What We Do

The MIT CTL Informal Logistics Initiative is a research and field innovation initiative focused on understanding and improving informal last-mile logistics. From independent couriers and personal-vehicle delivery drivers to nanostore suppliers and micro-distributors, millions of workers move goods through cities every day with limited access to routing tools, safe parking, restrooms, data, financing, insurance, and operational support. 

The MIT CTL Informal Logistics Initiative combines field research, data science, optimization, behavioral insights, and applied pilots to design practical solutions that improve productivity, safety, and service performance.

Picture of a person holding a phone with GPS directions displayed

Why We Do It

Every day, millions of informal and independent logistics workers keep cities supplied. They deliver packages, groceries, restaurant orders, beverages, consumer goods, and essential products direct to households, small businesses, and local markets. They are central to urban life, but often invisible in logistics data, planning tools, infrastructure design, and public policy. The MIT CTL Informal Logistics Initiative studies these workers and the systems around them to develop evidence-based solutions for more productive, safe, dignified, and efficient last-mile logistics for smarter cities. 
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Delivery driver riding a scooter on a road, the image has a slight blur

What We Study

Informal logistics includes the delivery and distribution activities performed by independent drivers, micro-carriers, platform couriers, nanostore suppliers, personal-vehicle delivery workers, and small-scale transport operators. These workers often operate outside traditional logistics systems. They may use scooters, bicycles, motorcycles, cars, vans, or improvised delivery arrangements. They serve fragmented urban markets where customers are dispersed, infrastructure is limited, and delivery conditions change daily. The MIT CTL Informal Logistics Initiative focuses on making this system visible, measurable, and actionable.
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