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Urban Freight Lab

Research Topic: Sustainable Freight

Sustainable transportation refers to low- and zero-emission, energy-efficient, and affordable modes of transporting freight, including electric and alternative-fuel vehicles, as well as domestic fuels.

Report

The State of Zero-Emissions Delivery in the U.S.

 
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Publication Date: 2025
Summary:

We have seen major changes in the last few years as cities and companies in the United States transition to more environmentally sustainable urban delivery. But progress still remains piecemeal and slow. In both policy and practice on city streets, Europe and parts of Asia are far ahead of the U.S. in advancing electrification, shifting away from traditional trucks to smaller forms like e-bikes, and managing city space to induce or support zero emission delivery (ZED).

This paper captures the state of policy and practice of zero emission delivery in the U.S. as of January 2025. It offers a baseline for future work and surfaces levers U.S. cities can consider using to advance ZED. In this report, researchers from the Urban Freight Lab at the University of Washington created a policy and practice framework based on their expertise, review and synthesis of academic literature, current technology and private sector achievements. Via the framework, the research team identifies a three-legged stool of approaches needed to achieve or advance zero emission delivery in the United States.

These three vital areas for progress on ZED are:

  1. Electrification
  2. Mode Shift and Behavior Change, and
  3. Real Estate and Space Management

For some, these three key building blocks and the myriad elements discussed in this report may not have been linked as levers to catalyze ZED.

The report is divided into three sections, one for each of the key areas above. Each area has an overview of the current state of practice and associated trends, followed by both public sector-led and private-sector-led examples of the approach under discussion. All examples focus on real-world implementation (both domestic and international), showcasing ZED and/or providing a realistic pathway to advance ZED. And all examples focus a lens squarely on cities.

In the process of compiling this summary of the state of practice of ZED, the research team synthesized key takeaways for cities to consider in Electrification, Mode Shift and Behavior Change, and Real Estate and Space Management.

Authors: Urban Freight Lab
Recommended Citation:
Rula, K, Schnaiberg, L, Maxner, T, Shafiei Nia, H, Goodchild, A. (2025) The State of Zero Emission Delivery in the United States. Urban Freight Lab, University of Washington.

Los Angeles Cleantech Incubator (LACI) City Climate Innovation Challenge

Led by the Los Angeles Cleantech Incubator (LACI) and funded by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), the City Climate Innovation Challenge supports a national cohort of cities advancing climate goals through zero-emissions delivery (ZED) strategies that reduce freight emissions and improve air quality.

The Urban Freight Lab is a core technical and research partner, leading the project’s research and policy efforts with Cityfi. Our role includes developing a national outcomes and evaluation framework, analyzing and designing policy and business models, supporting pilot deployments, and evaluating results. This work will culminate in a national ZED Business and Policy Model Toolkit, a practical resource that cities across the U.S. can use to replicate and scale effective zero-emissions delivery solutions.

Background

The City Climate Innovation Challenge is a program to help cities across the country incorporate innovation to achieve climate goals related to specific priority topics. In January 2024, LACI announced the cities joining our anchor partners of Los Angeles, Pittsburgh, and Santa Monica. They are Louisville, KY; Miami-Dade County, FL; New York City, NY; Oakland, CA; Portland, OR; and Washington D.C. LACI and partners like the Urban Freight Lab and Cityfi, will help these cities to develop solutions accelerating the move to zero emissions delivery, reducing emissions from predominantly dirty, diesel trucks moving goods from first mile to last mile–which predominantly impact low income, disadvantaged communities.

In budget period 1, the project will develop an outcomes and evaluation framework for community-centered ZED pilots; analyze and map ideal charging sites in two or more select cities to lay the groundwork for integrated ZED pilots and charging infrastructure deployment; develop public and private sector business model options and policy designs specific to goods movement incentives, pricing and enforcement; and deploy community-driven ZED pilots and charging infrastructure in two or more cities to test business and policy models.

In budget period 2, the team will deploy community-driven ZED pilots and charging infrastructure in two or more cities to test business and policy models; analyze pilots with focus on business model and policy performance; and produce a Zero Emission Delivery Business and Policy Model Platform for cities across the country to utilize in adapting and replicating best practices for scaling zero emission delivery solutions.

Urban Freight Lab Scope of Work

Task 1 – Create a bench of innovation partners that will deploy in two or more cohort cities to test pilot efficacy and administration

Task 2 – Develop an outcomes and evaluation framework for community-centered charging and ZED pilots

Task 3 – Summarize policy, business model, and operating model landscape for ZED

Deliverable: Create a detailed research report on the state of zero emission delivery in the U.S.

Task 5 – Develop policy designs and interventions specific to incentives, pricing and enforcement

Task 6 – Public and private business model ideation

Task 7 – Develop zero emission delivery policy pilot and charging infrastructure deployment plans for two or more ZED City Challenge cities to test policies, business models, and charging infrastructure.

Deliverable: Document pilot plans for ZED City Challenge cities

Task 12 – Analyze pilot, business model, and policy performance and document effectiveness

Task 13 – Produce ZED Business and Policy Model Platform Toolkit

Paper

Logistics of Zoning, Zoning for Logistics: Toward Healthy and Equitable Development for Urban Freight

 
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URL: https://doi.org/10.1080/01944363.2025.2515134
Publication: Journal of the American Planning Association
Pages: 1-18
Publication Date: 2025
Summary:

As warehousing and distribution centers (W&D) rapidly expand, nearby communities, especially those that have been historically marginalized, face growing health risks from increased freight traffic. This research examines how local and state zoning decisions across the U.S. influence the placement and regulation of W&D facilities, and whether those actions consider environmental justice (EJ) principles.

Abstract

Problem, research strategy, and findings: Warehousing and distribution center (W&D) expansion has raised concerns about the disproportionate exposure of nearby communities to freight traffic and its resulting health consequences. While local governments wield several tools to manage logistics-related development, few may be as consequential to public health disparities as zoning. In this study we synthesized the state of recent U.S. zoning actions related to W&D, examining their role as tools—or barriers—for advancing public health in communities historically burdened by freight traffic. Specifically, we investigated 92zoning actions at 67 locations (51 municipalities, 9 counties, and 7 states) and assessed the level at which environmental justice (EJ) principles informed these actions. The most common zoning actions were discretionary decisions on site permits (n ¼ 32). While we offer examples of councils considering EJ issues raised by communities, discretionary processes have drawbacks. Other actions include long-term plans (n ¼ 17), land use definitions (n ¼ 13), development standards (n ¼ 12), and conditional use permitting (n ¼ 14). We also examined four state-level policies. Many regulations restrict by-right W&D development with little indication that these changes are intended to benefit historically burdened communities.

Takeaway for practice: Local jurisdictions lack a unified regulatory approach to W&D. However, long-term plans and state environmental policies guide jurisdictions with the most EJ-explicit actions. Equitable and healthy urban freight requires clear strategic land use priorities and environmental safeguards for vulnerable communities but could also include flexibility for W&D development outside conventional industrial areas. We discuss how these findings fit into contemporary debates about zoning and urban freight planning

Authors: Travis FriedDr. Sarah Dennis-BauerDr. Anne GoodchildOliver Olmedo, Carla Tejada, Otgondulam Bolbaatar, Julian D. Marshall, Lizándro García
Recommended Citation:
Fried, T., Tejada, C., Dennis-Bauer, S., Bolbaatar, O., Goodchild, A., Marshall, J. D., … García, L. (2025). Logistics of Zoning, Zoning for Logistics: Toward Healthy and Equitable Development for Urban Freight. Journal of the American Planning Association, 1–18. https://doi.org/10.1080/01944363.2025.2515134

Miami-Dade County SMART Curbs Program

Miami-Dade County Department of Transportation and Public Works (DTPW) received funding from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s SMART (Strengthening Mobility and Revolutionizing Transportation) grant program to improve curbside management, bike lane safety, and zero-emission urban freight through technology, sustainability, and community input.

As research partner, the Urban Freight Lab’s role includes shaping the pilot design, ensuring grant compliance, advising on technology integration, informing policy development, and leading shared learning across cities.

Selected from 392 applications nationwide, this project is part of a broader multi-city effort to build safer, more equitable and more sustainable freight systems by leveraging innovative technology and data.

Background

The Miami-Dade County SMART Curbs Program aims to transform streets across Miami-Dade County, Florida, with safer, cleaner, and more connected delivery solutions. Led by Miami-Dade DTPW and funded through the U.S. Department of Transportation’s SMART (Strengthening Mobility and Revolutionizing Transportation) grant program, this project combines advanced technologies, sustainable logistics, and public engagement to reduce emissions, improve bike lane safety, and support zero-emissions deliveries.

As part of a national multi-city collaboration, the program addresses complex challenges such as e-delivery and micro-freight monitoring, secure curb access and parking, and shared data tools to support better freight planning, policy development, and the modernization of last-mile delivery infrastructure.

Goals

The SMART Curbs Program goals are:

  • Create Safer Streets: Minimize roadway risks and reduce congestion with better curbside management and the adoption of zero-emission vehicles
  • Protect the Climate: Support Miami-Dade County’s climate goals by reducing emissions, promoting clean air, and encouraging sustainable delivery practices
  • Boost the Local Economy: Increase delivery efficiency, create jobs in last-mile logistics, and support the management of MicroFreight hubs
  • Engage the Community: Ensure input from all residents to guide planning and implementation.

The program includes SMART Loading Zones throughout Downtown Miami and Brickell. These zones are dedicated spaces designed to:

  • Streamline freight deliveries
  • Reduce curbside congestion
  • Improve urban safety
  • Advance zero-emission transportation goals

By addressing high-traffic areas with innovative solutions, SMART Loading Zones will create a more organized and efficient curbside experience for residents, businesses, and delivery drivers.

Urban Freight Lab Scope of Work

Task 1 – Project Management and QA/QC

Task 2 – Grant compliance and project management capacity support

The Subcontractor will work with Cityfi to aid the Client in certain elements of grant reporting and compliance. These include support of DTPW in development of the required Evaluation and Measurement Plan, compilation of the findings of said plan, problem statement definition and research framing.

Task 3 — Best Practices and State of the Industry Research

The Subcontractor will provide technical advice and best practice research, in particular, on the urban freight industry and operations. Research will include collaboration with DTPW project manager to assess pilot design in line with freight industry and local community needs.

Task 4 — Conceptual Design Support

The Subcontractor will support Cityfi, the Client, and public engagement and technology partners to allow DTPW to craft a conceptual design for demonstration deployment. Design will include multiple demonstration sites, assessment of anticipated users, integration of multiple technology partners, and public interface of technologies.

Task 5 — Technology Partner Integration Support

Multiple technologies and public agencies are involved in the micro-freight and smart curb zone demonstration. These entities must work together for a successful integrated demonstration. This will likely include new product development to enable the necessary integration and deliver outcomes desired by the County.

Task 6 — Policy and Regulatory Support

As with any new technology, form factor or service model, there is a high likelihood that new or revised policies, procedures or even regulations will be necessary to facilitate their demonstration and ultimate deployment. The Subcontractor will support Cityfi and DTPW with necessary policy assessments.

Task 7 — Collaborative Learnings and Exchange

DTPW was selected for a grant award as a member of a multi-city collaborative. It is the expectation of USDOT that DTPW will engage in shared learnings and exchange with other members of the collaborative to accelerate innovation and improvement across the nine participating cities.

Task 8 — Phase I Summary and Phase II Grant Support

At the conclusion of Phase I, DTPW must submit an array of materials to USDOT to compete for Phase II funding for expansion and scaling. The Subcontractor will support Cityfi in preparing an evaluation and summary report of the Phase I demonstration documenting indicators, accomplishments and outcomes as necessary to inform Phase II application.

Dr. Paul Buijs

Dr. Paul Buijs
Dr. Paul Buijs
  • Visiting Scholar, Urban Freight Lab
  • Associate Professor, University of Groningen (Netherlands)
p.buijs@rug.nl
Publications on Google ScholarGoogle Scholar Icon
  • Operations management
  • Transportation science and technology
  • Sustainable logistics
  • Supply chain management
  • Innovation
  • Urban freight transport

Paul Buijs explores how stakeholders are both affected by — and can contribute to — the transition to more sustainable logistics systems. His research spans a wide range of domains, from urban delivery networks to heavy road freight, and considers sustainability through multiple lenses, including carbon emissions, livability, and economic inclusivity. Current topics include how logistics can adapt to evolving urban environments, how urban planning can reduce the sector’s footprint in cities, how to accelerate freight transport decarbonization, how emerging ecommerce delivery and return models impact CO2 emissions, and how to ensure the shift to green urban logistics is equitable for all.

  • MSc, Industrial Engineering and Management, University of Groningen (The Netherlands)
  • Ph.D., Sustainable Logistics, University of Groningen (The Netherlands)

Dr. Paul Buijs, Associate Professor at University of Groningen (Netherlands), joins the Urban Freight Lab as a visiting scholar through November 2025. His four-month residency will focus on three areas: research, teaching, and community engagement.

As part of his research, Paul will lead a joint study comparing sustainable urban logistics policy-making in Europe and the U.S., examining how urban planning, street design, and policy approaches differ across regions. Building on recent work from both continents, the project will result in a research paper and proposals for future collaboration.

As a guest instructor, Paul will deliver a specialized course module on urban logistics, exploring European and North American perspectives on service logistics, policy, planning, and the role of logistics in the urban environment. The module will introduce EU frameworks such as SUMPs (Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans) and SULPs (Sustainable Urban Logistics Plans), encouraging students to think critically about how European models might inform U.S. practices.

To support broader engagement, Paul will host seminars, contribute to ongoing discussions, collaborate with the Urban Freight Lab community, sharing EU-based insights, and support the development of new research and policy initiatives.

Oliver Olmedo

Oliver Olmedo
Oliver Olmedo
  • Research Assistant, Urban Freight Lab
  • Graduate Student, Civil and Environmental Engineering (Transportation Track)
oolmedo@uw.edu

Oliver is an international master’s student from Paraguay with a strong background in infrastructure construction and project development. Oliver’s professional experience has underscored the critical role that well-coordinated logistics systems play in shaping everyday life and in advancing sustainable development. Outside of his academic work, Oliver enjoys biking, climbing, backpacking, trying new foods and cafes, and watching Formula 1.

Boston Delivers Cargo Bike Pilot Evaluation

Boston Delivers was a pilot project that promoted sustainable methods of making neighborhood deliveries for local businesses in Allston, Brighton, and the surrounding area. Instead of motor vehicles, packages were delivered by electric cargo bikes. The Boston Transportation Department (BTD) partnered with Net Zero Logistics (Net Zero) to carry out this delivery service. Net Zero Logistics provided electric cargo bikes, made deliveries, and coordinated delivery logistics. The Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC) funded the pilot through their Accelerating Clean Transportation for All (ACT4All) Program. The pilot intended to test the policy implications of using right-sized delivery vehicles in urban environments, generate societal co-benefits from an efficient and sustainable mode for goods movement, and share learnings with a broad audience.

Background and Overview

The city outlined four core goals as follows:

  1. Support Local Businesses,
  2. Reduce Urban Congestion,
  3. Improve Street Safety, and
  4. Reduce Pollution

Furthermore, the city created five learning objectives for the pilot program, as follows:

  1. Identify the policies, programs, and regulations that need to change to allow for ecargo bike delivery in the City of Boston;
  2. Test infrastructure changes needed to accommodate e-cargo bike delivery, including but not limited to e-cargo bike delivery zones, staging and sorting areas, parcel lockers, and other last-mile logistical needs;
  3. Measure the benefits of e-cargo bike delivery, including its impact on environmental, safety, and economic metrics;
  4. Understand the costs and feasibility of e-cargo bike delivery for different types of businesses;
  5. Share findings on e-cargo bike delivery and communicate to delivery service providers that the City of Boston is ready for e-cargo bikes to be used on a larger scale.

The 18-month pilot began in September 2023 and concluded in February 2025. The Boston team successfully recruited a logistics partner (Net Zero), onboarded and launched a new delivery service, and completed thousands of deliveries on behalf of underserved populations during the pilot period.

Between September 2023 and January 2025, 18,375 deliveries were made (approximately 20,000 units) with an estimated total of 5,881 cargo bicycle miles traveled and an estimated savings of 2,352.5 – 3,193.5 of kg CO2e (carbon emissions) avoided. By replacing larger vehicle trips, these outcomes directly contributed to the City’s goals of reducing neighborhood congestion and the chances for serious crashes, improving air quality through less tailpipe pollution, and showcasing new delivery methods that could benefit local businesses.

The pilot demonstrated that e-bike deliveries could be a feasible alternative to cars for specific delivery scenarios. Critically, Boston created a strong pilot framework that referenced big picture agency goals but focused on measurable pilot learning objectives. This approach allowed for a flexible and adaptive approach during pilot design and implementation, which made the pilot all the more successful. With an adaptive approach, the city was able to uncover important key learnings for future pilots.

While the critical elements of the pilot were achieved (launching a cargo bike operator, performing thousands of deliveries, and focusing on an underserved neighborhood), key learnings for future sustainable delivery programs from the pilot included:

  • Flexibility in pilot design and implementation is critical during the execution of any pilot program and especially when working in close partnership with multiple organizations and companies.
  • There is a need to coordinate and potentially partner with anchor clients or partners with significant volume ahead of launching a sustainable delivery program.
  • For pilots or programs that require space for staging, identifying location(s) for these activities, and ensuring they can be launched expediently and permitted in a timely manner, is critical for success.
  • When choosing a pilot geography, the use cases for e-bikes for last mile delivery should be evaluated in terms of existing neighborhood density, ease or lack thereof in making deliveries by large van or truck, and whether the neighborhood already has significant numbers of bike deliveries and a robust cycling culture.
  • Organizers should understand the economics of programs that involve multiple nongovernmental and private sector organizations, including the significant start up (capital) costs required, and the importance of achieving economies of scale in delivery volume to ensure long-term financial health of a program.
  • Broader citywide goals and policies around safety, congestion relief, and decarbonization can help center urban delivery goals in broader contexts (potentially allowing for additional funding, programmatic support, communication, better unit economics, etc.).

Overall, the goal of this pilot evaluation is to reflect on the City of Boston’s pilot experience and provide transparency about these learnings to a wide audience. We hope that the information below will provide real value for future City of Boston initiatives, delivery service providers and vendors, and cities nationwide as they continue to focus on ways to unlock greater efficiency in urban deliveries and realize a wide array of societal benefits.

Scope of Work

  1. Support design of pilot evaluation plan
    • Provide feedback on an evaluation approach/framework, metrics, methodology, and data collection strategies.
    • Deliverables: Written pilot evaluation plan, additional comments and participate in 1-2 meetings.
  2. Gather and perform data analysis
    • Depending on availability and quality of data obtained, data will be processed to compute operational performance metrics as defined in Task 1 (e.g total VMT, deliveries per hour, etc). The UFL will work with NetZero Logistics to obtain data on deliveries performed over the study period.
    • Incorporate available qualitative data. UFL to conduct interviews with NetZero Logistics and at least 3 participating businesses.
    • Deliverables: Analyze data collected by the City of Boston.
  3. Report write-up
    • UFL to summarize methodology and findings in report format in collaboration with Boston including key learnings, challenges, and future opportunities.
    • UFL to provide outline and final content, while Boston will collaborate on graphics and layout for the final deliverable.
    • Deliverables: Final report content including analysis with 1 major review cycle.
Paper

Does Proximity Matter in Shopping Behavior?

 
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URL: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tra.2025.104471
Publication: Elsevier Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice
Volume: 196
Publication Date: 2025
Summary:

While e-commerce continues to grow as a proportion of retail sales, consumers still largely rely on vehicle travel to shop. At the same time, the “15-minute city” concept is gaining traction, suggesting that the livability and sustainability of urban areas will improve if essential goods and services are all located in close proximity to residential areas. However, little is known about how the proximity of commercial establishments to consumers affects their shopping behaviors, namely their choice of whether to shop online or in-person, and the mode of travel if the latter is chosen.

In this study, we use data from a 2022 shopping behavior survey asking about consumers’ most recent shopping events, whether they were performed online or in-person, the travel mode. Respondents’ approximate home locations were also collected, allowing the research team to map nearby establishments. The collected data was used to estimate discrete choice models of shopping behaviors and test whether proximity to commercial establishments affects shoppers’ choices. In particular, this study tests whether proximity to commercial establishments makes consumers more likely to shop in person (vs. online) and to travel by walking (vs. driving).

Proximity to commercial establishments did not affect the likelihood of purchasing goods online, while it did affect the travel mode choice for in-person shopping travel for certain types of goods. Regression analysis indicates that each additional commercial establishment within a 0.5-mile radius increased the likelihood of walking by 23%for groceries and 17% for prepared meals. This did not apply to clothes shopping, which also had the highest rate of e-commerce at 62.4%. We observed that for in-person shopping, travel time was approximately 10 min for both walking and driving. In addition, we found that e-commerce made up 25.3% of all shopping activity and the majority (81%) of shopping travel involved driving.

Authors: Rishi VermaDr. Giacomo Dalla ChiaraDr. Anne Goodchild
Recommended Citation:
Verma, Rishi, Dalla Chiara, Giacomo, and Goodchild, Anne. (2025) ‘Does proximity matter in shopping behavior?’, Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, 196, p. 104471. doi:10.1016/j.tra.2025.104471.

Dr. Sarah Dennis-Bauer

Dr. Sarah Dennis-Bauer
Dr. Sarah Dennis-Bauer
  • Post-Doctoral Researcher, Urban Freight Lab
srdennis@uw.edu  |  Wilson Ceramic Lab 111
Publications on Google ScholarGoogle Scholar Icon
  • Freight
  • Sustainable transportation
  • Emissions and air quality
  • Public health
  • Environmental epidemiology

Sarah Dennis-Bauer is working on the HEI-funded Managing the Traffic-Related Air Pollution (TRAP) Effects of Urban Warehousing Near Historically Marginalized Communities: A Scenario Analysis of Technology and Land Use Based Strategies project. Her primary role is leading the InMAP air quality modeling and analysis, and related health effect estimation.

Sarah Dennis-Bauer is a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Washington’s Urban Freight Lab. Her educational background is in transportation engineering and public health. Her research interests lie in the intersection of these two fields, with a focus on the freight sector. She is interested in developing data-driven methods to quantify the externalities of the freight sector, and evaluating feasible mitigation strategies for these externalities.

  • CUTC Outstanding Student of the Year (Council of University Transportation Centers, 2024)
  • Outstanding Student of the Year (National Center for Sustainable Transportation, 2025)
  • Best Teaching Assistant Award (UC Davis Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, 2021)
  • B.S. in Public Health from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas
  • M.S. in Civil Engineering from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas
  • M.S. in Epidemiology from the University of California, Davis
  • Ph.D. in Civil Engineering from the University of California, Davis

Sarah Dennis-Bauer is a transdisciplinary researcher in transportation engineering and environmental epidemiology. Sarah’s research interests are centered around sustainable freight transportation, specifically focusing on the public health and environmental justice concerns of urban freight. She graduated from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, with a BS in Public Health and an MS in Civil and Environmental Engineering. She also has an MS in Epidemiology and a Ph.D. in Civil and Environmental Engineering from the University of California, Davis.

Her recent publications include:

Zero-Emission Delivery Zone: City of Portland SMART Grant

The Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) was awarded a nearly $2 million Strengthening Mobility and Revolutionizing Transportation (SMART) Grant by the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) in Fall 2023 to pilot the country’s first regulated Zero-Emission Delivery Zone in downtown Portland and test digital infrastructure tools. This project will test an innovative set of incentives and regulations to better understand what technology and strategies municipalities can use to support and reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the freight sector.

While other cities in the United States have piloted voluntary Zero-Emission Delivery Zones (ZEDZs) to encourage the transition of commercial fleets to zero-emission modes, Portland will be the first U.S. city to pilot a regulated ZEDZ. The regulated ZEDZ will be active during a demonstration period of approximately six months beginning in late summer/early fall of 2024. During this temporary demonstration period, the parking rules for all truck loading zones within the project area will be changed to prioritize access for zero-emission vehicles only (see Figure 1). Loading zones within the ZEDZ will be monitored by parking sensors, both before and after the approximately six-month long demonstration period, so that project staff can better understand the impact of this regulation. These loading zones will be referred to as Zero-Emission Loading Zones.

This pilot project will also test a variety of partnerships and incentives to accelerate the movement of “clean goods,” or goods with fewer negative impacts to health and the environment. This could include diverting existing deliveries into the ZEDZ to local fleets of electric-assist cargo trikes and electric vehicles, vans and trucks, or supporting local delivery companies in transitioning their own fleets to zero-emission modes.

This project is enabled by a nearly $2 million USDOT SMART Stage 1 pilot and prototyping grant. Depending on outcomes from this pilot project, PBOT will have the opportunity to apply for a Stage 2 implementation grant for up to $15 million to refine or scale promising strategies identified in the initial pilot project. The two stages of the SMART grant program are unique in that they allow the City of Portland to test several strategies on a small scale before exploring any larger-scale implementation. All of this work is in service to Portland’s values around climate and transportation justice: a safer, cleaner, and more equitable system for delivering goods and services.

Draft map of project area showing proposed zero-emission load zones updated in March 2024. Loading zone site selection will be refined with stakeholder input in late Spring 2024.

Scope of Work

The Urban Freight Lab (UFL) was approached by PBOT to assist in their Phase 1 SMART grant implementation. The UFL will provide subject matter expertise on the topics of urban freight, curb management, and freight decarbonization. They will support PBOT in the form of interviews and/or surveys to summarize current carrier operations, current and future fleet composition, and loading activities.

  • Task 1. Project management and subject matter expertise support
    • Deliverables: Attend meetings and provide subject matter expert consultation as needed.
  • Task 2. Document how some carriers and delivery operators would be impacted by a zero-emission delivery zone (ZEDZ) in Portland, including understanding current and planned fleet composition, interactions with the curb, and barriers and opportunities for the City to support.
    • Deliverables: Interview questionnaire and summaries of answers (we will aggregate and anonymize results). Draft and final technical memo, with one PBOT review of the draft