Last mile procurement should start with the delivery unit

The final delivery leg is often discussed as if every business has the same transport requirement. In practice, the useful unit may be a parcel, a bulky item or a collection of goods needing careful handling. Vehicle selection should begin with that unit and the service around it.

Describe the item and the handover

Record cargo dimensions, handling requirements, load protection and the way the customer receives it. Consider the journey from the parked vehicle to the handover point. A mode that can carry the goods may still create difficulty if loading equipment or access arrangements are unsuitable. The delivery task extends beyond travel along the road.

Examine whether the delivery sequence changes the vehicle requirement. Multiple stops with different cargo sizes can demand a different storage arrangement from a single concentrated delivery. Returns and collections also belong in the brief. Procurement should not assess only the outbound load and then discover that the return leg requires extra capacity.

Review the supply point

Identify where vehicles are loaded, how goods reach that location and whether replenishment is practical during service. A smaller vehicle or alternative delivery mode may need a different transfer arrangement. Energy Saving Trust's freight advice includes electric vans and cargo bikes as options for assessment, but their suitability remains dependent on the actual work.

Include handling time and staffing in the comparison. A transport choice that reduces vehicle size while adding repeated transfers may change the operating cost and workflow. Do not assume that the same warehouse routine will support every option. Ask the loading team to test the proposed sequence before drawing a procurement conclusion.

Group deliveries by practical fit

Analyse work by cargo and access characteristics rather than assigning a single solution to the entire service. Some jobs may suit a different vehicle class or mode, while others retain a clear need for larger capacity. The grouping should be understandable to dispatchers and supported by information available when the delivery is booked.

Consider variation within each group, including peak loads or altered customer access. Record how exceptions will be assigned and who can revise the allocation. An efficient ordinary route should not depend on a driver solving an unsuitable load at collection. The booking and scheduling process needs to support the mode selection.

Test the complete operation

Evaluate loading, travel, parking, handover and replenishment together. Record interventions and user feedback alongside completion of deliveries. A trial that measures only distance or energy misses the handling process that may determine service quality. Avoid generalising a result beyond the delivery types and operating conditions examined.

The decision should explain which transport option fits which delivery unit and what supporting process it requires. That is more useful than choosing a vehicle because it appears well suited to an urban setting. Last mile procurement gains precision when the organisation understands the goods, the customer handover and the loading system as one complete assignment.