STRIDE Project D5

STRIDE Project D5

Overcoming Barriers to Freight & Logistics Firm Collaboration with Urban Planning

Research Team

Logistics and transportation of Container Cargo within a global network.

Dr. Noreen McDonald (UNC)
Dr. Ruth Steiner (UF)

What is the current issue? The growth of online commercial transactions by both individuals and businesses has altered the freight transport landscape. The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the adoption of e-commerce services by an estimated three to five years. There are no indications that there will be a reversal to the past reliance on a ‘brick-and-mortar’ environment. This trend combined with the expected continuation of remote working, whether the pandemic continues or not, will change the landscape of road users, especially in urban settings. In recognition of this new environment, this research has been formulated to address the impact of a change in the composition of road users (private automobiles, busses and trucks) and the consequential impact on congestion for all users.

What will the research produce? Previous STRIDE research (Project C2) has shown that cities have weak processes in place to allocate space for freight in city centers. The goal of this project is to build on this work by assessing the (mis)alignment between urban planning efforts to accommodate freight delivery and the strategies employed by logistics firms. Increasing levels of freight delivery, particularly small package delivery, are leading to increased congestion particularly in urban areas. The study will raise the awareness of the change in road traffic composition and the impact on vehicle-vehicle and vehicle-pedestrian flows in urban and suburban areas.