Real world The last mile
A parcel may cross an ocean by ship and a country by truck, but the hardest part is the "last mile": the trip from a local depot to your door. It is often the most expensive part of delivery, with many stops, traffic and parking problems.
Real world Making delivery cleaner
The World Economic Forum has warned that without changes, growing online shopping will mean many more delivery vans, more traffic and more emissions in city centers. Solutions include electric vans, cargo bikes, parcel lockers where people collect deliveries, and loading zones so vans don't block lanes. The US Postal Service is replacing its old mail trucks with a new design, including many electric ones.
Real world No left turns
A delivery driver may stop more than a hundred times a day, so computers plan the routes. The delivery company UPS plans routes that avoid unnecessary left turns across oncoming traffic. Waiting to turn left wastes time and fuel, and it is when many crashes happen.
Art In this artwork
This illustration shows a plain white van. The back view shows the large rear doors for loading.
Look closer
- Find the back doors. Why are they so big?
- Why might so many vans be plain white?
Think about it
- How many deliveries come to your street in a week?
- Would you walk to a parcel locker to reduce traffic?
- Where can a van stop on your street without blocking anyone?
Key words
- Last mile
- The final step of a delivery, to the door.
- Depot
- A place where parcels are sorted and vans are based.
- Cargo bike
- A bicycle built to carry loads.
Sources
The facts on this page are based on these sources:
- World Economic Forum, "The Future of the Last-Mile Ecosystem" (2020)
- United States Postal Service, Next Generation Delivery Vehicle program
- UPS, ORION route planning and the avoidance of left turns
