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The number of goods deliveries made in the city of São Paulo has been rising every year. This growth is caused by new consumption habits, as people increasingly opt for online shopping, having goods delivered to their homes or neighborhood markets. However, these deliveries have become increasingly complex because of several issues found in the last-mile distribution of goods. This research sheds light on the interactions among issues related to truck circulation restrictions, receiver characteristics, accessibility and delivery planning, urban road infrastructure, driver behavior, and safety and risk problems that hamper last-mile delivery distribution. Data were collected (via a questionnaire) from drivers who work in the urban distribution of non-durable consumer goods in the city of São Paulo. From the data, structural equation modeling is proposed to evaluate these interactions. Empirical results demonstrate that “lack of accessibility and delivery planning” and “poor urban road infrastructure” are the elements that have the most impact on the “safety and risk problems in urban freight distribution” from the driver’s point of view. These results also contribute to mapping the main problems encountered in the last-mile delivery distribution in the city of São Paulo.

Resumo Os contrastes e as desigualdades de renda e oportunidades da população brasileira que compõe a base da pirâmide socioeconômica tornam relevante o aprofundamento de estudos sobre os limites da pobreza para uma melhor gestão urbana. Neste artigo, utilizam-se dados do Cadastro Único e informações coletadas em pesquisa de campo para verificar se as definições dos principais programas sociais acolhem a população pobre em sua totalidade. Por meio de análise de correlação, proposições são testadas utilizando algumas variáveis de interesse para a definição de pobreza e a renda. Os resultados mostram que, mesmo usando uma linha de extrema pobreza unidimensional (renda), os parâmetros adotados pelas políticas públicas vigentes não alcançam toda a base da pirâmide. A literatura e as análises dos resultados sugerem a importância de revisar a metodologia de classificação socioeconômica, sobretudo das famílias de baixa renda que estão na linha da pobreza. As proposições indicaram que os programas sociais se correlacionam negativamente à renda, enquanto o trabalho formal, a escolaridade e a infraestrutura apresentam correlação positiva com a renda. Os resultados podem orientar o planejamento urbano através de políticas públicas que promovam a equidade entre aqueles que mais dependem dos programas sociais.

O objetivo desta pesquisa é caracterizar o comportamento do consumidor e a percepção do lojista quanto às compras de suprimentos básicos, antes e durante o COVID-19, assim como relacionar os comportamentos e percepções dos agentes com os desafios da logística urbana de abastecimento do mercado. Foram aplicados dois questionários em regiões classificadas como BOP (Base of Pyramid) e feitas análises descritivas e multivariadas por meio da análise de cluster. A pesquisa mostra que há um aumento na frequência de compra dos consumidores no período de pandemia, o que aumenta também a demanda dos lojistas e as necessidades logísticas das regiões, que apresentam-se debilitadas principalmente pela falta de vagas para carga e descarga e infraestrutura viária. Os resultados mostram que houve um aumento de compras por aplicativos de entrega durante a pandemia e que parece ser uma tendência, o que poderá exigir dessas regiões uma melhor infraestrutura viária para veículos de grande porte (usados por fornecedores) e veículos leves (usados por entregadores).

Making deliveries of Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) to small retailers in dense areas is a challenge. This has different levels of impact between high-income and low-income neighborhoods. They are more evident in megacities in developing countries, where there is a clear division between classes. On the one hand, governments do not attend low-income neighborhoods where there are many unsafe areas, lack of planning, and infrastructure that hinders FMCG deliveries. On the other hand, traffic regulations in high-income neighborhoods make delivery processes more complex. This paper aims to analyze urban logistics, comparing low- and high-income areas in Sao Paulo city taking into account local markets, consumer buying behavior, and the distribution process. To achieve this, a questionnaire in loco was applied to the stakeholders involved (consumers, small retailers, and carriers). The data were analyzed by using descriptive statistics. The results from small retailers, consumers, and carriers reveal that in their point of view the delivery of products is different between Base of the Pyramid (BOP) and high-income consumers (HIC). Factors such as ‘time window regulation’ and ‘infrastructure of neighborhoods’ hinder the delivery of products from companies to small retailers in regions of HIC, while in BOP regions small retailers' security and infrastructure are the major problems from the point of view of the actors. Consumer behavior poses an important factor to guide urban freight transport planning in both regions.

Neste artigo foi desenvolvido um mecanismo de auxílio à tomada de decisão para o gerenciamento de risco de atrasos em entregas em logística empresarial, baseado em valor esperado (VE) e aprendizado estatístico (AE). Este mecanismo permite ao tomador de decisão discernir quais entregas priorizar, simultaneamente, tanto pela sua importância em quantidade, quanto pela sua probabilidade de atraso. Neste modelo, priorizar as entregas de maior valor esperado implica minimizar o risco de impacto no indicador de desempenho logístico de entrega no prazo (On-Time Delivery [OTD]). A técnica de AE escolhida para auferir as probabilidades de atraso foi a Regressão Logística (RL). Os coeficientes das variáveis foram utilizados para comparar as variáveis que mais influenciam a chance de atraso. Foi feita uma simulação testando a aplicabilidade deste modelo com os dados de operação de uma multinacional de produtos eletrônicos. A qualidade das predições foi testada utilizando metodologias sugeridas na literatura para validação de qualidade de modelos de aprendizado estatístico. Por fim, a sugestão de priorização por VE foi testada criando-se cinco grupos de risco e confrontando as taxas previstas de atraso contra as taxas reais em cada um destes grupos. Como resultado, obteve-se que as probabilidades auferidas foram confiáveis e o cálculo de VE permitiu encontrar o grupo de maior risco.

PurposeThis article examines the extent of collaboration experienced by 191 Brazilian shippers, logistics service providers (LSPs) and carriers in their logistics operations in urban freight transport. This study investigates relationships over time, the type of service and the nuances associated with the frequency of meetings, frequency of technical visits and frequency of training.Design/methodology/approachThe authors carried out a component analysis and, based on factor loadings, calculated indexes for use in non-linear canonical correlations to evaluate company-level differences in perceptions of the degree of collaboration and strength of relationship over time.FindingsThe results indicate that in the triad, LSPs are the strongest supporters of collaboration over time regardless of whether the logistics service is shared or dedicated; shippers demonstrate the weakest support for collaboration and prioritize relationships of one to three years in length. Carriers seek to develop short-term relationships and participate actively in meetings and technical visits because they strongly support strategic and interpersonal collaboration. Carriers also follow LSPs in terms of strategic and interpersonal collaboration and shared logistics services.Originality/valueThis article contributes to understanding the perceptions of interactions among specific logistics collaboration elements related to strategic, tactical and interpersonal relationships that the Brazilian companies face in their daily urban freight transport.

This work investigates urban freight transport and mobility in the Sao Paulo Metropolitan Region (SPMR) and its impact on transportation externalities. We considered externalities as congestion, gas emissions and accidents/incidents. We conducted a statistical analysis based on multiple data sources: cargo origins-destinations, urban mobility, national demographic data and Sao Paulo’s accidents/incidents and congestion databases. Retailers and wholesalers corresponded to more than 70% of the surveyed companies within the SPMR, and were responsible for more than 60% of the daily trips. Further statistical evidence provides insights for managers building public policies.

Purpose The impact of particulate matter (PM) formation on human health in Life Cycle Impact Assessment (LCIA) can be characterized through combining intake fractions with effect factors. However, although there are several characterization models used in different LCIA methods, most of them were not developed for the Brazilian context. This study aims to evaluate the existing models used in LCIA for characterizing PM impacts on human health with respect to their applicability for Brazil. Methods We review existing PM characterization models followed by a critical analysis regarding each model’s scope, scientific robustness, and applicability for Brazil, by applying the simple multi-attribute rating technique (SMART). Results and discussion The results show that the most recent models, with global coverage and availability of characterization factors (CFs) for Brazil, are the most appropriate. In addition, the highest-scoring models are able to connect with a wide range of goals and scopes that can be defined in Life Cycle Assessment case studies. Although the models of van Zelm et al. (2016), Fantke et al. (2017, 2019), and Oberschelp et al. (2020) are recommended for Brazil, important limitations have been observed. The van Zelm et al. (2016) model provides only country-level CFs and is not further regionalized. The Fantke et al. (2017, 2019) model does not currently provide CFs for PM precursors and is for urban factors limited to cities with more than 100,000 inhabitants. The Oberschelp et al. (2020) model does not currently provide data for indoor environments and uses background concentration data mainly applicable to the Northern Hemisphere. Conclusion Several models for evaluating PM impacts in LCIA are already available. Considering the identified limitations within these models, future work should aim to address these limitations and derive improved and more representative CFs for Brazil.

O presente trabalho tem como objetivo apresentar uma proposta de aplicacao da tecnologia blockchain como solucao para o gerenciamento dos creditos de energia proveninentes da geracao distrbuida de energia.. A tecnologia Blockchain permite o registro, a validacao e o compartilhamento de dados de maneira transparente, integra e segura e atraves dos contratos inteligentes, pode-se obter a automacao do desempenho e agilidade dos processos que envolvem o gerenciamento dos creditos excedentes na geracao distribuida de energia. A proposta apresentada leva em consideracao os desafios existentes no setor energetico brasileiro e associa as caracteristicas da tecnologia Blockchain a digitizacao de informacoes importantes envolvidas na geracao de energia distribuida no Brasil.

En el presente artículo se analiza la relación entre los tres actores principales presentes en la distribución física de los productos finales desde la perspectiva de las redes de suministro: operadores logísticos, empresas de transporte y embarcadores. Por medio de una encuesta realizada a tales agentes, informaciones sobre cómo valoran los criterios de desempeño de los servicios ofrecidos y contratados, como el cumplimiento de las entregas sin errores, atención de solicitudes urgentes, averías y pérdida de mercancía fueron recolectadas. Estos criterios fueron analizados desde el punto de vista de cada miembro de la red que contrata o presta el servicio. Se encontró que los criterios más importantes para embarcadores y los transportadores fueron los relacionados a la atención de pedidos urgentes y cumplimiento del programa de entrega, en tanto que para los operadores logísticos la disponibilidad de vehículos y atendimiento en periodo de alta demanda representaron los criterios más significativos.

Brazilian historical cities face the challenge of developing urban mobility plans, preserving the historical and cultural heritage and preserving the original urban characteristics. A plausible solution to reduce the impacts of the flow of goods in historical cities is to investigate different deliveries systems to reduce the externalities of this activity. This paper presents the results of a survey that identified the factors involved in the implementation of an Urban Distribution Centre (UDC) in Sabara (Brazil), considering modes non-motorized to perform the delivery in historic centres. For this, we identified the perception of retailers concerning historical and technical attributes. We analysed the data using descriptive statistics. The results indicate that lack of attractiveness of UDC, considering the point of view of retailers located in historic city centre. However, we identify the need to explore solutions for urban delivery in Brazilian historical cities to preserve historic heritage.

Choosing between Less Than Truckload (LTL) and Full Truckload (FTL) is based on a multicriteria decision because it takes into account aspects such as costs and operational efficiency in transportation, handling and stock of goods. The aim of this article is to provide a detailed analysis of the criteria that comprise the LTL and FTL transport decision using a multicriteria methodology that considers decision makers´ preferences. The SMARTS method was applied in a telecommunications company that outsources its logistics operation. Results show that the main criteria for choosing LTL shipment are related to the relationship with the customer and the efficiency in the delivery of the freight (reliability of the delivery time). On the other hand, choosing FTL transport requires a high weight given to the criteria regarding benefits and cost of transit inventory. The contribution of the research is to provide a structured and flexible analysis to choose the types of shipment (FTL and FLT) when taking into account the risk aversion of decision makers using a non-optimal approach, but with approximate solutions encompassing several qualitative and quantitative criteria in this choice. Resumo: A escolha entre os carregamentos via carga incompleta (less than truck-load - LTL) e carga completa (ou Full truck-load - FTL) tem base em uma decisão multicritério, pois leva em consideração aspectos como custos e eficiência operacional no transporte, manuseio e estoque das mercadorias. O objetivo deste artigo é prover uma análise detalhada dos critérios que compõem a decisão de transporte LTL e FTL por meio de uma metodologia multicritério que leva em consideração as preferências dos decisores. Foi aplicado o método SMARTS em uma empresa de telecomunicações que terceiriza a sua operação logística. Os resultados mostram que os principais critérios para a escolha do carregamento LTL se referem ao relacionamento com o cliente e à eficiência na entrega da carga (confiabilidade do tempo de entrega). Por outro lado, a escolha do transporte FTL requer um elevado peso dado aos critérios referentes a benefícios e a custo de estoque em trânsito. A contribuição da pesquisa é prover uma análise estruturada e flexível para escolha dos tipos de carregamento (FTL e FLT) ao levar em consideração a aversão ao risco dos decisores por meio de uma abordagem não ótima, mas com soluções aproximadas englobando vários critérios qualitativos e quantitavos relavantes nesta escolha.

Este trabalho prope um mecanismo de priorizao de entregas baseado em seu valor esperado de atraso (EV). O EV foi calculado para cada entrega considerando sua probabilidade de atraso e sua quantidade. Nesta configurao o EV calculado representa o impacto previsto no indicador de performance de entrega em tempo (OTD) e, consequentemente, priorizar entregas por EV se traduz em direcionar esforos na maximizao de desemprenho neste indicador. A probabilidade utilizada neste modelo advm da aplicao de uma tcnica de aprendizado estatstico em uma base histrica de dados. Para validar o modelo, utilizou-se simulao discreta nos dados reais de uma empresa multinacional de produtos eletrnicos. Como resultado obteve-se que as probabilidades auferidas foram confiveis e o clculo de EV permitiu encontrar o grupo de maior risco

Resumo Este artigo busca identificar, por meio de uma revisão de literatura, as principais iniciativas relacionadas ao transporte urbano de carga (TUC) que vêm sendo implantadas pelo poder público nas cidades em todo o mundo, levantando os impactos que a aplicação dessas medidas gerou em termos de sustentabilidade. Observou-se, por meio da revisão de literatura, que há uma falta de estudos que quantificam as medidas adotadas pelo setor público para o TUC, em especial nos países em desenvolvimento. Assim, desenvolveu-se uma pesquisa survey, com especialistas sobre o tema, com o objetivo de identificar as iniciativas mais indicadas à mitigação dos impactos negativos gerados pelo TUC no contexto das cidades brasileiras, bem como avaliar as principais dificuldades encontradas à implantação das mesmas. As percepções obtidas, comparadas com os resultados quantificados em cidades de diferentes portes ao redor do mundo, fornecem um guia primário que permite aos gestores públicos considerarem não somente as partes interessadas na gestão do TUC, mas também o reflexo que as dimensões populacionais dos municípios possuem sobre a eficácia das medidas pretendidas, possibilitando a escolha de medidas mais adequadas ao contexto de suas cidades. Abstract This paper seeks to identify, through a Literature Review, the main UFT initiatives implemented by public authorities in cities worldwide, identifying the impacts that the application of such measures has generated in terms of sustainability. Considering the lack of quantitative researches on the impact of the implementation of these UFT initiatives by the public sector identified in the study, especially in the developing countries, a survey was carried out with experts on the subject, aiming to identify the initiatives that are most suitable to mitigate the negative impacts generated by the UFT considering the scenario of Brazilian cities, as well as to evaluate the obstacles found in the implementation of such initiatives. Results obtained, contextualized according to the size of the cities where such measures were implemented, provide a primary guide to a public manager that considers not only the stakeholders in the UFT management but also the population context of the municipality, its capacities, and limitations, aiming to select measures with the best possible match between expected goals and results obtained.

This paper aims to characterize the relocation of warehouses in the Sao Paulo Metropolitan Region (SPMR) considering the spatial structure of changes in warehouse locations. We also discuss the potential factors that could attract warehouses to their location, especially in peripheral regions. The study encompasses the period between 1992 and 2017 and analyzes the influence of geographical, economics, road infrastructure, municipality service tax rate, cargo theft, and real estate prices on logistics facility location. The results show no evidence of logistics sprawl in SPMR during the studied period, although a small sprawl appeared between 2010 and 2017, moving the barycenter to the Northwestern direction of the SPMR. The main factors that influence the decision to move the warehouses are the low cost of land, lower tax, and a well-served infrastructure with highway intersections. There is a positive spatial correlation between warehouse per capita and cargo theft.

This paper proposes a structure for sustainable implementation of urban distribution centers (UDCs) in historical cities, considering the opinion of the main stakeholders involved in the urban distribution of goods and a set of additional criteria. Based on a survey that was conducted among carriers, traffic wardens, and retailers, a decision hierarchy structure, consisting of the relevant criteria evaluated by various statistical techniques, will be used for sustainable implementation of UDCs. The methodology uses a database collected in the historical center of Ouro Preto, a Brazilian city which contains common characteristics of other Latin American and some European cities that are included in the World Heritage List. This structure is unique, as it is based on a survey among the main stakeholders, and can be applied by logistics operators and local authorities for implementing UDCs to address urban distribution issues, especially in historical cities. However, without loss of generality, the proposed methodology can be adopted for different cities using the appropriate criteria according to the characteristics of the cities.

The spatial differentiation of the main constraints and challenges on urban freight transportation can support more assertive public policies and measures, subsidizing city logistics solutions. This paper presents the use of spatial analysis to characterize retailers and carriers’ perceptions on the most important constraints and challenges faced during the urban freight delivery in the central area of Sorocaba/SP. To identify possible clustered patterns concerning problems and solutions from the stakeholders’ viewpoint, the data were analyzed through two spatial techniques: Average Nearest Neighbors and Getis Gi Ord* Hot Spots analysis. These two methodological approaches provide a spatial concentration analysis. As a result, we determined the spatial patterns of stakeholders’ perception for the two groups of variables assessed: (i) the Northwestern portion of Sorocaba’s central area is not prepared to receive the demands of vehicles, and the stakeholders present restrictions related to off-peak deliveries; (ii) the Northeastern region has the greatest negative perception regarding the assessed attributes, and shows little evidence that the loading and unloading space is not appropriate. Resumo A diferenciação espacial das principais restrições e desafios referentes ao transporte urbano de carga podem apoiar políticas públicas e medidas mais assertivas, subsidiando as soluções logísticas da cidade. O objetivo deste artigo é apresentar o uso da análise espacial para obter percepções de varejistas e transportadoras sobre as principais restrições e desafios enfrentados durante a entrega de cargas na área urbana central de Sorocaba/SP. Para identificar possíveis padrões agrupados em relação aos problemas e soluções do ponto de vista das partes interessadas, os dados foram analisados por meio de duas técnicas espaciais: Média de vizinhos mais próximos e Getis Gi Ord* Hot Spots. Essas duas abordagens metodológicas fornecem uma análise de concentração espacial. Como resultado, podemos determinar padrões espaciais para os dois grupos de variáveis avaliados: (i) a porção Noroeste da área central de Sorocaba não está preparada para receber as demandas de veículos e as partes interessadas apresentam restrições relacionadas a entregas fora de pico; (ii) a região Nordeste tem a maior percepção negativa em relação aos atributos avaliados e pouca evidência de que o espaço para carga e descarga não seja adequado.

Este artículo tiene por objetivo identificar los criterios de selección de proveedores de servicios logísticos, sus respectivos indicadores de desempeño y su alineación en los procesos de selección y evaluación de proveedores en el sector de comercio minorista. Se realizó un estudio de múltiples casos en un operador logístico y en cuatro consignatarios, por medio de entrevistas, informes de indicadores de desempeño y observaciones directas. Los resultados muestran que son pocos los criterios comunes; el “costo de flete” es usado por todas las empresas, y los criterios relacionados a la calidad de los servicios prestados no son muy gestionados. Además, existe poca alineación entre criterios e indicadores, lo que apunta a que las empresas no adoptan mecanismos de evaluación de los proveedores de servicios logísticos. This article aims to identify the criteria for selecting logistics service providers, their performance indicators and their alignment in the selection and evaluation processes for suppliers in the retail sector. A study of multiple cases was carried out in a logistics operator and four consignees through interviews, reports of performance indicators and direct observations. General results show that few common criteria are considered; the “cost of freight” is used by all companies; and criteria related to the quality of the services provided are not often managed. Moreover, there is little alignment between criteria and indicators, which suggests that companies do not adopt evaluation mechanisms for logistics service providers. Este artigo tem como objetivo identificar os critérios de seleção de fornecedores de serviços logísticos, seus respectivos indicadores de desempenho e seu alinhamento nos processos de seleção e avaliação de fornecedores no setor varejista. Realizou-se um estudo de múltiplos casos num operador logístico e em quatro consignatários por meio de entrevistas, relatórios de indicadores de desempenho e observações diretas. Os resultados mostram que são poucos os critérios comuns; o “custo do frete” é usado por todas as empresas, e os critérios relacionados com a qualidade dos serviços prestados não são muito gerenciados. Além disso, existe pouco alinhamento entre critérios e indicadores, o que indica que as empresas não adotam mecanismos de avaliação dos fornecedores de serviços logísticos.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the effect of logistics collaboration, meetings, relationship history, and supplier selection on the logistics performance of shippers, carriers, and logistics services providers. Rather than focusing on collaboration and performance, the research provides a wide analysis of how logistics collaboration and performance interact with other organizational practices. Design/methodology/approach To investigate the interaction among the constructs, the authors proposed a structural equation model to understand the influence of meetings, relationship history, supplier selection, and collaboration on logistics performance. The data were obtained through a survey of 199 managers of Brazilian companies in the retail sector. Findings Supplier selection has the strongest effect on logistics collaboration, and relationship history has the strongest effect on logistics performance. Rather than meetings and operational features, the elements of interpersonal skills, organizational culture, and communication appear to be the most important contributors to logistics performance achievements; relationship history leads to better performance. Originality/value This study contributes to our understanding of how and with whom to collaborate by highlighting the relationships among supplier selection, relationship history, meetings, and logistics collaboration and logistics performance.

The quantity and frequency of merchandise shipped from each distribution centre to each customer by Full Truckload (TL) and Less Than Truckload (LTL) represent important factors for distribution planning. The transport of smaller quantities leads to reduced costs associated with retailers' inventories but requires additional freight costs. In contrast, the transport of greater quantities with less frequency may reduce transport costs but increases inventory costs due to the need to maintain higher inventory levels. This decision is not easy because some criteria related to costs and to transit time may conflict, and many other important criteria that influence the choice of TL or LTL carriers are not easily quantifiable. This article proposes a Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) approach for structuring and appraising the transportation modes of a large and complex Joint Transportation and Inventory Problem (JTIP). Because this study is based on the Multi-Attribute Utility (MAUT), the proposed approach enables a robust analysis of the most suitable decision according to the preferences and risk aversion of the company's decision makers, considering a group of criteria that are evaluated simultaneously. Sensitivity analyses verify that incorporating utility functions is key to proposing a solution that is more personalised and aligned with the preferences and real concerns of decision makers. A case study is conducted for a telecommunications company to test the efficiency of the approach in real situations.

This article aims to analyze how personal characteristics relate to decision-making style, considering the cultural environment in logistics decisions. This empirical research is tested using descr...

In retail distribution centres (DCs), the handling and storage of products typically represent the largest share of operational costs and its design depends on a balance between supply and demand processes. As hundreds of options are possible, it is a challenge to plan and run these operations effectively. The objective of this research is to propose a framework for designing operations in DCs based on a joint study of three elements: distribution strategy, internal activities, and the characteristics of the distribution operations. The methodology is developed based on theory-building research using three case studies. The data collection was performed by three top managers at large logistics providers (LPs). The analytic hierarchy process (AHP) method was applied, and the framework was validated by the LPs. This framework was then applied to a sports fashion retail operation and was reported to enable the decision-making process regarding operations at DCs, creating scenarios for evaluation.

This article explores decision analysis regarding Drop and Hook (D&H) transportation operations at sugarcane mills. By means of a case study, a combination of a discrete event simulation model and multi-attribute utility theory was used to evaluate different configurations for sugarcane delivery systems using internal, external, or no D&H systems. A D&H strategy maximises truck utilisation, as semi-trailers can be handled independently of the traction unit of the trucks, which makes the transport system more agile. For internal D&H systems the semi-trailer detaching/attaching point is located inside the mill site while for external D&H systems it is located outside, before the trucks’ weighbridge. Each configuration requires different infrastructure which affects the supply of sugarcane for milling. The case study was applied to a sugarcane mill of a corporation located in São Paulo State. By means of discrete simulation, we determined that eighteen D&H configurations were feasible. By using the swing weighting multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) method, we identified fleet cost as the most important factor, while configurations with external D&H systems showed the best utility values. For this case study, the best configuration is to use the external D&H strategy with 28 road trains (truck and two semi-trailers), 12 additional semi-trailer sets, and 6 tractor units.

This research aims to analyze the perception of logistics operators and retailers regarding freight deliveries in the city of S&atilde, o Paulo. Based on a survey applied to 100 logistics operators and 84 retailers, the data were analyzed by descriptive statistics and multiple correspondence analysis (MCA) was used to investigate the logistics efficiency of off-hours deliveries (OHD) and to indicate issues when carrying out OHD. From that sample, noise appears as the most critical issue of OHD for retailers. From the results, most logistics operators and retailers prefer to deliver cargo at night. The advantages of making OHD are the ability to check/store goods, the accuracy in the delivery schedule due to traffic conditions, and the ease of parking a vehicle to offload goods. Public authorities should improve the infrastructure to receive goods, including public lighting conditions and sidewalks. The correspondence analysis method showed that the level of customer service quality depends on the punctuality of the trucks and the ability to check and store goods. Furthermore, by highlighting the logistics efficiency and issues related to daytime and overnight deliveries by carriers and receivers, it can guide public polices and initiatives of other companies, an aspect that has been lacking in the literature.

The urbanization process, especially the diverse aspects regarding size, function, position and growth of cities, significantly affect the Urban Freight Transport (UFT). This paper deals with behaviour of UFT in medium-sized cities. Here we will identify the attributes that characterize the Medium-sized Cities (MC), as well as the influence factors in UFT. In addition, a survey among specialists and public agents of medium-sized cities is presented, about the level of interaction between attributes that characterize MC and the factors that influence UFT. For analysis and validation of the opinion survey is performed non-parametric statistical test, and an analysis of the confidence interval to define the level of interaction between attributes and UFT factors. As a result, we provide a framework that demonstrates the interaction between attributes of MC and the factors that influence UFT. The factors “Projects and measures of local authorities”, and “Infrastructure available to the UFT”, together with the lack of studies related to freight transport (knowledge, innovation and technological advancement) were identified as the main issues that require attention on UFT in MC. This proposal may contribute to the decision makers regarding urban planning and brings a theoretical contribution to future research in UFT planning studies.

The purpose of this paper is to document the extent to which Brazilian companies in retail channels have committed to adopting environmental sustainability measures, goals and strategies for waste disposal in the evaluation and planning of sustainable transportation. This paper also aims to examine the different viewpoints of sustainability issues and the preventive actions taken by companies in terms of controlling carbon dioxide emissions and proper disposal of tires, lubricant oils, accessories and spare parts. Finally, taking the perspective of these companies, this paper examines their difficulties in meeting environmental regulations. The research involved a survey completed by 185 representatives of different types of companies, including shippers (represented by manufacturers), LSPs (logistics service providers) and carriers. The non-linear canonical correlation was calculated to verify the opinions of these representatives from different companies regarding issues that impact on the environment, the preventive actions they adopt to reduce their environmental impact and their difficulties in meeting environmental regulations. The results show that shippers and LSPs have the same perceptions regarding these sustainability issues and preventive actions. In addition, the companies perceive high costs and the lack of training for their partners as the major challenges experienced in addressing these issues and undertaking preventive actions. Therefore they need to plan their transportation activities.

This study proposes a framework for a decision of the fleet composition problem based on a set of qualitative and quantitative criteria, which is a hybrid method for decision-making support that combines MCDA and simulation techniques in a multicriteria scenario for fleet composition. The proposed framework is able, using simulations, to address the complexity of criteria considered in a fleet composition problem in order to increase the preciseness of the decision-making process. From the solutions evaluated, there was a change in the preference of the alternative initially chosen after simulation, which is considered to refine the solution provided by the MCDA method. Considering only the MCDA method, the cost is prioritised and the solution uses exclusively high capacity trucks. Using the simulation and a different weighing process, the service level has a greater importance and a percentage of smaller trucks is admitted as part of the fleet.

O objetivo do artigo é avaliar as Tecnologias da Informação (TIs) em duas organizações que prestam serviços logísticos para uma empresa do setor de telecomunicações, por meio de um grupo de atributos de avaliação de TIs. O método empregado foi o de estudo de caso múltiplos, com uma abordagem qualitativa e entrevistas semiestruturadas em um Prestador de Serviço Logístico (PSL) e em uma transportadora de um mesmo segmento (telecomunicações). Quanto aos resultados, as melhores pontuações ficaram no grupo de atributos operacional, assim como as menores, também. A primeira se justifica pelo fato de as TIs terem uso em atividades logísticas, principalmente o WMS e o TMS, únicas avaliadas pelas duas empresas da amostra. A segunda observação se justifica porque alguns atributos não se adequavam a essas TIs. Observou-se que a avaliação das TIs nos estudos de caso foi influenciada pela utilidade da TI nas operações das empresas.

According to the Urban Mobility National Policy (UMNP), Brazilian cities with more than 20,000 inhabitants are obligated to elaborate Urban Mobility Plans (UMPs). The literature shows a lack of national research on urban freight planning and a need for better understanding issues on cargo transportation for authorities, especially regarding decision-making on policies and on urban freight transportation planning. City Logistics solutions can be considered on UMPs to reduce the problematic urban freight transport. Therefore, a survey was applied to investigate the resources available within cities to draw UMPs, the solutions for cargo movement in Brazilian cities, and the perceptions of public managers about freight transportation. The results show that “restrictions” are the solutions most adopted by Brazilian authorities, including the representative sample for cities within the São Paulo State with more than 250,000 inhabitants. The conclusions point out that Brazilian cities are not prepared to develop an efficient urban freight plan, as public managers seem to be unconscious about urban logistics demands within their cities or have neglected aspects regarding urban freight within the UMNP. Resumo Conforme o Plano Nacional de Mobilidade Urbana (PNMU), as cidades brasileiras com mais de 20 mil habitantes são obrigadas a elaborar Planos de Mobilidade Urbana (PlanMob). A literatura mostra falta de pesquisas nacionais sobre planejamento e políticas de frete urbano e de um melhor entendimento para as autoridades sobre transporte de cargas, especialmente para a tomada de decisão sobre políticas e planejamento do transporte urbano de carga. Soluções para Logística Urbana podem ser consideradas nos PlanMobs para reduzir o problemático transporte urbano de cargas. Dessa forma, um levantamento de dados foi realizado para investigar os recursos disponíveis para as cidades planejarem o PlanMob, as soluções para a movimentação de cargas presentes nas cidades brasileiras e as percepções de gestores públicos sobre o transporte de carga em suas cidades. Os resultados mostram que as soluções mais adotadas pelas autoridades brasileiras são as restrições, incluindo uma amostra representativa das cidades do estado de São Paulo com mais de 250 mil habitantes. As conclusões apontam que as cidades brasileiras não estão preparadas para desenvolver um plano eficiente de transporte de carga urbano, porque os gestores públicos parecem estar inconscientes sobre demandas da logística urbana em suas cidades ou os gestores têm negligenciado aspectos de carga urbana dentro do PNMU.

O aumento na demanda por mercadorias tem impacto direto no sistema de distribui­ção de cargas nos centros urbanos, o que resulta em desafios logísticos para as empre­sas de transporte e para os varejistas durante o recebimento dessas mercadorias. O objetivo deste artigo é analisar quais são as maiores dificuldades no recebimento das mercadorias referentes às restrições locais e aos desafios logísticos, sob o ponto de vista dos varejistas e transportadores. Um levantamento de dados foi feito com os ato­res na região central da cidade de Sorocaba. Os dados foram analisados por meio de estatística descritiva, análise de correlação e análise fatorial com o objetivo de enten­der os principais fatores logísticos que interferem na entrega/recebimento das merca­dorias. Como resultado, percebe-se que a principal restrição é a falta de local disponí­vel para entrega/recebimento de mercadorias nos estabelecimentos e os principais de­safios logísticos são referentes à infraestrutura do local e entregas fora do horário co­mercial.

Urban freight transport is a challenge for Brazilian cities due to the lack of adequate planning for freight flow movement. Public managers also show negligence and a lack of awareness when dealing with urban logistics. Decision-support data on urban freight transport are still scarce, despite being of fundamental value to economic development. With this in mind, this paper presents problems and solutions regarding urban freight transport in Brazilian cities. Data were obtained through a survey conducted in nine cities and analysed by means of descriptive statistics and the successive intervals method. Additionally, a cluster analysis was performed to identify patterns regarding the typical characteristics of each city in order to compare and generalise the perception of retailers regarding problems and solutions at the national level. The results indicate divergent opinions among retailers from different cities, even from cities with similar socioeconomic profiles and urban dynamics. The municipalities which demonstrated the most similarities were (i) Betim and Niteroi, in the Southeast of Brazil; (ii) Palmas and Quixada, in the North and Northeast, respectively; and (iii) Palmas and Caruaru, also in the North and Northeast. The results reinforce the importance of studying the local context and involving stakeholders in the process of planning urban logistics solutions.

This paper aims to assess the logistics services provided by carriers in the Sao Paulo Metropolitan Area (SPMA) considering two perspectives: the efficiency of the operations and the adoption of sustainable measures. A survey was applied to the 15 main shippers working with the selected carrier in order to assess logistics performance indicators (on-time-in-full, relationship, lead time, service quality, etc.) as well as sustainability demands (disposal of oil, post-use tires, spare parts, etc.). A second survey was applied to 21 other shippers that hire similar services provided by other carriers in the SPMA. The results indicate that a good relationship between shippers and carriers positively impacts the evaluation of the carriers. Approximately 64% of the informants claim that gas emissions followed by disposal of lubricant, tires and spare parts are the major unsustainable practices to be avoided. This study makes two contributions: to show the most relevant sustainable and logistics aspects that carriers must consider for their services from the viewpoint of shippers and to analyse the influence of the relationship between the companies on the performance indicators.

This paper is based on a revelatory single-case study that uses a system dynamics model to analyze the costs and policies of a distribution logistics outsourcing process (i.e., the warehousing and transportation activities) of a Brazilian consumer packaged goods (CPG) company. The model considers the costs before and after the outsourced operation startup and how these costs influence the net present value (NPV) of the process. The model’s findings suggest policies, such as the reduction of the ex-ante period and the ex-ante reactive and proactive monitoring of operations, to obtain optimal financial results. In addition, the model provides guidelines for the contract lengths and demonstrates that in the outsourcing process, the greatest gains result during periods of low inflation and low interest rates in a stable economy.

We analyse the opinions of shippers, logistic service providers (LSPs) and carriers related to regulations and issues faced by these companies regarding freight distribution in megacities, and the logistical performance measures likely affected by those regulations and issues. We present a review of the freight distribution literature focusing on a large number of freight distribution aspects, such as regulatory, collaborative, environmental, logistical and risk. We also investigate some logistical performance indicators adopted by the companies. Subsequently, we conduct a survey with 147 companies working in the São Paulo Metropolitan Region (SPMR). We use multivariate analysis of variance to assess the logistical performance indicators and non-linear canonical correlation analysis to identify the most relevant freight distribution attributes. The results that the majority of carriers are located inside the SPMR and efficiently handle these issues better than others actors. The lack of collaboration, cargo theft, traffic congestion and some regulations affect the LSP’s logistical performance. Moreover, the actors perceive regulatory aspects, mainly traffic congestion, and a lack of security for deliveries in unsafe areas as the significant issues for deliveries in megacities.