What is FreightShare Lab?

“Platform of platforms for routing and scheduling vehicle and asset optimisation in the freight and logistics sector. The purpose is to drive logistical efficiency, reduce miles and save carbon.”

FreightShare Lab is a research project, part-funded by Innovate UK, which seeks to investigate whether we can unlock freight efficiency through deployment of a dynamic data and asset sharing platform to enable route and load optimisation across multiple fleets of freight vehicles.

Computer modelling, carried out by the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD), has indicated efficiency improvements of over 20% could be possible if freight shippers and carriers were able to share their vehicles and freight. This 30-month research project seeks to investigate if this potential can be realised in real world conditions.

The project will consist of a number of elements:

  • Development of a digital platform which will aggregate loads and vehicles
  • Development of algorithms to calculate the most efficient way to move goods between points of collection and delivery
  • Recruitment of shippers, consignors and carriers willing to explore how collaboration can impact on operational efficiency
  • Demonstrate how the digital platform can be applied to unlock transport efficiency

The project team consists of a number of industry leaders in the field of optimisation, algorithms, fleet efficient and market knowledge: RouteMonkey, Heriot-Watt University, Transport Systems Catapult and DVV Media

Why are we doing it?

Freight transportation continues to grow, linked to economic development and increased global trade. Unless interventions are put in place, this will result in the continued increased in greenhouse gas emissions:

  • Transportation accounts for 20% of final global energy consumption [IEA Energy Technology Perspectives, 2015]. In the EU, transport produces a quarter of the greenhouse gas emissions, of which road transport, passenger and freight contribute to over 70% (vsEuropean Commission White Paper, 2011), consequently, accounting for 15%-20% of emissions.
  • The global demand for road freight, measured in tonne-kilometers (T/kms), will almost triple between 2015 and 2050 (International Transport Forum, 2017), with the growth concentrating in developing economies.
  • In 2050, non-OECD countries will represent more than 80% of the demand for road freight transport, up from 60% in 2015. Demand will grow particularly strongly in countries where rail infrastructure is not well developed, such as African or South-East Asian countries. It is also expected that road will remain the primary mode of transport for short distances (EC White Paper, 2011).
  • According to UK freight transport statistics 74% of freight moved in the UK in 2015 was by road, 11% by Rail, 15% by Water. 30% of driven kilometres carried out by trucks in the UK in 2016 were empty (ie zero tonnes carried).

FreightShare Lab is focussed on reducing the inefficiencies caused by empty or part-laden operations, thereby reducing greenhouse gas emissions and the cost of freight movements.

How does it work?

Routing and scheduling software systems can lead to improved operational efficiency, however, as this tends to be implemented independently in each organisation, there are limitations to what can be achieved. FreightShare Lab explores whether it is possible to build out from this single-customer model and develop a platform for company collaboration, regional collaboration and, eventually cross-border collaboration.

There are several asset sharing approaches. FreightShare Lab focuses on the sharing of several companies’ jointly optimised resources to meet their current delivery tasks. Work by the WBCSD modelled four scenarios. Each scenario involved either being UK wide or London-based and either used a diesel or a hybrid diesel/EV truck. As seen in Figure 1, there is a significant cost benefit (20% or higher) when fleets operate collaboratively.


Figure 1: Benefits when fleets collaborate by fuel type and region


Source: WBCSD research 2017


While our research has found many fleets employ routing and scheduling software and, in some cases, companies have shared assets for specific goods and routes, FreightShare Lab will expand the use of these measures across the sector. Furthermore, FreightShare Lab will encompass the optimisation of shared assets across companies. In effect, applying sophisticated routing and scheduling to multiple companies’ assets as if they were a single fleet.

While our research has found many fleets employ routing and scheduling software and, in some cases, companies have shared assets for specific goods and routes, FreightShare Lab will expand the use of these measures across the sector. Furthermore, FreightShare Lab will encompass the optimisation of shared assets across companies. In effect, applying sophisticated routing and scheduling to multiple companies’ assets as if they were a single fleet.

This concept is illustrated by the figures below:

We will optimise route for several fleets together, including sharing opportunities as part of the optimisation process. The four main steps of the process are outlined below: