Delivering into the Future: Enabling Safe and Efficient Deliveries

The Rise of E-Commerce

The use of e-Commerce services has grown, with over 60% of Singapore residents using online shopping services and over 50% ordering food online at least once every few months¹. With more e-commerce deliveries, we need to design our towns and neighbourhoods to facilitate deliveries and ensure a liveable environment.

To better address delivery challenges and explore ideas to improve deliveries, a workgroup was formed by URA and LTA in November 2023 to strengthen partnerships across industry associations, developments and government agencies. 

Top challenges faced by delivery personnel 

Workgroup members, the Digital Platforms Industry Association (DPIA) and NTUC-affiliated National Delivery Champions Association (NDCA) surveyed over 2,000 delivery personnel on delivery challenges at condominiums, malls and office developments. The survey identified the following as key challenges:

• 66% cited lack of appropriate parking spaces

• 18% cited large compound and lack of accessibility within developments

• 7% cited confusing development layout

• 7% cited tedious entry procedures

Improving deliveries on the ground

Developments can improve deliveries on the ground by providing waiting bays for delivery vehicles, parking grace period, designated collection points for deliveries and streamlining security standard operating procedures (SOPs). Developments can also provide mobile or Wi-Fi connection for delivery personnel to access delivery information. These measures were incorporated in the design of i12 Katong.

Besides measures that can be implemented at buildings, we can also explore ways in our neighbourhoods to better support deliveries.

Courier Hub Scheme

Following engagements with companies, courier hubs were piloted at two HDB multi-storey car parks, where companies used dedicated parking spaces to unload, sort and dispatch parcels to walkers, who complete deliveries on foot to nearby homes.

The courier hub scheme was formalised in September 2024, supporting more companies in improving efficiency.

Parcel Lockers

(Image source: Pick Network)

Parcel lockers increase the efficiency of deliveries by reducing the required number of trips to an area and minimising repeated trips due to failed deliveries.

The average number of parcels delivered each day using Pick Network's parcel lockers has increased from less than 100 in 2021 to over 20,000 in 2024. This has resulted in over 270,000 kg of CO₂ emissions saved yearly. 

Leveraging new technologies

Battery Swap for Food Delivery Motorcycles

(Image source: Cycle & Carriage Singapore)

Large delivery orders and long distances often require motorised transport, which increases emissions. Gogoro, foodpanda and Cycle & Carriage Singapore are piloting battery swapping and smart electric motorcyles under LTA's sandbox programme, which allows riders to instantly switch to fully charged batteries, eliminating downtime due to charging. The pilot has seen a total of 321,991km mileage travelled by e-motorcycles, 8,715 battery swaps and 28,329kg of carbon emissions saving.

Dynamic Route Optimisation

(Image source: uParcel)

uParcel collaborated with Singapore Management University and AI Singapore² to understand delivery personnel's behaviour and better match delivery jobs dynamically (e.g. based on location). By clustering deliveries, the model reduces vehicle use and distance by 40% to 50% and improves delivery personnel's acceptance rate for jobs. 

As new technology and business models evolve, we will continue to monitor these trends and find innovative solutions to meet the needs of our city.

¹Liveability, Lifestyle and Perception Survey, URA and MDDI (2024)

²This project is supported by the National Research Foundation, Singapore under its AI Singapore Programme (AISG Award No: AISG2-100E-2021-089)