Through the results of the present study, it was possible to verify a
change in the way of operating the last mile distribution.
Traditionally, deliveries were performed by semi-light light and medium
duty diesel trucks, with the aid of manual trolleys. However, due to
restrictions on trucks movements in urban areas (mainly because of their
dimensions), smaller vehicles were used, consistent with the results of
this study, for the reason that 58% of the references found cited light
commercial vehicles (GVW < 3.5 tonnes). Even so, factors such
as traffic congestion and specific geographic characteristics of cities
(relief, presence of historic center and population density) generated
impedances that led to the gradual use of even smaller vehicles like
tricycles, bicycles and motorcycles, since 42% of the references
identified in this study pointed to the use of these types of vehicles.
It was also observed an increase in the trip extension of last mile
distribution, as some companies started to adopt a combination of light
commercial vehicles, tricycles, bicycles and motorcycles at this stage
of the distribution chain. Hence, the trips extension to support the
last mile demand in urban areas varied between 10 and 30km (Navarro et
al., 2016; Tozzi et al., 2014). Therefore, as fully-charge drive of
electric two-wheelers ranges of 20-160 km (Weiss et al, 2015), their
autonomy appear to be sufficient for urban freight distribution
operations.
Considering the type of energy, there was a tendency to electrification
and a concern to promote the socioenvironmental sustainability in the
companies’ operations. The use of electric energy as source of energy
for the transport is pertinent to reduce considerably greenhouse gas
emissions, especially CO2, the main cause of global
warming (Fernandes, 2015b, Rezvani et al., 2015; Weiss et al., 2015).