Integrating Freight and Public Transport Terminals Infrastructure by Locating Lockers: Analysing a Feasible Solution for a Medium-Sized Brazilian Cities

Abstract

Integrating freight and public transport infrastructure can lead to providing economic feasibility to public transportation systems and reducing externalities related to urban freight transport. This can be achieved by sharing the infrastructure of freight and public transportation systems. Additionally, failed deliveries represent a major challenge in e-commerce. Lockers can address this problem and promote sustainable urban freight transport. This paper identified a locker network in a public transportation infrastructure. The framework considered scenarios built under the 15-min city concept, and the analysis is based on a case study in Jaraguá do Sul (Brazil, a mid-sized Brazilian city, and its conurbated area. The networks were found by solving a p-median problem, which minimised the maximum distance between the lockers and the population. The findings showed that, in the best scenario with 16 lockers, the population could reach the lockers within a 10-min cycling ride. Additionally, the results showed that the public transportation network provides a locker network to integrate freight and public transportation. The locker network is accessible to public transportation and micromobility users. With this solution, residents play an active role in last-mile deliveries. In addition, lockers can work as mini hubs for crowdshipping services. In addition to reducing urban delivery trips, this solution can encourage public transportation usage, which contributes to more sustainable cities.