Investigation of carrier-receiver interactions affecting willingness to adopt off-hour deliveries

This research develops stakeholder behavioral models (SBMs) for carriers and receivers, incorporating Social Interaction Attributes (SIAs) to assess the Willingness To Change (WTC) towards off-hour deliveries. The study uses Structural Equation Models (SEM) to tests hypotheses aimed to evaluate the impact on the WTC of the SIAs: Trust, Power, Infrastructure and Insecurity. We conducted Stated Preferences (SP) surveys targeting two primary groups: owner-operators and managers of the trucking industry (the carriers), and establishments from diverse industry and commerce segments (the receivers). The models highlight the importance of interaction between agents in shaping behavioral responses to off-hour delivery initiatives. Additionally, decisions by real estate and city agencies on infrastructure and security impact readiness to adopt off-hour deliveries. Understanding power dynamics in urban freight transportation is crucial for successful policymaking. The results support statistical evidence that powerful agents impose delivery times, affecting other stakeholders’ choices and interactions. Targeting decision-makers responsible for externalities, including receivers, city agencies, and the real estate sector, is crucial. Social interactions must be included to accurately represent stakeholder behaviors and effective policymaking for off-hour delivery initiatives. The study’s findings emphasize the importance of addressing stakeholders’ preferences and interactions to promote sustainable freight transport policies such as off-hour deliveries.