AMZN Amazon.com Inc

By Paul Berger 

Cargo bikes operated by freight companies will be given free access to commercial loading spaces in New York City in a bid to reduce congestion.

City officials said Wednesday about 100 special bikes operated by Amazon.com Inc., United Parcel Service Inc. and Deutsche Post AG's DHL business would participate in the six-month pilot program, which will be concentrated in Manhattan's central business district south of 60th Street.

Congestion is a growing problem on New York streets. Average weekday travel speeds in Midtown Manhattan fell to 4.3 mph last year from 6.1 mph in 2010, according to a recent city report.

Amazon said it would deploy about 90 bikes in the pilot program. An official for DHL said the company's experience deploying cargo bikes in Europe showed that each bicycle takes at least one delivery van off the road. The cargo bikes being used in the New York program are powered by an electric motor that kicks in when a rider starts pedaling.

Streetside commercial parking rates in New York range from $5.00 to $8.00 an hour, depending on the location and duration. The bikes will have free access to those spaces, and the city will also allow bikes of a limited size to park on the sidewalk.

Commercial deliveries are among a number of factors that have contributed to congestion.

During the past five years, the city has been choked by an influx of about 80,000 ride-hailing vehicles. Over roughly the same period, truck traffic at tolled crossings into and around New York City has increased by 9.4%, according to city data.

City Council Speaker Corey Johnson welcomed the cargo-bike program on Wednesday. In a statement, he said the rise in deliveries to about one million freight trips as day has caused chaos on city streets.

Christian Fama, director of client services at Empire Commercial Services, a fleet-management company in Staten Island, said he doesn't oppose the program. But he wondered whether it could increase congestion by forcing trucks and vans to double-park or circle the block while waiting for a bike to move. He also expressed concern that the bikes, which will be limited to 12 mph, could slow traffic if they use vehicle lanes.

City officials invited other firms to join the program. They said the transportation department would collect data, including speeds, parking and use of bicycle lanes, to determine whether to change rules as the program progresses.

Write to Paul Berger at Paul.Berger@wsj.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

December 04, 2019 13:05 ET (18:05 GMT)

Amazon.com (NASDAQ:AMZN)
Gráfica de Acción Histórica
De Mar 2024 a Abr 2024

Amazon.com (NASDAQ:AMZN)
Gráfica de Acción Histórica
De Abr 2023 a Abr 2024