Image courtesy of the NYC Department of Transportation on Flickr
New York City is looking to permit bigger electric cargo bikes to deliver more goods more sustainably. The city’s Department of Transportation on Monday announced a proposed rule allowing the use of pedal-assist bikes that are up to 48 inches wide with four wheels, compared to the currently permitted 36-inch-wide bikes with three wheels. The extra width and wheel would make the bikes easier to use, reducing the number of delivery trucks on city streets and cutting vehicle emissions and traffic. The announcement kicks off the 30-day public comment period, with a public hearing scheduled for next month.
DOT first approved the use of commercial cargo bikes in 2019 as part of a pilot program. Throughout 2022, cargo bikes made over 130,000 trips and delivered more than five million packages, preventing the city from producing roughly 650,000 metric tons of CO2 emissions, according to a press release.
Under the city’s proposed rule, the cargo bikes could measure up to 48 inches wide and have up to four wheels. The pedal technology is the same used on many of CitiBike’s most popular models and activates a small motor only when the rider is pedaling.
“Greater use of cargo bikes will bring incredible environmental and safety benefits for New York City by reducing the number of large, high-polluting trucks on our streets,” DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez said.
“Just two cargo bikes can replace one box truck, increasing safety and reducing CO2 emission by 14 tons per year — equivalent to 30,872 passenger car miles traveled.”
In May, DOT unveiled its own cargo e-bike called “Cargi B.” The fully-electric, pedal-assisted cargo bike has a windshield and looks more like a small van with pedals than an electric bike.
A virtual public hearing on the new rule will be held on September 13 at 10 a.m. New Yorkers can submit feedback on the program here, or by emailing rules@dot.nyc.gov, mailing comments to DOT at 55 Water Street, or by faxing comments to 212-839-7777.
“Cargo-bikes are an increasingly important mode of freight and package delivery in New York City, helping to reduce the number of vehicles on the street as well as lower emissions on our roadways, Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine said.
“Wider cargo bikes will allow them to be more widely used as well as safer to operate, and I applaud DOT for starting this rule making process.”
NYC pushing for bigger, wider electric cargo bikes
August 14, 2023
Image courtesy of the NYC Department of Transportation on Flickr