Last-mile deliveries of online orders will make our commutes longer, analysis estimates

Brett Molina | USA TODAY

Our love of home delivery might make our daily work commutes even longer and contribute to climate change, according to an analysis released by the World Economic Forum.

The analysis found demand for last-mile deliveries, the final step in getting packages to your home, will result in 36% more delivery vehicles in inner cities by 2030.

The influx of vehicles means more traffic congestion and a spike in carbon emissions by 30%. On average, the rise in deliveries would add an extra 11 minutes to each passenger's commute, the analysis found.

"Consumer demand for the convenience of online shopping and fast delivery is rising rapidly and companies are struggling to meet this demand with sustainable delivery options," says Christoph Wolff, head of mobility at the World Economic Forum, in a statement.

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Suggestions from the analysis to help curb emissions and congestion including using "greener" vehicles such as electric for deliveries, increasing deliveries by automated robots or droids, or introducing more parcel lockers where customers can pick up packages.

More retailers have introduced the option of ordering an item online, then picking it up at a local store. Meanwhile, other companies have experimented with automated robots and drones to complete that final step in the delivery process.

For example, in May, Ford said it was working with a robotics company on a self-driving project involving a walking robot capable of dropping packages off at your front door. Amazon has also tested out a variety of different delivery options such as drones and robots to make front-door deliveries.

Follow Brett Molina on Twitter: @brettmolina23.