Sustainable Urban Freight Transport: A Global Perspective from edX

Life in the city relies on the smooth operation of urban logistics. Everything from retail to services, construction to waste collection rely on an efficient and reliable freight transport system. However, with the increasing pressures of urbanization, this has to be balanced with the environmental and social impacts caused by transport activity. In addition to this, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the urban freight transport has also been challenged over the last years with increased volumes, same-day deliveries and disruptions in logistics chains.

This is the challenge of City Logistics, a field of study that has significant practical implications for the world and the cities we live in. It is not merely a question of what is involved, but what can be done about urban freight transport to improve it for the sake of economic efficiency, quality of life, and sustainability.

From a systematic scientific foundation of the field, this course will take you on a journey to learn how city logistics is understood and practiced in cities around the world. Our instructors, members of a renowned global expert network, will teach you the basics of this highly complex social system. Using their experience in real-world projects, they will illustrate how the knowledge learnt in this course is applied across industry and the public sector.

This course caters primarily to university students or professionals working in urban transport infrastructure planning or logistics management. Whether you are simply curious about the topic or you intend to develop a career in these fields, this course will give you the tools you need to understand the complexities of urban freight transport systems.

The course emphasizes the theoretical foundation, the rigorous evaluation, and a multi-disciplinary approach to this complex area. Course participants will benefit from numerous case studies of best practice in selected cities around the world, in a variety of business settings. Our emphasis on the global perspective is particularly relevant, since an understanding of local culture and political climate is an important factor in the success of any city logistics intervention. The course will provide an avenue for students to learn through videos from their peers about the challenges faced in their respective cities, and how to apply the principles learned to the challenges faced in their own cities.

What's inside

Learning objectives

• to understand the complex nature of urban freight transport systems
• to evaluate freight traffic impacts
• to explore the different approaches to solving urban freight transport problems

• to identify the research methods used to develop and apply knowledge in this field
• to identify the main logistics challenges facing cities around the world
• to explore the new challenges in urban freight transport.

• to understand the complex nature of urban freight transport systems
• to evaluate freight traffic impacts
• to explore the different approaches to solving urban freight transport problems
• to identify the research methods used to develop and apply knowledge in this field
• to identify the main logistics challenges facing cities around the world
• to explore the new challenges in urban freight transport.

Syllabus

The course is organized in 6 weeks, though it is available as a self-paced course. A brief summary of each unit is presented below:

Week 1: Sustainable urban freight systems around the world

In this week, you’ll start off with familiarizing yourself with the course, the virtual learning environment and introducing yourself to your cohort. Then, we will go through the aims and vision of sustainable urban freight, the challenges that cities around the world face and how they respond to it. We end with a brief exercise to introduce your city and the challenges faced by its urban freight system.

Week 2: Systems approach to understand city logistics

In the second week, we introduce the concept of systems and how urban freight transport can be understood, evaluated and improved using the systems approach. To illustrate the approach, we introduce the case study of the loading dock booking system at a shopping center in Australia. You will receive your first graded quiz testing your understanding of the systems approach.

Week 3: City logistics solutions

In this week, we will provide you with an overview of the many different ways to improve the urban freight transport situation, as well as how they are typically implemented. There is a lot of content here on various topics, as well as links to other resources for further study. In order to test how much you were able to process the content you can join in the first topical discussion in the forum. In the end of the week there is a graded quiz to test your understanding.

Week 4: Evaluation of city logistics

In the fourth week, we introduce the key concepts and selected methods for evaluating the state of freight traffic in a city. We illustrate the approach and methods in a case study video on a case in Japan. The week ends with a graded quiz testing your understanding of all the concepts and lessons from Week 1 to Week 4.

Week 5: Research in city logistics

In the fifth week of the course, we introduce some commonly applied methods used to deepen our understanding of urban freight transport and support the implementation of the solutions. We end the week with an introduction to network theory and a small modelling assignment, which will count to your final grade.

Week 6: Updates in city logistics

In the final week of the course, we introduce the challenges that urban freight transport is currently facing. We deal with topics such as the effect of COVID-19 in urban logistics or innovative last-mile sharing economy concepts such as crowdshipping. We introduce these challenges, propose possible approaches for their solution and provide you with relevant materials. The week finishes with a graded quiz testing your understanding of these new challenges.

Good to know

Know what's good

, what to watch for

, and possible dealbreakers

Develops skills which boost efficiency, which is useful to professionals in logistics and infrastructure

Applies knowledge to real world projects, which is standard practice in professional fields

Covers the topic as a complex social system, which is highly relevant to the impact of urban freight

Provides a global perspective, which is ideal for careers in international logistics

Emphasizes practical implications, which is important for students and professionals in practice

Requires proficiency in English, which may be a possible barrier for some students

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Sustainable Urban Freight Transport: A Global Perspective with these activities:

Review city logistics

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Refresh your knowledge about city logistics to prepare you for the course content.

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Read through your notes from any previous courses or textbooks on city logistics
Review any journal articles or research papers on city logistics
Identify any areas where your knowledge is weak and focus on reviewing those topics

Watch videos on city logistics

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Supplement your learning by watching videos on city logistics.

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Search for videos on city logistics on YouTube or other video sharing platforms
Watch the videos and take notes
Identify key concepts and ideas

Join a study group

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Enhance your understanding of city logistics by discussing the material with peers.

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Find a study group to join
Meet with your study group regularly to discuss the course material
Work together to solve problems and answer questions

Five other activities

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Write a blog post about a city logistics issue

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Reinforce your understanding of city logistics by writing a blog post about a specific issue.

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Choose a specific city logistics issue to focus on
Research the issue thoroughly
Write a blog post that presents your findings in a clear and concise manner
Share your blog post with others

Solve city logistics problems

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Test your understanding of city logistics by solving problems.

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Find practice problems on city logistics online or in textbooks
Solve the problems and check your answers
Identify areas where you need more practice

Attend a workshop on city logistics

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Gain hands-on experience in city logistics by attending a workshop.

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Find a workshop on city logistics that interests you
Register for the workshop
Attend the workshop and actively participate

Read 'City Logistics' by Eiichi Taniguchi

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Expand your knowledge of city logistics by reading a book written by an expert in the field.

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Purchase or borrow a copy of the book
Read the book carefully and take notes
Identify key concepts and ideas
Summarize the book's main points

Develop a city logistics plan

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Apply your knowledge of city logistics by developing a plan for a specific city.

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Choose a city to focus on
Research the city's current city logistics system
Identify opportunities for improvement
Develop a plan to address the opportunities for improvement
Present your plan to the city's decision-makers

Career center

Learners who complete Sustainable Urban Freight Transport: A Global Perspective will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Professor

A Professor teaches and conducts research at a higher education institution. This course may be useful for someone in this role because it provides a comprehensive overview of the challenges and solutions related to sustainable urban freight transport. The course also covers the latest research methods and trends in the field, which can help Professors stay up-to-date on the latest developments.

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Policy Analyst

A Policy Analyst develops and analyzes policies to address public problems. This course may be useful for someone in this role because it provides a comprehensive overview of the challenges and solutions related to sustainable urban freight transport. The course also covers the latest research methods and trends in the field, which can help Policy Analysts stay up-to-date on the latest developments.

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Research Scientist

A Research Scientist conducts research to develop new knowledge and technologies. This course may be useful for someone in this role because it provides a comprehensive overview of the challenges and solutions related to sustainable urban freight transport. The course also covers the latest research methods and trends in the field, which can help Research Scientists stay up-to-date on the latest developments.

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Transportation Engineer

A Transportation Engineer designs, plans, and constructs transportation systems. This course may be useful for someone in this role because it provides a comprehensive overview of the challenges and solutions related to sustainable urban freight transport. The course also covers the latest research methods and trends in the field, which can help Transportation Engineers stay up-to-date on the latest developments.

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Urban Planner

An Urban Planner develops and implements plans for the development and use of land in a city or region. This course may be useful for someone in this role because it provides a comprehensive overview of the challenges and solutions related to sustainable urban freight transport. The course also covers the latest research methods and trends in the field, which can help Urban Planners stay up-to-date on the latest developments.

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Civil Engineer

A Civil Engineer designs, plans, and constructs infrastructure projects. This course may be useful for someone in this role because it provides a comprehensive overview of the challenges and solutions related to sustainable urban freight transport. The course also covers the latest research methods and trends in the field, which can help Civil Engineers stay up-to-date on the latest developments.

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Environmental Engineer

An Environmental Engineer designs, plans, and implements solutions to environmental problems. This course may be useful for someone in this role because it provides a comprehensive overview of the challenges and solutions related to sustainable urban freight transport. The course also covers the latest research methods and trends in the field, which can help Environmental Engineers stay up-to-date on the latest developments.

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Sustainability Manager

A Sustainability Manager develops and implements strategies to improve the sustainability of an organization. This course may be useful for someone in this role because it provides a comprehensive overview of the challenges and solutions related to sustainable urban freight transport. The course also covers the latest research methods and trends in the field, which can help Sustainability Managers stay up-to-date on the latest developments.

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Logistics Analyst

A Logistics Analyst develops and implements strategies to improve the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of logistics operations. This course may be useful for someone in this role because it provides a comprehensive overview of the challenges and solutions related to urban freight transport. The course also covers the latest research methods and trends in the field, which can help Logistics Analysts stay up-to-date on the latest developments.

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Business Analyst

A Business Analyst analyzes business processes and systems to identify areas for improvement. This course may be useful for someone in this role because it provides a comprehensive overview of the challenges and solutions related to urban freight transport. The course also covers the latest research methods and trends in the field, which can help Business Analysts stay up-to-date on the latest developments.

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Operations Manager

An Operations Manager plans, organizes, and directs the operations of an organization to ensure efficient and effective performance. This course may be useful for someone in this role because it provides a comprehensive overview of the challenges and solutions related to urban freight transport. The course also covers the latest research methods and trends in the field, which can help Operations Managers stay up-to-date on the latest developments.

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Consultant

A Consultant provides expert advice and guidance to organizations on a variety of topics. This course may be useful for someone in this role because it provides a comprehensive overview of the challenges and solutions related to urban freight transport. The course also covers the latest research methods and trends in the field, which can help Consultants stay up-to-date on the latest developments.

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Transportation Planner

A Transportation Planner develops and implements plans to improve the transportation system in a city or region. This course may be useful for someone in this role because it provides a comprehensive overview of the challenges and solutions related to urban freight transport. The course also covers the latest research methods and trends in the field, which can help Transportation Planners stay up-to-date on the latest developments.

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Supply Chain Manager

A Supply Chain Manager plans, implements, and manages the flow of goods and services from suppliers to customers. This course may be useful for someone in this role because it provides a comprehensive overview of the challenges and solutions related to urban freight transport. The course also covers the latest research methods and trends in the field, which can help Supply Chain Managers stay up-to-date on the latest developments.

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Project Manager

A Project Manager plans, organizes, and directs the implementation of projects. This course may be useful for someone in this role because it provides a comprehensive overview of the challenges and solutions related to urban freight transport. The course also covers the latest research methods and trends in the field, which can help Project Managers stay up-to-date on the latest developments.

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