PostNL carried out an impact measurement to map the contribution of city hubs. The economic, social and environmental impact was calculated.

ACTIONS

Logistical movements’ transformation to and from city centres will help PostNL to deliver emission-free in 25 Dutch city centres by 2025. One of PostNL’s ongoing initiatives is developing a business model for consolidation via city hubs. PostNL provides bundled and emission-free deliveries and currently delivers business goods emission-free at six city centres. PostNL’s City Logistics initiative makes B2B logistics in the Netherlands more sustainable. In 2020, an impact measurement to map the contribution of PostNL’s city hubs to the sustainable development of city logistics was carried out. The results show that PostNL achieves around a 70% reduction in CO2 emissions and a more than 90% reduction in fine dust and nitrogen. By pooling trips, the utilisation’s rate can be increased by 25%, which results in another 6% CO2 reduction. Also there are fewer traffic movements, which reduces congestion and increases safety.

RESULTS AND IMPACT

Consolidation through city hubs brings significant (environmental) advantages. More research is necessary, but the measurement has already given PostNL useful insights and tools to further develop the case for city logistics for customers.