Dr. Sreedevi Rajagopalan, a research scientist at the MIT Center for Transportation and Logistics, was featured in a recent article examining the environmental impact of fast shipping and last-mile delivery. Rajagopalan explained how demand for next-day and same-day delivery disrupts efficient routing, leading to half-empty trucks, repeated trips through the same neighborhoods, and increased reliance on carbon-intensive air freight. Drawing on her research, she noted that fast shipping can increase emissions by 10–12% and highlighted how even short delivery delays can significantly reduce carbon output. Rajagopalan also discussed how consumer education and order consolidation can play a key role in lowering emissions without sacrificing convenience.
Read the article on the Associated Press
