Prescription against traffic chaos: night logistics?!

This is the subject of an article in the online topic portal of Wiehl-based BPW Bergische Achsen Kommanditgesellschaft, for which Ulrich Nolte, Managing Director of GO! Express & Logistics (Deutschland) GmbH, was also interviewed.

If goods were delivered on quiet wheels at night, this could significantly relieve traffic in crowded city centres: During the dark hours, trucks could drive almost unnoticed on empty roads, and during the day there would be fewer traffic jams and emissions. A seemingly perfect solution - but night logistics has rarely been implemented so far.

But how exactly could this look like in the opinion of logistics experts?

Nolte would like to see the possibility of deliveries in other time windows here. Together with commercial receiving customers in the city, delivery times in the early morning hours or even late in the evening would have to be made possible, he explains: "This would not automatically lead to less traffic, but it would equalize road traffic and thus reduce congestion and emissions.

Another solution, in his opinion, could be drop-off points for parcels - or even cooperation: "In a trading street with many smaller shops, you could join forces as neighbours and, for example, distribute services - then each shop would take over reception for a week, for example. Such or similar concepts do not yet exist, but they can easily be developed. All that is needed is for the recipients to question their previous habits or to give up some of them in order to become part of the solution.

It goes without saying that the customer is not solely responsible for the topic, emphasizes Nolte. The local authorities must also create the appropriate framework conditions. "As a nationwide organization, we are of course in contact with them in many places and also talk to our customers about alternative concepts. Nolte is convinced: "There is no such thing as a 'one size fits all' solution. The interests of the individual cities are also different. But you can feel that there is movement in the topic." Because every day everyone sees how crowded the streets are already. "Space in urban areas is scarce. Every business enterprise that has scarce resources is asking itself how it can better and more sensibly utilize them," the managing director summarizes. "Night logistics would be an effective instrument here."

The entire article with further interesting statements by REWE Group and the German Retail Association (HDE) on the topic of night logistics can be read at https://motionist.com/abgaslos-durch-die-nacht/.