Revolutionizing last-mile delivery
Almost every product, whether delivered to a door or to a store, gets to the final stage of its destination – the last mile of delivery – via fossil fuel-based shipping, which pumps dangerous pollution into the air we breathe every day.
On top of that, companies are offering faster and faster delivery times and hassle-free returns and expanding their last-mile delivery networks to meet the demand for two-day and overnight orders.
This growing demand for freight movement in the United States and around the world, is driving increased consumption of fossil fuels, especially diesel, and worsening air pollution.
Medium- and heavy-duty vehicles , like large delivery trucks, port vehicles and buses , are projected to rival passenger vehicles as the largest source of transportation greenhouse gases by 2050.
Businesses can and must transform current practices into solutions. Cleaner and safer alternatives already exist for companies to deploy:
- Advocate for and adopt zero-emission vehicles. Help accelerate the adoption of ZEVs with ambitious targets, then hold yourself accountable and report on progress to accelerate innovation.
- Collaborate with cities, utilities, and communities, turning the readiness of last-mile solutions into an example of how to create the greatest two-for-one impact on climate and clean air together.
- Advocate for smart policy. Companies can support policies for clean trucks and zero-emissions zones, as well as convenient and efficient charging infrastructure.
- Encourage innovation, and enable better choices. Make centralized local lockers an option for both pickup and return to reduce the amount of trips associate with each package. Give customers a range of slower shipping options as opposed to overnight or expedited delivery speeds. Faster isn’t always better.
