'Crowdsourcing' the last mile via startups like Trunks and Pick-This-Up can reduce the number of kilometres driven by up to 25 per cent. So argues Niels Agatz of Erasmus University Rotterdam to BNR.
Now, online orders are usually brought to consumers by polluting delivery vans. This causes nuisance in residential areas and city centres. Initiatives where, for example, you can take parcels from your neighbours would ensure fewer delivery vans. According to Agatz, expert formulas still need to be applied to the system, however, so that parcels, routes and driver stops match up as well as possible.
Read also: Does partial logistics have a future in the Netherlands?
Blablacar
Last week, Blablacar also announced that it will soon enter the parcel market. Currently, Blablacar operates only as a carpooling service. Users can 'sell' an extra spot in their car to people who want to ride along. In the future, this could also be done with parcels. "In Russia, people are already trying to use Blablacar to transport stuff. They book a seat in a car, but then show up with a package," said co-founder Nicolas Brusson.
Editorial LogistiekProfs
