It is inexplicable that the ‘empty mile’ issue is not solved
The transportation and logistics industry faces inefficiencies due to "empty miles" - the distance a freight truck travels with no cargo - accounting for nearly 20% of road freight transport in Europe in 2020. Carriers are attempting to improve network planning, but some shipments are one-way only, leaving trucks to return empty. The solution could be a digital public infrastructure (DPI) similar to India's Unified Logistics Interface Platform, which could identify transport vehicles returning unladen and match them with consignors looking to transport their goods. Private companies are already addressing this issue, but a population-scale DPI accessible through open protocols could solve the problem.
The transportation and logistics industry faces inefficiencies due to "empty miles" - the distance a freight truck travels with no cargo - accounting for nearly 20% of road freight transport in Europe in 2020. Carriers are attempting to improve network planning, but some shipments are one-way only, leaving trucks to return empty. The solution could be a digital public infrastructure (DPI) similar to India's Unified Logistics Interface Platform, which could identify transport vehicles returning unladen and match them with consignors looking to transport their goods. Private companies are already addressing this issue, but a population-scale DPI accessible through open protocols could solve the problem.