In the current context of ecological and climate crisis, consumption patterns are evolving in parallel and the notion of urban delivery is increasingly mentioned. Today, urban delivery can correspond to different types of flows that can have several uses and operated by general operators or by specialized third parties (individuals or companies, own or for others, rapid deliveries such as home deliveries or cold logistics and many others…). We must nevertheless try to roughly define this term “urban delivery”. We could therefore define this notion as last mile logistics or as any provision of goods transport services, from reception, storage and preparation, to delivery to businesses and individuals, in urban centers.

Today in France, according to the Regional Health Agency (ARS), 48,000 people die each year because of air pollution, particularly due to nitrogen oxides emitted by vehicle traffic. Barbara Pompili, Minister of Ecological Transition, estimates that the establishment of the Low Emission Mobility Zone in Ile-de-France (ZFE-m) could save 6,600 lives per year. Consequently, the “Climate and Resilience” law, passed this summer, plans to extend Low Emission Mobility Zones (ZFE-m) to all urban areas with more than 150,000 inhabitants by the end of 2024. Their access will require as a mobility pass: the Crit'Air sticker. Whether it is air pollution or other environmental nuisances, there is not one solution but many.

Thus, the health and climate crises have acted as a catharsis, calling for a paradigm shift, notably supported by the famous American economist, Milton FRIEDMAN, who wrote in 1970 in the pages of the NYT Magazine, that the only responsibility of the company is to increase its profit.

DB Schenker, as well as all companies in the goods transport sector, must face enormous challenges and constraints:

• ecological (reduction of CO2e emissions linked to transport, noise pollution, traffic congestion, limitation of delivery places, establishment of ZFE),
• economic (increased growth in volumes linked to e-commerce, rise in fuel prices and high cost of space and surface area to reduce shortages)
• and social (decline in the attractiveness of the profession of driver, labor shortage, pressure of deadlines increased and security of goods).

According to the strategic analysis center n°274 of April 2012, for a renewal of urban logistics,

" urban freight represents on average 20% of traffic, 30% of road occupancy and 30% of greenhouse gas emissions ". In addition, France was ordered last August by the Council of State to pay a fine of 10 million euros for failing to lower pollution levels below health standards. This conviction follows a formal notice in 2009 and a first judgment in 2017, facing insufficient actions taken in the fight against air pollution to reduce concentrations of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and fine particles ( PM10) below the limit values (see the 2008 European directive on air quality.)

Before taking charge of the CSR and Sustainable Development department at DB Schenker France, where I manage our delivery on the “last mile”, particularly in urban areas, I worked in central functions as Quality Health Safety Environment manager. I was also the Product Manager Land Transport with DB Schenker for 15 years and in a previous life I was a truck driver in Sweden. So we can say that I master the different facets of this profession relatively well and today, it allow me to have a strong opinion on the subject.

Faced with these challenges, if Jean-Baptiste Djebbari, Minister Delegate to the Minister of Ecological Transition in charge of Transport, greeted in 2020 with his words “ The transport sector has made a major contribution to the crisis: to maintain the delivery of products necessary for economic activity, ensure the continuity of the population's supply chain, deliver masks or ensure essential travel such as those to go to your workplace, and still evacuate coronavirus patients with the health TGV. ". He also estimated during his hearing on Thursday April 23, 2020 afternoon, before the Sustainable Development Commission that “ the crisis could be a catalyst for decarbonizing the transport sector ".

Since 1998 and the implementation of an ISO 14001 certification process on our transport and logistics activities, the integration of the tool ecoTransIT World,DB Schenker is being rewarded for its efforts to continuously improve its organisation and methods in the service of the environment, and achieve more eco-responsible delivery by developing less polluting means of transport.

Technology

Acceleration of innovation, development and adoption of these new systems at DB Schenker.

DB Schenker has decided to partner with the start-up K-Ryole, 2018 winner of the Grand Prix de l'Innovation awarded by the city of Paris in the "Energy and mobility" category, for having developed an "intelligent" electrically assisted trailer, which allows, by bicycle, to tow 250 kg of freight without effort. To this end, with the financial and human support of our teams, K-Ryole is developing a new electrically assisted trailer, “K-Ryole pallet” which allows a load capacity of more than 350 kg of goods behind any bicycle . On the new machine, the batteries are removable and recharge independently of the machine. By exchanging the batteries during the tour, there is no longer a limit on autonomy. A battery provides autonomy of approximately 25 miles, recharging in 4 hours. Autonomy is therefore defined by the number of batteries available. On the first machines, there is only one battery slot on the machine (you must change it if you want to exceed 25 miles). Ultimately, it will be possible to connect two batteries simultaneously to have a range of 50 miles without handling. This trailer has two driving wheels of 1,500 W each. This model will be manufactured in France and is tested by our partner the West Triporters, since November 2, 2021, to carry out last mile operations by bike with heavy loads.

We currently operate in eVélo-Cargo in 17 city centers (Rennes, Nantes, Bordeaux, Angers, Saint Malo, Strasbourg, Montpellier, Pau, La Rochelle, Tours, Vannes, Lille, Le Touquet, Clermont-Ferrand, Chartres, Lorient and Nice) and have planned to launch the product in Lyon from the 15th of November 2021, in Grenoble in the first quarter of 2022 and finally in Paris and in Toulon during 2022. As a reminder, distribution is ensured by Triporteurs de l'Ouest using an electric scooter manufactured by Urban Arrow in Amsterdam and a professional trailer from FlexiModal hitched near the rear hub of the bike.

Artificial Intelligence / big data on urban freight data

DB Schenker has decided to join forces with the Systèmes Productifs, Logistique, Organisation des Transports et Travail (SPLOTT) laboratory of the Aménagement, Mobilités et Environnement (AME) department of the former Institut français des sciences et technologies des transports, de l'aménagement et des réseaux (ex-Ifsttar) at the Université Gustave Eiffel to study the optimisation of freight transport in urban environments in order to reduce the total distance travelled and the duration of urban rounds, and to promote the sustainable development of our societies.

We are at a moment of truth. The UN published a climate alarmist report. The warming trajectory is heading towards 2.7 degrees if we do nothing. The 1.5 degree objective seems out of reach without concrete actions.

Thermal engines considered to be too polluting are gradually being banned from cities. Electricity is presented today as the solution to fight against air pollution. In Europe, there are now several hundred. In Copenhagen/Oslo, it is prohibited to drive diesel vehicles. In Brussels, Euro 3 and older cars, that is to say registered before 2006, have been banned since January 1, 2020. In Paris/Barcelona, cars registered more than 20 years ago can no longer drive in week and day and finally in London, drivers of petrol cars generally manufactured before 2006 (Euro 4 standard) and of diesel vehicles generally manufactured before 2015 (Euro 6 standard) must pay 12.50 pounds (14.80 euros) per day to enter this area. For trucks and buses, they have to pay 100 pounds (116 euros) per day.

To go further, the European Commission proposed in July 2021, a climate plan called “Fit for 55” (or in French “Paré pour 55”) and aims for a reduction of 55 % in CO2 emissions in 2030 compared with 1990 levels, with the aim of achieving zero-carbon cars by 2035. This will mean an end to the marketing of petrol, diesel and hybrid vehicles. Gone will be the internal combustion engine, replaced by the 100% electric car.₂ in 2030 compared to 1990 to achieve zero carbon for automobiles in 2035. This will result in the end of the marketing of gasoline, diesel and hybrid vehicles. No more thermal engine cars, make way for the electric 100%.

As I said in my introduction, there is not one solution but many. Relying exclusively on electricity can be seen as overconfidence. The objective of achieving a -55% reduction in CO2 by 2030 and a -100% reduction by 2050 compared with 2019 would mean no less, but the end of fossil fuels and a transition will only be possible by multiplying our efforts by three or even five, according to Jean-François Julliard, Director General of Greenpeace France.

Agnès Michel, Member of the Editorial Committee of Terra Nova, rightly indicated that today in 2021, we do not have the means to replace the volume of consumption on a fixed date, switching from fossil to electric. Degrowth is not the solution either, Eric Chaney, Economic Advisor of the Montaigne Institute, noted that in the United States, energy consumption per capita has fallen by 15% for 20 years and during this time the GDP per capita increased during the same period by 25%. This is, in the Sustainable Development lexicon, the concept of “decoupling” where we see that we disconnect the economic growth curve in the face of environmental pressure.

Innovation at DB Schenker focuses on the rehabilitation of vehicles retrofitted to electric or hydrogen, at the same time contributing to local employment and the circular economy.

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