OCTOBER 11, 2021 — The Urban Freight Lab (UFL) today announces the addition of green e-cargo delivery solution URB-E to its public-academic-private research consortium.
Headquarted in Los Angeles, URB-E focuses on reducing emissions and increasing efficiency in the final mile of delivery. URB-E produces compact foldable electric-powered cargo bikes, scooters, trailers, and containers that can replace delivery vans, reducing emissions by 100%, increasing delivery efficiency by two to three times, and providing space-saving benefits in crowded urban environments.
Consumers are ordering more products online and expecting faster delivery — but many urban areas do not have the capacity to accommodate the increase in truck or van traffic. At the same time, there is a growing need for zero-emission delivery solutions.
“Having URB-E join the Urban Freight Lab means that we can further explore and evaluate zero-emission delivery solutions that are also safer and have a smaller footprint in urban areas,” said Andisheh Ranjbari, UFL Manager.
URB-E is operating in New York City, Los Angeles, Redmond/Bellevue, and Toronto, after an initial pilot in Manhattan demonstrated that URB’s delivery system results annual CO2 savings of 79 metric tons per year. For every 3,000 packages delivered by URB-E, 10 large delivery trucks are taken off the road.
“We’re looking forward to participating in pilot projects and case studies with the Urban Freight Lab to solve how the U.S. can adopt green delivery and make it sustainable and scalable,” said Charles Jolley, URB-E CEO.
URB-E joins some of the largest players and innovative startups in transportation and logistics—carriers and shippers Amazon, Cornucopia Logistics, PepsiCo, and UPS; infrastructure and operations technology provider REEF; real estate corporation Terreno Realty; and vehicle and vehicle part manufacturers Coaster Cycles, Ford Motor Company, General Motors, and Michelin. The UFL is focused on finding solutions to urban goods delivery problems through collaboration between the public and private sectors, in the strategic research areas of the Final 50 Feet, Sustainable Freight, Curbspace Management, Zero Emissions Freight, and Modeling Freight Activity.
Contact:
Katie Ward
Public Information Specialist
krw2@uw.edu
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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 Supply Chain Transportation & Logistics Center: The Supply Chain Transportation and Logistics Center at the University of Washington is the go-to place to analyze and solve urban goods delivery, sustainability, logistic hubs and ports, and freight system performance management problems that overlap private and public spaces and control. Our work integrates in-depth consultation with industry and the public sector, transformative research, and executive education, and serves the powerful nexus of industry, transportation infrastructure, and policymakers.
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