NYC Ends Criminal Charges For Cyclists

NEW YORK, NY — The City will stop issuing criminal summonses to cyclists and e-bike riders for low-level traffic violations, replacing them with civil penalties under a new policy set to take effect March 27.

Under the previous approach, riders charged with minor offenses such as failing to stop at a sign had to appear in criminal court.

Missing a court date could lead to a bench warrant or arrest.

The new policy shifts those violations into the same civil system used for motorists.

“Every New Yorker on our roads, whether driving or biking, deserves to be treated fairly,” Mayor Zohran Mamdani said. “By ending criminal summonses for low-level traffic offenses, we’re ensuring cyclists and e-bike riders — including those who deliver our food and groceries — are treated like others on the road.”

City officials paired the enforcement change with a broader effort targeting safety and delivery industry practices.

The Department of Transportation will launch a training program for delivery workers covering traffic laws, safe riding and worker rights.

The program will be available online in six languages beginning in April.

The administration also plans to introduce legislation requiring app-based delivery companies to share trip-level data, including safety incidents and worker penalties.

The proposal would allow the city to set delivery time standards and mandate additional training for workers with repeated unsafe behavior.

“For too long, third-party delivery companies have incentivized dangerous cycling behavior without proper oversight or accountability,” DOT Commissioner Mike Flynn said.

The City will work with delivery platforms and advocates to enforce the new standards while expanding street designs that accommodate cyclists and pedestrians.

Officials will also partner with Citi Bike’s operator to add hardware changes aimed at preventing multiple riders on a single bike and to expand safety campaigns.