From Freight Partnerships to City Logistics Living Labs – Giving Meaning to the Elusive Concept of Living Labs

TLDR

Urban freight research is increasingly important as cities grow, and its complexity demands public‑private collaboration through freight partnerships. The study introduces a novel application of the living‑lab concept to urban freight systems. The authors review freight partnerships, highlighting how shared situational awareness and joint knowledge production foster mutual understanding and link these partnerships to the living‑lab framework. Early phases of a Rotterdam city‑logistics living lab demonstrate that the living‑lab concept accommodates urban freight complexities and underpins the EU CITYLAB project.

Abstract

The paper discusses the growing importance of urban freight research given the increasing urban population trends. The complexity of urban freight systems means that it is essential for the public and private sectors to work together - one way to achieve this has been through freight partnerships. A short review of freight partnerships highlights the way in which they have fostered mutual understanding among urban freight stakeholders. The literature on shared situational awareness (SSA) and joint knowledge production (JKP) has been adapted to position freight partnerships and to further develop and link these partnerships to the concept of a living laboratory concerned with urban freight transport. This novel application of the living lab concept is introduced. Next, the first phases of a city logistics living lab brought in practice in Rotterdam are shortly mentioned. The living lab concept fits the complexities of the urban freight system well and has been a cornerstone of a recently started major freight project in the EU (CITYLAB).