Trends for First- and Last-Mile Freight in Minnesota - White Paper

Abstract

E-commerce has pushed two criteria to the forefront of considering the goods and services we choose and the way we purchase them, from groceries to clothing to cars: 1) Is it available right now? and 2) How soon can I get it? To those in the freight industry and their supply-chain staffs, this means satisfying a market that appears to be demanding, "I want it all, and I want it now." The Minnesota Freight Advisory Committee wants to explore and understand these changes, the implications for the immediate future and beyond, and how the industry is responding to the changes. This paper begins that effort, focusing on those activities that most experts feel are likely to be of the highest impact: what it takes to get a customer's order to their door. In other words, we are discussing what is involved with that last segment—the last mile.