
Behavior Changes, Technology, and Public-Private Partnerships to Improve Urban Congestion


Behavior Changes, Technology, and Public-Private Partnerships to Improve Urban Congestion
On February 6th, 2019, Meeting of the Minds hosted a live webinar featuring José Holguín-Veras of the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.
Archive Recording
This webinar originally aired on February 6, 2019.
Program
José Holguín-Veras has been conducting research on freight transportation systems and supply chains around the world for over two decades. His research shows that while rates of commercial delivery have remained steady, internet purchasing has tripled in the past eight years, and all freight activity—household and commercial—has doubled in that same time. Collaborative public-private-academic efforts are bound to play a major role in fostering changes in the behavior of urban supply chains and a more nuanced use of technology, thereby bringing more sustainability to the marketplace and our delivery systems. The data also shows that improved efficiency of delivery transport is also a value-add for workers. Delivery drivers are happier making off-hours delivery runs because they are less vexing. There are less conflicts between delivery vehicles, pedestrians, and cyclists. Using low noise delivery practices and technologies ensures it is a win-win-win solution. Hear about best practices and examples from around the world including: New York City, where more than 400 commercial establishments are accepting off-hour deliveries, achieving emission reductions in the range of 65%; Sao Paulo, Brazil, where deliveries were shifted from daytime to overnight, with a 49-55% reduction in emissions; and Bogotá, Colombia, where shifting delivery times from traditional business hours to a 6pm to 10pm window resulted in a 13% drop in emissions. Hear about some of the policy, technology and behavior tools used in these cities to ease congestion, manage the curb, and improve air quality.
Resources
Presentation Slides
Download the slides used in this event’s presentation.
Presenters

José Holguín-Veras
William H. Hart Chair Professor, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Director of the Center for Infrastructure, Transportation, and the Environment, Volvo Research and Educational Foundations (VREF) Center of Excellence on Sustainable Urban Freight Systems, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Dr. José Holguín-Veras is the William H. Hart Professor and Director of the VREF Center of Excellence for Sustainable Urban Freight Systems at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. He is the recipient of numerous awards, including the 2013 White House’s Transportation Champion of Change Award, and the 1996 Milton Pikarsky Memorial Award. His research interests are in freight transportation, and disaster response logistics. His work on disaster response has played an influential role in disaster response procedures, and has led to deeper insight into how best to respond to large disasters and catastrophic events. He is in numerous leadership positions at professional organizations, public sector agencies, and leading journals. He received his Ph.D. from The University of Texas at Austin in 1996; a M.Sc. from the Universidad Central de Venezuela in 1984; and a B.Sc. from the Universidad Autónoma de Santo Domingo in 1982.