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Smart logistics

Urban Logistics as an on-Demand Service (ULaaDS)

Under the banner of Hive.Mobility, the municipality of Groningen, the University of Groningen, OV-bureau Groningen Drenthe and numerous international partners started the ULaaDS project in 2020. The aim of the project is to accelerate the deployment of new, feasible, shared and Zero Emission solutions to address the challenges of future urban logistics.

On-demand economy

Increasing traffic and transport in urban areas has an impact on the quality of life in cities. At the same time, the on-demand economy is on the rise. Consumers expect more and more convenience, speed and simplicity, which puts current logistics solutions – and subsequently cities and their inhabitants – even more under pressure.

Governments and the logistics sector must respond quickly to this by exploring new innovation strategies, regulations and mobility concepts. There are three important pillars: sustainable transport, reliable mobility systems and increased road safety.

Innovation within city logistics

The municipalities of Bremen, Mechelen and Groningen have joined forces with knowledge and logistics partners to tackle this. Within ULaaDS they focus on three important pillars:

  • Develop concrete logistics solutions for sustainable and cost-efficient urban transport, based on the on-demand economy
  • Integration of logistics innovations in local and regional policy
  • Implementation of logistics innovations in practice

Pilots

As part of the project, two pilots will be carried out with OV-bureau Groningen Drenthe and other partners, which will start around September 2021.

  • Setting up a sharing platform for cargo bikes and light electric freight vehicles.
  • Adding logistics (e.g. parcel lockers) to the transport hubs, Travel via Hub – of the OV-bureau.

Partners

ULaaDS is funded from the Horizon 2020 program of the European Commission, which aims to promote employment, growth and innovation. The ULaaDS project is carried out by a total of 24 European partners:

  • Groningen, Bremen and Mechelen as pilot cities – other cities involved are Rome, Bergen, Edinburgh and Alba Iulia
  • Industry and logistics partners: UPS, Belgian Post, Rytle, ViaVan, ECOkoeriers Mechelen, OV-bureau Groningen Drenthe, Allgemeinen Deutschen Fahrrad-Clubs (ADFC) Landesverband Bremen, Bax & Company and Miebach Consulting
  • Knowledge institutions: University of Groningen, Fraunhofer IML Dortmund, Forschungsgesellschaft Mobilität in Austria (FGM), Transportokonomisk Institutt (TOI), to-be-now-logistics-research-gmbh
  • Partnerships/networks: Eurocities and the Flemish Institute for Logistics