As a primary distribution hub for the city, the Flats has the potential to become a powerful centre for smart logistics, improving the performance of entire industry clusters and acting as a hub for the clean distribution of goods and services.
What is Smart Logistics?
Smart Logistics is a technology-driven approach that seeks to provide a clean, efficient, and adaptive solution for the distribution of goods and services. It promotes connectedness both internally, such as streamlining existing delivery routes, and externally, such as vehicle sharing between businesses.
Smart Logistics foster Smart Cities.
Smart city systems typically refer to sensor and response technologies that improve the efficiency of urban life, but there are a number of other innovations contributing to the development of smarter, efficient, and more connected cities. These include:
- Social business platform & digital citizenship tools
- Innovative business models that respond to common urban issues such as traffic and security concerns
- The deployment of physical technologies, goods, or services that outperform the standard
How do we support the transition to smart logistics in the Flats?
 |
 |
 |
TRAINIndividuals & Businesses Reducing the environmental footprint of fleets is still a relatively new concept for many businesses and the available technologies in this space are constantly changing. A lack of education about technology options not only slows the rate of adoption of new technologies, it can also lead to false assumptions about what’s needed to ‘green’ a fleet. |
CENTRALIZEAlternative Fuelling Infrastructure The Flats serves as a distribution hub for the entire city. We estimate that 44% of the 30,000+ tonnes of CO2 generated by business operations in the False Creek Flats are from transportation. Given the return-to-base nature of most fleets in the Flats, there is a unique opportunity for alternative fueling infrastructure to make a significant impact in this area. |
PROMOTEUptake of Tools & Technologies There are a number of ‘stepping-stone’ technologies and low-cost approaches for distribution businesses to reduce their emissions and improve the efficiency of their fleets. Promoting these technologies can help businesses understand the opportunities for improving their fleets without making major up-front investments. |
Featured Report: Smart Fleets in the Flats |
Featured Project: Smart Fleet Infrastructure Study (coming soon) |
Featured Event: Disruptive Innovation Festival |
Who is leading the Smart Logistics movement in the Flats?
Shift Delivery
Shift Delivery partners with local businesses to simultaneously improve their delivery logistics and reduce their environmental footprint. They use power-assisted tricycles to deliver products downtown, avoiding the pitfalls that delivery vehicles often face, such as heavy traffic or finding a parking space.
FreshTAP
FreshTAP is a custom wine kegging provider that is changing the way we package and distribute wine. Founded in 2011, FreshTAP has reduced the need for thousands of wine bottles by serving wine on tap. Through smart kegs and software, FreshTap gathers data and to help their clients with inventory management, thereby reducing vehicle trips.
