Rights statement: This is the author’s version of a work that was accepted for publication in Transportation Research Part D: Transport and Environment. Changes resulting from the publishing process, such as peer review, editing, corrections, structural formatting, and other quality control mechanisms may not be reflected in this document. Changes may have been made to this work since it was submitted for publication. A definitive version was subsequently published in Transportation Research Part D: Transport and Environment, 82, 2020 DOI: 10.1016/j.trd.2020.102311
Accepted author manuscript, 1.65 MB, PDF document
Available under license: CC BY-NC-ND
Final published version
Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review
Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Quantifying environmental and financial benefits of using porters and cycle couriers for last-mile parcel delivery
AU - McLeod, F.N.
AU - Cherrett, T.J.
AU - Bektas, T.
AU - Allen, J.
AU - Martinez-Sykora, A.
AU - Lamas-Fernandez, C.
AU - Bates, O.
AU - Cheliotis, K.
AU - Friday, A.
AU - Piecyk, M.
AU - Wise, S.
N1 - This is the author’s version of a work that was accepted for publication in Transportation Research Part D: Transport and Environment. Changes resulting from the publishing process, such as peer review, editing, corrections, structural formatting, and other quality control mechanisms may not be reflected in this document. Changes may have been made to this work since it was submitted for publication. A definitive version was subsequently published in Transportation Research Part D: Transport and Environment, 82, 2020 DOI: 10.1016/j.trd.2020.102311
PY - 2020/5/1
Y1 - 2020/5/1
N2 - 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 CO 2 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 km 2 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 CO 2 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.
AB - 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 CO 2 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 km 2 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 CO 2 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.
KW - Last-mile logistics
KW - Parcel delivery
KW - Sustainable transport
KW - Binary alloys
KW - Carbon dioxide
KW - Nitrogen oxides
KW - Curbside parking
KW - Financial benefits
KW - Last mile
KW - Metropolitan area
KW - Modeling operation
KW - Operating condition
KW - Traffic congestion
KW - carbon dioxide
KW - carbon emission
KW - cost-benefit analysis
KW - port operation
KW - sustainability
KW - transportation development
KW - transportation planning
KW - England
KW - London [England]
KW - United Kingdom
U2 - 10.1016/j.trd.2020.102311
DO - 10.1016/j.trd.2020.102311
M3 - Journal article
VL - 82
JO - Transportation Research Part D: Transport and Environment
JF - Transportation Research Part D: Transport and Environment
SN - 1361-9209
M1 - 102311
ER -