Glossar

Last-mile delivery refers to the final stage of a transportation process, during which a shipment is delivered from the distribution center or local depot to the final recipient. It is often the most complex and cost-intensive part of the entire supply chain.

Last-mile delivery places high demands on route planning, vehicle utilization, and shipment tracking. Rising customer expectations, tight time windows, and inner-city traffic conditions make this process particularly challenging. Digital technologies, automated data collection, and intelligent route planning help make deliveries more efficient, shorten delivery times, and use resources more sustainably.

Practical example:

A package delivery service plans the delivery of all shipments on a route using intelligent route optimization to ensure that recipients are served as quickly as possible with minimal driving distance.

See also: CEP company, Flow of goods, Logistics, Omnichannel logistics, Shipment tracking, Supply Chain Management, Transport Management System (TMS), Transportation optimization