TY - JOUR

T1 - Assessing the potential impacts of public transport-based crowdshipping

T2 - A case study in a central district of Copenhagen

AU - Cheng, Rong

AU - Fessler, Andreas

AU - Nielsen, Otto Anker

AU - Larsen, Allan

AU - Jiang, Yu

PY - 2024/12/31

Y1 - 2024/12/31

N2 - The expansion of e-commerce and the sharing economy has paved the way for crowdshipping as an innovative approach to addressing last-mile delivery challenges. Previous studies and implementations have predominantly concentrated on private vehicle-based crowdshipping, which may lead to increased traffic congestion and emissions due to additional trips made specifically for deliveries. To circumvent these possible adverse effects, this paper explores a public transport (PT)-based crowdshipping concept as a complementary solution to the traditional parcel delivery systems. In this model, PT users leverage their routine journeys to perform delivery tasks. We propose a methodology that includes a parcel locker location model and a vehicle routing model to analyze the effect of PT-based crowdshipping. Notably, the parcel locker location model aids in planning a PT-based crowdshipping network and identifying obstacles to its development. A case study conducted in the central district of Copenhagen utilizing real-world data assesses the effects of PT-based crowdshipping. The findings suggest that PT-based crowdshipping can decrease the total kilometers traveled by vehicles, the overall working hours of drivers, and the number of vans required for last-mile deliveries, thereby alleviating urban traffic congestion and environmental pollution. Nevertheless, the growth of PT-based crowdshipping may be limited by the availability of crowdshippers, indicating that initiatives to increase the number of crowdshippers are essential.

AB - The expansion of e-commerce and the sharing economy has paved the way for crowdshipping as an innovative approach to addressing last-mile delivery challenges. Previous studies and implementations have predominantly concentrated on private vehicle-based crowdshipping, which may lead to increased traffic congestion and emissions due to additional trips made specifically for deliveries. To circumvent these possible adverse effects, this paper explores a public transport (PT)-based crowdshipping concept as a complementary solution to the traditional parcel delivery systems. In this model, PT users leverage their routine journeys to perform delivery tasks. We propose a methodology that includes a parcel locker location model and a vehicle routing model to analyze the effect of PT-based crowdshipping. Notably, the parcel locker location model aids in planning a PT-based crowdshipping network and identifying obstacles to its development. A case study conducted in the central district of Copenhagen utilizing real-world data assesses the effects of PT-based crowdshipping. The findings suggest that PT-based crowdshipping can decrease the total kilometers traveled by vehicles, the overall working hours of drivers, and the number of vans required for last-mile deliveries, thereby alleviating urban traffic congestion and environmental pollution. Nevertheless, the growth of PT-based crowdshipping may be limited by the availability of crowdshippers, indicating that initiatives to increase the number of crowdshippers are essential.

KW - public transport-based crowdshipping

KW - impact assessment

KW - last-mile delivery

KW - integrated passenger and freight transportation

KW - crowdshipping

U2 - 10.1007/s42524-024-4019-5

DO - 10.1007/s42524-024-4019-5

M3 - Journal article

VL - 11

SP - 697

EP - 709

JO - Frontiers of Engineering Management

JF - Frontiers of Engineering Management

SN - 2095-7513

IS - 4

ER -