Dive Brief:
- New York City is working to reduce air pollution, congestion and truck deliveries through a “microhub” pilot program that provides curb space for delivery trucks and couriers.
- The city said in an April 22 press release the microhubs will create designated spaces for Amazon, Net Zero Logistics and UPS on the Upper West Side, allowing those companies’ delivery trucks to transfer packages to cargo bikes, pushcarts and zero-emission vehicles to complete the last leg of deliveries.
- “These microhubs will cut down on the number of truck trips on our busy city streets and also cut down on double parking and blocking sidewalks," said New York City Department of Transportation Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez in an email.
Dive Insight:
The surging e-commerce sector has increased deliveries in urban areas, causing last-mile delivery logistical issues, increased congestion and detrimental health impacts, according to the World Economic Forum. Companies like Walmart have tried to find innovative ways to complete their last-mile deliveries, such as deploying drones and sidewalk robots.
A number of U.S. cities are also testing innovative strategies to reduce delivery-related greenhouse gas emissions. In 2021, Santa Monica, California, created the first “zero-emissions delivery zone” in the U.S.
In New York City, nearly 90% of goods are delivered by truck, with freight volumes expected to grow by 70% over the next two decades, a New York City Department of Transportation spokesperson stated in an email.
The microhubs will create dedicated spaces that will allow delivery trucks to unload packages and complete deliveries without double parking in front of homes, the spokesperson stated.
The microhubs will “drastically reduce the number of polluting trucks on city streets,” said Elijah Hutchinson, executive director of New York Mayor’s Office of Climate and Environmental Justice in a press release.
"When we look to cargo bikes and handcarts to help with deliveries, which have dramatically increased since the pandemic, we're cutting our emissions and reducing congestion, while also improving our quality of life by lowering noise levels on city streets," said Hutchinson.
The first three locations are within city “Smart Curbs” zones — part of a program launched last year that dedicates curb space for trucks and passenger vehicle loading, bike corrals, electric vehicle charging and pedestrians. The three microhub locations were chosen based on delivery volume, safety concerns and their ability to reduce double parking and congestion, the spokesperson stated.
The city plans to expand the pilot program over the next three years to 36 microhub sites, which will be located at both on-street and city-owned off-street locations, the spokesperson added.
