The goods distribution companies are today controlled by customer needs and environmental goals. New customer needs that have arisen the past years are that the goods distribution should be ecologically sustainable and leave the lowest possible ecological footprint. There are several possible vehicle and routing concepts as well as system perspectives appropriate for product distribution. This study aims to investigate the appropriate concept that meets customer needs. KPI: s are used to measure the performance of companies. One problem with goods distribution by automobile transportation is the accessibility in the traffic that follows. Congestion, pedestrian- and one-way streets as well as to park decrease accessibility. The problem with replacing automobile vehicles with the chosen vehicle concept in this study, electric-powered cargo bikes, is that productivity risks to be degraded from a system perspective since the cargo volume is significantly smaller with an electric-powered bicycle. But the customer's framework conditions need to be followed and the goods distribution companies should also consider that environmental zones could be introduced in their municipalities. Various vehicles that are being used today worldwide to deliver goods are heavy trucks, light trucks, and bicycles. These deliveries are routed with a route optimization program. Vehicle load carriers are designed differently and therefore have different load capacities. High load capacity is an advantageous characteristic of productivity. With bicycle implementation, a reload point may be necessary if there is too long of a distance between the distribution center and the area of the recipient. This study is based on an explorative research purpose and an inductive research approach. The set questions of the study were answered mainly through qualitative research methods, but also quantitative research methods were used. The results show that an electric-powered cargo bicycle, called the Starke cycle, will be proposed to be implemented as a vehicle concept together with a movable transshipment point and a garage for the bicycles. A conclusion drawn by the study is that the customer's main need is to achieve an ecologically sustainable distribution. Suggestions for further research are to investigate more in route optimization and to investigate robotic solutions used for last mile. / Idag är det intressentbehov och ramvillkor som styr varudistributionsföretagen. Nya intressentbehov som uppkommit nu i närtid är att varudistribution ska vara ekologiskt hållbart och lämna det lägsta möjliga ekologiska fotavtrycket. Det finns flera möjliga fordons- och ruttplaneringskoncept samt systemperspektiv för varudistribution. Den här studien ämnar undersöka lämpligt koncept som tillgodoser intressentbehovet för ekologisk hållbarhet. KPI:er används för att mäta prestanda hos företag. Ett problem med distribution med bil är framkomligheten i trafiken. Trafikstockningar, enkelriktade gator och gågator samt att parkera försämrar framkomligheten. Problemet med att byta ut fossildrivna distributionsfordon till studiens valda fordonskoncept, eldrivna lastcyklar, är att produktiviteten kan försämras ur ett systemperspektiv, eftersom lastvolymen är betydligt mindre på en eldriven cykel. Men kundintressentens ramvillkor behöver följas och varudistributionsföretagen borde ta hänsyn till att miljözoner kan införas i deras kommuner. Fordon som idag globalt användas för att leverera gods är tung lastbil, lastbil och lastcykel. Dessa leveranser ruttplaneras med ett ruttoptimeringsprogram. Fordonens lastbärare är utformade olika och har därmed olika lastkapaciteter. En hög lastkapacitet är en fördelaktig egenskap för produktiviteten. Vid cykelimplementation kan en omlastningspunkt vara nödvändigt ifall avståndet mellan distributions-centralen och området med mottagarna är för långt. Studien har ett explorativt forskningssyfte och en induktiv forskningsansats. Frågeställningarna besvaras genom kvalitativa- och kvantitativa forskningsmetoder. En eldriven lastcykel, Starke cycle, föreslås implementeras som fordonskoncept. Detta tillsammans med en flyttningsbar omlastningspunkt och ett garage för cyklarna. Slutsatsen av studien är att kundintressentens främsta behov är att åstadkomma en ekologiskt hållbar distribution.

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Background: The strong growth of e-commerce and the connected last mile delivery problems as well as the increasing customer demands have driven forward delivery innovations in the past years. One of them, parcel locker networks, were developed and have been growing for several years. However, customers still seem to prefer the traditional home delivery, which is highly inefficient for last mile delivery actors. Thereby, it has to be evaluated whether customers are satisfied with the parcel locker technology and which factors determine the satisfaction.  Purpose: This study aims at evaluating the factors influencing customer satisfaction in regard to parcel lockers. Therefore, relevant constructs about satisfaction and acceptance models in the last mile context were derived from the literature. Method: In order to accomplish our purpose, a quantitative study was conducted using a questionnaire among end customers in Austria and Germany. The proposed framework and hypotheses were analysed by using structural equation modelling. Furthermore, a multigroup analysis was conducted to identify differences between sociodemographic categories.  Conclusion: The results show that perceived ease of use, perceived quality and convenience perception all have an influence on customer satisfaction in Germany and Austria. However, the direct influence of perceived ease of use and convenience perception cannot be confirmed, both constructs are entirely mediated by perceived quality. Furthermore, the multigroup analysis determined significant differences in the gender category for the path between perceived ease of use and convenience perception, in the living area category for the relationship between convenience perception and perceived quality and in the age category for perceived quality and customer satisfaction.

[pt] O termo e-commerce designa o modelo de negócio no qual as transações comerciais de compra e venda são feitas através de meios digitais. Essa variedade de comércio on-line tem aumentado significativamente no Brasil. Dados recentes revelam um crescimento de 267% no setor, cujo número de usuários do comércio eletrônico passou de 31,3 milhões em 2013 para 83,7 milhões em 2022. Quando se compara ao número de encomendas, o aumento foi de 88 milhões no ano de 2013 para 368 milhões em 2022. Esse crescimento trouxe inúmeros desafios logísticos, especialmente para alcançar a satisfação do cliente do e-commerce e sua fidelização. Com isso, a qualidade do serviço logístico no processo de distribuição de produtos no last mile ganhou relevância no processo de distribuição Business to Consumer (B2C). Corresponder a uma expectativa de compra satisfatória é um fator crítico para as empresas do e-commerce que buscam obter vantagem competitiva. Com esse propósito, a melhoria logística de distribuição desempenha um papel preponderante; entretanto, é necessário definir exatamente o que o cliente valoriza e espera desse tipo de serviço, dado que as expectativas do mercado são elevadas e boa parte das empresas não estão em condições de atender a esse padrão. Nesse contexto, este estudo de caso tem por objetivo geral identificar as expectativas de last mile delivery dos clientes de uma empresa brasileira do e-commerce B2C ao realizar uma compra, no segmento de móveis e decoração, em uma empresa que atua em todo o território nacional. A metodologia utilizada foi o estudo de caso único, os clientes responderam um survey que foi utilizado como base de dado para o desenvolvimento do trabalho e melhoria da operação, com abordagem qualitativa e empregou o método Net Promoter Score (NPS). Participaram desse estudo os clientes da empresa estudada e citada no trabalho. Quinze dias após o recebimento da mercadoria, era enviado para o cliente um questionário on-line com duas perguntas, as respostas eram analisadas sobre a expectativa relacionada ao serviço logístico, ao nível de lealdade, à satisfação e à fidelização de compras. Os resultados obtidos nesse trabalho apontam cinco fatores críticos para satisfazer a necessidade do cliente. A expectativa mais relevante para os consumidores em relação à distribuição de produtos por meio do e-commerce B2C é ter um prazo menor ofertado pela empresa relacionado a entrega, seguido de não receber produto danificado, receber produto com material de melhor qualidade, melhor atendimento e entrega dentro do prazo. Conclui-se que existe uma expectativa do consumidor intimamente associada a uma oportunidade de melhoria na logística de distribuição no e-commerce. Isso significa que a qualidade do serviço de entrega logística tem o impacto direto sobre uma experiência satisfatória para os clientes do e-commerce. O presente trabalho oferece um framework como ferramenta para a aplicação do método NPS e, consecutivamente, para a melhoria do nível de serviço e da excelência operacional nas atividades logísticas. Dessa forma, contribuir para retenção, fidelização e satisfação da experiência de compra dos clientes. / [en] The term e-commerce refers to the business model in which commercial transactions of buying and selling are conducted through digital means. This variety of online commerce has significantly increased in Brazil. Recent data reveals a growth of 267% in the sector, with the number of e-commerce users increasing from 31.3 million in 2013 to 83.7 million in 2022. When comparing the number of orders, it increased from 88 million in 2013 to 368 million in 2022. This growth has brought numerous logistical challenges, especially in achieving customer satisfaction and loyalty in e-commerce. Therefore, the quality of logistics services in the last mile distribution process has gained relevance in the Business to Consumer (B2C) distribution process. Meeting satisfactory purchase expectations is a critical factor for e-commerce companies seeking a competitive advantage. With this purpose, logistic distribution improvement plays a significant role; however, it is necessary to precisely define what the customer values and expects from this type of service, as market expectations are high, and many companies are unable to meet this standard. In this context, this case study aims to contribute to a better understanding of the last mile delivery expectations of customers of a Brazilian B2C e-commerce company when making a purchase in the furniture and decoration segment, operating nationwide. The methodology used was a single case study, customers completed a survey that was used as a database for developing the work and improving the operation, with a qualitative approach and using the Net Promoter Score (NPS) method. The clients of the company studied and mentioned in the work participated in this study. Fifteen days after receiving the merchandise, an online questionnaire with two questions was sent to the customer, the answers were analyzed regarding expectations related to the logistics service, the level of loyalty, satisfaction and purchase loyalty. The results obtained in this study point to five critical factors for meeting customer needs. The most relevant expectation for consumers regarding the distribution of products through B2C e-commerce is to have a shorter delivery time offered by the company, followed by damaged products, products with better quality materials, better customer service, and on-time delivery. It is concluded that there is a customer expectation closely linked to an opportunity for improvement in e-commerce distribution logistics. This means that the quality of the logistic delivery service directly impacts a satisfactory experience for e-commerce customers. This study suggests the application of the Framework as a tool for implementing NPS and, consequently, for improving the level of service and operational excellence in logistics activities. This can contribute to customer retention, loyalty, and satisfaction in the shopping experience.

This research concerns the history of how the stories—narratives—which people tell about the Port of New Orleans and its related freight transportation have impacted Port-related traffic congestion on the last mile. “Last mile” refers to the last segment of a freight journey. In the context of the Port, it is the distance between the Tchoupitoulas Street exit ramp on US 90 and the entrance/exit of the Clarence Henry Truckway. The Clarence Henry Truckway is a 3.5-mile one way in/one way out dedicated truck route behind the floodwall of the Port on Tchoupitoulas street. Its access is threatened by proposed tourism-related developments. Chapter one is an overview congestion at the Port and developments which will impact access. It gives the context of freight and logistics, economic development, congestion, and the environment. It then turns to an overview of the Port’s history and importance. Chapter two reviews urban studies and anthropology literature relative to freight. Chapter three discusses the primarily archival methodology. Chapter four discusses narrative in nine freight options: the Riverfront Expressway, freight on Decatur Street, Louisiana Avenue and other uptown arterials, extending Leake Avenue behind Audubon Park, a ship lock and channel connecting the Mississippi River with the Mississippi River Gulf Outlet (MRGO), the MRGO itself, replacing the Inner Harbor Navigational Canal (IHNC or “Industrial canal”) lock, New Orleans Public Belt Railroad (NOPB) cars parked along Leake Avenue; and the Port’s proposed shipping container terminal at the Sinclair tract in Meraux, St. Bernard parish. Chapter five discusses the history of the Port freight narrative from organized Port dockworker labor. Chapter six covers the rise of the tourism/convention narrative. Chapter seven is about gentrification and the Port. Chapters eight and nine are a concluding discussion with policy recommendations. This research argues that community narratives are primary in the facilitation of freight transportation infrastructure, rather than economic concerns about its benefit to the Port. The histories of these narratives show that the social and political capital of the potentially affected residents was more powerful than the economic development and job creation narratives of the business community and the Port.

When a package is shipped, the customer often requires the delivery to be made within a particular time window or by a deadline. However, meeting such time requirements is difficult, and delivery companies may not always know ahead of time which customers will need a delivery. In this thesis, we present models and solution approaches for two stochastic last-mile delivery problems in which customers have delivery time constraints and customer presence is known in advance only according to a probability distribution. Our solutions can help reduce the operational costs of delivery while improving customer service. The first problem is the probabilistic traveling salesman problem with time windows (PTSPTW). In the PTSPTW, customers have both a time window and a probability of needing a delivery on any given day. The objective is to find a pre-planned route with an expected minimum cost. We present computational results that characterize the PTSPTW solutions. We provide insights for practitioners on when solving the PTSPTW is beneficial compared to solving the deterministic analogue of the problem. The second problem is the same-day delivery problem (SDDP). The SDDP is a dynamic and stochastic pick-up and delivery problem. In the SDDP, customers make delivery requests throughout the day and vehicles are dispatched from a warehouse or brick and mortar store to serve the requests. Associated with each request is a request deadline or time window. In order to make better-informed decisions, our solution approach incorporates information about future requests into routing decisions by using a sample scenario planning approach with a consensus function. We also introduce an analytical result that identifies when it is beneficial for vehicles to wait at the depot. We present a wide range of computational experiments that demonstrate the value of our approaches.

Driverless vehicles might fundamentally change the transport system in multiple ways. Reducing driver costs in mobility services could create opportunities for new mobility concepts. Research on driverless vehicles have previously concentrated on urban areas, though driverless vehicles in rural areas could have greater positive effects. Hence, the aim of the study is to see how driverless vehicles can be used in rural areas to contribute to a more sustainable transport system. Three rural mobility concepts for driverless vehicles are developed and by applying these to different case locations, the feasibility of the concepts is discussed. Interviews with local actors in Sweden were conducted to learn about general and local challenges with specific case locations. What rural mobility concept for driverless vehicles to use depends on access to public transport, distance to main roads and spatial density of travel demand. A modelling approach of a first and last mile feeder service is used to evaluate the feasibility of this mobility concept further. Model results show that driverless shuttles can feed travel demands of 100-150 passengers daily and still perform alternative tasks. Even though rural areas have general challenges, local issues also need consideration to optimize the benefits of the services. Public transport authorities are experts on local challenges and could take more responsibility in questions regarding driverless vehicles. For instance, flexibility, accessibility and equality could be improved by merging routes and shorten travel times for entire bus routes. Furthermore, other societal functions can be developed by reinvesting capital in other areas.

Bike Sharing is a sustainable mode of urban mobility, not only for regular commuters but also for casual users and tourists. Free-floating bike sharing (FFBS) is an innovative bike sharing model, which saves on start-up cost, prevents bike theft, and offers significant opportunities for smart management by tracking bikes in real-time with built-in GPS. Efficient management of a FFBS requires: 1) analyzing its mobility patterns and spatio-temporal imbalance of supply and demand of bikes, 2) developing strategies to mitigate such imbalances, and 3) understanding the causes of a bike getting damaged and developing strategies to minimize them. All of these operational management problems are successfully addressed in this dissertation, using tools from Operations Research, Statistical and Machine Learning and using Share-A-Bull Bike FFBS and Divvy station-based bike sharing system as case studies.

E-commerce has been growing in Sweden over the years. It has not only contributed to economy, but also has shaped people’s way of living, especially with the service of home delivery. Consumers enjoy the various choices of products with reasonable prices and the convenience of receiving parcels with a single click on the mouse or by using their phones. Meanwhile, the problem of not-at-home and repeated delivery have caused trouble for both consumers and logistic service providers leading to an increase in delivery cost. Therefore, it takes a lot of cooperation and innovations to come up with solution which will both convenient to customer and 3PL providers, which we call ‘last mile delivery’.This thesis was written with purpose of evaluating the solutions used to address the not at home problem of last mile in e-Commerce. Moreover, the thesis seeks find out which of these solutions are preferred by customers and the impact of these solution on customers. The thesis focuses on the Swedish customers because they have more experience buying online.In this thesis we first established a literature review of E-commerce, E- Shoppers preference of last mile delivery, last mile delivery concept, last mile logistics solution (not at home) which we came up with a theoretical framework by examining the impact of last mile delivery. In order to answer the research questions a focus group discussion and nine interviews were carried out focusing mainly on professional and non professional customers in Sweden. The study identified that apart from home delivery, the customers in Sweden mainly use Collection Points in online shopping. Some other delivery methods such as automated locker banks and controlled home access exist but still in early stage. After analyzing the literature review, current solutions and empirical findings, the study concluded with three potential solutions to solve not at home problem. These solutions are - Secured room at residential building to drop parcel, Automated Locker Bank and Collection Points more closer to residential area.

This paper formally analyzes the role of e-commerce revenue in explaining the changes in industrial rents in the 206 largest Metropolitan Statistical Areas. To analyze this connection, I match commercial real estate data from CoStar, market data from the U.S. Census Bureau, and an estimation of MSA level e-commerce. The results from the generalized least squares model indicate that e-commerce revenue positively affects asking rent and rent growth. This suggests that new fulfillment practices from e-commerce companies are disrupting metropolitan area industrial markets.