This article discusses the issues of rail freight transport functioning in urban areas. The main purpose of this article is to identify the conditions for implementing the Light Freight Railway (LFR) as an innovative solution for Sustainable Urban Freight Transport. To achieve the assumed goal, the following research methods were used: literature review, documentary method and Delphi method. The area covered by the research is the Szczecin Metropolitan Area, Poland. The study has demonstrated that despite the features that univocally determine the place and role of rail transport on the service market, it is important to implement innovative solutions that involve rail transport. The concept presented by the authors can help use railway to carry cargoes on short distances in urban areas. The proposed system is in line with the assumptions of sustainable development of transport. The conducted research has shown that implementation of the LFR is conditioned by a number of factors of technical and organisational nature, but it can contribute to achieving certain short- and long-term benefits. The LFR concept is an autonomous solution that can be implemented in individual urban areas, regardless of any solutions applied in other areas within a given transport chain.
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The Vehicle Routing Problem with Split Deliveries (VRPSD) is a decision model that is increasingly used in practice to enhance the efficiency of last-mile distribution, an important task which all manufacturing, distribution, and retail firms must perform. In its current form, however, the VRPSD is missing an important cost saving opportunity by not allowing interactions among multiple vehicles that visit the same customer. In this paper, we introduce an extended version of the VRPSD, called the Vehicle Routing Problem with Shipment Consolidation (VRPC), a model that considers not only split deliveries, but also shipment exchanges (transfers) between different vehicles at certain customer locations (a process referred to as mid-route shipment consolidation). We conduct a series of numerical experiments, as well as a case study, to show that VRPC solutions match or outperform those of the VRPSD. Results indicate that up to 10 percent savings may be attained through the VRPC in lieu of the VRPSD, which implies that the efficiency of last-mile delivery may be improved by allowing mid-route shipment consolidation at select customer locations.
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Integrating logistics activities into urban passenger rail transit network (URFT) is regarded as an effective approach to promote urban sustainability and reduce the negative externalities of road-based transportation. This study applied a system dynamics method to simulate URFT system development by focusing on internal operations and external impacts. The characteristics of four major stakeholders (i.e., the government, URFT operator, market, and road freight sector) as well as a series of variables affecting system operations, such as metrics of social and environmental externalities, pricing, investment, and subsidies, were incorporated into two submodels. A case study of Beijing, China was provided to demonstrate the historical validity and rationality of simulation results from 2007 to 2035. Three decision variables (i.e., investment policy, network scale and market competitiveness) were combined into eight distinct scenarios to examine the external benefits, pricing strategies, capital funding structure and business volume of URFT. The findings show that URFT schemes with higher funding and capacity lead to greater reductions in the losses of traffic congestion, air pollution, and accidents. Furthermore, both government support in the early stage and regulation mechanisms among price, supply–demand level, and investment play significant roles in improving the system performance.
This research chapter is based on an empirical study carried out in the city of Jaipur in north India. This chapter presents traffic & parking regulation strategies from literature and intends to come up with aggregate weightage and ranking of different strategies for sustainable freight mobility for Jaipur city. Analytical Hierarchical Process (AHP) and Best Worst Method (BWM) are used to assess the weights. This chapter critically analyses the traffic & parking regulation strategies in the preview of wholesalers, transport operators and local policymakers involved in urban goods distribution in case city. Primary data and response were collected with face-to-face paper–pencil survey from stakeholders in case city for selection and ranking of freight strategies. The policy implications based on this study demonstrates the potential utility of AHP & BWM as a decision-making tool in urban freight sector in India.
Postal systems are characterized by strong infrastructure and appropriate human, technical, and technological resources. The activities of these systems are economically demanding and impact the environment, which represents some of the most delicate problems of sustainable development. This paper presents the basic principles and proposals for the improvement of sustainable development capabilities in the postal systems. A review of modern means of transport is offered. Some of these means are still in the trial phase; however, their implementation is expected in the near future based on both, economic and environmental reasons.
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Various research efforts are undertaken to reduce the ill-effects of urban freight transport on the city’s environment. Replacing conventional freight vehicles with electric commercial vehicles (ECVs) is considered as the most effective solution; however, this transition is facing several technological and infrastructural challenges. In developing countries, where cities are already struggling to manage with their present infrastructure, they would find it even more difficult. This paper highlights the opportunity for sharing of in-use freight vehicles as an immediate solution to reduce vehicular emissions. Case study of Surat city, India is taken to assess the use of small-sized commercial vehicles for urban freight transport. A detailed study has been carried out to determine the extent of under-utilized or unutilized capacities of these vehicles. Reductions in emissions due to the sharing of trips are estimated. Propositions are made to strategize and develop policies that promote sharing of urban freight trips.
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Parcel carriers face increasingly difficult operating conditions in busy metropolitan areas due to growing consumer demand for ever faster delivery services and having to cope with traffic congestion and city authority measures that may restrict or penalise access for certain types of vehicle. This paper evaluates the potential environmental and financial benefits of switching from traditional van-based deliveries to an alternative operating model, where porters or cycle couriers undertake deliveries supported by a substantially reduced van fleet. Results using a specially-developed algorithm to model operations of a real carrier in an area of central London, UK, suggested that the carrier could reduce CO2 emissions by 45%, NOx emissions by 33%, driving distance by 78% and curbside parking time by 45%. Overall cost savings to the carrier were estimated to be in the range 34–39%. Scaling up the modelled emissions savings to London’s Central Activities Zone, an area of approximately 30 km2 and with current total annual parcel delivery distance of around 15 million km, could see annual emissions savings in the region of 2 million kg CO2 and 1633 kg NOx if all carriers utilised porters or cycle couriers. The key operating challenges identified were related to sorting and consolidating items by weight and volume, parcel handover arrangements and how to deal with express items and failed deliveries.
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Parcel carriers face increasingly difficult operating conditions in busy metropolitan areas due to growing consumer demand for ever faster delivery services and having to cope with traffic congestion and city authority measures that may restrict or penalise access for certain types of vehicle. This paper evaluates the potential environmental and financial benefits of switching from traditional van-based deliveries to an alternative operating model, where porters or cycle couriers undertake deliveries supported by a substantially reduced van fleet. Results using a specially-developed algorithm to model operations of a real carrier in an area of central London, UK, suggested that the carrier could reduce CO2 emissions by 45%, NOx emissions by 33%, driving distance by 78% and curbside parking time by 45%. Overall cost savings to the carrier were estimated to be in the range 34–39%. Scaling up the modelled emissions savings to London’s Central Activities Zone, an area of approximately 30 km2 and with current total annual parcel delivery distance of around 15 million km, could see annual emissions savings in the region of 2 million kg CO2 and 1633 kg NOx if all carriers utilised porters or cycle couriers. The key operating challenges identified were related to sorting and consolidating items by weight and volume, parcel handover arrangements and how to deal with express items and failed deliveries.
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The supply of small independent retailers, or nanostores, in urban areas is highly fragmented. Reducing this fragmentation potentially leads to reduced costs for last mile deliveries as well as lower transport-related externalities. Through case studies in different cities globally, including emerging economies, the potential of various possibilities to reduce fragmentation in supplying nanostores is studied. Different methodologies are applied. Results show that fragmentation can be reduced by considering the behaviour of manufacturers and storeowners as well as the feasibility of actual transport. The distinctive characteristics of an urban area that determine the feasibility are also discussed.
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Last-mile fulfilment is among the most energy consuming logistics operations in the supply chain because of the vast amount of stops and low fill rates. The study's purpose is to explore last-mile fulfilment options in regard to their energy efficiency and to develop guiding propositions for energy efficient last-mile fulfilment options.
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