Knowledge and strategies for facilitating urban freight and last-mile deliveries amid digital transitions

Digitalization has been increasing in nearly all aspects of society, facilitating new opportunities. One example is the increase in online shopping opportunities which in turn results in increased home (or near-home) deliveries. This shift within last-mile distribution must be considered by local authorities, both regarding its impacts on traditional city center deliveries, and also the expansion of last-mile deliveries to residential areas where the infrastructure is not designed to safely or efficiently accommodate larger freight vehicles. Increased understanding of the impacts of digital transitions on urban mobility is needed to better integrate freight and logistics into urban planning and to establish strategies and policies for supporting urban freight and last-mile transitions. At the same time, this digitalization provides further opportunities for knowledge development by expanding the availability and richness of data. Local authorities must initiate collaboration with the private sector (i.e., logistics service providers, receivers, and end consumers) to develop policies that facilitate the collection of last-mile delivery data in ways that benefit all stakeholders. This study, motivated by a mapping of last-mile deliveries to shopping malls, reflects on these issues, and then further suggests areas for future research and strategies for local authorities to consider.