How are the framework conditions to introduce innovative logistics services in the MoLo Hubs pilot areas? This was the core question for a recent Bachelor’s thesis conducted by Joris Dreeßen from HAW Hamburg and MoLo Hubs lead partner Logistics Initiative Hamburg.
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The aim was to find out, if and how political, economic, social, technological, environmental and legal/regulatory circumstances and differences in the pilot areas of the MoLo Hubs project affect the readiness and the chances to successfully implement innovative logistics services at shared mobility hubs (SMHs).
The Bachelor’s thesis has been published as part of work package 3 report and is available for download (in German language) here >>.
Key Findings:
- Political support through clear standards and funding programs is essential to ensure consistent implementation across all pilot regions.
- Economic or financial incentives are crucial to maintaining long-term economic viability. Cooperation with private companies is important.
- Social acceptance is a critical factor. Public awareness campaigns, participatory planning, and greater citizen involvement are needed to reduce scepticism and encourage broad adoption.
- Technological solutions must be user-friendly and compatible to ensure intuitive use and avoid overwhelming users with complexity.
- Environmental aspects should be prioritized, as SMHs can contribute significantly to reducing emissions. Expanding renewable energy use (e.g., solar panels on hubs) and fossil-free transport solutions (e.g., water-based transport in Hamburg and Amsterdam) is key.
- Legal frameworks should extend beyond pilot projects to provide clear long-term regulations and better integration into existing infrastructures to avoid conflicts.
The PESTEL analysis was based on a survey self-assessment done by all five MoLo Hubs pilot cities with the following assessment results (1 to 5 score, 5 being best):
- Aalborg performs the best overall, with top scores in technology (4.7), economy (4.0), and legal conditions (4.5). It provides a stable political environment and good social acceptance for shared mobility hubs.
- Amsterdam: Amsterdam excels in legal conditions (4.5) and has a strong environmental rating (3.5). However, it struggles in economic (3.0) and social factors (2.7)
- Borås performs well in the economic (4.0) and environmental (3.8) categories but has the lowest social acceptance (2.7) and technological development (3.3).
- Hamburg: ranks in the middle across most categories, with solid political (3.3) and social (3.0) ratings. However, it has room for improvement in technology (3.0) and legal conditions (3.0).
- Mechelen stands out in the environmental category (4.3) but has weaknesses in technology (3.0) and legal conditions (3.5). It performs well in politics (3.5) and within the economic factors (4.0).
- The overall spread in the ranking is rather low (4,0 for top to 3,2 for bottom score), validating, that all municipalities or pilot host cities involved are advanced and committed to shared mobility, mobility transition and sustainable & innovative urban logistics and are implementing measures in this regard, but with a slightly different level of maturity.
Source: Joris Dreeßen | Logistics Initiative Hamburg