In the Media

Pilot project will test technologies, zero-emission vehicles in delivering food and parcels. 

BrightDrop has collaborated with the University of Washington’s Urban Freight Lab (UFL), The City of Seattle, and tech and delivery companies, AxleHire, Coaster Cycles and REEF, to launch one of the nation’s first zero operating-emissions, last-mile neighborhood delivery hubs.  

“I’m convinced the transportation and logistics center has embraced and accepted the idea that electrification and sustainability are part of their future — that’s not a controversial statement in any way,” says Anne Goodchild.

“Now you’ve got this floodgate of demand — not only because people are sick of being in their house but also because people have saved twice as much money,” Bill Keough said.

Anne Goodchild is experimenting with a parking app, common carrier lockers, and microhubs to reduce that time – and thus reduce congestion. Preliminary results suggest the lockers alone could cut drivers’ time in a building by 35% to 75%.

Anne Goodchild talks about the incredible growth in urban freight during the pandemic, and how the pandemic may have been the disrupter that might change the future of urban freight.

Bill Keough discusses vaccine distribution challenges and creative solutions in Africa.

In this bustling and often congested urban area, trucks fully packed with goods are on tight delivery schedules. However, circling the blocks to find an open parking zone in the “final 50 feet”—the sweet spot for the most efficient deliveries—can put drivers behind schedule.

How do we keep customers happy, keep people and goods moving, keep our city livable, and meet Seattle’s climate change goals? That’s a question we’re working with the Urban Freight Lab to investigate. 

“Very few cities are thinking about cargo-bike parking,” says Giacomo Dalla Chiara. “This is a gray area the city is still working out.”

“E-commerce is a dramatic shift. This changing nature is really challenging for urban planners because the built environment and our governance structures have to adapt to these changes in behavior,” said Anne Goodchild.

Andisheh Ranjbari then took the screen to talk about her research into curb behavior, including ride-alongs with delivery drivers to understand their parking behavior; research team members wore GPS devices and shadowed drivers from UPS, Amazon, and other carriers.

Despite the ongoing popularity of online shopping, there is a dearth of “design support” for urban delivery needs, according to researcher Ed McCormack.

Giacomo Dalla Chiara is the author of the award-winning paper on the theme of mobility of urban goods. The solution? It has to be smart.

"Right now, we’re testing a shared mobility hub, sensors to monitor commercial parking, a mobile app to provide drivers with real-time parking availability, and lockers on both public and private property."