Energy Systems and Data Analytics MSc alumni's last-mile delivery dissertation research published

Building on his dissertation research, Energy Systems and Data Analytics MSc alumni Dylan Johnson has had his paper “Innovative last mile delivery concepts: Evaluating last mile delivery using a traffic simulator” published in the in the IEEE’s 7th International Conference on Models and Technologies for Intelligent Transportation Systems.

Last-mile delivery is the transportation of goods from a distribution hub to its final destination. His conference paper investigates, through a simulation approach, how novel last mile solutions can harmonise network efficiency with environmental sustainability in a Washington D.C. urban setting. The ability of public buses to scale delivery services with demand was fundamental to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and harmful air pollutants. Extending the network by increasing the number of delivery points, the paper employs a K-means clustering algorithm to determine optimal locations of Urban Consolidation Centres (UCCs). Utilising UCCs enabled further environmental and efficiency gains to be realised through consolidation and the ability to deliver "very last mile" through E-cargo bikes.

Dylan said:

“I am grateful for being able to complete my dissertation (summer 2020) in the innovative and interesting field of last-mile logistics for urban areas. Following my work over that summer, I continued researching this area of personal interest through the RELM project and am delighted to now say that I am published in the 7th International Conference on Models and Technologies for Intelligent Transportation Systems! I am extremely thankful for the help and support of my friends within the ESDA course, my professors, my supervisor, my family and the UCL staff as this publication would never have been possible without them."

Since his masters in September 2020, Dylan worked in the energy industry as a data scientist and has now returned to UCL to pursue his interests in a fully-funded PhD at UCL Energy Institute’s Mobility-as-a-Service Lab (MaaSLab).

Photo by Maria Oswalt on Unsplash