How On-Demand Delivery Services affects Safety
On-demand delivery services can lead to an increase in demand for curb space, leading to congestion and double parking which can pose safety risks to pedestrians and other curb users [1], [2]. Existing research primarily considers the impacts of ride-hail/transportation network companies (TNCs) on demand for curb space and associated safety impacts [2]. Common TNC traffic violations that impact safety include not yielding to pedestrians or obstructing public transit lanes and driveways, which can cause other drivers or travelers to move into less safe areas [2]. Study on the safety impacts unique to on-demand delivery service may not be needed.
From limited observations of robotic delivery services in the City of Pittsburgh, there were only 17 incidents involving vehicles or pedestrians reported throughout the program. However, the limited number of devices deployed makes it challenging to ensure their safety at larger scales [3].
References
M. Jaller, C. Rodier, M. Zhang, H. Lin, and K. Lewis, “Fighting for Curb Space: Parking, Ride-Hailing, Urban Freight Deliveries, and Other Users,” Jun. 2021, doi: 10.7922/G22N50JJ.
S. Shaheen, E. Martin, A. Cohen, J. Broader, and R. Davis, “Managing the Curb: Understanding the Impacts of On-Demand Mobility on Public Transit, Micromobility, and Pedestrians,” Mineta Transp. Inst. Publ., Jul. 2022, doi: 10.31979/mti.2022.1904.
D. Weinberg, H. Dwyer, S. E. Fox, and N. Martelaro, “Sharing the Sidewalk: Observing Delivery Robot Interactions with Pedestrians during a Pilot in Pittsburgh, PA,” Multimodal Technol. Interact., vol. 7, no. 5, p. 53, May 2023, doi: 10.3390/mti7050053.
Related Literature Reviews
See Literature Reviews on On-Demand Delivery Services
See Literature Reviews on Safety
Note: Mobility COE research partners conducted this literature review in Spring of 2024 based on research available at the time. Unless otherwise noted, this content has not been updated to reflect newer research.