Managing vehicle idling during the last mile deliver

The last mile delivery is the final stage of the supply chain logistics industry, crucial for ensuring on-time delivery. However, while focusing on the final delivery point, we often overlook a hidden culprit: vehicle idling. For drivers, it may seem harmless to leave the engine running while the vehicle is stationary, but it comes at a high cost to the environment and the business’s sustainability strategy. Today’s blog explores the concept of vehicle idling in the final delivery, the after effect and why its demands attention.

Vehicle idling in last-mile delivery

Vehicle idling denotes keeping the engine running while the vehicle is parked or stationary. This vehicle idling can occur at the inventory facility while the consignment is getting loaded or unloaded, in traffic signals, at pick-up and drop-off points, during document reviews or while waiting to get in and out of inventory facilities. Although vehicle idling is detrimental to the environment at all these points, it becomes particularly counterproductive in the context of last-mile delivery where every moment of pause is wasted productivity.

The impact on operational efficiency due to vehicle idling in the last-mile delivery:

Vehicle maintenance and fuel consumption

Vehicle idling consumes fuel when not in action while deliveries, increasing business operation costs. Moreover, this also increases the wear and tear resulting in additional repair and maintenance costs, reduced vehicle lifespan and frequent breakdowns.

Productivity and time management

Frequent idle time, may lead to delays in deliveries and can cause a decrease in the overall productivity of the driver. Making additional deliveries during the time spent waiting would enhance overall business productivity.

The environmental toll of vehicle idling

Frequent vehicle idling has both short-term and long-term consequences on the environment. The immediate impact is depleted air quality which causes severe health risks and respiratory issues among people. Whilst, in the long-term, it contributes to climate change as vehicles consume fuel without productive output, wasting energy resources.

Fuel charges

According to research, for the 11-hour drive recommended by American Law, only 6.5 hours are utilized and the balance is lost to idling which means that around 1 billion gallons of fuel is wasted annually which costs approximately $ 3 billion. If idling is saved, it can help in saving fuel as well as the cost.

Operational efficiency

With vehicle idling taking away most of the time, it delays the delivery of the goods and decreases the number of deliveries for the stipulated time frame. This hampers productivity, business performance and customer satisfaction.

Last-mile delivery with a greener solution

Last-mile delivery is always challenging, but 20Cube Logistics offers a smart solution through its digital portal MyHubPlus that helps deliver consignment in the fastest and smoothest manner.

Route optimization

The MyHubPlus digital platform optimizes delivery routes by analyzing factors like delivery volume, traffic patterns and the time window. The use of electric vehicles also helps in minimizing carbon emissions and leads to significant cost savings.

Real-time tracking

With real-time tracking, stakeholders get a real-time view of the vehicle and the driver’s app helps businesses to monitor the vehicle and its location. With end-to-end visibility, businesses can proactively address any unforeseen circumstances, optimize routes on the go and easily manage operations to make data-delivery decisions and if needed refine the processes for improved operational efficiency.

20Cube has introduced electric vehicles across its inventory management facilities that help reduce fuel waste idling time and emissions. This aligns with the organization’s sustainability goals and paves the way towards a cleaner and greener future.