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Mobile Access Hub Deployment for Urban Parcel Logistics

Author

Listed:
  • Louis Faugère

    (Physical Internet Center, School of Industrial & Systems Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, lGA 30332, USA)

  • Chelsea White

    (Supply Chain & Logistics Institute, School of Industrial & Systems Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
    Schneider National Chair in Transportation and Logistics, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA)

  • Benoit Montreuil

    (Physical Internet Center, School of Industrial & Systems Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, lGA 30332, USA
    Supply Chain & Logistics Institute, School of Industrial & Systems Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
    Coca-Cola Material Handling & Distribution Chair, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA)

Abstract

Last-mile logistics is an essential yet highly expensive component of city logistics responsible for many nuisances in urban areas. Mobile access hubs are flexible consolidation and transshipment points aiming at creating more sustainable city logistics systems by dynamically using urban space as logistics facilities. In this paper, we examine the potential of mobile access hub deployments for urban parcel logistics by identifying the impact of design parameters on economic and environmental performance. We propose a mathematical modeling framework and an integer program to assess the performance of mobile access hub deployments, and study the impact of a set of design parameters through synthetic cases and an illustrative case inspired from a large parcel express carrier’s operations. Results indicate design flexibility relative to the location of hubs and pronounced advantages in highly variable environments. The illustrative case shows significant savings potential in terms of cost and time efficiency as well as environmental sustainability. It emphasizes a trade-off between operational efficiency and environmental sustainability that can be balanced to achieve global sustainability goals while being economically sound.

Suggested Citation

  • Louis Faugère & Chelsea White & Benoit Montreuil, 2020. "Mobile Access Hub Deployment for Urban Parcel Logistics," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(17), pages 1-22, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:12:y:2020:i:17:p:7213-:d:408386
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

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    2. Tássia Faria de Assis & Victor Hugo Souza de Abreu & Mariane Gonzalez da Costa & Marcio de Almeida D’Agosto, 2022. "Methodology for Prioritizing Best Practices Applied to the Sustainable Last Mile—The Case of a Brazilian Parcel Delivery Service Company," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(7), pages 1-24, March.
    3. Peter C. Schuur & Christopher N. Kellersmann, 2022. "Improving Transport Logistics by Aligning Long Combination Vehicles via Mobile Hub & Spoke Systems," Logistics, MDPI, vol. 6(1), pages 1-18, February.
    4. Milovan Kovač & Snežana Tadić & Mladen Krstić & Miloš Veljović, 2023. "A Methodology for Planning City Logistics Concepts Based on City-Dry Port Micro-Consolidation Centres," Mathematics, MDPI, vol. 11(15), pages 1-21, July.
    5. Sören Lauenstein & Christoph Schank, 2022. "Design of a Sustainable Last Mile in Urban Logistics—A Systematic Literature Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(9), pages 1-14, May.
    6. Dae-Ho Byun & Han-Na Yang & Dong-Seop Chung, 2020. "Evaluation of Mobile Applications Usability of Logistics in Life Startups," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(21), pages 1-17, October.

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