In the Media

A new University of Washington study has revealed that making deliveries with drones is better for the environment than using trucks.

In a new study carried out by transportation engineers at the University of Washington, researchers compared the carbon dioxide emissions of delivery drones against trucks when both were being used to deliver packages. Which is better for the environment? The answer is different than what you might expect.

Delivering packages with drones can reduce carbon dioxide emissions in certain circumstances as compared to truck deliveries, a new study from University of Washington transportation engineers finds.

“Trucks compete better on heavier loads, but for really light packages, drones are awesome,” said author Anne Goodchild.

Delivering packages with drones can reduce carbon dioxide emissions in certain circumstances as compared to truck deliveries, a new study from the Urban Freight Lab finds.

Delivering packages with drones can reduce carbon dioxide emissions in certain circumstances as compared to truck deliveries, a new study from University of Washington transportation engineers finds.

Delivering packages with drones can reduce carbon dioxide emissions in certain circumstances as compared to truck deliveries, a new study from University of Washington transportation engineers finds.

University of Washington researchers have found that delivering packages with drones can help reduce carbon emissions in comparison to delivery by truck.

Barb Ivanov talks with CBS about the ease of online ordering and the goals of the Urban Freight Lab to reduce freight congestion.

Created in 2016, the Urban Freight Lab is looking into “high-impact, low-cost solutions for businesses delivering goods in urban settings and cities trying to manage limited curb and parking space where delivery trucks, bicycles, pedestrians and cars all need to coexist.” They’ll be testing solutions like centralized drop-off lockers, and improved management of alleys and curb space, both in simulations and the real world.

The City of Seattle's Freight Master Plan and the SCTL Urban Freight Lab's research are identified as potential policy solutions for urban freight congestion.

It begins with boxes. For most people who order goods from Amazon interactions with the Seattle e-commerce giant start with a search and a click, and end with a delivery. SCTL Center Founding Director Anne Goodchild discusses the Urban Freight Lab and the importance of factoring in freight delivery congestion in city planning.

It’s the flip-side to the “retail apocalypse:” A siege of delivery trucks is threatening to choke cities with traffic. But not everyone agrees on what to do about it. SCTL Center Founding Director Anne Goodchild describes how the Urban Freight Lab is working to collect data on goods movement in cities to improve urban deliveries. 

If you’ve ever shopped online and come home to find a note on your mailbox that said “Package could not be delivered,” you understand the frustration of multiple delivery attempts. What you may not know is those delivery attempts can impact the environment and livability in your city. Nordstrom's Transportation team is trying to address those problems through a partnership with Costco, UPS, USPS, Charlie’s Produce, the City of Seattle and the University of Washington.

The City of Seattle has promised $285,000 over the next three years to support the University of Washington’s new Urban Freight Lab, which brings together freight carriers and public planning agencies to consider issues and innovative strategies related to urban delivery.