Emerging Information and Communication Technologies: the Challenges for the Dynamic Freight Management in City Logistics

Abstract

Recently, the evolution of emerging information and communication technologies (e-ICTs) has opened the road for developing and implementing new integrated and dynamic city logistics solutions and subsequently for identifying new frontiers of intelligent transport systems (ITSs). The study evolves pointing out the different city logistics groups of actors and their reciprocal interactions in relation to the considered new technologies (i.e., internet of things, block chain, big data, and artificial intelligence), which allow actors to increase their utility exploiting the advancement of current intelligent transport systems. The changes in the generalized path costs supported by each stakeholder are explored, and the modifications guided by e-ICTs are analyzed. The learning process due to the update for within-day and day-to-day dynamics is detailed and formalized. In this way, the current formulation of the classical transport problem (vehicle routing and scheduling) and the new one (pushed from the growth of ecommerce, i.e., courier routing) are explored under the light of the new knowledge derived from the use of e-ICTs. Novelty of the study mainly comprises the analysis of each emerging ICT group and of the formalization, in the classical transport system models (TSM), of the new knowledge for each actor group.

A methodology for assessing the urban supply of on-street delivery bays

“…In fact, as shown in Browne et al [9] and Comi et al [18]), it can lead to optimized delivery trips in the city centre with about 40% reduction in the number of double parking spaces for deliveries. With respect to its use for the management and control of the delivery operations, future research will investigate the calibration of individual tour utility models and the learning process, and test the instruments providing real-time suggestions to transport and logistics operators (Comi and Russo [13]). Such tools may constitute effective support both to transport and logistics operators, and city administrators as well.…”

Methods for Risk Reduction: Modelling Users’ Updating Utilities in Urban Transport Networks

“…), influencing the behavior of people at individual and collective levels. Some applications are proposed in the fields of city logistics [21][22][23] and of ports and maritime transport ( [24]).…”

Sustainable Mobility as a Service: Framework and Transport System Models

“…[36]), a possible extension can also consider freight distribution (i.e., ref. [37,38]) in order to evaluate the effect of mixed passengers and freight flows on the roads. Figure 4B, right side, shows a list of possible problems that can be addressed within a DSS.…”

“…[36]), a possible extension can also consider freight distribution (i.e., ref. [37,38]) in order to evaluate the effect of mixed passengers and freight flows on the roads.…”