June 11, 2018 — The University of Washington’s Urban Freight Lab at the Supply Chain Transportation and Logistics Center (SCTL) has been looking for solutions to urban congestion.
Common carrier parcel lockers that aren’t owned by a specific company, such as Amazon, could alleviate the strain. These lockers would provide truck drivers with one location to drop off their packages the first time. And if these lockers are located in a public space, such as a transit station in a dense neighborhood, residents could pick up packages at their convenience.
Our new report Evaluation of Sound Transit Train Stations and Transit Oriented Development (TOD) Areas for Common Carrier Locker Systems identifies five locker locations at three different Seattle Link light rail stations for a future pilot test.
First the team addressed whether Seattleites would be interested in picking up parcels from Link stations.
The team then surveyed riders during morning and evening rush hours over five days at the UW, Capitol Hill and Westlake stations.
For the UW station, 67 percent of the 43 surveyed riders said they would use common carrier lockers installed at the station. At the other stations, about 40 percent of riders were interested.
Because the results were so encouraging, the researchers partnered with the Seattle Department of Transportation, Sound Transit and UPS to find viable locker sites at all three stations for a potential test pilot. Currently, there are no official plans for a test pilot due to lack of funding, but the idea provides a unique solution that will both reduce delivery truck traffic in Seattle and provide residents with a safe and convenient way to receive packages.
READ MORE:
- About the project: Evaluation of Sound Transit Train Stations and Transit Oriented Development Areas for Common Carrier Locker Systems
- Read the report: Evaluation of Sound Transit Train Stations and Transit Oriented Development Areas for Common Carrier Locker Systems
- Read the report: The Final 50 Feet Urban Goods Delivery System: Common Carrier Locker Pilot Test at the Seattle Municipal Tower
About the Urban Freight Lab (UFL): An innovative public-private partnership housed at the Supply Chain Transportation & Logistics Center at the University of Washington, the Urban Freight Lab is a structured workgroup that brings together private industry with City transportation officials to design and test solutions around urban freight management.
About the Final 50 Feet Research Program: The Urban Freight Lab’s Final 50 Feet research program designs and tests solutions to improve delivery at the end of the supply chain—beginning at a load/unload parking space at the curb, in an alley, or in a private loading bay, and maneuvering through sidewalks, intersections, and building security, and ending when the customer takes possession.
In the media:
- Urban Freight Lab News: New Research: Common Carrier Locker Systems in Train Stations and TODs
- UW News: Could parcel lockers in transit stations reduce traffic congestion in Seattle?
- The Conversation: Where’s my package? Common carrier freight lockers can ease city traffic and prevent failed deliveries
- AASHTO Journal: University Hopes To Spearhead Seattle Parcel Locker Pilot As Part Of Congestion Reduction Plan