Christopher Cano is the National Business Improvement & Implementation Manger at Australia Post’s StarTrack Courier division and is known for driving innovation and operational excellence. With over 14 years of industry experience, he has led national initiatives spanning technology, analytics and customer strategy – delivering tangible improvements in efficiency, profitability and service quality. His leadership is defined by a hands-on approach, strategic foresight and a deep commitment to building safe & high-performing teams.

Beyond the workplace, Chris is a passionate advocate for learning and mentoring. He actively supports emerging talent through internal programs and his involvement with the Supply Chain & Logistics Association of Australia’s Mentor Program. He collaborates with academic institutions like Swinburne University on Cooperative Research Centre (CRC) projects, bridging industry and research to shape the future of logistics. Chris also contributes to community governance as a member of the Risk & Governance Board at St Bernard’s College, reflecting his dedication to leadership, education and long-term impact.

Dr Joyce is an Associate Professor in the School of Mathematics and Statistics. She has received a Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering from Southeast University, China, and a PhD in Operations Research from UoM. Her areas of expertise are broadly mathematical modelling and optimisation, traffic flow theory, Monte Carlo simulation, scheduling theory, Operations Research, City Logistics, and time series analysis. She is an Associate Investigator of ARC Centre of Excellence for Mathematical and Statistical Frontiers (ACEMS) and a Chief Investigator of ARC Training Centre in Optimisation Technologies, Integrated Methodologies, and Applications (OPTIMA). She is involved in Physical Internet Lab at UoM. She also has research collaborations with several industries in logistics, transport and healthcare, including Toll, Transport of Victoria, and Australian Red Cross Lifeblood.

Title: Collaborative and Intelligent Solutions for Urban Freight: Optimising Routes, Sharing Resources, and Coordinating Access

Abstract

Urban freight in central city areas faces rising challenges from congestion, scarce curb space, and demand for fast deliveries. This talk reviews optimisation models and intelligent systems for courier routing, data-driven and reservation-based curb management, stochastic coordination across multiple couriers, and dynamic auction-based delivery service trading platforms. Together, these innovations demonstrate how shared resources, real-time information, and cooperative systems can create more efficient, sustainable, and resilient urban logistics.