New York City Department of Transportation (NYC DOT) Commissioner, Ydanis Rodriguez has announced the summer launch of a pilot programme that will test the effectiveness of local delivery microhubs.
These microhubs will provide designated curbside and off-street locations for delivery trucks to unload items on to smaller, low or no-emission vehicles such as cargo bikes for last-mile deliveries.
Currently, more than 80% of New Yorkers receive at least one package each week, while 18% receive packages on four or more days per week, leading to an increase in delivery vehicles on city streets.
Nearly 90% of these goods are transported into and around the city by truck, which contributes to traffic congestion, public safety challenges, air pollution and infrastructure degradation.
Local delivery hubs offer the potential to reduce these impacts by providing safe spaces for truck operators to transfer deliveries onto more sustainable modes of transport for last-mile deliveries.
NYC DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez said:New Yorkers are receiving more deliveries than ever before, and we are pursuing creative ways to make these deliveries cleaner, safer, and more efficient by reducing the number of delivery trucks on our roads. These hubs will help better organise last-mile deliveries and support small and large businesses’ economic recovery as we emerge from the pandemic.
Throughout the first phase of the programme, NYC DOT will launch up to 20 local delivery microhub sites to test both curbside and off-street locations. It will then monitor operations and refine strategies to ensure the programme benefits both small and large companies.
These sites will be selected based on proximity to high-density areas, truck routes, transit and bike lane networks.
Phase two of the programme will run from autumn 2024 onwards to expand the number of local delivery hubs and delivery partners.
This second phase will also explore regulatory changes and incentives, examine new technology and amenity options and determine whether a permanent local delivery hub programme could be established.
A final report on the programme is expected to be published in late 2026.
