Florence
- City size
- Medium-sized
- European region
- Southern Europe
Florence
Solutions Tested in Real Life Demonstration
Pilot objective
To test and evaluate integrated digital and data-driven solutions for more efficient, safe and sustainable urban freight logistics in Florence, focusing on optimising the location and management of smart distribution areas, curbside and loading zones, shared logistics facilities, access regulations and freight routing — while exploring monitoring and incentive mechanisms to encourage greener logistics practices and assess each solution's local acceptability, impact and potential for wider replication.
Solutions tested in real‑life demonstration
- KER6Active UVARs and City Regulations Tool
- KER8Dynamic Curbside Management Tool
- KER9Dynamic Management of Pick-up / Drop-off Points
- KER11Logistics Operator Monitoring System & Incentives Tool
- KER12Congestion Forecasting & Safe Route Planning Tool
- KER13Advanced Management IT Cockpit of Shared Facilities
Active UVARs and City Regulations Tool
Active UVARs and City Regulations Tool
Pilot Focus
The Active UVARs and City Regulations tool is composed of two distinct solutions that together optimise UVAR management. The Active UVARs Information and Permit Manager includes a local-authorities web back-end for the static and dynamic management of urban logistics regulations (LTZ management, delivery of access permits, etc.) and a logistics-operators web front-end to digitally acquire and update the permits needed to move around the city according to their profile, alongside a mobile front-end giving logistics operators geo-referenced information about the active UVARs. The second solution is the Multi-Criteria Decision Making (MCDM) Framework for UVAR assessment (the PLIAS tool), a self-standing service that helps city authorities make strategic decisions about introducing UVARs in an urban area.
What worked during the demonstration?
- The development of the tool benefited from a strong and fruitful collaboration with the developers.
- A clear communication channel was established between the city and interested stakeholders.
- A useful instrument for logistics operators to better cope with challenges in the road network or traffic management.
- Applicable to a lower scale or defined area, such as a specific neighbourhood.
- No service-specific infrastructure or preparation was needed.
What were the challenges and barriers?
- The success of UVARs managed through the service depends on effective enforcement.
- Familiarisation with the tool, its guide, and its visualisation across different screens.
Factors to assess for replication & required adaptations
Deployment Readiness
The solution design was approved and considered ready for deployment, indicating a mature starting point for implementation.
Adaptation to local policies and regulations.
Technical Infrastructure
Implementation depends on connectivity.
Assess existing infrastructure and connectivity and compare available technical options.
Stakeholder engagement
Early engagement and coordination across relevant departments and stakeholders helps ensure that all needs are incorporated into the solution.
Identify and involve all relevant departments and stakeholders from the beginning, with clear responsibilities and coordination mechanisms throughout implementation.
Data interoperability
Relevant data can support planning, monitoring and decision-making.
Identify the key data and ensure interoperability.
Key lessons learned
Main takeaways from implementation
- Enforcement should evolve in parallel with the technology.
Recommendations
Action-oriented advice for future adopters
- Establish a clear deployment and approval plan before implementation, ensuring that technical and organisational requirements are resolved in advance.
- Assess local infrastructure before selecting the technology.
- Engage relevant stakeholders from the outset to ensure that the solution responds to the needs of all parties involved and to reduce implementation barriers later.
- Assess how the service would interact with existing municipal permit-management, traffic-regulation and user-information systems.
Dynamic Curbside Management Tool
Dynamic Curbside Management Tool
Pilot Focus
In Florence, the dynamic curbside management tool was used to manage the allocation of parking slots throughout the day, improving the management of — and providing dynamic information about — the different uses assigned to the curb side, via an on-street device installation.
What worked during the demonstration?
- The development of the tool benefited from a strong and fruitful collaboration with the developer as well as with the city's other departments.
- The ultrasound sensors work well in horizontal parking spaces.
What were the challenges and barriers?
- Transferring data was difficult in a crowded, historical area; a LoRaWAN gateway was ultimately chosen after an existing third-party gateway proved unable to guarantee coverage.
- Construction works to fix the device were constrained by national regulation and the historic centre's boundaries.
- Does not address the issue of enforcement.
Factors to assess for replication & required adaptations
Deployment Readiness
The solution design was approved and considered ready for deployment, indicating a mature starting point for implementation.
Finalise the technical setup, installation plan, responsibilities and necessary approval procedures before deployment.
Technical Infrastructure
Implementation depends on the available local infrastructure and connectivity.
Verify connectivity, power supply, gateway coverage, and the availability of secure installation points directly at the proposed site before selecting the final configuration.
Stakeholder engagement
Early engagement and coordination across relevant departments and stakeholders helps ensure that all needs are incorporated into the solution.
Identify and involve all relevant departments and stakeholders from the beginning, with clear responsibilities and coordination mechanisms throughout implementation.
Data interoperability
Relevant data can support planning, monitoring and decision-making.
Identify the key data required for planning and operation and ensure interoperability.
Site suitability and regulatory constraints
Required an assessment of whether the physical devices and installation works were suitable for the selected setting.
Assess the operational suitability of the site and identify heritage, landscape, public-space and installation requirements before finalising the technical design.
Administrative and installation procedures
Preparatory works and municipal approvals were required for the installation. In Florence, the technical implementation was incorporated into a single executive project to streamline the approval process.
Identify the necessary permits, technical documentation, procurement or work-assignment procedures and approval bodies at an early stage.
Key lessons learned
Main takeaways from implementation
- Engaging the relevant personnel from the beginning allowed potential critical issues to be detected early and addressed through shared solutions.
Recommendations
Action-oriented advice for future adopters
- Establish a clear deployment and approval plan before implementation, ensuring that technical and organisational requirements are resolved in advance.
- Establish in advance how the use of the space changes over time, which users are eligible and how the information produced by the system will support management decisions.
- Assess local infrastructure — network coverage, power supply, sensor suitability, gateway location — before selecting the technology, rather than assuming that the same technical configuration will work in every location.
- Define data needs early and align implementation with existing planning frameworks. Data should be available in appropriate formats and structured so that it can be shared and used across systems.
- The technology does not, by itself, resolve enforcement issues — if a city intends to detect or respond to misuse, the solution should be integrated with an appropriate enforcement or operational-response process.
Dynamic Management of Pick-up / Drop-off Points
Dynamic Management of Pick-up / Drop-off Points
Pilot Focus
In Florence, the dynamic management of pick-up/drop-off points tool manages the dynamic use of loading/unloading bays, optimising the use of space and reducing congestion — and consequently pollution — in the city centre. The tool was tested to monitor, in real time, the occupancy status of loading and unloading spaces via on-site IoT parking sensors, and comprises a Loading/Unloading Parking Supervisor for the Municipality of Florence (showing real-time occupancy on a map and providing reports on data collected over a given period) and an info-parking service for logistics operators (showing occupied and available bays and allowing operators to book spaces and check in/out).
Selection and validation of the locations and set-up of the physical sensor infrastructure.
Implementation across approximately 80 parking spaces.
What worked during the demonstration?
- Alignment with the logistics policies of the city of Florence.
- Close and open communication with the developer enabled selection of the solution best adapted to the city's needs.
- The tool provides real-time information.
- Facilitates swift drivers' check-in at pickup points and check-out after delivery completion.
- Supports overall parking management.
- A blueprint to develop additional actions using the technological state of the art.
- The demonstration extended to approximately 80 loading and unloading spaces within selected areas of Florence's city centre.
What were the challenges and barriers?
- Lengthy administrative procedures, approval timelines, and work-assignment procedures.
- As the LoRaWAN sensor solution was not feasible due to limited coverage, the municipality worked closely with the developer to find an alternative solution (NB-IoT sensors).
Factors to assess for replication & required adaptations
Policy alignment
The pilot was aligned with the city's logistics policies. The collected data also has potential value for broader urban and mobility planning.
Align the solution with local mobility and logistics policy targets.
Administrative Procedures
Implementation was affected by administrative procedures, including approval timelines and coordination requirements.
Incorporate administrative and approval procedures into the implementation schedule. Consider including deployment of the solution within a broader mobility strategy or programme.
Technical Flexibility
The sensor solution was not fully flexible because of technical requirements and infrastructure constraints. Sensor selection therefore needs to reflect the characteristics of the local deployment area and existing technology.
Assess existing gateways, sensors and communication infrastructure before selecting new technology. Where possible, use or integrate technologies already available in the city.
Internal Coordination & Developer Collaboration
Effective cooperation between the mobility department, other municipal departments and the technology provider supported implementation.
Establish strong internal coordination across relevant municipal departments and maintain close communication with the technology provider throughout implementation.
Key lessons learned
Main takeaways from implementation
- Engaging the relevant personnel from the beginning allowed potential critical issues to be detected early and addressed through shared solutions.
- The accuracy of the sensors is a technical challenge to be tested — real-time occupancy data could be very useful for feeding decision-making processes in urban and mobility planning.
Recommendations
Action-oriented advice for future adopters
- Cities should connect loading-zone tools to existing infrastructure and wider logistics planning objectives, rather than implementing them as isolated solutions.
- Develop a holistic implementation strategy that considers not only the solution itself but also administrative timelines, infrastructure requirements and wider mobility objectives.
- Analyse available gateway and sensor options before deployment and select the technology that best fits the characteristics and infrastructure of the target area.
Logistics Operator Monitoring System & Incentives Tool
Logistics Operator Monitoring System & Incentives Tool
Pilot Focus
In Florence, the tool was tested to monitor logistics operators' behaviour and manage reward policies. The local authority can define rules aimed at rewarding virtuous behaviour or penalising less virtuous behaviour: a Reward Policies Management module lets it define and manage "gaming" campaigns and the associated rules for credit acquisition, while a mobile app lets logistics operators participate in those campaigns and offers behavioural tracking and social nudging, showing their behaviour and acquired rewards. A second module was tested to assess how well the city's urban logistics operators adhere to the regulations, rules and guidelines governing urban freight logistics operations.
What worked during the demonstration?
- Cooperation with the developer and the logistics operators helped overcome barriers, and there was interest in the data being collected.
- The tool is a strategic, self-standing service that is not geographically bound.
What were the challenges and barriers?
- Gathering critical data for the service depends on logistics operators' willingness to share their activity data.
- Changing city regulations regarding transportation and delivery methods can pose operational challenges.
- Familiarisation with the tool and collection of historical data.
- Ensuring consistency in the assessment process.
Factors to assess for replication & required adaptations
Deployment Readiness
The solution design was approved and considered ready for deployment, indicating a mature starting point for implementation.
Adaptation to local policies and regulations.
Technical Infrastructure
Implementation depends on connectivity.
Not challenging, as the tool is based on drivers' phones.
Stakeholder engagement
The effectiveness of the tool depends on active participation and on whether users perceive the campaigns and rewards as useful.
Ensure GDPR compliance and involve operators and drivers in the design and testing of missions and rewards. Explain clearly which data are collected, how points are assigned and how the information will be used.
Data interoperability
Relevant data can support planning, monitoring and decision-making.
Identify the key data to be collected and analysed.
Key lessons learned
Main takeaways from implementation
- Linking incentive mechanisms to existing logistics services may make campaigns more concrete.
- The integration should be simple and relevant to actual delivery workflows.
Recommendations
Action-oriented advice for future adopters
- Establish a clear framework, ensuring that possible privacy issues are resolved in advance.
- Set clear regulations and targets.
- Engage relevant stakeholders from the outset to ensure that the solution responds to the needs of all parties involved and to reduce implementation barriers later.
Congestion Forecasting & Safe Route Planning Tool
Congestion Forecasting & Safe Route Planning Tool
Pilot Focus
The pilot tests and validates the Congestion Forecasting and Safe Route Planning tool for cargo bikes, helping riders identify safer and more suitable routes for urban freight deliveries. Logistics operators can navigate the map and customise routes by selecting or deselecting specific features, accounting for relevant road and traffic conditions to improve the safety and efficiency of cargo-bike operations.
What worked during the demonstration?
- Collaboration between the developer and the logistics operator involved.
- No physical infrastructure required.
- Prioritisation options were welcomed by logistics operators.
What were the challenges and barriers?
- Logistics operators sharing potentially sensitive data.
- Communicating to users where the tool overlaps with other existing applications, highlighting its additional and specific features.
Factors to assess for replication & required adaptations
Regulatory
GDPR and traffic-regulation compliance are required.
Ensure GDPR compliance.
Data interoperability
Relevant data can support the effectiveness of the KER.
Identify the key data to be integrated.
Road and infrastructure data
Route calculation requires sufficiently detailed and reliable information on the road and cycle network and on characteristics affecting logistics operations.
Verify the availability, quality and update frequency of data concerning lane characteristics, gradients, restrictions, surfaces, physical barriers and sensitive locations.
Integration with existing applications
Existing, established navigation services already cover similar ground.
Clarify the logistics-specific added value of the service and assess whether integration with existing applications or municipal platforms is preferable to a separate interface.
Key lessons learned
Main takeaways from implementation
- Close collaboration between the developers and the final users.
- The quality of the routing results depends on the availability, accuracy and updating of local data concerning the road network, cycle infrastructure, restrictions and other relevant route characteristics.
Recommendations
Action-oriented advice for future adopters
- Secure political support for the use of cargo bikes.
- Ensure the availability of data about lanes.
- Direct involvement of logistics operators and drivers is important for defining meaningful route priorities and assessing whether the application fits actual delivery workflows.
Advanced Management IT Cockpit of Shared Facilities
Advanced Management IT Cockpit of Shared Facilities
Pilot Focus
The focus of this demonstration in Florence was to test a tool that promotes shared facilities among different logistics operators and optimises the management of the available space. The demonstrated functionalities included monitoring the occupancy status of the loading/unloading space at the micro-hub site, to promote the use of shared facilities while optimising the use of the available space.
What worked during the demonstration?
- Strong collaboration between the developers and the relevant city departments.
- Alignment with smart-city initiatives and potential integration into the existing urban mobility platform.
What were the challenges and barriers?
- Regulatory/technical: finding the optimal location to best test the solution and install the tool, ensuring the availability of all necessary connections and suitable visibility/light conditions.
- GDPR compliance aspects because of the use of a camera.
- The success of the tool depends on effective enforcement of parking regulations.
Factors to assess for replication & required adaptations
Site Selection & Technical Connections
Selecting an appropriate location was important for testing the solution.
Assess potential locations before deployment, considering power supply, connectivity, physical installation requirements and the involvement of external stakeholders associated with the site.
Data Protection
The use of cameras creates privacy considerations.
Assess privacy and data-protection requirements before deployment. Apply privacy-by-design principles and determine whether the monitoring setup involves identifiable individuals or other personal data.
Developer & City Collaboration
Strong collaboration between the technology developer and relevant city departments supported implementation and helped address practical issues.
Involve relevant municipal departments, logistics operators and end users from the outset. Maintain communication with the developer throughout design, installation and testing.
Key lessons learned
Main takeaways from implementation
- Engaging the relevant personnel from the beginning allowed potential critical issues to be detected early and addressed through shared solutions.
Recommendations
Action-oriented advice for future adopters
- Complete technical design, installation planning and approval procedures before deployment of shared-facility monitoring devices.
- Select the testing site based on both operational suitability and technical feasibility, ensuring that the necessary connections and infrastructure are available.
- Integrate privacy and data protection from the beginning of the solution design.
- Engage all relevant stakeholders early, ensuring that operational needs are considered and potential implementation issues are identified and mitigated before deployment.
