Urban Freight Data Connectivity and System Operations: From Data Sharing to Measurable Outcomes

Cities increasingly recognise that better freight data is essential to manage curbside access, reduce congestion, improve last-mile logistics and support climate objectives. Yet many public authorities still struggle to access, integrate and use fragmented data from multiple public and private actors to inform operational decisions. 

This session brings together cities, and practitioners to share practical implementation experiences of using freight data to improve urban logistics. Speakers will explain what was implemented, the problems they aimed to solve, why specific solutions were chosen, and how public authorities collaborated with logistics operators, technology providers and other stakeholders to make them work. 

Drawing on experiences from Munich, Madrid, Thessaloniki and Victoria Gasteiz, the discussion will explore complementary approaches, including dynamic curbside management, mobility and logistics hubs, local freight data integration, and trusted data-sharing environments supporting city decision-making. Speakers will openly discuss the technical, organisational, governance and regulatory barriers they encountered, how these were addressed, and what measurable impacts have already been achieved. How urban air mobility benefits from integrated data structures will also be touched upon during the session.  

An interactive discussion with participants will focus on what is genuinely transferable to other cities, what should be adapted to different local contexts, and what advice practitioners would offer to authorities seeking to implement data-driven urban freight solutions. The session aims to provide concrete lessons that cities can apply immediately to improve freight planning, operations and policy.