The advent of new technologies in last mile deliveries is about to cause a disruption in the traditional business model applied in urban cargo transportation, thus presenting innumerous research opportunities in this field of knowledge. In this context, identifying new operation models and vehicles that could be applied for last mile deliveries in urban areas becomes crucial. Therefore, this paper aims to identify, through a systematic literature review, the main types of vehicles addressed in the literature that could be used in the last mile of urban freight distribution in order to increase the sustainability of this type of operation. The results indicate a trend for the implementation of smaller and lighter vehicles for last mile deliveries in urban areas: 47% of the studies suggest, among other alternatives, the use of bicycles and tricycles; while 53% of the articles support the use of light commercial vehicles. Another trend observed in this type of distribution, indicated in 64% of the studies, is the shift from conventional (fossil fuels) to alternative sources of energy (electricity).

This paper proposes the use of the AHP-Gaussian method to support the selection of a smart sensor installation for an electric motor used in an escalator in a subway station. The AHP-Gaussian methodology utilizes the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) framework and is highlighted for its ability to save the decision maker’s cognitive effort in assigning weights to criteria. Seven criteria were defined for the sensor selection: temperature range, vibration range, weight, communication distance, maximum electric power, data traffic speed, and acquisition cost. Four smart sensors were considered as alternatives. The results of the analysis showed that the most appropriate sensor was the ABB Ability smart sensor, which scored the highest in the AHP-Gaussian analysis. In addition, this sensor could detect any abnormalities in the equipment’s operation, enabling timely maintenance and preventing potential failures. The proposed AHP-Gaussian method proved to be an effective approach for selecting a smart sensor for an electric motor used in an escalator in a subway station. The selected sensor was reliable, accurate, and cost-effective, contributing to the safe and efficient operation of the equipment.

Urban freight transport is a challenge for Brazilian cities due to the lack of adequate planning for freight flow movement. Public managers also show negligence and a lack of awareness when dealing with urban logistics. Decision-support data on urban freight transport are still scarce, despite being of fundamental value to economic development. With this in mind, this paper presents problems and solutions regarding urban freight transport in Brazilian cities. Data were obtained through a survey conducted in nine cities and analysed by means of descriptive statistics and the successive intervals method. Additionally, a cluster analysis was performed to identify patterns regarding the typical characteristics of each city in order to compare and generalise the perception of retailers regarding problems and solutions at the national level. The results indicate divergent opinions among retailers from different cities, even from cities with similar socioeconomic profiles and urban dynamics. The municipalities which demonstrated the most similarities were (i) Betim and Niteroi, in the Southeast of Brazil; (ii) Palmas and Quixada, in the North and Northeast, respectively; and (iii) Palmas and Caruaru, also in the North and Northeast. The results reinforce the importance of studying the local context and involving stakeholders in the process of planning urban logistics solutions.

The disaster response currently involves an increasing number of different stakeholders, and understating their wants and needs is essential to managing them. Thus, the research goal of this paper is to identify and analyze the satisfactions of the main stakeholders involved in complex relationships during the disaster response process. First, this research applies a structured review that considers 72 papers gathered from the Scopus database and details the following: 28 wants and needs from the stakeholders and the identification of similarities related to (i) the complex and extensive flow of resources; (ii) the complementary coordination required to provide resources; (iii) the desire to be considered in the response plan; and (iv) the interdependency of the flow of resources and ideas, influences and interests. Then, these findings are discussed considering a real disaster response to landslides that occurred in 2011 and a corresponding simulation that was developed in 2017 in Brazil. The analysis addresses the Military’s perspective and validates the findings while also adding new insights to the topic and two new wants and needs from the stakeholders. Finally, the paper discusses the implications of the findings for academics and practitioners overseeing collaborations in stakeholder management and presents a research agenda.