Cutting Redundancy, Slashing Emissions

The Role of Consolidation for a Sustainable Last-Mile Delivery

authored by
Lasse Bienzeisler, Oskar Wage, Bernhard Friedrich
Abstract

This study investigates the efficacy of Consolidated Last-Mile Delivery (CLMD) strategies in improving operational efficiency and reducing environmental impact within last-mile logistics. Through an agent-based simulation model applied to the Hanover Region, Germany, we examine the outcomes of transitioning to a CLMD framework, where a single provider manages all parcel deliveries. Our methodology integrates real-world parcel demand data with a traffic simulation to assess two CLMD scenarios against a baseline of current delivery operations. The first scenario focuses on the consolidation of low-density rural areas in addition to conventional delivery operations, while the second scenario, a fully consolidated delivery concept, extends consolidation across the entire delivery region. Our findings indicate that CLMD strategies, particularly in rural areas, significantly improve efficiency without adversely affecting adjacent urban delivery regions. Our results also show a maximum reduction of up to 58.6 % in total kilometers driven and a corresponding decrease in CO2 emissions by up to 44 % through CLMD strategies.

Organisation(s)
Institute of Cartography and Geoinformatics
External Organisation(s)
Technische Universität Braunschweig
Type
Conference contribution
Publication date
2024
Publication status
Published
Peer reviewed
Yes
ASJC Scopus subject areas
Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment, Automotive Engineering, Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Control and Optimization, Transportation, Urban Studies
Sustainable Development Goals
SDG 7 - Affordable and Clean Energy, SDG 11 - Sustainable Cities and Communities
Electronic version(s)
https://doi.org/10.1109/FISTS60717.2024.10485542 (Access: Closed)