At the 2025 TRB Annual Meeting, Dr. Xu presented a poster on “Analysis of Transshipment in Three-Sided Meal Delivery Services via Microhubs.” This research, conducted in collaboration with his student Linxuan, introduces and analyzes a novel meal delivery model that integrates transshipment. Preliminary findings show that incorporating transshipment significantly outperforms the traditional pickup-and-delivery model by reducing both customer wait times and vehicle miles traveled, especially under high-demand or low-supply conditions. This approach is particularly effective for serving larger areas and fulfilling long-distance orders.
Additionally, Dr. Xu has begun a new role as the Communication Coordinator for the TRB Standing Committee on Innovative Public Transportation Services and Technologies (AP020). If you have exciting news or research findings related to emerging mobility services and technologies, please feel free to reach out—I’d love to help broadcast the information to the broader research and practitioner community!