In the Media

As cities like Seattle add new residents with appetites for near-instant gratification, how can businesses operating in urban environments with aggravating traffic and competition for street space meet customer expectations for quick deliveries? A new University of Washington research center announced Oct. 12 will collaborate with the Seattle Department of Transportation and three founding industry members — Costco, Nordstrom and UPS — to tackle that question and test new solutions in urban goods delivery.

The Urban Freight Lab, part of the UW’s Supply Chain Transportation & Logistics department (SCTL), debuted on Wednesday. The lab will initially aim to figure out better ways for e-commerce companies to solve the “last mile,” or the last leg of a delivery that typically takes truck drivers through city streets, commercial vehicle load zones, and privately-owned buildings.