Full Title: Decarbonizing Last Mile Delivery: A Courier-Centered Modal Shift Study
Author(s): Alessandra Carreon, Ellen Kennedy, Jacob Korn, Kriti Singh, Raquel Soat, and Clay Stranger
Publisher(s): Rocky Mountain Institute
Publication Date: January 13, 2024
Full Text: Download Resource
Description (excerpt):
Improved access to delivery apps and websites, increasing customer demand, and other factors have led to exponential growth in on-demand last-mile deliveries (LMDs). In 2021, McKinsey estimated the on-demand LMD global market value at more than $150 billion.
In cities most affected by smog and particulate matter emissions, it is easy to see how tailpipe emissions from internal combustion engine vehicles (both from driving and idling) contribute to local air quality issues and public health concerns. For this reason, it is a critical time for city officials, app-based delivery platforms, and community-based organizations (CBOs) to take a multi-sector approach toward addressing vehicle emissions and promoting industry-wide shifts to zero-emissions modes.
To help these stakeholders make informed decisions, RMI’s report Decarbonizing Last-Mile Delivery: A Courier-Centered Modal Shift Study provides stakeholders with recommendations and policy solutions they can use to accelerate the electrification and modal shift of on-demand LMDs. The report’s insights come from quantitative modeling and qualitative interviews with couriers, city officials, and CBOs in London, Mexico City, and Seattle.