Valerio Gatta

Surges in e-commerce sales represent a huge challenge for urban freight transport. Parcel lockers constitute a valid solution for addressing the challenges home deliveries imply. In fact, eliminating courier–consumer contact (also relevant for health-related issues, as made evident by the COVID-19 pandemic) and delivering in fewer predefined places might help coping mechanisms for missed deliveries substantially. Furthermore, this option enables consolidated shipping and reduced delivery trip costs. This paper analyses and compares consumer preferences for alternative collection strategies. It investigates home delivery vs. parcel locker use and forecasts their future market shares. This is performed based on both customer socio-economic variables and the attributes characterising these alternative logistic fulfilment strategies. The case study considered tests upon a stated preference survey deployed in the city of Rome. The investigation specifically targeted young people (i.e., population under 30 years) since they represent early adopters. Discrete choice models allow both quantifying the monetary value of parcel lockers attributes (i.e., willingness to pay measures) and estimating the potential demand for this innovative delivery scheme. Results show that distance and accessibility are the main choice determinants. Furthermore, there is an overall high propensity to adopt parcel lockers. This research can support policymakers when implementing such solutions. View Full-Text Keywords: parcel locker, last mile delivery, home delivery, city logistics, urban freight transport, stated preference, discrete choice modelling; consumer behavior, e-commerce, channel choice, collection points

This chapter proposes a methodology to develop a tool aimed at helping tourists moving sustainably in Rome, focusing on the “last mile” of their transport experience, that is, walking trips. The methodology consists of the development of a stated preference survey, where tourists’ preferences are elicited with respect to alternative configurations of walking paths. This is performed by taking into consideration path accessibility, interference with other modes of transport, and thermal comfort aspects. Besides, georeferenced data are collected and systematized with the overall aim to create a geographical information system of the first municipality of Rome with useful information to evaluate the status of the walking network. The results of the analysis help to understand the relevant factors affecting tourists’ walking behavior. Additionally, the chapter provides the preliminary considerations needed for the definition of a “tourist walking satisfaction indicator” related to their walking experience with two aims: first, it provides useful information for policy-makers on how to design and manage walking networks; second, it provides a framework for a tourist traveler information system (a “StreetsAdvisor”) that can guide them in the city on the base of their heterogeneous preferences.

This paper investigates tourists’ preferences in Rome (Italy) with respect to their “last mile” transport walking experience. Stated preference experiments and discrete choice models are used to estimate tourists’ preferences for alternative walking paths configurations, taking into account path characteristics and conditions (e.g. public services presence, interference with other modes of transport and thermal comfort). We estimate Multinomial logit (MNL) models on the base of 365 choice experiments. The most important attribute is cleanliness, followed by green spaces. The paper estimates both time elasticity and the “willingness to walk” with respect to different path attributes. Segmenting the sample and estimating different MNL models allows considering preference heterogeneity. Results show there are some differences within the sample. In fact, those who usually walk are willing to walk more than others given some improvements in the path. Besides, we also propose, on the base of the last walking path followed, a “tourist walking satisfaction index” linked to utility. This sheds light on tourists’ walking experience in different zones of the study area. In particular, adding restrooms along the paths increases tourist walking satisfaction the most. The paper provides useful information for policy-makers on how to plan, design and manage walking networks.

The Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan (SUMP) has been identified as the privileged tool for addressing economic, social, and environmental issues in transport policy at the urban scale from a long-term strategic perspective. Indeed, urban policymakers intend adopting measures to cope with the negative externalities generated by transport. The focus is on reducing traffic flows (number and length) of motorized-trips and minimize their related impact. Among these measures, together with electric vehicles promotion, active travel (AT) – including walking and cycling – represents an interesting strategy. This is especially true as local public transport (LPT) is progressively less attractive, also due to overcrowding and lower service quality, since the outbreak of Covid-19 pandemic. AT, moreover, creates the preconditions for a healthier life. Within this context, it is interesting to investigate to what extent SUMPs promote AT as a solution for achieving sustainable mobility (SM) at the urban scale. The paper analyses, by looking at SUMPs adopted in major Italian cities, the AT measures undertaken. The Italian case is of particular interest since its motorization rate is second only to Luxembourg in the whole European Union. Specifically, the paper exploits a multiple case-study comparative approach allowing to identify the correlation between main SUMP characteristics and AT-related initiatives. The main findings of the paper show that infrastructural AT projects play the lion role thus casting a shadow on the likely effectiveness of AT promotion. In fact, a comprehensive package approach (e.g. citizens engagement, land-use planning, gamification, data collection, etc.) for AT promotion is still lacking. Keywords: SUMPActive travel, non-motorized transport, sustainable mobility, walking, cycling

Despite the huge growth in online purchases, e-grocery (i.e. ordering grocery online) was still limited in scope in Italy so far. More recently, its growth has been substantial and 2020 witnessed a huge increase due to COVID-19-related mobility restrictions. In principle, e-grocery could reduce the number of shopping trips, yet an exponential increase in shipping and deliveries could have a negative impact on the environment. In order to explore the willingness to e-grocery, and delivery preferences (self-delivery, home delivered grocery or collected in a specific place) - and estimate their market shares - a stated preference survey was carried in Rome and Milan. Respondents were asked about their grocery shopping habits and to choose among different shopping and delivery options. Discrete choice modelling allows investigating preference heterogeneity and estimating willingness to pay measures. Main results indicate that respondents, characterised by distinct socio-economic, attitudinal, and geographical elements, react differently to attribute variations for alternative grocery shopping channels. Scenario simulations can help in defining successful business-strategies and possible solutions to external costs. Under this respect, results suggest that the best strategy to increase e-grocery shares in the two cities should be non-monetary, but rather aimed at expanding the product range available online. Keywords: e-grocery, last mile delivery, home delivery, click&pick, city logistics, discrete Choice Models, multinomial, logit, consumer behaviour

Freight transport is a complex world characterized by the presence of numerous actors with heterogeneous interests. Besides, given its high impacts at an urban level, appropriate solutions are needed toward sustainability and efficiency. However, policies are effective only if the impacted agents adopt them and change their behavior. To do this, a strong knowledge of behavioral underpinnings characterizing stakeholder choices is required. In the following, we will report on the international debate on freight behavioral research by focusing on the importance of behavior change and stakeholder engagement for policy-making. Additionally, this paper discusses ex-ante behavioral assessments of urban freight transport policies so as to guarantee their uptake and dispersion. New behavioral analyses are needed to complement technical analyses, by considering both solution feasibility and acceptability. Keywords: agent-based modeling, behavior change, City logistics, discrete choice modeling, econometric models, freight behavior research, stakeholder behavioral analysis, stakeholder involvement, stated preferenceUrban freight transport

This article will provide an overview of the economics of urban freight transport (UFT), focusing on the efficiency and sustainability of solutions, which can be guaranteed only via an appropriate planning and coordination between public and private interests. Standard economic theory also applies to UFT, however, its practical use is much hampered both by the level of heterogeneity, the complexity of relationships among actors and the role interaction effects play in this specific sector. This points to the need of a public intervention to regulate UFT, especially because of the negative externalities it produces at a city level. Private-public coordination, stakeholder engagement, technical and behavioural analyses are fundamental to foster sustainable and efficient UFT. Keywords: city logistics, cooperative logistics, economic efficiency, public private coordination, stakeholder involvement, supply chain, sustainability

E-grocery is the fastest growing e-commerce segment, while still a niche market. Notwithstanding the channel choice when buying groceries might have relevant transport and environmental implications, little attention is paid to demand analysis. The paper fills this research gap, by using stated preferences to estimate market shares for e-grocery, distinguishing between home deliveries and click&pick, using the in-store option as a reference, and by considering a case study in Norway. It investigates the role of various purchase characteristics (i.e. product price, service cost, lead-time, time window, travel time and product range) when choosing which purchase channel to use. Results suggest that the most important characteristics for consumers are related to price, in particular product price, but there is also significant heterogeneity in preferences within the sample. Scenario simulations allow estimating transport and environmental impacts deriving from channel market share changes. This information can be useful for developing both managerial strategies to increase e-grocery market share and public policy interventions to minimize negative externalities. Keywords: : e-groceries, channel choice, stated preference, city logistics, e-commerce

Poor logistics efficiency, due to low load factors caused by high demand fragmentation, will have relevant negative consequences for cities in terms of pollution, congestion and overall city liveability. Policy-makers should equip themselves with appropriate tools to perform reliable, comprehensive and timely analyses of urban logistics scenarios, also considering upcoming (i) technological changes, (ii) business model evolutions and (iii) spatial-temporal changes these innovations will produce. This paper discusses the Digital Twin (DT) concept, illustrating the role it might play and clarifying how to properly conceive it with respect to urban freight transport policy-making and planning. The main message is that without a sound theory and knowledge with respect to the relationships linking contextual reality and choice/behaviour, it is not possible to make sense of what happens in the real world. Therefore, the joint use of behavioural and simulation models should characterise a DT within a Living Lab approach so to stimulate effective, well-informed and participated planning processes, but also to forecast both behaviour and reactions to structural changes and policy measures implementations. Keywords: digital twins, urban freight, living lab, behavioural models, policy, planning

Widespread adoption of green vehicles in urban logistics may contribute to the alleviation of problems such as environmental pollution, global warming, and oil dependency. However, the current adoption of green vehicles in the last mile logistics is relatively low despite many actions taken by public authorities to overcome the negative externalities of distributing goods in cities. This paper presents a comprehensive literature review on studies investigating the adoption of green vehicles in urban freight transportation, paying specific attention to e-commerce. To shed light on the adoption of green vehicles in city logistics, the paper conducts a systematic review of the empirical literature on the topic. The 159 articles reviewed were classified into the following: (a) Optimization and scheduling (67 papers); (b) policy (55 papers); (c) sustainability (37 papers). Among the 159 articles, a further selection of 17 papers dealing with e-commerce, i.e., studies that highlight the most relevant aspects related to the integration of green vehicles in e-commerce urban logistics, was performed. Our findings indicate that green vehicles are competitive in urban deliveries characterized by frequent stop-and-go movements and low consolidation levels while incentives are still necessary for their adoption. The use of autonomous vehicles results the most promising and challenging solution for last-mile logistics. Keywords: last mile logistics, green logistics, urban freight, e-commerce, green vehicles, drones, autonomous vehicles

I decisori politici e gli operatori del settore si stanno impegnando in nuovi progetti volti a minimizzare l’impatto ambientale del trasporto merci dell’ultimo miglio. A questo scopo potrebbe risultare funzionale l’evoluzione verso la modalità di spesa online (e-grocery) laddove, grazie a un servizio pianificato di consegna delle merci, riuscisse a ridurre il numero di viaggi e/o di veicoli circolanti e, di conseguenza, le esternalità negative legate al settore del trasporto merci urbano. Il “lockdown di primavera”, imposto tra marzo e maggio del 2020 per contrastare il diffondersi della pandemia da SARS-Covid19, ha avuto un impatto importante su qualità e quantità degli spostamenti, che sono calati drasticamente per via delle restrizioni governative agli spostamenti vigenti sui vari territori nazionali. In questo lavoro si intende dunque esplorare se e in che misura le famiglie italiane abbiano modificato, durante il periodo di lockdown, le proprie abitudini nell’effettuare la spesa, eventualmente preferendo la modalità online. Inoltre si cerca di capire anche se tale modifica del comportamento potrebbe prolungarsi al termine del periodo di restrizioni. A questo scopo TRElab ha somministrato online un questionario su scala nazionale a più di 600 rispondenti. I risultati dello studio mostrano non solo che il lockdown ha contribuito, spesso per mancanza di alternative, a spingere le famiglie italiane verso nuove modalità di acquisto e ricezione della spesa, con un conseguente incremento del flusso di richieste per il comparto dell’e-grocery, ma evidenziano una propensione all’utilizzo del canale di vendita virtuale per la spesa anche in un prossimo futuro. Parole chiave: e-grocery, logistica urbana sostenibile, home delivery, click and pick, lockdown, Covid-19, pandemia