The Urban Freight Lab is pleased to announce that Dr. Tom Maxner (Transportation Engineering Ph.D., ’26) has been named Director.
Since joining the Lab in 2020 as a doctoral student, Tom has contributed to research advancing sustainability in freight and logistics, including work on last-mile delivery, maritime goods movement, and the role public and private stakeholders play in creating more efficient and sustainable supply chains.
In addition to his research, Tom is an affiliate instructor in both the Master of Supply Chain Transportation & Logistics and Master of Infrastructure Planning and Management degree programs. He brings research expertise and industry experience to the role, including eight years in project management at a construction firm in Washington, D.C., before beginning his graduate studies. He also spent a year as a visiting researcher at the Copenhagen Business School in Denmark. Tom holds dual master’s degrees in public policy and transportation engineering from the University of California, Berkeley, and a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from Syracuse University.
His research focuses on sustainable urban freight, curb management, and freight decarbonization, including projects such as Seattle SMART: Digitizing the Last Mile of Urban Goods to Improve Curb Access and Utilization, The State of Sustainable Urban Last-Mile Freight Planning in the United States, and Advancing Zero- and Low-Emission Zones: Local Levers to Decarbonize Urban Freight Using Existing Authority.
“I joined the Urban Freight Lab as a Ph.D. student and have been fortunate to grow within this community as a researcher, instructor, and collaborator,” said Tom. “At a time when cities and communities are focused on creating more sustainable, equitable, and efficient transportation systems, understanding the role of urban freight within those systems is essential. We also have a role to play in understanding how the industry will address technology advancements, economic conditions, and community feedback. I am excited to lead the Lab and continue working with our partners to advance research that supports cities and industry alike.”
As Director, Tom will build on the Urban Freight Lab’s foundation of research and partnerships, working with collaborators across academia, industry, and the public sector to develop solutions that support more sustainable, efficient, and resilient urban freight systems.