Last mile logistics: Research trends and needs

Emrah Demir, Aris Syntetos, Tom Van Woensel

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

34 Scopus citations

Abstract

Aspiring green agendas in conjunction with tremendous economic pressures are resulting in an increased attention to the environment and technological innovations for improving existing logistics systems. Last mile logistics, in particular, are becoming much more than a consumer convenience necessity and a transportation optimization exercise. Rather, this area presents a true opportunity to foster both financial and environmental sustainability. This paper investigates recent technological advancements and pending needs related to business and social innovations, emphasizing green logistics and city logistics concepts. We discuss various pertinent aspects, including drones, delivery robots, truck platooning, collection and pickup points, collaborative logistics, integrated transportation, decarbonization and advanced transport analytics. From a mathematical perspective, we focus on the basic features of the vehicle routing problem and some of its variants. We provide recommendations around strategies that may facilitate the adoption of new effective technologies and innovations.

Original languageBritish English
Pages (from-to)549-561
Number of pages13
JournalIMA Journal of Management Mathematics
Volume33
Issue number4
DOIs
StatePublished - 1 Oct 2022

Keywords

  • freight transportation
  • last mile logistics
  • literature review
  • operational research
  • sustainability
  • vehicle routing problem

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