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Logistic operators are under pressure from consumers and governments to reduce the carbon footprint impact. Operators need increased focus on reducing the carbon impact and calculating their actual carbon emissions. EU's Emissions Trading System comes into force from 2027 and works on the 'cap and trade' principle. A cap is a limit set on the total amount of greenhouse gases that logistic operators may emit. Therefore, there is a need to develop a roadmap and action plans to reduce emissions, which will drastically impact the logistic operators. The paper brings forward current standards, frameworks and principles as well as examples of carbon footprint calculations in last-mile transportation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores the potential of using public transportation systems for freight delivery, where we intend to utilize the spare capacities of public vehicles like buses, trams, metros, and trains, particularly during off-peak hours, to transport packages within the city instead of using dedicated delivery vehicles. The study contributes to the growing literature on innovative strategies for performing sustainable last mile deliveries. We study an operational level problem called the Three-Tier Delivery Problem on Public Transportation, where packages are first transported from the Consolidation and Distribution Center (CDC) to nearby public vehicle stations by delivery trucks, comprising the first tier of the problem. In the second tier, the public vehicles pick them up from the stops and transport them into the city area. The last leg, or the third tier of the delivery, is performed to deliver the packages to their respective customers using green vehicles or eco-friendly systems. We propose mixed-integer linear programming formulations to study the transport of packages from the CDC to the customers and employ decomposition-based matheuristics to solve them. We have three decomposition approaches based on the order of solving the tiers, resulting from the tier we start solving the problem from. We use a heuristic methodology to link the tiers by coordinating the flow of packages between them, and utilize CPLEX to solve the individual tiers. We provide numerical experiments to demonstrate the efficiency and effectiveness of the system. Our results show that this system has the potential to reduce the length of trips performed by traditional delivery trucks by 85.91%, thereby reducing the negative social and environmental impacts of existing last mile delivery systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Logistic operators are under pressure from consumers and governments to reduce the carbon footprint impact. Operators need increased focus on reducing the carbon impact and calculating their actual carbon emissions. EU's Emissions Trading System comes into force from 2027 and works on the 'cap and trade' principle. A cap is a limit set on the total amount of greenhouse gases that logistic operators may emit. Therefore, there is a need to develop a roadmap and action plans to reduce emissions, which will drastically impact the logistic operators. The paper brings forward current standards, frameworks and principles as well as examples of carbon footprint calculations in last-mile transportation.

This research examines the impact of e-commerce on urban last-mile distribution through a comprehensive analysis of scientific studies. A corpus of 317 publications spanning two decades was reviewed, identifying 111 pertinent sources. Utilizing bibliometric analysis and systematic assessment, the study reveals the effects of e-commerce on last-mile delivery comprehensively. Key findings encompass environmental, economic, social, and technological impacts. Notably, while existing research has explored these aspects, the spatial impact of e-commerce remains inadequately addressed. This paper bridges this gap, contributing to the discussion on freight sustainability by elucidating current trends and outlining future research directions in last-mile e-commerce delivery. By providing insights into prevailing research trends and outlining potential avenues for further exploration, this article enriches scholarly discourse on freight sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pick-up points (PUPs) have become a very attractive alternative for conventional home deliveries due to the growth of e-commerce. This paper investigates the level of satisfaction of the students (Gen Z) as well as the research, teaching, and administrative staff of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (AUTH), Greece, and the University of Enna "Kore", Italy, implemented in November 2023. Optimizing the PUP users' satisfaction is contingent upon various aspects, including but not limited to location accessibility, expedient pick-up procedures, unambiguous communication, and ensured item availability. The research recorded information about the users' knowledge about the specific service, their level of satisfaction, their preferences on when and how they use the service, and information about the types of goods they order using the PUPs as their point of collection. The analysis of the collected data revealed very interesting findings that could be useful to the providers of this service, especially when taking into consideration that the majority of the poll's participants are familiar with the existence of the PUPs in the Municipality of Thessaloniki, that they use this service mainly occasionally, and that the majority are quite pleased with the level of the provided services (accessibility, availability, safety, and security). For the case of Enna in Sicily, similar trends are shown: a high percentage of respondents are familiar with PUPs, and they use pick-up points occasionally and are pleased with the provided level of service. The comparative statistical analysis makes it possible to compare two contexts located in areas of the Mediterranean, i.e., two urban areas with different population sizes but with similar habits on the part of the university student cluster. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study introduces a novel parcel locker location problem in the last mile delivery where each parcel locker is equipped with a set of selectable volume sizes and provides services for two types of customers: commuters and home-based customers. We establish a pickup cost model to quantify the effort exerted by customers during the retrieval process. Furthermore, we design a satisfaction function to measure customers' willingness to retrieve items from a specific parcel locker. Finally, we implement a financial incentive mechanism to enhance customer satisfaction by reducing the pickup cost. To solve this problem, we formulate a problem-specific scatter search algorithm. Extensive experiments demonstrate the computational effectiveness of the proposed algorithm. Furthermore, sensitivity analyses show that the selectable volume size model can reduce the total cost by up to 16.8%, while "pickup on the way" can achieve a reduction of up to 63.97% in our instances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Last mile delivery is an important and growing part of the supply chain that has a sizeable negative environmental impact. This paper considers more sustainable approaches to home-delivery that are pragmatic for many non-rural environments. We address the two-echelon, multi-trip, capacitated vehicle routing problem with home-delivery and optional self-pickup services using different combinations of drones, trucks, and electric-assisted bikes (i.e. e-bikes). In the proposed approach, parcels are transported from a depot to parcel lockers by either drones or trucks and are then delivered to customer locations by either e-bikes or trucks. The four approaches range from the most sustainable (drones then e-bikes) to partly green (drone then truck or truck then e-bike) to finally the traditional (truck then truck). We formulate a mathematical model that determines the vehicle routes to minimize the total cost, which consists of vehicle operational cost and operator wages. The four types of delivery networks are assessed and compared for both costs and emissions. Experimental results suggest that with a modest increase in total cost (as little as 13%), emission reductions of up to 92%, on average, can be achieved when using the greenest delivery strategy of drones and e-bikes. The other delivery options have varying tradeoffs between costs and environmental impact. The percentage of self-pickup customers is an influencing factor to consider when choosing the delivery strategy that best meets the organization's budget and environmental goals, especially when using e-bikes in the second echelon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The consideration of drones for last mile delivery brings with it several challenges that include both physical ones such as battery life, drone range, carrying capacity, and form factor of the drone as well as those related to security and privacy of the parties associated with any given packet as well as its content. Privacy and security aspects are significant since last mile delivery drones operate outside the warehouse and are not under complete control of the delivery service operator. This is especially salient with respect to communications between the drone and outside entities that are not necessarily authorised for such communication by the operator. Even if such outside entities are authorised to communicate with the drone, while it is in the open, there may be restrictions on the types of information it can reveal to any given external entity. In addition to an overview of the main security and privacy issues in drone-based last mile delivery, we discuss general security and privacy issues and how these translate to drone-based last mile delivery. We consider various facets of issues related to privacy and security of drone-based last mile delivery. Specifically, we study risks associated with privacy and security in this environment with specific emphasis on those related to codes, external entities, and communication signals. We then identify some of the gaps in associated extant academic literature that could potentially be addressed in future studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development and potential adoption of drones or unmanned aerial vehicles as delivery vehicles creates incredible opportunities and unique challenges for last mile delivery. This research first presents a last mile delivery fleet model with drones that can be further modified and expanded over time. The model shows the optimal number of drones needed based on deterministic or stochastic demand using both traditional charging and battery swapping. The research then compares the carbon emissions of four delivery modes: traditional internal combustion delivery vehicles, all-electric vehicles, plug-in hybrids, and drones within the context of last mile delivery. Findings reveal that the breakdown of carbon emissions by delivery modality depends on parameter assumptions, ambient temperature, delivery radius, electric grid pollution rate, and number of customers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drone operation, a new driving force for logistics innovation, is struggling to overcome practical challenges. One of the concerns for drone utilization is limited flight ranges, and different concepts of facilities are continually developed to support drone delivery. These new facilities prompt the need to integrate decision‐making across different phases. In particular, the deployment of facilities that complement the physical limitations of drones and the scheduling of drones to perform delivery tasks are closely related. Therefore, we developed a scheduling‐location problem with drones, a new methodology for integrating operational and strategic planning decisions. The integrated decision‐making determines the location of the drone facilities by not only considering the critical distance of facilities but also by taking into account whether the delivery schedule is implemented. In our model, additional drone facilities are sometimes opened considering available drones due to the feasibility of the delivery schedule. An extended formulation and a restricted master heuristic are proposed to solve problems time‐efficiently. Computational results show that the restricted master heuristic outperforms the mathematical model in finding solutions for large‐scale instances. The developed model and heuristic algorithm provide drone delivery services even in areas that are not easily reachable by drones due to being located far from the warehouse and can be effectively applied to humanitarian logistics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The economic and environmental challenges associated with Last Mile Delivery (LMD) give rise to the self-collection concept, yet the practical adoption is often below expectations. In this consumer-centric segment, adequate understandings of consumers are vital but are often lacking. To address this gap, this study examines consumers' LMD preference with the Integrated Choice and Latent Variable framework. A stated choice experiment was commissioned in Singapore during the transition of COVID pandemic toward endemic. Our results showed that consumers accept unattended delivery methods and are no longer concerned with the delivery time window, a traditionally critical delivery attribute. Regarding latent perceptions, this study confirmed the significant effects of value perception on self-collection preferences. Nonetheless, individuals' environmental consciousness was found to be insignificant. The relative effects of specific value statements were quantified using the marginal rate of substitution and the mediation roles of value perception on the sociodemographic-preferences relationships were validated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research examines the impact of e-commerce on urban last-mile distribution through a comprehensive analysis of scientific studies. A corpus of 317 publications spanning two decades was reviewed, identifying 111 pertinent sources. Utilizing bibliometric analysis and systematic assessment, the study reveals the effects of e-commerce on last-mile delivery comprehensively. Key findings encompass environmental, economic, social, and technological impacts. Notably, while existing research has explored these aspects, the spatial impact of e-commerce remains inadequately addressed. This paper bridges this gap, contributing to the discussion on freight sustainability by elucidating current trends and outlining future research directions in last-mile e-commerce delivery. By providing insights into prevailing research trends and outlining potential avenues for further exploration, this article enriches scholarly discourse on freight sustainability.

Success in online retailing depends on effective and efficient last mile delivery. Although online retailing in Kenya has considerable potential to ensure sustainable trade and economic growth, progress in this subsector has been inhibited by several problems. Furthermore, existing literature failed to determine the elements of last mile delivery most valued by online customers and how last mile delivery is implemented by Kenya’s online retail market. Therefore, it is necessary to investigate the elements of last mile delivery in Kenya’s online retail subsector from the perspective of customers and retailers. A convergent mixed methods research design was used to ensure a comprehensive study of the research problem. A total of 407 online customers and seven online retailers in Nairobi participated in providing the required quantitative and qualitative data. The findings indicated that attended home delivery points, same-day delivery lead time, and phone call tracking options are most valued by customers and most offered by retailers. There is, however, a discrepancy in the delivery fee options, delivery timeslots, delivery carriers, and return options most valued by customers, and those most offered by retailers. It is recommended that retailers should review alternative delivery fee options, understand the problem with the outsourced delivery carriers, and the returns process to improve their service offerings.

Success in online retailing depends on effective and efficient last mile delivery. Although online retailing in Kenya has considerable potential to ensure sustainable trade and economic growth, progress in this subsector has been inhibited by several problems. Furthermore, existing literature failed to determine the elements of last mile delivery most valued by online customers and how last mile delivery is implemented by Kenya's online retail market. Therefore, it is necessary to investigate the elements of last mile delivery in Kenya's online retail subsector from the perspective of customers and retailers. A convergent mixed methods research design was used to ensure a comprehensive study of the research problem. A total of 407 online customers and seven online retailers in Nairobi participated in providing the required quantitative and qualitative data. The findings indicated that attended home delivery points, same-day delivery lead time, and phone call tracking options are most valued by customers and most offered by retailers. There is, however, a discrepancy in the delivery fee options, delivery timeslots, delivery carriers, and return options most valued by customers, and those most offered by retailers. It is recommended that retailers should review alternative delivery fee options, understand the problem with the outsourced delivery carriers, and the returns process to improve their service offerings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The authors review the literature on last mile delivery logistics within commercial and humanitarian supply chains from 2010 to the end of 2021. The scope of the last mile, including last mile logistics, last mile distribution, and last-mile mile delivery, is covered. A unifying terminology of the major concepts in this field and a bibliometric analysis are provided. Based on the analysis, the authors further classify and discuss the literature into three clusters: humanitarian relief, commercial logistics, and emerging technologies. Within each generated cluster, research gaps and current trends are identified. Future research directions are suggested based on this literature review. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Whereas many companies have explored attended in-home delivery as one solution to challenges associated with last mile delivery, few have explored unattended in-home delivery. This paper examines consumer willingness to allow unattended in-home delivery under various scenarios of anonymity. Specifically, we study how blockchainenabled anonymity of sellers, delivery companies, and consumers can influence consumer willingness to allow unattended in-home delivery of a nutritional product in this last mile service triad. Hypotheses build on agency theory and the potential for information asymmetry and opportunism. The analyses are based on data from 784 responses to an online survey of end-consumers who were randomly assigned to treatments in a scenario-based experiment. The results indicate that blockchain-enabled anonymity of the delivery company significantly decreases consumer willingness for unattended in-home delivery. We also find that the joint anonymity of the seller and the consumer significantly decreases the likelihood of a customer allowing unattended inhome delivery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We propose an efficient truck trip chaining method to model freight fleet electrification using an agent-based simulation tool to simulate passenger and truck tours. The estimated truck trajectories are used to estimate vehicle energy consumption and emissions. The electricity demand estimate suggests that passenger vehicles have a significantly higher demand due to higher adoption and a larger fleet. Therefore, the truck fleet electrification efforts would not significantly affect the grid, but its adoption rates, along with passenger vehicle electrification, would cause issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The demand for e-commerce platforms has rapidly increased over the last years leading to increase demand on last mile delivery (LMD) services. Not to fall short of 2030 greenhouse gas (GHG) emission targets in the transport sector transitioning to sustainable LMD solutions is the key. Adopting electric vehicles (EVs) in delivery services can significantly reduce direct and indirect emissions, which can be of interest for many supply chain actors willing to report their sustainability practices within Scope 3 as per IPCC guidelines for the upcoming Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive. This study undertakes the eco-efficiency analysis of a local LMD company in Latvia to understand the financial viability and the external environmental cost related to fleet electrification. As a result, the eco-efficiency analysis confirms the financial and environmental advantages of EVs. The study acknowledges limitations in the current eco-efficiency framework related to the GHG emissions monetisation and recommends leveraging the voluntary carbon credit markets for a more market-based assessment of carbon pricing. The findings support the transition towards sustainable LMD options, aligning with broader sustainability goals.

Pick-up points (PUPs) have become a very attractive alternative for conventional home deliveries due to the growth of e-commerce. This paper investigates the level of satisfaction of the students (Gen Z) as well as the research, teaching, and administrative staff of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (AUTH), Greece, and the University of Enna “Kore”, Italy, implemented in November 2023. Optimizing the PUP users’ satisfaction is contingent upon various aspects, including but not limited to location accessibility, expedient pick-up procedures, unambiguous communication, and ensured item availability. The research recorded information about the users’ knowledge about the specific service, their level of satisfaction, their preferences on when and how they use the service, and information about the types of goods they order using the PUPs as their point of collection. The analysis of the collected data revealed very interesting findings that could be useful to the providers of this service, especially when taking into consideration that the majority of the poll’s participants are familiar with the existence of the PUPs in the Municipality of Thessaloniki, that they use this service mainly occasionally, and that the majority are quite pleased with the level of the provided services (accessibility, availability, safety, and security). For the case of Enna in Sicily, similar trends are shown: a high percentage of respondents are familiar with PUPs, and they use pick-up points occasionally and are pleased with the provided level of service. The comparative statistical analysis makes it possible to compare two contexts located in areas of the Mediterranean, i.e., two urban areas with different population sizes but with similar habits on the part of the university student cluster.

This research article investigates the drivers of logistics management for Last-Mile Delivery (LMD) in a contemporary business situation. It refers to the 21st century's innovative and revolutionary changes in the logistics sector. It explains advanced technology and the digital revolution as driving forces in the modern logistics industry. This study adopts a qualitative approach and presents a conceptual model developed through expert discussion and Interpretive Structural Modelling (ISM), for formulating the proposed model of modern logistics in the era of Industry 4.0 (I4.0). According to ISM and MICMAC analysis, cost-effectiveness and green technology efforts are independent driving variables for efficient and green logistics management. It offers a road map for organizing the drivers in the logistics 4.0 conceptual framework. The scope of work is restricted to only operational logistics management aspects for smooth LMD. This study is confined to only LMD operations and technological advancements in logistics. The research provides valid factors for increasing the LMD efficiency of logistics networks. The importance and relationships between the various drivers are discussed and analyzed to increase the supply chain's sustainability and efficiency.

The COVID-19 pandemic, which began in mid-2020, has driven a significant shift towards online buying and selling through E-commerce platforms. Notably, Shopee has experienced a surge in website visits as a result. To cater to this demand, Shopee relies on Last Mile Delivery, facilitated by their service called Shopee Xpress. In order to maintain a competitive edge in the crowded shipping services market, a thorough analysis and evaluation of customer perceptions regarding Shopee Xpress' expedition services have been conducted. The research employs two key methodologies: Logistics Service Quality (LSQ) and Important Performance Analysis (IPA). Data was collected through a questionnaire structured around five variables and fifteen LSQ indicators. Among these variables, the Image variable emerged as the one that best aligned with customer expectations and actual performance. The IPA approach further yielded a prioritized mapping of areas that require evaluation and enhancement. This mapping is based on indicators' relative importance. From this prioritization, a series of proposed enhancements have been formulated for Shopee Xpress. In conclusion, the COVID-19 pandemic catalyzed a surge in online transactions, prompting E-commerce platforms like Shopee to adapt. Shopee Xpress, the platform's Last Mile Delivery service, became pivotal in meeting this demand. The research's amalgamation of LSQ and IPA methodologies provided valuable insights into customer perceptions. The resulting identification of the Image variable as the most significant alignment between expectations and performance underscores its importance. The IPA-driven prioritization of indicators also paved the way for targeted improvements, shaping a roadmap for Shopee Xpress' ongoing enhancement.

Despite the living conditions brought by the COVID-19 epidemic and its many adverse effects on world trade, it has led to a rapid development in e-commerce. Based on demand, more studies and investments have begun to be made in logistics, which is an indispensable element of the increasing e-commerce volume. With the studies on last-mile delivery, which is claimed to constitute the most significant part of logistics costs, it has been observed that various logistics models have emerged to keep costs under control while responding to high demand with limited resources. This study examined various logistics models under three different scenarios to determine the most appropriate last-mile delivery strategy for a company operating e-commerce in the furniture industry. A hierarchical optimization model based on the p-median problem, cluster analysis, and local search-supported Clarke and Wright savings algorithm is proposed to analyze the scenarios. The results obtained from the three determined scenarios were compared with the company's current situation, and the most suitable option that would minimize the last step's delivery cost was presented to the management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban freight systems embed and reflect spatial inequities in cities and imbalanced power structures within transport decision-making. These concerns are principal domains of "transportation justice" (TJ) and "mobility justice" (MJ) scholarship that have emerged in the past decade. However, little research exists situating urban freight within these prevailing frameworks, which leaves urban freight research on socio-environmental equity and justice ill-defined, especially compared to passenger or personal mobility discussions. Through the lens that derives from TJ and MJ's critical dialogue, this study synthesises urban freight literature's engagement with equity and justice. Namely, the review evaluates: How do researchers identify equitable distributions of urban freight's costs and benefits? At what scale do researchers evaluate urban freight inequities? And who does research consider entitled to urban freight equity and how are they involved in urban freight governance? The findings help inform researchers who seek to reimagine urban freight management strategies within broader equity and justice discourse. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: With their high speed and low response time, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have been suggested as a solution to overcome the systematic inefficiencies in the current vaccine cold chain of Sri Lanka. The implementation of unmanned aerial systems (UASs) at the district level is recommended to maintain the end-to-end effectiveness of the program. Under the suggested distribution network, vaccines are transported directly from the Regional Medical Supplies Division (RMSD) warehouse to the respective health facilities, bypassing the Medical Officer of Health (MOH) unit warehouse. However, the use of UAVs is not appropriate in every RMSD due to the high fixed cost of a UAS. Methods: To determine an appropriate division, a suitability analysis was conducted by intersecting eight factors with their weights of importance. Suitable factors were determined using previous literature and weights of importance were calculated by an expert survey. Results: From the analysis, it was determined that the Kurunegala division is the most appropriate for UAV implementation. Therefore, Kurunegala is recommended as a starting point for the implementation of the proposed UAVinclusive delivery system in Sri Lanka to realize its potential benefits and practical implications. Furthermore, it was found that a uniform solution involving only UAVs offers greater advantages compared to a mixed solution involving both trucks and UAVs. Nonetheless, owing to limited technological expertise and resistance to change in low-income nations, it is advisable to begin with a mixed approach and gradually transition to a uniform strategy in the coming years. Conclusions: The newly developed random search algorithm for the cyclic delivery synchronization problem gives results that are close to those obtained with mixed-integer programming. The main advantage of the algorithm is the reduction in computing time, which is relevant to the utilization of this method in practice, especially for larger problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study aims to explore specific factors that affecting the satisfaction of customers buying food with last- mile delivery service on e-commerce platform in Vietnam. The authors develop a research model consisting of 5 independent variables: service capacity of the transport unit, complaint and refund policy, freight cost, the factor about delivery staff, the form of goods upon receipt. The research apply simple random sampling method then conduct data analysis after collecting a sample size of 295 by SPSS 2.0 software. The research model explains 60.9% of the overall relationship of the above 5 factors with the satisfaction of last-mile delivery service when purchasing food. Implications and recommendations for further research are also discussed. The authors also propose some solutions to boost customer satisfaction when buying food for last- mile delivery services on the e-commerce platform. Abstrak dalam Bahasa Indonesia.Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengeksplorasi faktor-faktor spesifik yang mempengaruhi kepuasan pelanggan yang membeli makanan dengan layanan pengiriman last-mile pada platform e-commerce di Vietnam. Penulis mengembangkan model penelitian yang terdiri dari 5 variabel bebas: kapasitas pelayanan unit angkutan, kebijakan komplain dan refund, biaya angkut, faktor petugas pengiriman, bentuk barang setelah diterima. Penelitian menggunakan metode simple random sampling kemudian melakukan analisis data setelah terkumpul sampel sebesar 295 dengan software SPSS 2.0. Model penelitian menjelaskan 60,9% dari keseluruhan hubungan 5 faktor di atas dengan kepuasan pelayanan pesan antar jarak jauh saat membeli makanan. Implikasi dan rekomendasi untuk penelitian selanjutnya juga dibahas. Penulis juga mengusulkan beberapa solusi untuk meningkatkan kepuasan pelanggan saat membeli makanan untuk layanan pengiriman jarak jauh di platform e-commerce.