from the primary vessel. The secondary vessels are constrained to meet up with the primary vessel at various nodes in the network and possibly many times, presumably due to the coverage limitations of the secondary vessels. The problem is thus one of simultaneously determining which nodes should be visited by which vessel, in what order each vessel must visit its assigned nodes, and at which nodes the secondary vessels should be launched and recovered by the primary vessel. Last-mile delivery of parcels using trucks (as the primary vessel) and drone (as the secondary vessel) is an example of Coordinated Covering Tour Problems with application in logistics. This problem has received a lot of attention in the last seven years since its seminal definition in 2015. Various authors have extended this problem by including multiple primary/ secondary vehicles, defining new network configurations for the vehicles, and by incorporating environmental and drone dynamics within the model. However, it being an NP-hard problem, there is no way we can solve a problem of modest size in polynomial time. The key lies in developing heuristics that are both efficient and fast, and it has been observed that there is space for considerable improvement in this research area. I propose developing a novel ‘order and split’ heuristic which is an improvement to the best heuristic to date. Furthermore, the algorithm is extended to several variants of the CTTP, and likewise, its accuracy and efficiency are evaluated.", "keywords": [ "Heuristics", "Drone", "Heuristic", "Routing (electronic design automation)", "Truck", "Class (philosophy)", "Process (computing)" ], "cited_by_count": 0, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "https://hdl.handle.net/2346/89264" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W7204473241", "doi": "10.3390/drones10090654", "title": "A Four-Dimensional Planning Framework for Drone-Enabled Mobility Systems: Integrating Goods, Information, Sensing, and Human Mobility", "year": 2026, "publication_date": "2026-08-27", "type": "article", "language": "en", "authors": [ "Lorenzo Brocchini", "Chenxi Wang", "Antonio Pratelli", "Dorothée Conte", "Alessandro Farina" ], "first_author": "Lorenzo Brocchini", "venue": "Drones", "publisher": "Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute", "abstract": "Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are increasingly considered as enabling technologies for last-mile delivery, emergency medical response, and smart-city applications. However, drone-based logistics, emergency communication, sensing activities, and future aerial mobility are often addressed as separate research domains. This article proposes a four-dimensional planning framework for drone-enabled mobility, integrating goods, information, sensing, and human mobility within a unified conceptual structure. The framework is developed through a literature-informed conceptual analysis and previous applied research experiences related to drone-assisted logistics and emergency communication. Goods mobility includes parcel delivery, medical logistics, emergency supply transport, and hybrid operational models involving trucks, public transport, depots, and micro-hubs. Information mobility refers to the use of drones as mobile communication tools for emergency warnings, citizen interaction, drone-to-infrastructure communication, and infomobility services. Sensing mobility concerns traffic monitoring, environmental observation, disaster mapping, crowd monitoring, and infrastructure inspection. Human mobility is considered as an emerging extension related to urban air mobility (UAM), electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) systems, and low-altitude aerial corridors. Cross-cutting issues such as energy autonomy, solar-assisted drones, multimodal integration, safety, communication, regulation, sustainability, and public acceptance are discussed. The proposed framework provides a structured basis for assessing drones as components of sustainable, resilient, and multimodal mobility systems.", "keywords": [ "Drone", "Conceptual framework", "Mobility model", "Emergency management", "Public transport", "Conceptual model", "Component (thermodynamics)", "Mobile device" ], "cited_by_count": 0, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "https://doi.org/10.3390/drones10090654" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W7127223122", "doi": null, "title": "Katsaus kuorma-auto–drooni-toimitusten optimointi mallinnukseen kaupunkiympäristöissä", "year": 2025, "publication_date": "2025-01-01", "type": "dissertation", "language": "en", "authors": [ "Patrik Peltoniemi" ], "first_author": "Patrik Peltoniemi", "venue": "Aaltodoc (Aalto University)", "publisher": "Aalto University", "abstract": "Innovation in the last-mile logistics is crucial for companies if they wish to keep up with the rising demand and sustainability pressure. Especially in the field of electronic commerce digitalization and availability increase demand, while urbanization concentrates it, making traditional systems obsolete. To tackle these problems, drones have been presented as a promising solution, with company experiments starting as early as 2013. While companies have started their experimentation, academic research has focused on optimization, to offer insight into the viability and scalability of drones in parcel delivery. The literature is diverse, with researchers exploring a great number of different modelling choices. However, it is hindered by a lack of standard terminology. This makes interpretation and comparison hard without solid knowledge of terms, studies and foundational approach angles used in such research. In this thesis I conducted a literature review on truck-drone optimization re-search, focusing on last-mile deliveries in urban environments and modelling approaches. The aim is to provide an overview to help the interpretation of developments in the field, while comparing the modelling choices made by researchers to their representation of real-world conditions. Results of this study show that under-lying approach choices could be used to classify problem types to help with the terminology problems. Additionally, while the research seems to have a direction to-wards more realistic modelling, trade-offs exist in complexity of models. Moreover, a lack of empirical data in research was identified. Therefore, while research shows consistently positive results on paper, implication for real-world systems remain limited.", "keywords": [ "Terminology", "Interpretation (philosophy)", "Field (mathematics)", "Empirical research", "Drone", "Representation (politics)" ], "cited_by_count": 0, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "https://aaltodoc.aalto.fi/handle/123456789/142878" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W4411877633", "doi": "10.1038/s41598-025-04325-5", "title": "Model for selective vehicle problem considering mixed fleet with capacitated electric vehicles", "year": 2025, "publication_date": "2025-07-01", "type": "article", "language": "en", "authors": [ "Jiacheng Li", "Masato Noto", "Yang Zhang", "Jia Guo" ], "first_author": "Jiacheng Li", "venue": "Scientific Reports", "publisher": "Nature Portfolio", "abstract": "As the introduction of electric vehicles has significantly changed the composition of fleets for the majority of logistics providers, addressing the last-mile delivery issue with a mixed fleet of conventional and electric vehicles has become an urgent need. Key problems for delivery service providers include how to effectively reduce energy consumption during delivery and improve the daily delivery completion rate. This paper considers the self-loading constraints and energy consumption constraints of different types of trucks and establishes a multi-objective optimization model aimed at maximizing service completion, minimizing service energy consumption, and minimizing emission. Subsequently, an adaptive large neighborhood search algorithm, improved on the basis of simulated annealing principles and local search algorithms, is proposed. The performance and computational efficiency of this algorithm are validated through comparative analysis with other classic optimization algorithms on test instances. It has been observed that ALNS performs commendably in addressing the problem presented in this text. Moreover, the algorithm proposed herein has optimized the solution by approximately 2% to 15% compared to traditional algorithms. Finally, using a medium-sized example with 250 demands and 10 vehicles, the impact of parameters such as the proportion of oil to electric vehicles and expired compensation prices on delivery completion and delivery costs is explored. The study reveals that the advantages of energy conservation and emission reduction can only be fully realized when the proportion of electric vehicles reaches 80%. The research results can provide decision-making references for logistics fleet managers at the current stage.", "keywords": [ "Computer science", "Electric vehicle", "Automotive engineering", "Vehicle routing problem", "Computer network", "Engineering", "Routing (electronic design automation)" ], "cited_by_count": 0, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-025-04325-5.pdf" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W2972805324", "doi": null, "title": "Distribuição de mercadorias através de espaços logísticos urbanos", "year": 2014, "publication_date": "2014-02-20", "type": "dissertation", "language": "pt", "authors": [ "Rafaella de Souza Henriques" ], "first_author": "Rafaella de Souza Henriques", "venue": "Americanae (AECID Library)", "publisher": null, "abstract": "Urban freight transport is the feeder of the whole consumption chain, and it is essential for the society survival. But it causes conflicts. Unfortunately, in the Brazil most initiatives comes down to restrictive legislation and punishments for carriers. In this context, this study aims to analyze the use of Urban Logistic Space as an intermediary step in the delivery of cargo to its final destination. To develop this work, two mathematical models were elaborated in order to characterize the current situation of urban freight distribution (Model 1 based on classical approaches for vehicle routing problem) and the proposed situation for the use of ELUS as intermediate in urban freight transport (Model 2 based on classical approaches for network design problem). Three scenarios were analyzed: the Scenario 1 to represent the current situation and application of the Model 1, the Scenario 2 represents the proposed situation and application of the Model 2, and the Scenario 3 represents an intermediate situation between the previous, using both models. The routing results, Scenario1, showed that the used trucks have traveled long distances and mostly with low capacity utilization of vehicles. For the design network model, Scenario2, the results showed that the trucks have circulated smaller distances with greater utilization. Furthermore, when placing tricycles to transport the \"last mile\", the costs and CO2 emissions are reduced, corroborating for a greater feasibility of using ELUS, according to Scenario 3.", "keywords": [ "Humanities", "Physics", "Art" ], "cited_by_count": 0, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "http://hdl.handle.net/1843/BUBD-9HKFGD" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W4401343188", "doi": "10.37904/clc.2023.4849", "title": "THE IMPORTANCE OF ELECTROMOBILITY IN THE LOGISTICS INDUSTRY", "year": 2023, "publication_date": "2023-01-01", "type": "conference-paper", "language": "en", "authors": [ "Gabriel Koman", "Silvia Krúpová" ], "first_author": "Gabriel Koman", "venue": "CLC ...", "publisher": null, "abstract": "The logistics industry is experiencing digitalization and faces growing customer demands, fierce competition, and internationally connected markets.At the same time, the logistics industry is under pressure through political environmental decisions.It is estimated that there are 278 million commercial vehicles in the world, most of which are trucks used to transport goods.In addition, there are millions of privately owned trucks that contribute to even more trucks in the world.The logistics and transport sector contributes a third of global CO2 emissions, making it the most emitting sector in many countries.This proportion is still growing.Therefore, emphasis must be placed on the use of green fuels in the logistics industry.Electric trucks are an innovative technology that could increase the efficiency of freight transport and contribute to a more sustainable logistics future.Electric trucks are one of the most important advances in urban logistics in parallel with the Smart City concepts.Electric trucks are equipped with one or more electric motors to drive.This system reduces the CO2 footprint because no greenhouse gases are emitted.In 2023, many companies are looking to reduce the environmental impact of their operations, and electric trucks could contribute to a more sustainable supply chain.This article discusses the importance of electromobility in logistics and the importance of including electric trucks in the logistics industry's fleets.The methodological part of the article consists of an analysis of secondary sources from which the connections between logistics and e-mobility were derived.In the discussion and conclusion of the article, possible recommendations are presented through which it is possible to understand the importance of implementing electric trucks in the fleet of the logistics industry.", "keywords": [ "Business", "Industrial organization", "Computer science" ], "cited_by_count": 0, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "https://www.confer.cz/clc/2023/download/4849-the-importance-of-electromobility-in-the-logistics-industry.pdf" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W4385622558", "doi": "10.1201/9781003261513-12", "title": "Environmental sustainability", "year": 2023, "publication_date": "2023-08-07", "type": "book-chapter", "language": "en", "authors": [ "Eiichi Taniguchi", "Russell George Thompson", "Ali Gul Qureshi" ], "first_author": "Eiichi Taniguchi", "venue": null, "publisher": null, "abstract": "Chapter 10 presents environmental sustainability in city logistics. It describes case studies on the joint delivery systems using urban consolidation centres (UCC) in Tokyo, Japan. It focuses on the effectiveness of the pooling of goods and the integration of UCC in the joint delivery systems to reduce the distance travelled by trucks as well as the environmental impacts. It addresses cargo bikes or electric assisted cargo bikes, which can reduce GHG (Green House Gas) and local emissions, but they need micro depots or satellite facilities to transship goods from delivery trucks or vans to cargo bikes.", "keywords": [ "Sustainability", "Environmental science", "Ecology", "Biology" ], "cited_by_count": 0, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "http://dx.doi.org/10.1201/9781003261513-12" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W576571916", "doi": null, "title": "TRUCKING AND URBAN TRANSPORTATION", "year": 1968, "publication_date": "1968-01-01", "type": "article", "language": "en", "authors": [ "Robert C Barnstead", "M Bates" ], "first_author": "Robert C Barnstead", "venue": null, "publisher": null, "abstract": "THIS GIVES A SUMMARY OF THE OPERATIONAL PROBLEMS FACING THE TRUCKING COMPANIES IN URBAN AREAS INCLUDING AN ANTIQUATED DOCKING SYSTEM AND LISTS A NUMBER OF LONG AND SHORT RANGE SOLUTIONS. IT IS SUGGESTED THAT A HIGH DEGREE OF COOPERATION BETWEEN TRUCKERS, CUSTOMERS, PLANNERS AND THE GOVERNMENT BE ESTABLISHED TO HELP REDUCE THE COST OF URBAN FREIGHT TRANSPORTATION. THE PAPER INCLUDES MAPS, DIAGRAMS, AND A DISCUSSION WITH FIVE TRAFFIC PLANNERS.", "keywords": [ "Transport engineering", "Business", "Government (linguistics)", "Transportation planning", "Engineering" ], "cited_by_count": 0, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "https://trid.trb.org/view/92403" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W3125203856", "doi": null, "title": "Urban Goods Movement and Air Quality Policy and Regulation Issues in European Cities", "year": 2007, "publication_date": "2007-01-01", "type": "preprint", "language": "en", "authors": [ "Lætitia Dablanc" ], "first_author": "Lætitia Dablanc", "venue": "SSRN Electronic Journal", "publisher": "RELX Group (Netherlands)", "abstract": "This paper looks at the way urban goods movements are included in transport policies aimed at improving air quality in large European cities, particularly in France. The movement of goods in cities is a major contributor to local emissions caused by mobile sources. Trucks emit many pollutants (notably NOx and particulate matter) because they are mostly diesel and because there is a high proportion of old trucks and old vans circulating in cities. As a result of this research, it seems that there are little policy innovations in freight issues in cities. Even more surprising is, in France, the low level of legal disputes over air quality standards attainment issues. Nonetheless, responding to public opinion’s increasing concern over health issues and to European standards for urban air quality, some European cities have started to reserve access to city centres to new, ‘clean’ or ‘fully loaded’ trucks. By doing so, they have engaged in a more environmentally oriented urban freight strategy.", "keywords": [ "Air quality index", "Truck", "Business", "European union", "Quality (philosophy)", "Economic growth", "Economic policy", "Geography", "Economics", "Engineering" ], "cited_by_count": 0, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/Delivery.cfm?abstractid=1155336" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W7113295553", "doi": null, "title": "Pathways to Efficient and Equitable Solutions for Large-Scale Routing Problems", "year": 2025, "publication_date": "2025-06-11", "type": "dissertation", "language": null, "authors": [ "Sobhanan, Abhay" ], "first_author": "Sobhanan, Abhay", "venue": "Digital Commons - University of South Florida (University of South Florida)", "publisher": "University of South Florida", "abstract": "This dissertation addresses large-scale optimization problems in transportation emerging from hierarchical decision-making, equitable workload allocation, and innovative routing logistics. It presents three sets of contributions, each detailed in a separate chapter, and offers computational tools and insights to advance both the theory and practice of transportation systems. The first work introduces a deep learning-enhanced genetic algorithm framework for solving the Hierarchical Vehicle Routing Problems (HVRPs). Traditional optimization approaches to such problems require extensive evaluation of multiple lower-level routing solutions and are computationally intensive. Our innovative method integrates a genetic algorithm with a pretrained graph neural network, which is trained on solutions from the HGS CVRP solver, to effectively predict vehicle routing costs resulting from upper level decisions without explicitly solving each scenario. Extensive computational experiments validate the effectiveness of this approach, demonstrating significant computational savings while maintaining high-quality solutions across various datasets. The second work proposes a practical equity-oriented optimization framework tailored specifically for crowdshipping platforms within the last-mile delivery systems. Recognizing that equitable workload distribution and fair compensation are crucial for maintaining a sustainable pool of crowdworkers, our framework utilizes bi-objective optimization to balance equity against operational costs. To effectively solve this problem, we propose Hybrid NSGA-II. Numerous experiments are conducted to quantify the trade-offs between cost and equity, revealing that modest sacrifices in efficiency can lead to substantial equity improvements. Our findings provide actionable insights for gig-economy platforms, highlighting optimal strategies to maximize fairness with minimal cost increases, and guiding workforce management by analyzing the effects of varying crowdshipper pool sizes. The third problem extends the classical Rural Postman Problem (RPP) to a mixed-fleet scenario involving multiple trucks and drones, with the objective of minimizing makespan. Trucks act as mobile depots, deploying drones to service required arcs while also serving the arcs they visit themselves. To navigate the complexity inherent in this problem, we introduce a Hybrid Genetic Algorithm with a chromosome structure that encodes required arc sequences and vehicle assignments, accompanied by multiple dedicated local searches. Comprehensive evaluations on large-scale instances demonstrate the scalability, effectiveness, and real-time applicability of our method, underscoring significant improvements achievable through truck-drone integration in arc-routing logistics.", "keywords": [ "Vehicle routing problem", "Workload", "Equity (law)", "Genetic algorithm", "Routing (electronic design automation)", "Multi-objective optimization" ], "cited_by_count": 0, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "https://digitalcommons.usf.edu/etd/11009" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W7127298234", "doi": "10.37128/2520-6168-2025-3-14", "title": "MODERN TECHNOLOGIES AND TRENDS FOR THE FUTURE USE OF TRACK BIKES FOR TRANSPORTING SOLID HOUSEHOLD WASTE", "year": 2025, "publication_date": "2025-12-25", "type": "article", "language": "en", "authors": [ "M.V. Mytko", "Serhii Burlaka", "Svetlana KRAVETS" ], "first_author": "M.V. Mytko", "venue": "ENGINEERING ENERGY TRANSPORT AIC", "publisher": null, "abstract": "The article considers modern technologies and innovative approaches to the introduction of cargo bikes - trucks into the system of collection and transportation of solid household waste in urban and suburban conditions. Growing environmental challenges, the need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and restricting the use of traditional vehicles in densely populated areas encourage the search for alternative solutions in the field of municipal logistics. One of the promising areas is the use of cargo cargo bikes - trucks, in particular electrified models, capable of ensuring transportation efficiency with minimal negative impact on the environment. The article analyzes in detail the technical capabilities of bikes-trucks, their carrying capacity, energy efficiency and the feasibility of integration into the waste management system. A conceptual model of the use of bikes-trucks in urban infrastructure is proposed, taking into account the factors of population density, route length and road network congestion. A comparative analysis of traditional garbage trucks and bikes-trucks is carried out according to the criteria of economy, environmental friendliness and maneuverability. The results of the research demonstrate that the use of bikes-trucks for transporting solid household waste can reduce CO₂ emissions by 30–50% compared to diesel cars, as well as contribute to reducing noise pollution in cities. In addition, the system has shown effectiveness in areas with narrow streets and traffic restrictions, where traditional transport is of little use. The article also provides recommendations for the development of the infrastructure necessary for the widespread introduction of bikes-trucks, including specialized sites, charging stations and logistics centers. The proposed approach may be useful for local governments, municipal services, as well as engineers and entrepreneurs involved in the development and implementation of environmentally friendly transport systems. The results obtained contribute to the formation of new trends in the field of \"green\" urban logistics and the development of sustainable infrastructure.", "keywords": [ "Truck", "Garbage", "Municipal solid waste", "Greenhouse gas", "Scope (computer science)", "Track (disk drive)", "Population", "Noise pollution" ], "cited_by_count": 0, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "http://tetapk.vsau.org/storage/articles/January2026/e3tYtydiXOrg8ZKFG4wB.pdf" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W2345158185", "doi": null, "title": "An aggregate approach for urban delivery tour simulation", "year": 2012, "publication_date": "2012-01-01", "type": "conference-paper", "language": "en", "authors": [ "Agostino Nuzzolo", "Antonio Comi" ], "first_author": "Agostino Nuzzolo", "venue": "Cineca Institutional Research Information System (Tor Vergata University)", "publisher": "University of Rome Tor Vergata", "abstract": "Today, most cities have to deal with the large number of trucks and vans delivering goods in the inner area and local administrators are looking at city logistics measures in order to reduce the negative effects of freight transport [1].It is therefore important to have methods and models able to assess new city logistics measure scenarios [2,3,4].In a general methodology for simulating and assessing freight transport system, a key-role is played by demand models in order to point out two sets of flows taking place in the study area.The first", "keywords": [ "Truck", "Order (exchange)", "City logistics", "Commodity", "Transport engineering", "Process (computing)", "Routing (electronic design automation)", "Aggregate (composite)", "Transport network", "Point (geometry)", "Computer science", "Flow network" ], "cited_by_count": 0, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "http://hdl.handle.net/2108/86488" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W7164046190", "doi": "10.1016/j.tre.2026.105017", "title": "Linking Urban Form and Restriction Duration: A Multi-City Analysis of Off-Hour Delivery in China", "year": 2026, "publication_date": "2026-06-09", "type": "article", "language": "en", "authors": [ "Linglin Ni", "Shaojie Shi", "Xiaokun Wang", "Dapeng Zhang" ], "first_author": "Linglin Ni", "venue": "Transportation Research Part E Logistics and Transportation Review", "publisher": "Elsevier BV", "abstract": null, "keywords": [ "China", "Urban planning", "Urbanization" ], "cited_by_count": 0, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tre.2026.105017" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W2335365687", "doi": "10.2457/srs.26.155", "title": "A Study on the Improvement of Freight Traffic by Developmemts of Logistics Center", "year": 1995, "publication_date": "1995-01-01", "type": "article", "language": "en", "authors": [ "Shogo Kawakami", "Masato Amano" ], "first_author": "Shogo Kawakami", "venue": "Studies in Regional Science", "publisher": "The Japan Section of the Regional Science Association International", "abstract": "The role of automobile in the urban freight traffic gets more serious, year after year. Since almost all freight traffic in a city depends on motor trucks, it causes various urban traffic problems.In this study, we assume some logistics centers are established in Chukyo area. This paper shows how much use of logistics centers in urban goods movement reduces the traffic congestion of urban road metwork.", "keywords": [ "Truck", "Transport engineering", "Traffic management", "City logistics", "Business", "Traffic congestion", "Center (category theory)", "Automotive engineering", "Engineering" ], "cited_by_count": 0, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/srs1970/26/1/26_1_155/_pdf" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W4409273357", "doi": "10.2139/ssrn.5209336", "title": "Dynamic Order Fulfillment in Last-Mile Drone Delivery Under Demand Uncertainty", "year": 2025, "publication_date": "2025-01-01", "type": "preprint", "language": "en", "authors": [ "Linxuan Shi", "Zhengtian Xu", "Miguel A. Lejeune", "Qi Luo" ], "first_author": "Linxuan Shi", "venue": "SSRN Electronic Journal", "publisher": "RELX Group (Netherlands)", "abstract": null, "keywords": [ "Drone", "Mile", "Last mile (transportation)", "Order (exchange)", "Computer science", "Business", "Geography", "Geodesy", "Finance", "Biology" ], "cited_by_count": 0, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.5209336" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W2775980824", "doi": null, "title": "Supply chain management in the era of fast clockspeed crowdsourced transportation", "year": 2017, "publication_date": "2017-01-01", "type": "report", "language": "en", "authors": [ "Li Hui Ng" ], "first_author": "Li Hui Ng", "venue": "DR-NTU (Nanyang Technological University)", "publisher": "Nanyang Technological University", "abstract": "The world we are living in is changing at a rapid pace, and the industries and their supply chains are not an exception. An era of fast clockspeed has begun and this has brought about a set of challenges for the stakeholders in a supply chain. In order to survive in this competitive climate, they need to be able to tackle the challenges of increasing speed-to-market, employing faster but more expensive modes of transport, and keeping costs low such that prices are kept affordable for consumers. \\n \\nIn the face of these new challenges, the trend of using crowdsourced logistics has emerged in the supply chain. More commonly seen are the use of crowdsourced warehouse space and crowdshipping for last mile delivery. The benefits of these two crowdsourced logistics services are well-established. These are, but are not limited to, greater flexibility in capacity, reduction in costs, and shorter delivery lead time. \\n \\nOn the other hand, the use of crowdsourced truck services between businesses is still at its infancy stage. Many smaller logistics service providers are jumping on board and putting this idea to trial. In this report, the use of business-to-business crowdsourced transportation and its benefits will be examined. \\n \\nThe concept of an agile supply chain is also introduced. The agile supply chain, in terms of its four capabilities (responsiveness, competency, flexibility, and quickness) and its end goal of cost, is used to help companies mitigate the challenges and survive in the era of fast clockspeed. Hence, through evidence collected from literatures and interviews, the model of a business-to-business crowdsourced transportation will be evaluated against its ability to achieve an agile supply chain. It is found that business-to-business crowdsourced transportation can not only improve the responsiveness, competency, flexibility and quickness of a supply chain, but also help a company reduce its cost spent on transport.", "keywords": [ "Supply chain", "Business", "Supply chain management", "Process management", "Operations management", "Risk analysis (engineering)", "Computer science", "Marketing", "Economics" ], "cited_by_count": 0, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "http://hdl.handle.net/10356/71179" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W4292719508", "doi": "10.48550/arxiv.2208.09067", "title": "Dynamic Order Fulfillment in Last-Mile Drone Delivery under Demand Uncertainty", "year": 2022, "publication_date": "2022-08-18", "type": "preprint", "language": "en", "authors": [ "Linxuan Shi", "Zhengtian Xu", "Lejeune, Miguel", "Luo, Qi" ], "first_author": "Linxuan Shi", "venue": "arXiv (Cornell University)", "publisher": "Cornell University", "abstract": "Drones have attracted growing interest in last-mile delivery due to their potential to significantly reduce costs and enhance operational flexibility, particularly in areas of sparse and uncertain demand where traditional truck delivery proves inefficient. This paper addresses the dynamic order fulfillment problem faced by a retailer operating a fleet of drones to service delivery requests that arrive stochastically. These delivery requests may vary in package profiles, delivery locations, and urgency. We adopt a rolling-horizon framework for order fulfillment and devise a two-stage stochastic program aimed at strategically managing existing orders while considering incoming requests that are subject to various uncertainties. A significant challenge in deploying the envisioned two-stage model lies in its incorporation of vehicle routing constraints, on which exact or brute-force methods are computationally inefficient and unsuitable for real-time operational decisions. To address this, we propose an accelerated L-shaped algorithm that (i) reduces the branching tree size, (ii) replaces exact second-stage solutions with heuristic estimates, and (iii) adapts an alternating strategy for adding optimality cuts. The proposed heuristic demonstrates remarkable performance superiority over the exact method, achieving a 20-fold reduction in average runtime while maintaining an average optimality gap of less than 1\\%. We apply the algorithm to a wide range of instances to evaluate the benefits of postponing orders for batch service using the stochastic model. Our results show potential long-term cost savings of up to 20\\% when demand uncertainty is explicitly considered in order fulfillment decisions. Meanwhile, the derived savings tend to diminish as the uncertainty increases in order arrivals.", "keywords": [ "Computer science", "Mathematical optimization", "Stochastic programming", "Integer programming", "Context (archaeology)", "Last mile (transportation)", "Order (exchange)", "Dynamic programming", "Integer (computer science)", "Mile", "Real-time computing", "Operations research" ], "cited_by_count": 0, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "https://arxiv.org/pdf/2208.09067" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W617424874", "doi": null, "title": "A Green Light for Urban Efficiency", "year": 2013, "publication_date": "2013-01-01", "type": "article", "language": "en", "authors": [ "R Meczes" ], "first_author": "R Meczes", "venue": "ITS International", "publisher": null, "abstract": "This article describes how intelligent intersection control systems have a growing role to play in making urban traffic more efficient. The idea of every traffic light turning green as you approach it has long been a dream for many urban drivers and none more so than those driving heavy goods vehicles (HGVs), which are slow and difficult to bring to a halt and then accelerate back to normal travel speed. That dream has become a reality for some drivers in a small number of cities around Europe over the last few years, thanks to the Freilot project. The European Union (EU) co-funded Freilot (Urban Freight Energy Efficiency Pilot) scheme was a cooperative mobility services project that began in October 2010 and tested a range of intelligent systems including energy-efficient intersection control, eco-driving support, loading bay advance booking, and in-vehicle speed and acceleration limiters, that were all designed to help boost safety and efficiency while reducing fuel consumption and vehicle emissions. The pilot was conducted in four European cities – Helmond (The Netherlands), Bilbao (Spain), Lyon (France) and Krakow (Poland). The trial was a striking success, particularly in terms of energy-efficient intersection control. Ensuring that emergency vehicles and heavy trucks could pass through junctions more often on a green light boosted travel times and cut fuel consumption, as well as reduced the kind of collisions that so often occur at intersections.", "keywords": [ "Fuel efficiency", "Intersection (aeronautics)", "Truck", "European union", "Efficient energy use", "Transport engineering", "Energy consumption", "Control (management)", "Engineering", "Computer science", "Automotive engineering", "Business" ], "cited_by_count": 0, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "https://trid.trb.org/view/1251656" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W2154051796", "doi": null, "title": "Shop restocking simulation models: the pull movements of end-consumer and retailer", "year": 2011, "publication_date": "2011-12-01", "type": "conference-paper", "language": "en", "authors": [ "Francesco Russo", "Alice Comi" ], "first_author": "Francesco Russo", "venue": "Cineca Institutional Research Information System (Tor Vergata University)", "publisher": "University of Rome Tor Vergata", "abstract": "Today, most cities have to deal with the large number of trucks and vans delivering goods in the urban area, balancing the economic viability of businesses located in the city against environmental sustainability. In this context, the paper recalls a general modeling system developed by the authors to support the ex-ante assessment of city logistics scenarios, and presents some developments carried out in order to investigate how city logistics measures can influence the pull movements carried out by end-consumers (i.e. in order to satisfy their goods needs) and retailers (i.e. in order to restock their shops).", "keywords": [ "Truck", "Order (exchange)", "Context (archaeology)", "Business", "Sustainability", "Transport engineering", "Engineering", "Finance", "Geography" ], "cited_by_count": 0, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "http://hdl.handle.net/2108/52343" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W659175673", "doi": null, "title": "Smoothing out city freight movements", "year": 2014, "publication_date": "2014-05-01", "type": "article", "language": "en", "authors": [ "David Andrew Crawford" ], "first_author": "David Andrew Crawford", "venue": "ITS International", "publisher": null, "abstract": "Urban freight movement can be a difficult logistics issue. Freight traffic in urban areas accounts for a significant portion of the overall traffic, as well as the emissions and fuel consumed. A plan for improving freight issues in urban areas is to establish freight consolidation centers (FCC), which improve the management of freight access. Heavy trucks can unload at a FCC, and vehicles that are more environmentally-friendly and add less to traffic congestion can transport goods into cities. At present, there are 115 FCCs in operation, mostly in Europe.", "keywords": [ "Truck", "Transport engineering", "Traffic management", "Business", "City logistics", "Freight trains", "Traffic congestion", "Plan (archaeology)", "Consolidation (business)", "Engineering", "Train", "Geography" ], "cited_by_count": 0, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "https://trid.trb.org/view/1322461" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W571642497", "doi": null, "title": "Truckin’: Down a Dead End Street", "year": 2012, "publication_date": "2012-01-01", "type": "article", "language": "en", "authors": [ "Colin Hughes", "Zoltan Gyarmati", "Bram van Ooijen", "Sophie Punte" ], "first_author": "Colin Hughes", "venue": "Sustainable transport", "publisher": "Elsevier BV", "abstract": "Freight transportation significantly contributes to greenhouse gas emissions, congestion, air and noise pollution, and traffic accidents. This article describes initiatives in four countries (Germany, Hungary, the Netherlands and China) that are being used to reduce the negative impacts of freight transportation while recognizing the importance of freight transport to economic growth. Heavy-duty trucks were adding to Germany’s carbon footprint, as well as creating unsustainable wear and tear on the roads. To address this, Germany instituted a national tolling scheme for long distance hauls. Fees depend on truck-axle standards, emissions, and vehicle-kilometers traveled. Berlin and other German cities also have instituted low-emission zones that regulate which cars and trucks can enter based on their emissions. Since Budapest, Hungary, is in the path of an international freight transportation corridor, the Budapest government has taken several measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions coming from freight transportation. In 2004, the city enacted one of the European Union’s most stringent freight management schemes, limiting access for trucks based on time, weight, and zone. Cities in the Netherlands also have implemented measures that restrict truck access based on some combination of time, location, emissions standards, weight, and noise. This comprehensive approach has led to reductions in emissions and more efficient logistics across the country. These restrictions also have sparked some innovative urban freight solutions, including freight consolidation centers and the use of electric boats to make deliveries along the canals. The Guangdong Green Trucks Demonstration Project will install new tire and aerodynamics technology on thousands of trucks to reduce the negative impacts of the massive freight transportation industry in China. A Green Freight China Program has also been initiated that has five components: clean technologies, freight logistics, financing mechanisms, knowledge and capacity, and partnerships between government and the private sector.", "keywords": [ "Truck", "Greenhouse gas", "Transport engineering", "Carbon footprint", "European union", "Traffic management", "Business", "Train", "Engineering", "International trade", "Geography" ], "cited_by_count": 0, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "https://trid.trb.org/view/1138929" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W7171417231", "doi": "10.5281/zenodo.21629793", "title": "Bridging the Last Mile in Global B2B Trade: Integrating E-Commerce Logistics Innovation into the Asset-Light Model for Vietnamese SME Supply Chain Integration", "year": 2026, "publication_date": "2026-07-27", "type": "article", "language": "en", "authors": [ "Quoc Trung Lai" ], "first_author": "Quoc Trung Lai", "venue": "Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)", "publisher": "European Organization for Nuclear Research", "abstract": "This paper develops and evaluates an integrated framework that transposes the operational logic of ecommerce last-mile delivery onto asset-light business-to-business (B2B) international trade in an emergingmarket setting. Last-mile delivery research has established that the final leg of order fulfillment issimultaneously the most expensive component of a logistics chain - commonly cited at 40 to over 50 percentof total shipping cost - and the primary determinant of customer experience, driving firms toward routeoptimization, micro-fulfillment networks, flexible partner ecosystems and sustainability-linked fleetstrategies. This literature has developed almost exclusively around business-to-consumer (B2C) parceldelivery within a single domestic market. A natural objection therefore arises: does last-mile theory applyat all to a multi-country, asset-light trading intermediary that never touches a parcel or a doorstep? Thispaper answers that objection directly. It shows, first, through a structured comparison of B2C and B2B lastmile logistics, that the two contexts share a common structural problem - centrally aggregated goods flowsmust be broken down, routed, and delivered to a fragmented set of endpoints under cost and time pressure- while differing in endpoint type, order scale, transport mode and failure-risk profile. Second, it shows thatinternational trade itself decomposes into a standardized, highly efficient ocean-freight middle mile flankedby two land-based, fragmented, and costly segments - an export-side first mile (aggregating dispersed farmsand cooperatives to port) and an import-side last mile (distributing consolidated cargo from a foreign portto fragmented domestic buyers) - so that a multi-country trading intermediary in fact manages a chain offirst-mile and last-mile problems repeated at each national endpoint. Using LAEXIM, a proposedVietnamese asset-light trading start-up spanning fertilizers, industrial chemicals, agricultural exports andpremium wine distribution, as the applied case, the paper builds a detailed operational mapping - outsourcedregional cross-docking hubs, AI-enabled lead-time and customs-risk management, freight- and inspectionpartner scorecarding and real-time client-facing shipment visibility - through which LAEXIM canorchestrate last-mile-quality outcomes at each national endpoint without owning a single truck, warehouseor vessel. It then re-derives LAEXIM's operating and financial model under this integrated framework,showing that disciplined application of last-mile-style optimization can plausibly compress logistics costfrom the model's original 6 to 8 percent of revenue target toward the lower end of that band, while shiftingLAEXIM's commercial positioning from port-to-port Incoterms (FOB/CIF) toward door-to-door deliveredterms (DAP/DDP) as a source of differentiation. The paper contributes to the literature by extending lastmile delivery theory beyond single-country B2C parcel logistics to multi-country B2B trade intermediationand by giving the resource-based view of asset-light trading firms a concrete, operationally testablelogistics-capability component.", "keywords": [ "Last mile (transportation)", "Supply chain", "Bridging (networking)", "Order (exchange)", "Vietnamese", "Vertical integration", "Supply chain management", "Intermediary" ], "cited_by_count": 0, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.21629793" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W104604115", "doi": null, "title": "The Electric Vehicle Scenario: Does It Get Us into the Right Lane and Can We Afford It?", "year": 2013, "publication_date": "2013-01-01", "type": "conference-paper", "language": "en", "authors": [ "Barry Zondag", "Hans A. Nijland", "Anco Hoen", "Daniëlle Snellen" ], "first_author": "Barry Zondag", "venue": "European Transport Conference 2013Association for European Transport (AET)", "publisher": null, "abstract": "In order to reach their climate ambitions and to reduce their oil-dependency, both the European Commission and the Dutch government aim for a substantial cut in transport CO₂ emissions by 2050 (EC minus 60% compared to 1990 levels). The EC also states the ambition that by 2030 traffic in inner cities should be carbon-free. The Commission stresses that the decarbonisation of the transport sector depends, firstly, on technology development towards clean and efficient vehicles based on conventional internal combustion engines and, secondly, on the deployment of breakthrough technologies in ultra-low-carbon vehicles. As alternative fuel vehicle (AFV) the electric vehicles (EVs) are widely seen as a promising breakthrough technology for decarbonising transport. The ‘Getting-into-the-right-lane’ study (PBL, 2009) also shows that AFV’s are essential to reach that goal and that passenger car transport and urban freight distribution have the highest potential for emission reduction. In the literature there is wide range of studies addressing partial elements of such transition, for example focusing on changes in the vehicle fleet and CO₂ emissions. This paper takes a rather bold approach exploring the long term impacts of a ‘what if’ scenario assuming that in 2050 all passenger cars and urban freight transport is fully electric. The study presents findings on a wide set of impacts including transport, spatial, financial and environmental impacts. As far as possible we have quantified these impacts to get an impression of their magnitude. Regarding the passenger transport impacts the focus is on car ownership and vehicle miles travelled and the implications for infrastructure network usage and congestion. The Dynamo car ownership model and the National Model System have been applied to explore the impacts of a changes in fixed and variable costs on car ownership and vehicle usage. A base year matrix for road freight transport by commodity type and vehicle type has been used to explore the potential effects of electric urban distribution. This scenario assumes that only light-duty trucks can operate within urban boundaries. The exploration of the impacts include - by truck type - the number of trips, vehicle kilometers, ton kilometers and transport costs. The spatial impacts include among others the effects on the number of required parking spaces, the changes in restrictions on land use from environmental regulations and usage and location of urban distribution centers. As financial impacts we have calculated the changes in fixed and variable costs for car users and urban freight transport as well as transport related revenues for the government. The environmental impacts considered are CO₂, local air and noise emissions. The paper concludes that the 100% electric vehicle scenario is successful in terms of CO₂ reduction but that this success comes at a high price. The fully electric passenger and urban freight vehicles contribute substantially to the transport CO₂ emission targets (around 50%) and to the urban environmental quality (noise, local air pollution). However the study also finds that substantial costs are involved, both in the form of much lower tax incomes for the government as well as higher costs for the car drivers. Further the costs are also distributed unequally between people driving many miles and people with low mileage. The higher fixed costs result in lower car ownership rates and therefore different accessibility profiles of households. The paper recognizes that such bold analysis relies on many debatable assumptions. Therefore we have tested the sensitivity of these findings for the main uncertainties, such as speed of technological development and the developments in fuel prices. This analysis shows that the costs of an electric future will only be comparable to the conventional car system under conditions of extreme oil price increases or in the case of a very strong acceleration of the technological developments.", "keywords": [ "Electric vehicle", "Software deployment", "Greenhouse gas", "Transport engineering", "Alternative fuel vehicle", "European commission", "Environmental economics", "Sustainable transport", "Business", "Government (linguistics)", "Road transport", "European union" ], "cited_by_count": 0, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "https://www.significance.nl/papers/2013-ETC-Electric-vehicle-scenario.pdf" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W7171459975", "doi": "10.5281/zenodo.21629794", "title": "Bridging the Last Mile in Global B2B Trade: Integrating E-Commerce Logistics Innovation into the Asset-Light Model for Vietnamese SME Supply Chain Integration", "year": 2026, "publication_date": "2026-07-27", "type": "article", "language": "en", "authors": [ "Quoc Trung Lai" ], "first_author": "Quoc Trung Lai", "venue": "Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)", "publisher": "European Organization for Nuclear Research", "abstract": "This paper develops and evaluates an integrated framework that transposes the operational logic of ecommerce last-mile delivery onto asset-light business-to-business (B2B) international trade in an emergingmarket setting. Last-mile delivery research has established that the final leg of order fulfillment issimultaneously the most expensive component of a logistics chain - commonly cited at 40 to over 50 percentof total shipping cost - and the primary determinant of customer experience, driving firms toward routeoptimization, micro-fulfillment networks, flexible partner ecosystems and sustainability-linked fleetstrategies. This literature has developed almost exclusively around business-to-consumer (B2C) parceldelivery within a single domestic market. A natural objection therefore arises: does last-mile theory applyat all to a multi-country, asset-light trading intermediary that never touches a parcel or a doorstep? Thispaper answers that objection directly. It shows, first, through a structured comparison of B2C and B2B lastmile logistics, that the two contexts share a common structural problem - centrally aggregated goods flowsmust be broken down, routed, and delivered to a fragmented set of endpoints under cost and time pressure- while differing in endpoint type, order scale, transport mode and failure-risk profile. Second, it shows thatinternational trade itself decomposes into a standardized, highly efficient ocean-freight middle mile flankedby two land-based, fragmented, and costly segments - an export-side first mile (aggregating dispersed farmsand cooperatives to port) and an import-side last mile (distributing consolidated cargo from a foreign portto fragmented domestic buyers) - so that a multi-country trading intermediary in fact manages a chain offirst-mile and last-mile problems repeated at each national endpoint. Using LAEXIM, a proposedVietnamese asset-light trading start-up spanning fertilizers, industrial chemicals, agricultural exports andpremium wine distribution, as the applied case, the paper builds a detailed operational mapping - outsourcedregional cross-docking hubs, AI-enabled lead-time and customs-risk management, freight- and inspectionpartner scorecarding and real-time client-facing shipment visibility - through which LAEXIM canorchestrate last-mile-quality outcomes at each national endpoint without owning a single truck, warehouseor vessel. It then re-derives LAEXIM's operating and financial model under this integrated framework,showing that disciplined application of last-mile-style optimization can plausibly compress logistics costfrom the model's original 6 to 8 percent of revenue target toward the lower end of that band, while shiftingLAEXIM's commercial positioning from port-to-port Incoterms (FOB/CIF) toward door-to-door deliveredterms (DAP/DDP) as a source of differentiation. The paper contributes to the literature by extending lastmile delivery theory beyond single-country B2C parcel logistics to multi-country B2B trade intermediationand by giving the resource-based view of asset-light trading firms a concrete, operationally testablelogistics-capability component.", "keywords": [ "Last mile (transportation)", "Supply chain", "Bridging (networking)", "Order (exchange)", "Vietnamese", "Vertical integration", "Supply chain management", "Intermediary" ], "cited_by_count": 0, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.21629794" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W7138097397", "doi": "10.5281/zenodo.19059080", "title": "Chapter 8: Transportation", "year": 2026, "publication_date": "2026-03-17", "type": "article", "language": "en", "authors": [ "Samuel Darwisman" ], "first_author": "Samuel Darwisman", "venue": "Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)", "publisher": "European Organization for Nuclear Research", "abstract": "Transportation constitutes the single largest expenditure in logistics operations, typically accounting for over 60% of a firm's total logistics costs and playing a pivotal role in moving inventory throughout supply chains while enabling precise service delivery. This chapter provides a comprehensive examination of transportation's multifaceted role in modern logistics systems, analyzing its core functionality, structural components, and evolving operational frameworks. The study systematically evaluates the five primary transportation modes—rail, truck, water, pipeline, and air—through comparative analysis of their respective cost structures, operational characteristics, network configurations, and strategic applications within integrated supply chains. Particular attention is devoted to intermodal transportation systems that combine multiple modes to leverage inherent economies, including trailer-on-flatcar (TOFC), container-on-flatcar (COFC), and land bridge operations. The chapter investigates the complex ecosystem of transportation participants, including shippers, consignees, carriers, governmental agencies, and nonoperating intermediaries such as freight forwarders, shipper associations, and brokers. A detailed examination of transportation pricing mechanisms encompasses freight classification systems, the tapering principle, economies of weight and density, and specialized pricing arrangements. The analysis extends to operational technologies including Transportation Management Systems (TMS) with functionalities for equipment scheduling, load planning, and real-time visibility. Critical regulatory frameworks are examined, including hours of service regulations and electronic logging devices (ELDs), alongside industry challenges including infrastructure deterioration, driver shortages, and the transformative impact of e-commerce on last-mile delivery expectations. The chapter concludes with an assessment of strategic considerations for modal selection, positioning transportation as the foundational backbone of logistics operations while identifying emerging trends in technology integration, infrastructure renewal, and modal collaboration that will shape the future of freight movement.", "keywords": [ "Supply chain", "Leverage (statistics)", "Service (business)", "Core competency", "Traffic management", "Transportation infrastructure", "Strategic planning", "Flow network", "Diversification (marketing strategy)" ], "cited_by_count": 0, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.19059080" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W176100766", "doi": null, "title": "Working Paper 7 of the E-Business and Transport Project: Ranking & Rating the Transport Impacts of E-business", "year": 2001, "publication_date": "2001-06-01", "type": "article", "language": "en", "authors": [ "Nariida Smith", "Luís Lino Ferreira" ], "first_author": "Nariida Smith", "venue": null, "publisher": null, "abstract": "This paper seeks to identify the e-business issues that will have important impacts on transport and rank and rate their importance: Findings Importance will vary between stakeholders. For example, the impact of increased urban freight vehicle kilometres due to e-procurement is positive for carriers, even more positive for business but negative with regard to greenhouse gas and slightly negative for local government. Will differ significantly by time and place so national averages are virtually meaningless in some contexts. For example, increased awareness of tourism opportunities should boost tourism in regional areas, but we cannot average extra tourist kilometres travelled in for example, country Victoria and Central Australia. Some ball park figures for increasing transport activity were estimated: • Inter-city air travel - web bookings enabling competition - 26 million extra annual kilometres between capital cities with an extra 77 thousand aircraft movements [take offs and landings] at airports; • Urban freight - e-procurement and just-in-time - could generate up to 30 thousand million extra kilometres by LCVs, a 100 percent increase over the total urban kilometres by LCVs in 1999, however, the increase may be constrained to nearer 50% by limited urban road space, as well fleet capacity restraints; • Urban shopping - small overall increase in total travel an extra 1.1 million kilometres annually by 2005 - results may seem counter intuitive; and • Inter-urban Freight - as urban freight plus opportunities for sourcing from further afield. Up to 50 percent increase in intercity articulated trucks trips by 2005 [but not tonnage]. E-based Assessment of Impacts The study demonstrates the complexity and value of proper ranking and rating. ‘Back of the envelope’ predictions, such as ‘one in five trips are shopping trips and will be replaced by online shopping’ are misleading. Impacts need to be reported in a variety of ways. For instance: impacts on congestion, costs, infrastructure capacity, noise or air pollution and need to be sensitive to time and place. An e-based decision support tool could provide local, regional and national impact assessment. It would incorporate: • Online Access Links to appropriate data from disparate sources in agencies across the country or across the world [with access charges as required]. • Web Enabled Assessment Models for approved users to access software updated to cope with rapid change. The cost of providing such facilities, and of using them, would be covered many times over by the savings from costs avoided and opportunities gained.", "keywords": [ "Kilometer", "Tourism", "TRIPS architecture", "Business", "Procurement", "Competition (biology)", "Geography", "Agricultural economics", "Transport engineering", "Economics", "Marketing", "Engineering" ], "cited_by_count": 0, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "https://qa-eprints.qut.edu.au/2779/" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W7207840250", "doi": "10.3390/app16178755", "title": "Vehicle-Mounted Automated Horizontal Loading System for Freight Operations: Evidence from Last-Mile Cold Chain Delivery and Island Logistics", "year": 2026, "publication_date": "2026-09-03", "type": "article", "language": "en", "authors": [ "Sukmin Hong", "Longxiao Liu", "Gwanyong Oh", "Sungmin Kim", "HanByul Ryu", "EunSu Lee", "Daisik Nam", "Daejin Kim" ], "first_author": "Sukmin Hong", "venue": "Applied Sciences", "publisher": "Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute", "abstract": "Last-mile delivery is constrained by manual cargo handling, which consumes a large share of the operating window and limits the number of delivery rounds per shift. This study evaluates the operational and economic effects of the Automated Horizontal Loading and Unloading System (AHLUS), a retrofittable in-vehicle technology that converts the cargo bed into an active handling platform using a belt conveyor and a movable bulkhead. Using daily records from two AHLUS-equipped one-ton trucks operated in a South Korean fresh-food network over four months, an interrupted time-series regression with Newey-West standard errors estimated the effect of the deployment process—encompassing driver adaptation and the dispatch reallocation enabled by the system’s enhanced handling capacity—while controlling for the pre-intervention trend. After stabilization, daily throughput was approximately 19.8 percent higher than the learning-phase baseline (approximately 14.8 percent relative to the model-implied counterfactual trend), a gain that was statistically significant, held for both drivers, and corresponded to an increase from two to three delivery rounds per shift. A transparent total cost of ownership model incorporating payload-loss, power, maintenance, and downtime yielded a base-case break-even point of 4.1 months, and a Monte Carlo simulation indicated a positive net benefit across all sampled parameter combinations under the assumed input distributions, with a median break-even point of 4.6 months. As an exploratory single-company field validation without an untreated control series, the study estimates the effect of the deployment as implemented in practice rather than the isolated effect of the hardware. The findings provide field-based evidence that in-vehicle handling automation can deliver measurable throughput and economic benefits in last-mile operations, pending confirmation in larger multi-company and multi-region deployments.", "keywords": [ "Software deployment", "Truck", "Baseline (sea)", "Downtime", "Throughput", "Automation", "Point (geometry)", "Operating cost" ], "cited_by_count": 0, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "https://doi.org/10.3390/app16178755" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W7161774180", "doi": "10.53297/18293387-2025.2-71", "title": "THE INFLUENCE OF ENERGY TRANSITION ON LARGE INTERNATIONAL LOGISTICS COMPANIES: A CASE STUDY OF PEPSICO AND AMAZON", "year": 2026, "publication_date": "2026-04-28", "type": "article", "language": null, "authors": [ "S.S. Khachatryan", "S.H. Saharyan" ], "first_author": "S.S. Khachatryan", "venue": "PROCEEDINGS OF NATIONAL POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY OF ARMENIA MECHANICS MACHINE SCIENCE MACHINE-BUILDING", "publisher": null, "abstract": "This article presents a comprehensive analysis of how the global energy transition is influencing the strategic and operational frameworks of large international logistics companies, using PepsiCo and Amazon as primary case studies. The analysis integrates quantitative data from peer-reviewed journals and industry reports to illuminate the complex interplay between substantial capital investments in electric fleets and the long-term financial and environmental benefits. While both companies are making significant strides toward their net-zero targets, their strategies are distinctly tailored to their unique logistical profiles: Amazon focuses on last-mile delivery, while PepsiCo pioneers’ electrification in the heavy-duty, long-haul sector. The findings demonstrate compelling financial and environmental benefits. Electrified fleets yield significant reductions in life-cycle greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, with data from one study indicating a 63…84% reduction for a 40-tonne electric truck compared to a diesel equivalent. Furthermore, operational cost savings are substantial, with analyses showing 40% lower maintenance costs for electric vehicles (EVs) and a total cost of ownership (TCO) that is increasingly competitive with fossil-fuel vehicles. However, the report also uncovers a profound and underappreciated logistical challenge: the immense demand for critical minerals required for renewable energy technologies will place unprecedented pressure on the global maritime shipping industry, a sector that is difficult to decarbonize and currently lacks the capacity to meet this new demand. This analysis concludes that a successful and sustainable energy transition for logistics requires a holistic, data-driven approach, fortified by public-private partnerships, to overcome these systemic barriers and build a more resilient and efficient future. Keywords: Energy transition, international logistics, electric vehicles, greenhouse gas emissions, total cost of ownership (TCO), sustainable supply chain, public and private partnerships, decarbonization, PepsiCo, Amazon.", "keywords": [ "Electrification", "Amazon rainforest", "Greenhouse gas", "Renewable energy", "Truck", "Energy transition", "Fossil fuel", "Sustainability" ], "cited_by_count": 0, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "https://doi.org/10.53297/18293387-2025.2-71" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W7203995480", "doi": "10.1016/j.asoc.2026.116286", "title": "Hybrid permutation-coded genetic algorithms and parallel implementations for the drone safety-aware electric vehicle traveling salesman problem", "year": 2026, "publication_date": "2026-08-22", "type": "article", "language": "en", "authors": [ "Ritesh Kumari", "Sakshi Goyal", "Amrata Gill", "Prem Prakash Vuppuluri", "C. Patvardhan" ], "first_author": "Ritesh Kumari", "venue": "Applied Soft Computing", "publisher": "Elsevier BV", "abstract": null, "keywords": [ "Drone", "Implementation", "Travelling salesman problem", "Genetic algorithm", "Vehicle routing problem", "Electric vehicle" ], "cited_by_count": 0, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "https://doi.org/10.1016/j.asoc.2026.116286" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W7168443915", "doi": null, "title": "Innovations en logistique de chantier : l’intégration du Démonstrateur Ville Durable dans la ZAC Gratte-Ciel Centre-Ville", "year": 2026, "publication_date": "2026-07-06", "type": "dissertation", "language": "fr", "authors": [ "Nina Billaud" ], "first_author": "Nina Billaud", "venue": "HAL (Le Centre pour la Communication Scientifique Directe)", "publisher": "Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique", "abstract": "This master’s thesis analyzes the implementation of innovations in construction logistics, based on the Gratte-Ciel city-center urban development project in Villeurbanne. The latter experiments construction logistics and urban logistics solutions through the « Démonstrateur Ville Durable » programm. To this end, several interviews were conducted and analyzed, and their findings were cross-referenced with quantitative data from the development zone concerning waste flows, truck movements, and workforce activity.", "keywords": [ "Truck", "Government (linguistics)", "Unit (ring theory)", "Land use", "Production (economics)", "Supply chain" ], "cited_by_count": 0, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "https://dumas.ccsd.cnrs.fr/dumas-05685588" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W7138266037", "doi": "10.5281/zenodo.19059081", "title": "Chapter 8: Transportation", "year": 2026, "publication_date": "2026-03-17", "type": "article", "language": "en", "authors": [ "Samuel Darwisman" ], "first_author": "Samuel Darwisman", "venue": "Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)", "publisher": "European Organization for Nuclear Research", "abstract": "Transportation constitutes the single largest expenditure in logistics operations, typically accounting for over 60% of a firm's total logistics costs and playing a pivotal role in moving inventory throughout supply chains while enabling precise service delivery. This chapter provides a comprehensive examination of transportation's multifaceted role in modern logistics systems, analyzing its core functionality, structural components, and evolving operational frameworks. The study systematically evaluates the five primary transportation modes—rail, truck, water, pipeline, and air—through comparative analysis of their respective cost structures, operational characteristics, network configurations, and strategic applications within integrated supply chains. Particular attention is devoted to intermodal transportation systems that combine multiple modes to leverage inherent economies, including trailer-on-flatcar (TOFC), container-on-flatcar (COFC), and land bridge operations. The chapter investigates the complex ecosystem of transportation participants, including shippers, consignees, carriers, governmental agencies, and nonoperating intermediaries such as freight forwarders, shipper associations, and brokers. A detailed examination of transportation pricing mechanisms encompasses freight classification systems, the tapering principle, economies of weight and density, and specialized pricing arrangements. The analysis extends to operational technologies including Transportation Management Systems (TMS) with functionalities for equipment scheduling, load planning, and real-time visibility. Critical regulatory frameworks are examined, including hours of service regulations and electronic logging devices (ELDs), alongside industry challenges including infrastructure deterioration, driver shortages, and the transformative impact of e-commerce on last-mile delivery expectations. The chapter concludes with an assessment of strategic considerations for modal selection, positioning transportation as the foundational backbone of logistics operations while identifying emerging trends in technology integration, infrastructure renewal, and modal collaboration that will shape the future of freight movement.", "keywords": [ "Supply chain", "Leverage (statistics)", "Service (business)", "Core competency", "Traffic management", "Transportation infrastructure", "Strategic planning", "Flow network", "Diversification (marketing strategy)" ], "cited_by_count": 0, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.19059081" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W592039023", "doi": null, "title": "URBAN GOODS AND INTERCITY FREIGHT MOVEMENT. FINAL RESEARCH REPORT", "year": 1995, "publication_date": "1995-02-01", "type": "article", "language": "en", "authors": [ "Ted Klastorin", "Gary Pivo", "M Pilcher", "Daniel L. Carlson", "Colette A. Hyman", "Søren Vinther Hansen", "Paul Mitchell Hess", "Aparna Thatte" ], "first_author": "Ted Klastorin", "venue": null, "publisher": null, "abstract": "This study examined the freight movement and logistics patterns of six businesses located in urban and suburban centers of metropolitan Seattle. Its two principle objectives were (1) to identify key factors that influence location and transportation choices, patterns, and times and (2) to build a sound foundation for future research regarding urban freight movement's relationship to compact urban form. The study found that firm location decisions are driven more by land costs than by transportation costs; proximity to denser urban areas means more business for four of six firms investigated; transportation managers adjust to increased congestion; innovations such as smaller trucks and urban-edge transfer stations facilitate freight movement in dense areas; and site and roadway design can have a big impact on urban goods movement. A variety of new approaches, including freight consolidation, congestion pricing, freight friendly urban design, and insights of truckers, were suggested for further analysis.", "keywords": [ "Metropolitan area", "Truck", "Transport engineering", "Business", "City logistics", "Traffic congestion", "Consolidation (business)", "Geography", "Finance", "Engineering" ], "cited_by_count": 0, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "https://trid.trb.org/view/422202" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W2305023790", "doi": null, "title": "Logística Urbana en Quito Esquema de distribución para DINADEC (Cervecería Nacional) en el Centro Histórico de Quito.", "year": 2013, "publication_date": "2013-01-01", "type": "dissertation", "language": "es", "authors": [ "Córdova Paredes", "Juan Pablo" ], "first_author": "Córdova Paredes", "venue": "USFQ Digital Repository (Universidad San Francisco de Quito)", "publisher": "Universidad San Francisco de Quito", "abstract": "The current DINADEC’s distribution network in the Historic Center of Quito is characterized and analyzed at an Urban Logistics perspective. Based on the analysis a new distribution scheme is designed using a Multi Criteria Decision Making approach based on AHP and several operation research models. Network graphs were used to represent the network designs through the modeling process. The proposed network fulfills the municipality restrictions, diminishes truck route distances inside the HCQ and balances daily delivery times.", "keywords": [ "Geography", "Urban network", "Truck", "Distribution (mathematics)", "Cartography", "Welfare economics", "Analytic hierarchy process", "Computer science", "Operations research", "Humanities", "Transport engineering", "Engineering" ], "cited_by_count": 0, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "http://repositorio.usfq.edu.ec/handle/23000/2406" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W2925989205", "doi": "10.1007/978-981-13-6733-5_32", "title": "Vehicle Scheduling Optimization of Urban Distribution Considering Traffic Control", "year": 2019, "publication_date": "2019-01-01", "type": "conference-paper", "language": "en", "authors": [ "Qianqian Shao", "Huifei Li", "Yunfeng Zhang", "Feng Guan" ], "first_author": "Qianqian Shao", "venue": "Advances in intelligent systems and computing", "publisher": "Springer Nature", "abstract": null, "keywords": [ "Crossover", "Computer science", "Coding (social sciences)", "Genetic algorithm", "Scheduling (production processes)", "Mathematical optimization", "Convergence (economics)", "Mathematics", "Artificial intelligence" ], "cited_by_count": 0, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-6733-5_32" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W589941224", "doi": null, "title": "A Preliminary Demonstration of \"Virtual Warehousing\" and Cross-Docking Technique with Active RFID Combined with Asset Tracking Equipment", "year": 2010, "publication_date": "2010-11-01", "type": "article", "language": "en", "authors": [ "Patrick J. Sherry", "Rocque Kramer" ], "first_author": "Patrick J. Sherry", "venue": null, "publisher": null, "abstract": "The University of Denver’s Intermodal Transportation Institute (ITI) and System Planning Corporation’s GlobalTrak system have successfully demonstrated the integration of Global Positioning System (GPS) tracking and active radio frequency identification (RFID) monitoring of simulated cargo of pallet and carton sizes by a mobile data collection and reporting device during a cross-country, intermodal transit involving truck and rail segments for two containers. The success of this test indicates that it is possible to receive information about the location and condition of cargo throughout the transportation cycle, not just at nodes like transshipment or distribution centers. The use of RFID-tagged cartons and pallets with a GPS tracking device means that less than containerload/less than truckload (LCL/LTL) loads as well as container/trailer-loads can be tracked and monitored during transit, extending the warehouse onto the road. The pallets and cartons comprising the simulated cargo were tagged, placed in 53’ containers, transported, and brought together in Denver for a cross-docking maneuver. The tagged “cargo” was moved from one conveyance to the other and then associated with that new conveyance’s tracking device. The tag reads were reported by the respective devices and presented as meaningful cargo data on the GlobalTrak Information Management Bureau network site established for the National Center for Intermodal Transportation (NCIT). In this test, one 53’ container was loaded near the GlobalTrak facility in Arlington, VA and trucked to Harrisburg, PA where it was placed on CSX double stacked railcars and moved to the CSX intermodal yard south of Chicago. The container was then trucked, as is normally done, to the UP yard in western Chicago and double stacked on a railcar for the completion of the journey to Denver. From the Denver UP yard it was drayed to a hub in North Denver. A second 53’ container was obtained in Denver and trucked to the hub for a cross-docking event to occur with the containers within 8’ of each other. Cartons and simulated pallets loaded in Denver and associated with the Denver GlobalTrak asset management unit, or AMU, were then switched with the cargo that had just arrived from Arlington VA. The Denver cargo was associated with the Arlington VA-origin AMU. The Arlington VA cargo was associated with the Denver AMU in its new container. Both AMUs reported their tagged cargo to the GlobalTrak Information Management Bureau as new cargo but also recognized the movement from one container to another. The container loaded in and sent from Arlington VA initially reported its door open and closed during the loading cycle; and reported its location every hour and the status of the active RFID tags within the container more often. No alarms were reported until door opening in Denver at the cross-docking operation. On completing the cross-docking, both containers were pulled off the docks and stored in the yard for one day. The Arlington VA container with new RFID tagged cargo was sent back to Virginia. The Denver container was driven around Denver where one pallet was unloaded to test a last mile delivery scenario. The cargo which was loaded in Arlington VA and cross-docked to the second container in Denver was eventually off-loaded and stored at the University of Denver campus where it remains today. It continues to report its location and status within the facilities of ITI to an AMU. This test demonstrated the availability of improved delivery speeds through the coordination and scheduling of multiple containers from long-haul locations for cross-docking; a potential reduction in the costs of both inventory and materials handling; and a potential reduction in warehouse storage space requirements.", "keywords": [ "Pallet", "Global Positioning System", "Truck", "Container (type theory)", "Radio-frequency identification", "Transit (satellite)", "Transport engineering", "Computer science", "Engineering", "Automotive engineering", "Telecommunications", "Computer security" ], "cited_by_count": 0, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/28370" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W7159919144", "doi": null, "title": "Designing a collection and delivery point network based on distributive justice principles", "year": 2026, "publication_date": "2026-01-01", "type": "article", "language": "en", "authors": [ "Luísa Tavares Muzzi de Sousa", "Leise Kelli de Oliveira", "Jorge Luiz dos Santos Junior", "Gracielle Gonçalves Ferreira de Araújo", "María Leonor Alves Maia", "Lílian dos Santos Fontes Pereira Bracarense" ], "first_author": "Luísa Tavares Muzzi de Sousa", "venue": "Lume (Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul)", "publisher": "Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre", "abstract": "Collection and delivery points (CDPs) consolidate parcel deliveries and reduce the circulation of freight vehicles, lowering operational costs. They also offer a more accessible alternative to home delivery, which is often restrictive, as not everyone is available during working hours and some areas lack coverage. Addressing these challenges is essential for increasing efficiency and mitigating negative externalities. This study proposes a CDP network design that ensures equitable access to small nonperishable goods. A location-allocation problem is solved to determine optimal CDP locations, maximising facility coverage while minimising the number of required facilities through fair resource allocation. The proposed network is compared with the Brazilian Post Office Box (PO Box) service to evaluate improvements in accessibility. From a planning perspective, the findings provide valuable information for both public and private sectors in decision-making on parcel delivery services. Public authorities can use the results to develop policies that improve urban logistics, while private companies can establish a CDP network that ensures accessibility to users while maintaining low operational costs. Ultimately, the study contributes to improving last-mile logistics by offering an efficient and inclusive alternative to traditional home delivery methods, reducing environmental and economic impacts in urban freight distribution.", "keywords": [ "Point (geometry)", "Service delivery framework", "Service (business)", "Resource (disambiguation)", "Service provider", "Private sector", "Public transport", "Data collection", "Operational efficiency" ], "cited_by_count": 0, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "http://hdl.handle.net/10183/303931" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W4386060561", "doi": "10.2172/1860360", "title": "Technology Integration to Gain Commercial Efficiency for the Urban Goods Delivery System, Meet Future Demand for City Passenger and Delivery Load/Unload Spaces, and Reduce Energy Consumption", "year": 2022, "publication_date": "2022-03-31", "type": "report", "language": "en", "authors": [ "Univ. of Washington, Seattle, WA (United States)", "Anne Goodchild", "Office of Sustainable Transportation. Vehicle Technologies Office (VTO) USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE)" ], "first_author": "Univ. of Washington, Seattle, WA (United States)", "venue": null, "publisher": null, "abstract": "This three-year project supported by the U.S. Department of Energy Vehicle Technologies Office has the potential to radically improve the urban freight system in ways that help both the public and private sectors. Working from 2018-2021, project researchers at the University of Washington’s Urban Freight Lab and collaborators at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory have produced key data, tested technologies in complex urban settings, developed a prototype parking availability app, and helped close major knowledge gaps. All the fruits of this project can be harnessed to help cities better understand, support and actively manage truck load/unload operations and their urban freight transport infrastructure. Project learnings and tools can be used to help make goods delivery firms more efficient by reducing miles traveled and the time it takes to complete deliveries, benefitting businesses and residents who rely on the urban freight system for supplies of goods. And, ultimately, these project learnings and tools can be used to make cities more livable by minimizing wasted travel, which, in turn, contributes to reductions in fuel consumption and emissions. Cities today are challenged to effectively and efficiently manage their infrastructure to absorb the impacts of ever-increasing e-commerce-fueled delivery demand. All delivery trucks need to park somewhere to unload and load. Yet today’s delivery drivers have no visibility on available parking until they arrive at a site, which may be full. That means they can wind up cruising for parking, which wastes time and fuel and contributes to congestion. Once drivers do find parking, the faster they can unload at the spot, the faster they free up space for other drivers, helping others avoid circling for parking. This makes the parking space—and thus the greater load/unload network—more productive. To this end, the research team successfully met the project’s three goals, developing and piloting strategies and technologies to: 1. Reduce parking-seeking behavior in the study area by 20%; 2. Reduce parcel truck dwell time (the time a truck spends in a spot to load/unload) in the study area by 30%; 3. Increase curb space, alley space and private loading bay occupancy rates in the study area. The research team met these goals by creating and piloting on Seattle streets OpenPark, a first-of-its-kind real-time and forecasting curb parking app customized for commercial delivery drivers—giving drivers the “missing link” in their commonly used routing tools that tell them how best to get to delivery locations, but not what parking is available to use when they get there. Installing in-ground sensors on commercial vehicle load zones (CVLZs) and passenger load zones (PLZs) in the 10-block study area in Seattle’s downtown neighbourhood of Belltown let researchers glean real-time curb parking data. The research team also met project goals by piloting three parcel lockers in public and private spaces open to any delivery carrier, creating a consolidated delivery hub that lets drivers complete deliveries faster and spend less time parked. Researchers collected and analysed data to produce the first empirical, robust, statistically significant results as to the impact of the lockers, and app, on on-the-ground operations. In addition to collecting and analyzing sensor and other real-time and historical data, researchers rode along with delivery drivers to confirm real-world routing and parking behavior. Researchers also surveyed building managers on their private loading bay operations to understand how to boost usage.", "keywords": [ "Energy consumption", "Business", "On demand", "Consumption (sociology)", "Delivery system", "Efficient energy use", "Food delivery", "Energy demand", "Environmental economics", "Transport engineering", "Commerce", "Engineering" ], "cited_by_count": 0, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "https://www.osti.gov/biblio/1860360" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W7132379512", "doi": null, "title": "Storskaligt leverans system med användning av drönare i 3D rymd", "year": 2026, "publication_date": "2026-01-01", "type": "dissertation", "language": "en", "authors": [ "Marcus Åhl" ], "first_author": "Marcus Åhl", "venue": "Diva portal (Dalarna University Library)", "publisher": null, "abstract": "Drones are a promising alternative to use instead of trucks in last-mile deliveries of small packages in urban environments due to their increased mobility and lower greenhouse emissions. To explore the usage of drones to deliver small packages in a 3D environment, an any-time solver for the problem was developed. The solver uses the metaheuristic adaptive large neighbourhood search to iteratively attempt to improve an existing solution that was found using prioritised planning on a scenario problem. To find delivery routes in environments of up to a size of 350 times 350 times 30 meters that is filled with randomly generated rectangular buildings, two search algorithms, Lazy-Theta* and A* with a simple drone collision avoidance algorithm were used. While considering a drone’s flight speed, current battery, carrying capacity, desired minimum distance to other drones, and delivery deadlines for each delivery, it was found that solutions in parts of fictional cities were possible to achieve and that the best performing heuristic utilised a delivery route’s delay and cost, leading to the highest improvement rate (defined as the percentage of iterations that improved the current solution) of 38.46% among all scenarios. The use of multiple heuristics performed better than using single heuristics even though the greatest improvement rate of a single heuristic is 38.10% and was achieved by the Delay heuristic in a larger scenario. It was noted that seeing improvements in a solution became more common when a scenario contained more deliveries and when the number of re-planned deliveries in each iteration was roughly equal to eight. Unlike the improvement rates, the overall improvement of a solution’s cost was small and often none regardless of scenario and chosen heuristics. In addition, the solver has performance issues which meant that up to 1800 iterations could be evaluated on small scenarios and environments with a budget of up to four minutes and in larger scenarios, a budget of up to 16 minutes could evaluate as few as 20 iterations. The results show that it is possible to use drones to deliver packages in a 3D environment but that more work is needed to obtain better solutions.", "keywords": [ "Heuristics", "Solver", "Metaheuristic", "Heuristic", "Drone", "Local search (optimization)" ], "cited_by_count": 0, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:liu:diva-221422" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W4250862698", "doi": "10.1108/s2044-994120140000006023", "title": "Transport and Sustainability Editorial Board", "year": 2014, "publication_date": "2014-12-03", "type": "paratext", "language": "en", "authors": [], "first_author": null, "venue": null, "publisher": null, "abstract": "Citation (2014), \"Transport and Sustainability Editorial Board\", Sustainable Logistics (Transport and Sustainability, Vol. 6), Emerald Group Publishing Limited, Bingley, p. xiii. https://doi.org/10.1108/S2044-994120140000006023 Publisher: Emerald Group Publishing Limited Copyright © 2014 Emerald Group Publishing Limited Maria Attard University of Malta, Malta Lucy C. S. Budd Loughborough University, UK Becky Loo Hong Kong University, Hong Kong Corinne Mulley The University of Sydney Business School, Australia Robert B. Noland Rutgers University, USA Dr. Joachim Scheiner Technische Universität Dortmund, Germany Joe Zietsman Texas A&M Transportation Institute, USA Book Chapters Sustainable Logistics Transport and Sustainability Sustainable Logistics Copyright Page List of Contributors Transport and Sustainability Editorial Board The 4 A’s of Sustainable Logistics Chapter 1 Options for Competitive and Sustainable Logistics Chapter 2 Mitigating the Negative Environmental Impacts of Long Haul Freight Transport Chapter 3 Comparison of Vehicle Miles Traveled and Pollution from Three Goods Movement Strategies Chapter 4 The Shades of Green in Retail Chains’ Logistics Chapter 5 Assessing Urban Logistics Pooling Sustainability via a Hierarchic Dashboard from a Group Decision Perspective Chapter 6 Packaging for Eco-Efficient Supply Chains: Why Logistics Should Get Involved in the Packaging Development Process Chapter 7 Freight Transport Mode Choice and Mode Shift in New Zealand: Findings of a Revealed Preference Survey Chapter 8 Business Models for Shipper-Operated Intermodal Transport Solutions Chapter 9 Intermodal Break-Even Distances: A Fetish of 300 Kilometres? Chapter 10 The Cargo Tram: Current Status and Perspectives, the Example of Brussels Chapter 11 Towards Zero Emission Urban Logistics: Challenges and Issues for Implementation of Electric Freight Vehicles in City Logistics Chapter 12 The Cost and Effectiveness of Sustainable City Logistics Policies Using Small Electric Vehicles About the Editors About the Authors Index", "keywords": [ "Sustainability", "Sustainable transport", "Publishing", "Sustainable business", "Business", "Engineering", "Supply chain", "Transport engineering", "Management", "Political science", "Marketing", "Economics" ], "cited_by_count": 0, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": true, "open_access_url": "https://doi.org/10.1108/s2044-994120140000006023" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W7165087297", "doi": null, "title": "Raskaan liikenteen sähköistyminen Lappeenrannassa : päästövähennysskenaariot ja kaupungin rooli", "year": 2026, "publication_date": "2026-01-01", "type": "dissertation", "language": "en", "authors": [ "Eveliina Ali-Kippari" ], "first_author": "Eveliina Ali-Kippari", "venue": "LUTPub (LUT University)", "publisher": "Lappeenranta-Lahti University of Technology", "abstract": "This thesis examines the electrification of heavy vehicle traffic in Lappeenranta and evaluates how the city could support the transition. The study focuses on trucks, combination trucks, local public transportation and school transportation. The research methods were scenario analysis and theme interviews. The scenario analysis estimated greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction in two pathways for the year 2040. The current operational GHG emissions of the examined heavy vehicle traffic were estimated to be approximately 66,500 tons CO₂-equivalent. In the realistic scenario, GHG emissions decreased by 21% and in the ambitious scenario, by 34% compared to current situation. The largest absolute emission reduction potential was found to be in truck traffic, due to their high mileage and emission intensity, but they were also the hardest category to electrify. The highest relative reduction potential was found in local public transport. The interviews showed that the city’s main role in transition is enabling, especially through public procurement, land-use planning, infrastructure readiness and stakeholder coordination. The key recommendations are to use public procurement to create early demand, support charging infrastructure through land-use planning and preparing a roadmap based on the Sustainable Urban Logistics Plan (SULP) approach, and coordinate cooperation between local actors.", "keywords": [ "Greenhouse gas", "Procurement", "Electrification", "Truck", "Stakeholder", "Plan (archaeology)", "General partnership", "Renewable energy" ], "cited_by_count": 0, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "https://lutpub.lut.fi/handle/10024/172404" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W4404087925", "doi": "10.53555//kuey.v28i4.8258", "title": "Educational Administration: Theory and Practice", "year": 2024, "publication_date": "2024-11-06", "type": "paratext", "language": "en", "authors": [ "Rama Chandra Rao Nampalli" ], "first_author": "Rama Chandra Rao Nampalli", "venue": null, "publisher": null, "abstract": "The electric vehicle (EV) market has been growing not only for passenger vehicles, where we witness high adoption of these cleaner cars, divided into Hybrid Electric Vehicles (HEVs), Plug-In Electric Vehicles (PHEVs), and Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs), but also in buses, trucks, and vans, with an increasing conversion pressure due to regulations. In last-mile delivery, powerful optimization tools combining machine learning with operations research have become the subject of several studies, aiming to achieve efficient energy consumption in EVs by predicting drivers’ behaviors or track charts. Moreover, new strategies have been developed for something known as fleet electrification, i.e., when a carrier company aiming mainly to decrease its environmental footprint combines the operation of conventional fuel-powered vehicles with electric ones; this is not a complete switchover, but an intermediate stage. Since computational methods converged, fleet electrification attracted researchers’ interest as a techno-economical optimization question related to three main research lines with a strong potential impact on environmental electricity: energy mix-related carbon emissions. The first category of services that impacted fleet electrification before the advent of machine learning was related to condition-based maintenance. As commercial gas, electricity, heating oil, and water consumption can be budgeted across a year’s worth of monthly payments, fixing a price through the year could help these fleets include commercial formulations that account for released corporate emissions through approved carbon offsetting. In concrete numbers, our technical paper has two key goals: firstly, we investigate whether and to what extent the Vehicle Misuse Factor, as defined, and the initial state of relevant vehicle parts (tires, gearbox, motor, etc.) affect the electric energy consumption of EVs; secondly, we propose and solve the cost minimization model arising from this energy consumption prediction.", "keywords": [ "Administration (probate law)", "Mathematics education", "Computer science", "Psychology", "Political science", "Law" ], "cited_by_count": 0, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": true, "open_access_url": "https://kuey.net/index.php/kuey/article/download/8258/6198" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W7144886961", "doi": null, "title": "トラック駐車と経路の時空間分析 : データ駆動型の視点", "year": null, "publication_date": null, "type": "dissertation", "language": "en", "authors": [ "Jishi Wu" ], "first_author": "Jishi Wu", "venue": "Institutional Repositories DataBase (IRDB)", "publisher": "National Institute of Informatics", "abstract": "With the rapid growth of urbanization, e-commerce, and active transportation users, conflicts between freight and active travel modes are intensifying, increasing competition for urban public spaces, and exacerbating traffic congestion and safety issues.Due to their large size, trucks occupy more space, and the increase in public space supply cannot keep up with the growing demand for parking and routing.Furthermore, their parking behavior often adversely affects other road users.In the United Nations' Sustainable Cities and Communities initiative, they are managing truck activities, which is a critical challenge in sustainable freight management.Consequently, conducting technical research on truck activities and transport management decisions and accurately quantifying the activities and needs of this complex dynamic system is crucial for supporting sustainable freight activities and infrastructure planning.The characteristics of truck parking and routing significantly reflect urban freight transportation patterns and the layout of the built environment.Areas with high activity demand are often key hubs for freight activities and potential sites for developing parking infrastructure.Accurately depicting truck activity behavior is a distinct part of transdisciplinary science and engineering, typically involving disciplines such as transportation, environmental, and geographical sciences.In complex, stochastic, and dynamic road systems, truck activity behavior is influenced by traffic facilities, road conditions, and weather, displaying significant individual variability, spatial distribution disparities, and dynamic changes.Quantitative methods built on individual travel survey data struggle to capture the spatial and temporal activities demands of vehicles fully and accurately, resulting in low-resolution outcomes with high uncertainty.Consequently, accurately depicting truck parking and routing and transport continues to face numerous technical challenges.The advent of big data in the transportation and environmental sectors presents a valuable opportunity to address these technical challenges.Thus, there is an urgent need to develop a data-driven learning tool that fully integrates truck active and transport characteristics, land use, and freight infrastructure into the policy, planning, design, implementation, and construction of truck activity management.This study primarily utilizes multi-source, multi-dimensional vehicle trajectory monitoring data, integrated with land use and meteorological data, to establish an interdisciplinary extensive data system for extensive urban freight.For truck parking behavior, curbside parking demand, parking facility planning, and route planning, this research proposes a comprehensive machine learning-based decisionmaking framework for characterizing parking demand, planning parking facilities, and recommending routes.The research implements a multi-scale (regional to network-level) truck parking management decision analysis.Drawing on practical case studies from urban agglomerations such as Shanghai, Tokyo, and Hiroshima, this research examines the relationship between the built environment and parking behavior, forecast of curbside parking demand, potential parking area planning, and route decision-making.It further details applying big data-driven learning technologies for truck management decisions.It aims to provide methodological guidance and practical references for researchers and managers in freight management, spatial planning, and related environmental fields.The primary research includes the following:(1) We utilized kernel density estimation, rank-size distribution, and log-odds ratio to compare the heterogeneity of parking behavior across different times and spaces.In suburban areas with concentrated ports, freight stations, and logistics facilities, trucks have longer stopped durations and travel longer distances, showing notable spatial differentiation, especially on weekends.It also has", "keywords": [ "Truck", "Traffic congestion", "Traffic management", "Routing (electronic design automation)", "Public transport", "Competition (biology)", "Sustainable transport", "Supply and demand" ], "cited_by_count": 0, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "https://hiroshima.repo.nii.ac.jp/record/2040980/files/k9848_4.pdf" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W7112231620", "doi": null, "title": "Innovations in Transport", "year": null, "publication_date": null, "type": "book", "language": null, "authors": [ "Ron van Duin", "Walther Ploos van Amstel", "Hans Quak" ], "first_author": "Ron van Duin", "venue": "RePEc: Research Papers in Economics", "publisher": "Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis", "abstract": "The global growth of cities leads to more residents, more businesses and more jobs. As a result, companies, workers, residents and visitors demand more goods and produce more waste. More space for logistics activities in and around cities is at odds to the growing need for accommodation for people living and working in cities. The Light Electric Freight Vehicle (LEFV) can be an innovative solution to deal with these challenges. LEFVs take up less road space, are zero-emission, and are less intrusive than vans in city logistics. This chapter deals with the success and failure factors of the introduction of LEFVs in city logistics and the related future perspectives on LEFVs in city logistics explained by the application of the TIS framework (Technological Innovation System). The chapter ends with a future perspective on LEFVs based on a SWOT-analysis in which the TIS -factors are positioned.", "keywords": [ "Accommodation", "City logistics", "Work (physics)", "Odds", "Space (punctuation)", "Perspective (graphical)" ], "cited_by_count": 0, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "https://www.elgaronline.com/view/edcoll/9781800373372/9781800373372.00016.xml" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W4415465868", "doi": "10.1061/9780784486269.333", "title": "Comparison of Freight Generation Models: Land Area-Based versus Freight Facility-Based Approaches", "year": 2025, "publication_date": "2025-10-23", "type": "conference-paper", "language": null, "authors": [ "Lianhua Piao", "Wen Zhang", "Jun Hao Tan", "Xiangshun Wang", "Zhengtao Qin", "Yifei Huang", "Mingxuan Zhen", "Quan Yuan" ], "first_author": "Lianhua Piao", "venue": null, "publisher": null, "abstract": "The rapid expansion of e-commerce and industry specialization has significantly increased demand for goods delivery, leading to higher freight vehicle flows on urban roads and affecting urban transport operations. Accurate prediction of urban freight vehicle flow is essential for effective traffic management, with freight generation being a key factor. Both land use types and freight facilities contribute to freight generation, yet a few studies have assessed which method is more accurate for estimation. This study compares a freight facility-based model and a land area-based model in predicting freight vehicle generation. Results indicate that the freight facility-based model provides superior prediction accuracy compared to the land area-based model. The accuracy rates are 0.792 for the freight facility-based model and 0.709 for the land area-based model. Additionally, the freight facility-based model has a lower RMSE of 1.7342 compared to 2.0315 for the land area-based model, confirming the better prediction of freight facility-based model.", "keywords": [ "Production (economics)", "Work (physics)", "Land use", "Data collection", "Supply chain" ], "cited_by_count": 0, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "https://doi.org/10.1061/9780784486269.333" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W2326721727", "doi": "10.1109/mines.2013.154", "title": "Forecasting the Development of Freight Industry in Beijing Based on Industrial Structure", "year": 2013, "publication_date": "2013-11-01", "type": "conference-paper", "language": "en", "authors": [ "Fan Zhang" ], "first_author": "Fan Zhang", "venue": "International Conference on Multimedia Information Networking and Security", "publisher": null, "abstract": "The forecast of urban freight transport demand and the corresponding population of vehicle have great significance for urban planning and making policy. This paper from the view of industrial structure, learn the changes in freight demand by regional industrial characteristics. Build mathematical models based on the history data of road freight volume and the GDP data in Beijing. Within SPSS environment, using polynomial regression model and multivariate linear regression models to forecast the freight volume and the number of freight vehicles in Beijing.", "keywords": [ "Beijing", "Transport engineering", "Multivariate statistics", "Regression analysis", "Population", "Volume (thermodynamics)", "Bayesian multivariate linear regression", "Traffic volume", "Computer science", "Regional science", "Operations research", "Geography" ], "cited_by_count": 0, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "http://dl.acm.org/citation.cfm?id=2573197" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W338764277", "doi": null, "title": "TSP model for electric vehicle deliveries, considering speed, loading and path slope.", "year": 2015, "publication_date": "2015-04-17", "type": "conference-paper", "language": "en", "authors": [ "Maud Bay", "Sabine Limbourg" ], "first_author": "Maud Bay", "venue": "ORBi (University of Liège)", "publisher": "University of Liège", "abstract": "In the current Transport White Paper, the European Union presents a roadmap for a more competitive and sustainable European transport system. Concerning Urban Freight Transport, responsible for about a quarter of CO2 emissions of the transport sector, one of the goals of the EU is to achieve essentially CO2-free city logistics in major urban centres by 2030 by developing and deploying new and sustainable fuels and propulsion systems. The gradual phasing out of ‘conventionally-fuelled’ vehicles from the urban environment contributes to reduce oil dependence, greenhouse gas emissions and local air and noise pollution. To meet European air quality standards, authorities of some major European cities have already introduced Low Emissions Zones where access to urban areas is limited to freight vehicles that meet certain emissions standards. Greater use of low-emission urban trucks based on electric, hydrogen and hybrid technologies would reduce air emissions, but also noise, letting to use road infrastructure more efficiently by making night deliveries and avoiding morning and afternoon peak periods. In addition to their role in the reduction of polluting emissions, the development of low-emission vehicles also allows to mitigate the dependence of the transportation sector to high fossil fuel prices. Electric vehicles have the potential to be powered by renewable energy sources such as wind and solar energy. However, weaknesses can be found in the limited capacity of the battery and the time needed to recharge, and consequently, the limited driving range of electric vehicle. The main sources for final energy consumption are the vehicle size and the engine characteristics, the load factor, the driving pattern, the gradient which represent the average topology of the country, the speed and the acceleration. To maximize the driving range, a routing model, which aims at minimizing the energy consumption, has to be developed. Our paper focus on the Electric Vehicle Traveling Salesman Problem (EV-TSP): given n cities, find the shortest tour, i.e., the shortest directed cycle containing all cities. The classical objective is to minimize the cost tour scheduling to fulfill delivery requests at each location. In this paper we consider the energy cost and we present an extension of the classical problem to minimize the remaining storage capacity of all electric vehicles at the destination node, knowing that there is no recharge operation on the tour. The objective function accounts not just for the travel distance but also on the load of the vehicle and on its speed while the energy consumption of the engine additionally depends on the path to travel, on the slope of the roads and on the vehicle specifications. Moreover, negative consumption that may happen due to regenerative breaking and kinetic energy capture on downhill paths is taken into consideration. Mathematical model is described and computational experiments are performed.", "keywords": [ "Path (computing)", "Computer science", "Automotive engineering", "Environmental science", "Simulation", "Engineering" ], "cited_by_count": 0, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "https://orbi.uliege.be/handle/2268/181419" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W2249107367", "doi": null, "title": "An Analysis of Urban Commodity Consignments", "year": 1975, "publication_date": "1975-01-01", "type": "article", "language": "en", "authors": [ "KW Ogden" ], "first_author": "KW Ogden", "venue": null, "publisher": null, "abstract": "This paper presents an analysis of urban goods consignments in Melbourne in 1964. A consignment is a commodity movement from a point of shipment to a point of demand, and should not be confused with a truck trip. The data reveals that nearly one half of internal goods movement was accounted for by five commodity groups: sand, rock, soil and gravel; waste; processed food and beverages; metals and metal products; and petroleum products. The remainder was spread over a very wide range of commodity items. Similarly, a wide diversity of land use activities generated urban freight, the most important ones being extractive industries, transport terminals, storage facilities (especially petroleum) and residential areas.", "keywords": [ "Commodity", "Consignment", "Truck", "Business", "Commerce", "Agricultural economics", "Point (geometry)", "Natural resource economics", "Engineering", "Economics", "Marketing", "Finance" ], "cited_by_count": 0, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "http://search.informit.com.au/documentSummary;dn=718002321210983;res=IELENG" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W7172483130", "doi": "10.1007/s10479-026-07297-5", "title": "A branch-cut-and-price algorithm for the park-and-loop routing problem", "year": 2026, "publication_date": "2026-08-05", "type": "article", "language": "en", "authors": [ "Sylvain Lichau", "Rémy Dupas", "Julien François" ], "first_author": "Sylvain Lichau", "venue": "Annals of Operations Research", "publisher": "Springer Science+Business Media", "abstract": null, "keywords": [ "Theory of computation", "Routing (electronic design automation)", "Multipath routing", "Approximation algorithm", "Routing algorithm", "Destination-Sequenced Distance Vector routing" ], "cited_by_count": 0, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "https://hal.science/hal-05712278" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W2807284679", "doi": null, "title": "Freight transportation in logistics industry of Singapore- a feasibility study on autonomous trailers", "year": 2018, "publication_date": "2018-01-01", "type": "report", "language": "en", "authors": [ "Chin Pang Ngai" ], "first_author": "Chin Pang Ngai", "venue": "DR-NTU (Nanyang Technological University)", "publisher": "Nanyang Technological University", "abstract": "Increase in world consumption has prompted increase in world trade and motivated more container ocean transport. This prompts more containers to pass through seaports to be transported to its final destination inland. Inland container haulage operations are required to complete the last mile delivery of containers from ports to warehouses. However, maintaining operations in status quo will result in shortage of trailer drivers in the future, given that older drivers are retiring and there is increasing difficulty to recruit younger locals into the logistics industry. Autonomous, otherwise known as driverless, trailers become an explored option to resolve this challenge. While Singapore government ministries and private companies have begun involvement in autonomous vehicles, autonomous trailers are still not tested in Singapore public roads yet, putting Singapore behind countries who have trialled them in public roads. Therefore, it is worthy to explore the possibility of implementing autonomous trailers in Singapore roads and to evaluate its feasibility. A feasibility study is conducted by combining anecdotal and mathematical analyses, such that it achieves a mix of qualitative and quantitative explanatory power. The anecdotal analysis is conducted via interviews with seven parties from various sectors with vested interest in autonomous trailers deployment, while mathematical analysis involved development of simplified mathematical model and applying them to two hypothetical scenarios on autonomous trailers’ deployment. The interviews revealed safety concerns of managing uncertainties with driver and pedestrians’ behaviour, high cost concerns, and ongoing process of developing comprehensive regulations for public operation as some main inhibitors to autonomous trucks’ implementation. The simplified mathematical model suggests higher feasibility if a dedicated lane for autonomous trailers is put in place. Although when evaluated collectively, it presents a feasibility score only slightly above the arbitrary passing mark for the potential in implementation, it is undeniable that government agencies are investing more resources in autonomous vehicles development. This provides the drive for more positive evaluation, as many concerns are expected to be addressed with advancements in autonomous trailers technology. However, insights from the feasibility study should also be revised in the future, as the change in conditions would have major impacts on the viewpoints held today.", "keywords": [ "Business", "Transportation industry", "Transport engineering", "Marketing", "Operations management", "Engineering" ], "cited_by_count": 0, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "http://hdl.handle.net/10356/75446" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W7161813309", "doi": "10.1007/978-981-95-9354-5_11", "title": "Mining Spatial-Temporal Growth Patterns of Complex Networks for Freight Transportation Considering Heterogeneous Distribution of Nodes", "year": 2026, "publication_date": "2026-01-01", "type": "conference-paper", "language": "en", "authors": [ "Xia Zhao", "Zhengdi Wang", "Zhihong Li", "Menglin Wu", "Yawei Li", "Yunhao Lu", "Sagar Das" ], "first_author": "Xia Zhao", "venue": "Lecture notes in electrical engineering", "publisher": "Springer Science+Business Media", "abstract": null, "keywords": [ "Complex network", "Complex system", "Distribution (mathematics)", "Field (mathematics)", "Flow network" ], "cited_by_count": 0, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-95-9354-5_11" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W4391944896", "doi": "10.61173/ypgr0v75", "title": "Research on cooperative optimization of terminal distribution of Chongqing underground logistics system based on metro network", "year": 2024, "publication_date": "2024-02-19", "type": "article", "language": "en", "authors": [ "Wenjie Liao" ], "first_author": "Wenjie Liao", "venue": "Interdisciplinary Humanities and Communication Studies", "publisher": null, "abstract": "This thesis presents a novel solution for the distribution problem in the urban underground logistics system, specifically addressing the challenge of the “last kilometer” distribution during the non-operating hours of the Chongqing metro system. The study commences by examining the present condition and significance of subterranean logistics systems. It thoroughly analyzes the distinctive topography and traffic obstacles specific to Chongqing’s underground logistics system, and highlights the practicality and advantages of utilizing the metro system for logistics and distribution. The thesis proposes a comprehensive metro logistics and distribution system, which includes the selection of transfer locations, efficient connection between distribution centers and metro stations, and the implementation of appropriate management and scheduling strategies for distribution trucks. This study presents a unique approach by effectively combining the metro system with urban logistics requirements. It offers a fresh perspective on addressing the main challenges in urban logistics and distribution. Additionally, it provides a comprehensive theoretical and practical framework that can be applied to other regions with similar urban characteristics.", "keywords": [ "City logistics", "Transport engineering", "Truck", "Distribution (mathematics)", "Computer science", "Scheduling (production processes)", "Operations research", "Civil engineering", "Engineering", "Operations management" ], "cited_by_count": 0, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "https://www.deanfrancispress.com/index.php/hc/article/download/401/HC000902.pdf" }, { "id": "https://openalex.org/W2755503068", "doi": null, "title": "Citylogistik : En kommuns bidrag till en effektivare distributionstrafik", "year": 2013, "publication_date": "2013-01-01", "type": "dissertation", "language": "sv", "authors": [ "Emelie Hansson", "Patrik Hillblom" ], "first_author": "Emelie Hansson", "venue": "KTH Publication Database DiVA (KTH Royal Institute of Technology)", "publisher": "KTH Royal Institute of Technology", "abstract": "Cities attract more and more residents from rural areas and small towns. This ongoing trend of urbanization means that large cities grow even larger and in pace with growth the city’s need for transportation of goods increase. Freight transport is necessary to keep the city alive, not only for the supply of goods but also for the disposal of waste. Freight transport creates problems in urban areas. Large, difficult to maneuver trucks move close to people strolling in the city center, which lead to an increased risk for accidents. The trucks also contribute to noise and air pollution, which results in a less healthy urban environment. The large amount of stakeholders in city logistics, such as pedestrians, the environment, distribution traffic and so on, contribute to the complexity that municipalities have to manage. This study aims at developing a proposal on how a municipality can contribute to streamline the distribution of goods in a large city (over 200000 residents) in such way that negative effects of transport can be reduced without inhibiting the economic development of the city.The research strategy of this study has been a case study, more specifically the “last mile” distribution. The data collection has partly been conducted through observations in the area surrounding Hötorgsfaret in Stockholm where the traffic to and from the underground loading/unloading area and the loading zones have been observed. Other than the observations, shorter interviews with drivers, store employees and car park attendants as well as longer interviews with representatives from road carriers have been carried out. During the time at the City of Stockholm, the writers have participated at several meetings, seminars and workshops to further expand their knowledge about city distribution. The research approach for the study has been abductive with a starting point in the theoretical areas, city logistics and goods reception.The study shows that the distributors of goods run in to a number of problems during the course of a day. The problems start as soon as the truck leaves the terminal or supplier. There are long traffic queues that make the drive into the city time consuming. Once in the city illegally parked cars create major problems for the distribution trucks. The primal problem is parked cars in the unloading zones, but cars parked to close to an intersection also create problems. Underground unloading areas have proven to be a good solution since the distribution trucks is able to escape the traffic, but even underground unloading areas has its problems. The main problem with these is that the headroom is to low, but other problems such as inadequate signage has emerged. To be able to contribute to streamlining the distribution of goods a municipality can use a number of different policy measures. These are divided into four categories: economic, knowledge-based, legal and societal policy measures. The study shows that municipalities, to contribute to a more efficient distribution of goods can review the possibility of delivering goods at night, consider giving commercial traffic access to the public transport lanes, make sure the parking control functions in a satisfactory manner, promote shared receptions of goods and underground unloading areas in new construction projects.", "keywords": [ "Urbanization", "Geography", "Pace", "Economic growth", "Economics" ], "cited_by_count": 0, "is_retracted": false, "is_paratext": false, "open_access_url": "http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:ltu:diva-52618" } ]