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Urban Freight Last Mile Logistics—Challenges and Opportunities to Improve Sustainability: A Literature Review

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  • Techane Bosona

    (Department of Energy and Technology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, P.O. Box 75651 Uppsala, Sweden)

Abstract

Last mile logistics (LML) is the least efficient and complex part of supply chain. The main objective of this study was to identify major challenges of urban freight LML and opportunities for intervention. For this, 42 peer-reviewed full papers published after 2010 and three additional references were used. The findings indicated that urban freight flow has a trend of steady growth. The main driving forces behind this steady growth are population growth, urbanization, densification, globalization, online and omni-channel (OC) retailing, and urban economic development. Using typology analysis, three main potential freight LML configurations were mapped and discussed. Freight LML configurations that involve light cargo vehicles and cargo bike-based delivery schemes could be more attractive freight LML models if the delivery failure is minimized. The LML challenges were categorized as technological, infrastructural, LML system and management, and logistic cost related challenges, and discussed broadly. Similarly, the potential opportunities were discussed from environmental, economic, and social sustainability aspects. Finally, this report has pinpointed future potential research agendas related to LML. The study could be a knowledge base useful for academicians and practitioners, logistics and technical service providers, policy makers, and customers.

Suggested Citation

  • Techane Bosona, 2020. "Urban Freight Last Mile Logistics—Challenges and Opportunities to Improve Sustainability: A Literature Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(21), pages 1-20, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:12:y:2020:i:21:p:8769-:d:432871
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    7. Anastasia D. Mitropoulou & Giannis T. Tsoulfas, 2021. "Using a Modified SERVQUAL Approach to Assess the Quality of Supply Chain Services in Greek Online Supermarkets," Logistics, MDPI, vol. 5(4), pages 1-17, October.
    8. Mohamed Amr Sultan & Tomaž Kramberger & Mahmoud Barakat & Ahmed Hussein Ali, 2023. "Barriers to Applying Last-Mile Logistics in the Egyptian Market: An Extension of the Technology Acceptance Model," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(17), pages 1-25, August.
    9. Vasco Silva & António Amaral & Tânia Fontes, 2023. "Sustainable Urban Last-Mile Logistics: A Systematic Literature Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(3), pages 1-27, January.
    10. Patrick Klein & Bastian Popp, 2022. "Last-Mile Delivery Methods in E-Commerce: Does Perceived Sustainability Matter for Consumer Acceptance and Usage?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(24), pages 1-27, December.
    11. Andrés Muñoz-Villamizar & Elyn L. Solano-Charris & Lorena Reyes-Rubiano & Javier Faulin, 2021. "Measuring Disruptions in Last-Mile Delivery Operations," Logistics, MDPI, vol. 5(1), pages 1-9, March.
    12. Oleksandra Osypchuk & Katarzyna Sosik, 2021. "Impact of the Construction Supplies Implementation on Road Safety in the City Center: A Case Study of the City of Szczecin," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(4), pages 1-15, February.
    13. Leonardo N. Rosenberg & Noemie Balouka & Yale T. Herer & Eglantina Dani & Paco Gasparin & Kerstin Dobers & David Rüdiger & Pete Pättiniemi & Peter Portheine & Sonja van Uden, 2021. "Introducing the Shared Micro-Depot Network for Last-Mile Logistics," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(4), pages 1-21, February.
    14. Lehua Bi & Shaorui Zhou & Jianjie Ke & Xiaoming Song, 2023. "Knowledge-Mapping Analysis of Urban Sustainable Transportation Using CiteSpace," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(2), pages 1-29, January.
    15. Paulina Golinska-Dawson & Kanchana Sethanan, 2023. "Sustainable Urban Freight for Energy-Efficient Smart Cities—Systematic Literature Review," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(6), pages 1-28, March.
    16. Raquel Soriano-Gonzalez & Elena Perez-Bernabeu & Yusef Ahsini & Patricia Carracedo & Andres Camacho & Angel A. Juan, 2023. "Analyzing Key Performance Indicators for Mobility Logistics in Smart and Sustainable Cities: A Case Study Centered on Barcelona," Logistics, MDPI, vol. 7(4), pages 1-20, October.
    17. Qiaoyun Guo & Abdol Aziz Shahraki, 2023. "Locating Transportation Logistics Centers and Their Dynamic Synergy for Equilibrium Economic Behavior," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(16), pages 1-16, August.
    18. Oleksandra Osypchuk & Stanisław Iwan, 2023. "Analysis of Selected Solutions for Sustainable Urban Deliveries in the Construction Industry," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(4), pages 1-18, February.
    19. Parisa Ahani & Amílcar Arantes & Rohollah Garmanjani & Sandra Melo, 2023. "Optimizing Vehicle Replacement in Sustainable Urban Freight Transportation Subject to Presence of Regulatory Measures," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(16), pages 1-18, August.
    20. Giacomo Lozzi & Gabriele Iannaccone & Ila Maltese & Valerio Gatta & Edoardo Marcucci & Riccardo Lozzi, 2022. "On-Demand Logistics: Solutions, Barriers, and Enablers," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(15), pages 1-21, August.
    21. Vitalii Naumov & Olha Shulika & Oleksandra Orda & Hanna Vasiutina & Marek Bauer & Myroslav Oliskevych, 2022. "Shaping the Optimal Technology for Servicing the Long-Distance Deliveries of Packaged Cargo by Road Transport," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(12), pages 1-17, June.
    22. Łukasz Sułkowski & Katarzyna Kolasińska-Morawska & Marta Brzozowska & Paweł Morawski & Tomasz Schroeder, 2022. "Last Mile Logistics Innovations in the Courier-Express-Parcel Sector Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(13), pages 1-25, July.
    23. Hokey Min, 2023. "Leveraging Drone Technology for Last-Mile Deliveries in the e-Tailing Ecosystem," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(15), pages 1-11, July.
    24. Daniela Ambrosino & Carmine Cerrone, 2022. "A Rich Vehicle Routing Problem for a City Logistics Problem," Mathematics, MDPI, vol. 10(2), pages 1-13, January.
    25. Andrea Temporelli & Paola Cristina Brambilla & Elisabetta Brivio & Pierpaolo Girardi, 2022. "Last Mile Logistics Life Cycle Assessment: A Comparative Analysis from Diesel Van to E-Cargo Bike," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(20), pages 1-18, October.

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