This paper delves into the zero-emission city logistics readiness of businesses located in the earmarked Dutch inner cities, which are gearing up towards decreasing the emissions attributable to urban logistics activities. Emission reduction is to be achieved by rolling out mandated zero-emission zones which are to be implemented in 30-40 Dutch cities from the 1st January 2025, with the dates set and municipalities planning towards the banning of diesel-fuelled commercial vehicles. This research seeks to determine the extent of zero-emission operational maturity by use of the zero-emission maturity model by examining the four biggest cities in the southern Dutch Province of Noord Brabant. The research shows a low level of awareness among companies in the cities of Eindhoven, Breda, 's-Hertogenbosch, and Tilburg and calls for better methods of information dissemination, especially among the small to medium businesses who don't consider city logistics as their core business.
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Research finds that the global market value of cargo bikes will hit 2.4 billion euros by 2031. Analysts with Future Market Insights assessing the growth of cargo bikes have placed the parcel courier industry as a key buyer of electric cargo bikes, forecasting that 43 per cent of sales could go to this industry. This growth is driven by city logistics trends, particularly as studies emerge showing the high efficiency and cost saving of the cargo bike versus the delivery van. It will not solely be direct incentives that drive uptake, however. The policy that restricts motoring and emissions is expected to be a key driver for businesses that seek profitability, with three-wheeled electric cargo bikes making up nearly half the market. The advance of e-bike technology has seen a strong rise in market share for assisted cargo bikes, now accounting for a 73 per cent market share. Potentially limiting the growth is the legislation governing the output and range of electric cargo bikes (FMI, 2021).To deal with the issues of faster delivery, clean delivery (low/zero emission) and less space in dense cities, the light electric freight vehicle (LEFV) can be–and is used more and more as–an innovative solution. The way logistics in urban areas is organized is being challenged, as the global growth of cities leads to more jobs, more businesses and more residents. 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 with the growing need for accommodation for people living and working in cities. Book: Innovations in Transport: Success, Failure and Societal Impacts
Efficiency of city logistics activities suffers due to conflicting personal preferences and distributed decision making by multiple city logistics stakeholders. This is exacerbated by interdependency of city logistics activities, decision making with limited information and stakeholders’ preference for personal objectives over system efficiency. Accordingly, the key to understanding the causes of inefficiency in the city logistics domain is understanding the interaction between heterogeneous stakeholders of the system. With the capabilities of representing a system in a natural and flexible way, agent based modelling (ABM) is a promising alternative for the city logistics domain. This research focuses on developing a framework for the successful implementation of the ABM approach for the city logistics domain. The framework includes various elements – a multi-perspective semantic data model (i.e. ontology) and its validation, the development of an agent base model using this ontology, and a validation approach for the agent-based model. Conclusively, the framework shows that a rigorous course can be taken to successfully implement agent based modelling approach for the city logistics domain.
DISCO aims at fast-tracking upscaling to new generation of urban logistics and smart planning unblocking the transition to decarbonised and digital cities, delivering innovative frameworks and tools, Physical Internet (PI) inspired. To this scope, DISCO will deploy and demonstrate innovative and inclusive urban logistics and planning solutions for dynamic space re-allocation integrating urban freight at local level, within efficiently operated network-of-networks (PI) where the nodes and infrastructure are fixed and mobile based on throughput demands. Solutions are co-designed with the urban logistics community – e.g., cities, logistics service providers, retailers, real estate/public and private infrastructure owners, fleet owners, transport operators, research community, civil society - all together moving a paradigm change from sprawl to data driven, zero-emission and nearby-delivery-based models.
LEVV-LOGIC presenteert een voorstel voor onderzoek naar de inzet van lichte elektrische vrachtvoertuigen (LEVV’s) voor de levering van goederen in steden. In dit project ontwikkelen de Hogeschool van Amsterdam en Hogeschool Rotterdam samen met logistiek dienstverleners, verladers en voertuigaanbieders uit het mkb, netwerkorganisaties, kennisinstellingen en gemeenten nieuwe kennis over logistieke concepten en business modellen met LEVV met als doel de rendabele inzet van LEVV’s in stadslogistiek. De doelstelling komt voort uit een vraag van logistiek dienstverleners uit het mkb. Zij willen LEVV’s inzetten, maar weten niet hoe ze dit rendabel kunnen doen omdat de huidige logistieke processen in de keten afgestemd zijn op de inzet van bestel- en vrachtvoertuigen. Voor overstap naar LEVV’s dienen de logistieke processen anders georganiseerd te worden, want de voertuigen zijn kleiner in omvang en hebben een andere laad- en energievoorziening. Daarnaast is onvoldoende duidelijk voor welke stadslogistieke stromen LEVV’s geschikt zijn en aan welke technische eisen de voertuigen moeten voldoen. Verladers (verzenders van goederen) en voertuigaanbieders zijn actief betrokken bij de uitvoering van het onderzoek om afstemming met de marktvraag en de techniek te garanderen. De projectdeelnemers delen de ambitie om met LEVV’s een bijdrage te leveren aan regionale, nationale en Europese doelstellingen om stedelijk goederenvervoer efficiënter en schoner (“zero emissie”) te organiseren. Het project draagt hier aan bij door middel van vijf activiteiten. De deelnemers in LEVV-LOGIC: 1. onderzoeken de potentie van LEVV voor specifieke stadslogistieke stromen (waaronder food-, webwinkel-, en facilitaire leveringen); 2. ontwerpen nieuwe logistieke concepten met LEVV voor de distributie van goederen van verzender naar ontvanger; 3. vertalen logistieke vereisten naar technische ontwerpen en aanpassingen aan bestaande LEVV’s; 4. experimenten met nieuwe LEVV-concepten in de praktijk; 5. ontwikkelen schaalbare business modellen met LEVV’s. Het project verzekert een sterke relatie met praktijk en wetenschap, omdat zij via haar deelnemers verbonden is aan de Topsector Logistiek, de Green Deal Zero Emissie Stadslogistiek, de Europese federatie voor Cycle Logistics en de Europese onderzoeksprojecten FREVUE (FP7) en CITYLAB (Horizon2020). Via de betrokkenheid van drie lectoren en zes opleidingen van twee hogescholen wordt een brede inzet van de resultaten in het onderwijs gerealiseerd. LEVV-LOGIC hanteert een multidisciplinaire aanpak met aandacht voor de rol van logistiek, techniek, beleid en gedrag. Hiermee versterkt het project professionals van nu en van de toekomst met kennis om problemen in stadslogistiek op te lossen.
English: This living lab aims to support the creation, development and implementation of next generation concepts for sustainable healthcare logistics, with special attention for last mile solutions. Dutch healthcare providers are on the verge of a transition towards (more) sustainable business models, spurred by e.g., increasing healthcare costs, ongoing budget cuts, tight labor market conditions and increasing ecological awareness. Consequently, healthcare providers need to improve and innovate their business model and underlying logistics concept(s). Simultaneously, many cities are struggling with congestion in traffic, air quality and liveability in general. This calls for Last Mile Logistics (LML) concepts that can address challenges like effective and efficient resource planning, scheduling and utilization and, particularly, sustainability goals. LML can reduce environmental and social impact by decreasing emissions, congestion and pollution through effectively consolidating in-flows of goods and providing innovative solutions for care, wellbeing and related services. The research and initiatives in the living lab will address the following challenges: reducing the ecological footprint, reducing (healthcare-related) costs, improving service quality, decreasing loneliness of frail citizens and improving the livability of urban areas (reducing congestion and emissions). Given the scarcity and fragmentation of knowledge on healthcare logistics in organizations the living lab will also act as a learning community for (future) healthcare- and logistics professionals, thereby supporting the development of human capital. By working closely with related stakeholders and using a transdisciplinary research approach it is ensured that the developed knowledge and solutions deliver a contribution to societal challenges and have sound business potential.
