E-Bike Food Deliverers Will Need License In Hoboken If Plan Passes

HOBOKEN, NJ — Dozens of food delivery workers can be seen rolling through mile-square Hoboken on ebikes or scooters on any given day.

Now, three council members want to better regulate them to increase street (and sidewalk) safety.

Councilmen Paul Presinzano, Ruben Ramos, and Michael Russo announced Friday a multilayered safety proposal for anyone delivering food using a motorized vehicle.

The council will vote on the introduction of their proposal at the meeting this Wednesday.

Aside from licensing, their proposed regulations would force the deliverers to wear fluorescent vests so they're easily seen.

To get approved, the proposal would have to pass two votes of the nine-member Hoboken City Council.

On social media, some debate ensued over the proposal. Two commenters said that officials need to better enforce the existing laws that would keep e-bikers off sidewalks, and some suggested the regulations will unfairly target low-wage workers.

Below is the release from the three council members.

Press Release About The Proposal:

With the surge of food delivery in Hoboken since the COVID-19 pandemic, residents have expressed concerns and frustration with instances of food delivery personnel unsafely operating electric bikes, scooters, and other types of vehicles on Hoboken streets and sidewalks.

Councilman Paul Presinzano, recently elected to his first term, along with Councilmen Ruben Ramos and Dr. Michael Russo, both recently re-elected, are introducing an ordinance to improve safety for residents and certain food delivery personnel while maintaining a strong food delivery business in Hoboken, which is a valued service by Hoboken residents.

The ordinance reflects collective input from local restaurants, food delivery riders, members of the administration and the Hoboken community and aligns with the principles of Hoboken’s Vision Zero plan to eliminate traffic-related injuries in Hoboken. As NYC, Jersey City and other cities explore e-vehicle food delivery legislation, Hoboken will become one of the first to establish a licensing program to address this growing safety concern.

“A major quality of life concern for Hoboken residents has been the impact of unsafe food delivery e-vehicles on our sidewalks and at our intersections,” says Presinzano. “This ordinance will make riders more visible and therefore more accountable and will make it easier for reckless riding to be enforced.”

The proposed ordinance is structured around three main principles: Registration, Education, and Visibility. A new licensing process will be established that will require those who use electric bikes, scooters, or other similar electric vehicles for food delivery in Hoboken to be licensed with the City of Hoboken and wear a city-provided fluorescent vest bearing their license number. Licensing will require reviewing state and local laws pertaining to safely riding on Hoboken’s streets, taking a short quiz, and paying an annual $5 license fee. A fine of $50 will be assessed if the ordinance is not followed.

“Making the riders more visible is an easy step to take to help protect residents from serious injury and make the job safer for delivery personnel at the same time.” states Ramos. “No pedestrian should feel unsafe as they walk on our sidewalks and cross the street.”

The start of the new ordinance will be June 2024. This approach allows time for community education and input to ensure a successful rollout and maximum compliance with this new program. As supporters of Vision Zero, the Councilmen feel it is common sense to put harm mitigation first before someone gets seriously hurt.

“This is a great first step and a low cost solution to address this worsening quality of life concern.” says Russo. “This allows us to support our local businesses, protect our food delivery riders, and most importantly ensure the safety of our neighbors.”

The ordinance will be introduced at the City Council meeting on February 7th. Residents of Hoboken are encouraged to contact the sponsors to discuss their concerns and offer their insights on this new ordinance. They believe working together can build a brighter, healthier, and safer Hoboken.