City logistics: An application for İzmir city

The term `city logistics? has recently emerged as a new field of logistics management, having embraced the mission of restructuring the logistics activities involving cities in particular taking into account such factors as traffic congestion, environmental awareness, energy consumption, visual concerns and urban economy. In urban life where all social, cultural, industrial and commercial activities are interrelated executed all together within the boundaries of a city, what has raised the importance of `city logistics? has been the concern for increasing quality of life, sustaining economic growth, mitigating the negative effects of the goods produced and consumed within the city on the logistics costs; increasing urban competition, keeping under control such environmental effects as energy consumption, visual and noise pollution, and minimizing traffic problems. The purpose of this study is first to analyze the feature of İzmir in terms of city logistics and then explore/clarify the basic problems encountered in the logistic operations carried out within the city and eventually develop reasonable and practicable proposals aiming to solve the difficulties suffered. The methodology used in this study is two-fold: On the one hand, a thorough literature review, covering both the archives and statistical reports, has been completed concerning city logistics in general and İzmir in particular. This review has also comprised various logistics practises adopted by certain cities. The data collected through this review has enabled to produce a clear profile of the city logistics in Izmir, having comprised a thorough analysis of the physical infrastructure, operational infra and super structure, the overalldemands for the available logistics services, i.e. logistics process potential, and city logistics knots. On the other hand, certain semi structures interviews have been carried out with the leading stakeholders in the city logistics affairs in Izmır. The most important parties involved in these interviews are logistics service providers, public transport service providers, non-govermental organizations, and the relevant authorities from the municipality. With the interviews; the city logistics problems encountered in Izmir and the possible proposals to solve the difficulties have been discussed. Keywords: Logistics, City Logistics, City Logistics Related Problems, Applicable Solutions For City Logistics, City Logistics in Izmir