NYC takes step to accelerate e-bike adoption

New York City is taking a step that could reduce blight, provide an essential service to food delivery workers, and provide a model to encourage e-bike adoption in towns and cities nationwide, by planning to install e-bike charging hubs at abandoned newsstands for delivery workers throughout the city.

To fight climate change, we’re going to have to cut down on our transportation emissions, a large proportion of which come from private cars. One of the best ways to do that is by switching from driving to using an e-bike. E-bikes are one of the most efficient ways to get around out there- they take up much less space and use far less energy than a car, while allowing their riders to climb hills and ride long distances with far less effort. This convenience is one of the reasons why E-bikes have proven very popular among app food delivery drivers in New York. 

Public charging stations make it easier and more convenient to use e-bikes, and the proposed stations would have the added benefit of giving delivery workers a place to rest and take a break from the weather. Senator Chuck Schumer intends to secure $1 million in funding from a spending bill this December.

Other cities should take note- abandoned newsstands or other blighted structures could be used to create e-bike charging stations for delivery workers as well as the general public. E-bike sales are growing in the United States, indicating that the demand for sustainable transportation is there- and it’s time for our infrastructure to follow suit.