Urban logistics, cyclo logistics : what exactly are we talking about?
Over the last few years, with the rapid growth of urbanisation and growing concern about environmental impact, the challenges of improving urban logistics?have become a real concern for businesses and consumers , as well as for all those involved in logistics (economic, social, institutional, etc.), particularly when it comes to last-mile delivery.
But what does this notion of "urban logistics" really cover ?
Beyond the simple transport of goods, urban logistics represents the way in which we approach the management of flows in an urban environment.
In other words, urban logistics covers all the challenges and opportunities associated with the movement of goods, people, information... and much more.
Choosing cyclo-logistics to face the challenges of urban logistics :
E-trike VUF XXL
Today, cyclo-logistics is emerging as an ingenious,but also environmentally friendly solution to the issues and challenges associated with urban logistics.
To meet these challenges, since 2014 at VUF Bikes we have been producing and developing cargo bikes and three-wheelers that address the issues faced by urban professionals.
In fact, the use of cargo bikes and three-wheelers helps to relieve congestion on urban roads while reducing noise pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, thereby contributing to cleaner, more pleasant urban areas. agréables à vivre.
Au-delà des effets positifs que génèrent la cyclo-logistique, l’utilisation de vélos cargo et triporteurs VUF Bikes présente énormément d’avantages pour l’entreprise. En effet, utiliser des vélos cargos en milieu urbain est synonyme with agility,, efficiency and economy, making it an increasingly attractive choice for companies looking to optimise their operations in a challenging urban environment..
Today, cyclo-logistics embodies the perfect fusion between the needs of modern logistics and the imperatives of sustainability, making cyclo-logistics an essential response to the challenges of urban logistics.
Urban logistics issues
One of the major challenges in urban logistics is traffic congestion,which often leads to delays and cadditional costs.As a reminder, over the entire logistics cycle, last-mile delivery represents a major cost.
Finally, there are the environmental issues linked to greenhouse gas emissions, as well as the social issues linked to the many urban players involved: residents, delivery personnel, road users, etc.
1. Economic issues
As mentioned above, in the logistics chain, the costs associated with last-mile delivery are very high. The main reason for this is that last-mile delivery is more difficult to organise because of the multitude of delivery points and the various constraints associated with the urban environment.
Invery concrete terms, we're talking here about the difficulties of urban integration (and accessibility problems), traffic congestion, parking constraints or even regulations specific to each city, such as the ZFEs (Low emission zone mobility).These constraints generate additional costs, forcing players to review their distribution model.
Finally, delivery times have a direct influence on consumers' choice of delivery service provider. This variable, which is sometimes difficult for professionals to keep track of, is a very important issue to take into account.
It should also be noted that from an an employabilitypoint of view, urban logistics encompasses a multitude of economic players (delivery personnel, support and technical functions, etc.) and therefore represents a large proportion of jobs today.
2. Social issues
The social issues linked to urban logistics are also very important for professionals to take into account. Urban logistics has a direct impact on city dwellers, workers and, more generally, society as a whole.
Among the main social issues, we can mention a few major ones.
Firstly, the quality of life of city dwellers is directly impacted by logistics. There are a number of negative externalities : noise pollution from vehicles, road traffic congestion, excessive use of roads and the pollution generated. These various factors have a direct impact on the quality of life and health of city dwellers, since they can generate both stress and health problems.
Secondly, urban development and parking issues and have an impact on a wide range of players in the urban environment : residents, local businesses, consumers, associations and sustainable mobility players (electric bikes, electric scooters, etc.).
Finally, the working conditions of delivery drivers and other economic players are also issues that companies need to address, in a number of respects: irregular working hours,workload, job insecurity , etc.
Good management of these issues is essential to ensure that urban logistics is both sustainable and beneficial to society as a whole.
3. Environmental issues
Finally, among the major issues facing logistics are those relating to to the environment..
Of course, greenhouse gas emissions are a major environmental issue for the various players involved.Unsurprisingly, the delivery vehicles used in urban logistics are very often combustion-powered and emitlarge quantities of CO2.
For information, urban logistics accounts for 20% of urban traffic and is responsible for 25% to 30% of CO2 emissions. As a result of these emissions, air quality deteriorates, particularly with the emission of fine particles and other pollutants that have harmful effects on human health, particularly in terms of respiratory and cardiovascular health.
In addition to greenhouse gas emissions, there are many underlying issues. For example, gestion d’énergie : companies need to take into account the energy requirements linked to the management of delivery vehicle fleets. These may be energy requirements to power warehouses,fuel vehicles or maintain them. To. leur entretien. To this we can add the management of the additional waste that can be generated by urban logistics.
Finally, we feel it is important to mention new regulations and local policies. These can have a significant impact on urban logistics. Policies in favour of sustainability can encourage the adoption of environmentally-friendly practices by supporting the creation of fleets of green vehicles such as electric delivery tricycles with purchase subsidies. aides à l’achatis therefore important to take them into account.
Companies need to invest in environmentally-friendly vehicles and practices.
4. What are the solutions for improving urban logistics?e :
There are many ways of improving urban logistics,but in practice they are not always easy to implement. The idea is always the same: to make urban traffic easier and more fluid,while reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
First of all, on environmental issues, it would be interesting to use 'cleaner' modes of transport. For example, with the adoption of electric, hydrogen or low-emission vehicles.
There are several possible solutions to the problem of traffic congestion :
- Introducing multi-modal transport: encouraging the use of different modes of transport can reduce both congestion and CO2 emissions.
- The use of storage space on the outskirts of towns: to make it easier to receive incoming/outgoing goods and transport them.
At VUF Bikes, we offer cyclo-logistics solutions in the form of cargo bikes and scooters to meet the challenges of urban logistics.
We devote all our energy to developing the ideal cargo bike - ergonomic, robust and suitable for all types of use.