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Sustainable Urban Freight Transport, City Logistics and Transportation

A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Sustainable Transportation".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (26 February 2023) | Viewed by 21368

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Department of Logistics Management, School of Economics and Management, Beijing Jiaotong University, Beijing 100044, China
Interests: city logistics and transportation

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Guest Editor
School of Economics and Management, Beijing Jiaotong University, Beijing 100084, China
Interests: supply chain management; scheduling and optimization
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Department of Logistics Management, School of Economics and Management, Beijing Jiaotong University, Beijing 100044, China
Interests: logistics management; sustainable supply chain

Special Issue Information

Dear colleagues,

Cities are the centers of economic and social life in modern civilization, which means that the movement of goods concerning both interurban and urban contexts is vital. The booming increase in the need for urban freight transport during the last two decades has put considerable strain on urban infrastructure and imposes high social and environmental costs. Towards the alleviation of the consequences, decision-makers have considered various solutions, which do not always result in the desired impacts.

This Special Issue aims to gain insights into the sustainable development of urban freight transport, city logistics and transportation. We welcome papers that propose effective city logistics initiatives and take an integrated approach to addressing urban freight problems.

Specifically, the guest editors encourage submissions of original research articles that report significant research contributions including, but not limited to:

  • Forecasting pertaining to urban freight transport;
  • Smart solutions for city logistics and transportation;
  • The designing of urban loading/unloading zone systems;
  • The complexity of interconnecting interurban and urban freight transport;
  • An integrated evaluation framework for city logistics and supply chain management;
  • The impact of city logistics on city performance and business viability and sustainability.

Prof. Dr. Juliang Zhang
Prof. Dr. Wenchao Wei
Dr. Yefei Yang
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • city logistics
  • urban freight transport

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Published Papers (8 papers)

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Research

16 pages, 2154 KiB  
Article
Location of Railway Emergency Rescue Spots Based on a Near-Full Covering Problem: From a Perspective of Diverse Scenarios
by Huizhu Wang and Jianqin Zhou
Sustainability 2023, 15(8), 6833; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15086833 - 18 Apr 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1278
Abstract
The location of railway emergency rescue spots is facing diverse scenarios including the location of new facilities and optimization of existing layouts with limited or non-limited conditions. Generally there will be heavily redundant covering ability if all the edge demands on a network [...] Read more.
The location of railway emergency rescue spots is facing diverse scenarios including the location of new facilities and optimization of existing layouts with limited or non-limited conditions. Generally there will be heavily redundant covering ability if all the edge demands on a network are fully covered. Here, we first proposed a near-full covering model to balance investment in the facility and the actual coverage rate, and successfully applied this model in the optimal location of railway emergency rescue spots under diverse scenarios. We also developed a feasible solution that can select an effective algorithm or a greedy algorithm based on the total consumed time. With the constraint of a fixed coverage rate threshold, a larger coverage radius may lead to fewer facilities and higher relative redundancy. Flexible designs of the important node set where all the elements must be selected and the exclusive node set where all the elements cannot be selected are carried out to construct several scenarios. The comparative analysis shows that the optimal solution is an obvious improvement on the existing emergency rescue spot layout in the real railway network. This study provides an alternative version of the edge covering problem, and shows a successful application in the location problem of railway rescue spots. Full article
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22 pages, 6022 KiB  
Article
Evaluating the Effects of Logistics Center Location: An Analytical Framework for Sustainable Urban Logistics
by Yanxia Wang, Yisong Li and Changxiang Lu
Sustainability 2023, 15(4), 3091; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15043091 - 8 Feb 2023
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2650
Abstract
Sustainable urban logistics require support of sustainable logistics center location planning. Nevertheless, urban public authorities generally experience difficulties in choosing a successful planning scheme, due to the lack of a rigorous analytical tool designed to help understand how logistics center location affects sustainability [...] Read more.
Sustainable urban logistics require support of sustainable logistics center location planning. Nevertheless, urban public authorities generally experience difficulties in choosing a successful planning scheme, due to the lack of a rigorous analytical tool designed to help understand how logistics center location affects sustainability throughout the supply chain. A poor location can keep a firm or a supply chain from reaching its economic, environmental, and social sustainability goals. A good location can help meet these goals. To address the pressing cause of policy failure, this paper developed an analytical framework by integrating the multi-criteria decision-making method and the shortest path model with multiple objectives. The developed framework can be used to evaluate the effects of logistics center location schemes on travel time, transport costs, carbon emission, and road traffic, and further explore the conflict level among them. It is applied to Beijing in this paper. The analysis results reveal that: (1) travel time, transport costs, and carbon emissions all vary along with the distance from logistics center location to the city center; (2) encouraging cargo companies to plan their truck paths with the navigation objective of minimizing travel time is an excellent way to achieve sustainable urban logistics, because in this scenario, freight transport is the quickest, and transport costs and carbon emissions are all more moderate. Additionally, this paper confirmed the conflict level among sustainability goals of urban logistics based on actual contextual data. The proposed framework is a helpful guide tool for urban planners to develop sustainable logistics land-use planning and responsive policy interventions. Full article
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22 pages, 1011 KiB  
Article
Online Retailer’s Contingent Free-Shipping Decisions under Large-Scale Promotions Considering Delayed Delivery
by Xiaxia Ma, Wenliang Bian, Xiqing Yang, Shengnan Niu, Yongming Cai, Jie Guan and Wenbin Wang
Sustainability 2022, 14(17), 10773; https://doi.org/10.3390/su141710773 - 29 Aug 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1976
Abstract
Large-scale promotions lead to a huge number of orders, and the quantity of deliveries grows sharply, which puts considerable strain on cities’ logistics and imposes high related shipping costs. To alleviate these consequences, in this paper we provide a new contingent free shipping [...] Read more.
Large-scale promotions lead to a huge number of orders, and the quantity of deliveries grows sharply, which puts considerable strain on cities’ logistics and imposes high related shipping costs. To alleviate these consequences, in this paper we provide a new contingent free shipping policy with delayed delivery (DD-CFS) for an online retailer during large-scale promotions and study its CFS threshold decisions, considering consumers’ different sensitivities to delivery time delays.We start by analyzing a consumer’s purchasing decision based on consumer utility theory. Next, we establish a mathematical model to help the online retailer find the optimal CFS threshold to maximize its expected profit. Finally, we analyze the benefit of delayed delivery to the online retailer and conduct a sensitivity analysis to examine the impacts of important parameters on the online retailer’s CFS threshold decisions, profit, and the value of the delayed delivery. We find that the DD-CFS policy can lead to more profits during the large-scale promotions period compared with the traditional CFS policy. As the delayed delivery time and the consumer’s negative attitude towards delayed delivery time increase, the online retailer should reduce the low CFS threshold value. On the other hand, as the shipping fee and the consumer’s negative attitude towards the shipping fee increase, the online retailer should raise the high and low CFS threshold values. Full article
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32 pages, 7425 KiB  
Article
A Heuristic for the Two-Echelon Multi-Period Multi-Product Location–Inventory Problem with Partial Facility Closing and Reopening
by Puntipa Punyim, Ampol Karoonsoontawong, Avinash Unnikrishnan and Vatanavongs Ratanavaraha
Sustainability 2022, 14(17), 10569; https://doi.org/10.3390/su141710569 - 24 Aug 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1766
Abstract
In this paper, the two-echelon multi-period multi-product location–inventory problem with partial facility closing and reopening is studied. For each product and period, plants serve warehouses, which serve consolidation hubs, which service customers with independent, normally distributed demands. The schedule of construction, temporary partial [...] Read more.
In this paper, the two-echelon multi-period multi-product location–inventory problem with partial facility closing and reopening is studied. For each product and period, plants serve warehouses, which serve consolidation hubs, which service customers with independent, normally distributed demands. The schedule of construction, temporary partial closing, and reopening of modular capacities of facilities, the continuous-review inventory control policies at warehouses, the allocation of customer demands to hubs, and the allocation of hubs to warehouses are determined. The service levels for stockout at warehouses during lead time and the violation of warehouse and hub capacities are explicitly considered. The proposed mixed-integer non-linear program minimizes the weighted summation of the number of different facilities and logistical costs, so that the number of different facilities can be controlled. Since the proposed model is np-hard, the multi-start construction and tabu search improvement heuristic (MS-CTSIH) with two improvement strategies and the modified MS-CTSIH incorporating both strategies are proposed. The experiment shows that the two improvement strategies appear non-dominated, and the modified MS-CTSIH yields the best results. The comparison of the modified MS-CTSIH and a commercial solver on a small instance shows the efficiency and effectiveness of the modified MS-CTSIH. The sensitivity analyses of problem parameters are performed on a large instance. Full article
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11 pages, 825 KiB  
Article
A Bi-Level Programming Model for the Integrated Problem of Low Carbon Supplier Selection and Transportation
by Hongli Zhu, Congcong Liu and Yongming Song
Sustainability 2022, 14(16), 10446; https://doi.org/10.3390/su141610446 - 22 Aug 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1697
Abstract
In this paper, we investigate an integrated problem of low-carbon supplier selection and transportation. The supplier selection decision depends on the location and energy consumption level of batching plants at the manufacturing stage. Meanwhile, ready-mixed concrete is allocated and delivered to construction sites [...] Read more.
In this paper, we investigate an integrated problem of low-carbon supplier selection and transportation. The supplier selection decision depends on the location and energy consumption level of batching plants at the manufacturing stage. Meanwhile, ready-mixed concrete is allocated and delivered to construction sites by concrete mixer trucks at the transportation stage. A bi-level programming model for the integrated problem is established. The bi-level optimization problem is transformed into a single-level problem by KKT (Karush–Kuhn–Tucker) optimality conditions. In order to validate the proposed model, a case study is conducted based on real-world problems. Experimental results show that the proposed method efficiently solves the integrated problem and the model can not only reduce carbon emissions but also optimize transportation time. Full article
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18 pages, 2242 KiB  
Article
Spatial Structure and Development Patterns of Urban Traffic Flow Network in Less Developed Areas: A Sustainable Development Perspective
by Xiaokun Su, Chenrouyu Zheng, Yefei Yang, Yafei Yang, Wen Zhao and Yue Yu
Sustainability 2022, 14(13), 8095; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14138095 - 2 Jul 2022
Cited by 11 | Viewed by 3003
Abstract
Sustainable development is a scientific development requirement for economic, social, and ecological development and is particularly important for less developed areas to achieve high quality development. Among them, the traffic flow network is a key contributor to economic activity and an inclusive society, [...] Read more.
Sustainable development is a scientific development requirement for economic, social, and ecological development and is particularly important for less developed areas to achieve high quality development. Among them, the traffic flow network is a key contributor to economic activity and an inclusive society, as well as influencing the regional ecology, and is an important way to reflect the connection and structure of cities and towns. Based on the literature related to sustainable development, the article takes the passenger traffic data of highways, railways, and aviation of Inner Mongolia in 2021 as the sample and applies the complex network analysis method to analyze the traffic flow network structure and refine the spatial development patterns. The results show that: (1) The highway network is manifested as the connection between the central urban areas and surrounding banner counties and the connection between the adjacent banner counties. The railroad flow is extended and expanded by the railway line with core cities as the development axis. The internal and external connections of Hohhot are the general form of aviation network. The less developed areas under traffic flow network show obvious pointing of core cities and important node towns. (2) Each traffic flow network has the tendency of scale-free and small-world properties. The influence of key town nodes in the traffic flow network is relatively limited. (3) The town connection patterns under the highway, railway, and air flow networks are “single-core and multi-point”, “axis-spoke”, and “hub-spoke”, respectively. The multiple traffic flows support the development framework of towns in less developed areas. This paper also proposes strategies for the regional transport and urban pattern with complementary advantages and high quality and sustainable development in less developed areas. Full article
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14 pages, 4137 KiB  
Article
Data-Driven Public R&D Project Performance Evaluation: Results from China
by Hongbo Li, Bowen Yao and Xin Yan
Sustainability 2021, 13(13), 7147; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13137147 - 25 Jun 2021
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2708
Abstract
In public R&D projects, to improve the decision-making process and ensure the sustainability of public investment, it is indispensable to effectively evaluate the project performance. Currently, public R&D project management departments and various academic databases have accumulated a large number of project-related data. [...] Read more.
In public R&D projects, to improve the decision-making process and ensure the sustainability of public investment, it is indispensable to effectively evaluate the project performance. Currently, public R&D project management departments and various academic databases have accumulated a large number of project-related data. In view of this, we propose a data-driven performance evaluation framework for public R&D projects. In our framework, we collect structured and unstructured data related to completed projects from multiple websites. Then, these data are cleaned and fused to form a unified dataset. We train a project performance evaluation model by extracting the project performance information implicit in the dataset based on multi-classification supervised learning algorithms. When facing a new project that needs to be evaluated, its performance can be automatically predicted by inputting the characteristic information of the project into our performance evaluation model. Our framework is validated based on the project data of the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) in terms of four performance measures (i.e., Accuracy, Recall, Precision, F1 score). In addition, we provide a case study that applies our framework to evaluate the project performance in the logistics and supply chain area of NSFC. In conclusion, this paper contributes to the body of knowledge in sustainability by developing a data-driven method that equips the decision-maker with an automated project performance evaluation tool to make sustainable project decisions. Full article
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13 pages, 876 KiB  
Article
A Conceptual Model Based on the Activity System and Transportation System for Sustainable Urban Freight Transport
by Demostenis Ramos Cassiano, Bruno Vieira Bertoncini and Leise Kelli de Oliveira
Sustainability 2021, 13(10), 5642; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13105642 - 18 May 2021
Cited by 21 | Viewed by 4490
Abstract
Urban freight transport (UFT) is simultaneously responsible for maintaining the urban lifestyle and the negative externalities impacting urban areas, necessitating strategies that promote sustainable urban freight transport (SUFT). In addition, the stakeholders and geographic factors involved in UFT impose specific concerns in the [...] Read more.
Urban freight transport (UFT) is simultaneously responsible for maintaining the urban lifestyle and the negative externalities impacting urban areas, necessitating strategies that promote sustainable urban freight transport (SUFT). In addition, the stakeholders and geographic factors involved in UFT impose specific concerns in the planning and operation stages of SUFT. Therefore, this paper proposes a model addressing sustainable last-mile delivery considering the relationship between the activity system, transportation system, and stakeholders involved in UFT. Based on the literature review, we identified UFT planning procedures to achieve SUFT. In a cyclical process, these procedures were considered on the proposed model, integrating freight transport planning with urban planning to develop SUFT and, consequently, sustainable cities. Full article
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