The potential of telematics applications to support the management of a more sustainable approach to urban freight delivery is being investigated by the EC research project, FIDEUS. In addition to the development of a special set of vehicles conceived specifically for delivering goods in the urban areas, a further objective of FIDEUS is to provide an ITS tool which can be used both by transport operators and city authorities to monitor andmanage delivery operations more effectively. The principal task is the development of a complementary range of vehicles designed specifically to facilitate urban delivery operations. These consist of: a 12-ton truck (Renault Midlum); a 3.5-ton van (IVECO Daily); and an innovative Micro-Carrier Urban Vehicle (MCUV). The micro-CUV consists of a prototype load carrier designed specifically for deliveries in inner cities. The purpose is to meet the requirements of delivery and collection of letters and parcels in anurban environment and in particular pedestrianised areas and zones with restricted vehicle access. It consists of a tractor and chassis and is ableto transport a special 'container' in which the goods will be loaded. Theoperator will either accompany the carrier on foot or ride on a platform.The development of a standardised 'goods container' for such deliveries is also part of the project. A critical aspect of FIDEUS is to exploit the possibility of using all three vehicles in a complementary fashion. The functions of the logistics and telematics platforms are described. The vehicles will be equipped with an on-board telematic platform able to exchange data with the FIDEUS Operations Centre through a SOAP interface. Examples are given for the foods and parcels delivery sectors. Lyon, Hanover, and Barcelona are providing sites for demonstration activities. For the covering abstract see ITRD E134653.
Abstract