Image Credit: NYC DOT
New York City Department of Transportation (NYC DOT) Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez and Fire Department (FDNY) Commissioner Robert Tucker today began distributing fire-safe, certified e-bikes and e-batteries at no cost to hundreds of food delivery workers as part of the city’s E-Bike Trade-In pilot program. The first-ever municipal program of its kind allows food delivery workers to trade in their uncertified e-bikes or illegal mopeds for one certified e-bike and two certified batteries. The program is part of the Adams administration’s Charge Safe, Ride Safe: New York City’s Electric Micromobility Action Plan to promote public safety amid growing e-bike use. The trade-ins aim to help reduce the risk of deadly e-battery fires, often caused by uncertified equipment, and enhance street safety by getting faster and heavier illegal mopeds off our streets. NYC DOT plans to distribute 30 e-bikes Thursday during the first of a series of trade-in events.
“Safer certified e-bikes, batteries, and charging practices will protect all New Yorkers from deadly fires,” said NYC DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez. “Delivery workers have one of the toughest jobs in New York City and supporting their work is part of our efforts to create a safer, more sustainable future. We were thrilled to host this event today and give these workers greater peace of mind as they provide their essential service to New Yorkers.”
“Uncertified lithium-ion batteries are extremely dangerous and even deadly. We are proud to partner with the DOT in this effort to get these unsafe, uncertified devices off the street,” said FDNY Fire Commissioner Robert Tucker. “This trade-in program will protect the public, and our first responders charged with responding to fires caused by these batteries.”
NYC DOT also announced that the application window for the program will reopen from June 12 at 9 AM to June 30 at 9 PM for eligible food delivery workers who did not apply during the first round and would like to join the program’s waitlist. Interested applicants can apply through the program’s application portal.
NYC DOT will be distributing one e-bike and two batteries each to more than 400 delivery workers who applied to participate in the pilot program over a series of trade-in events this summer. The eligible delivery workers are required to bring their uncertified e-bikes and illegal mopeds to the events, which NYC DOT will responsibly dispose of and recycle. The first event, on Thursday, took place at a NYC DOT facility in upper Manhattan.
