WILL DEVELOP LEGISLATION TO IMPROVE STREET SAFETY
March 18, 2026
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
New York City Police Department will stop issuing criminal summonses for e-bike riders and cyclists for low-level traffic offenses
NEW YORK — Today, Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani announced a sweeping set of policies to end criminal enforcement against e-bike riders and cyclists for low-level traffic offenses, expand safety training for all e-bike and bicycle delivery workers, enhance Citi Bike safety features and strengthen accountability for app-based delivery companies.
Beginning Friday, March 27, the New York City Police Department (NYPD)’s policy under the prior administration of issuing criminal summonses to e-bike riders and cyclists for low-level traffic offenses will be rescinded. Under that policy, riders could be criminally charged for minor violations such as disobeying a stop sign — forcing them to appear in criminal court, with failure to appear risking a bench warrant or arrest.
Under the Mamdani administration, these violations will instead be addressed through the same civil summons process as motorists. This change ensures accountability while ending a punitive system that has disproportionately burdened working New Yorkers.
In tandem, the Mayor and the New York City Department of Transportation (NYC DOT) will launch a robust, comprehensive safety training program for delivery workers and work with the City Council to pursue legislation to address unsafe practices by third-party delivery app companies — practices that often incentivize dangerous riding through unrealistic delivery times.
Proposed legislation will require delivery platforms to share trip-level data with NYC DOT to inform safer delivery standards and comply with those standards. The City will also seek authority to mandate enhanced training for delivery workers who repeatedly engage in unsafe riding behavior.
“Every New Yorker on our roads, whether driving or biking, deserves to be treated fairly. 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,” said Mayor Mamdani. “At the same time, we’re making our streets safer for everyone. In partnership with the City Council, we’ll strengthen safety standards, hold app companies accountable and expand training for delivery riders. This balanced approach supports riders while protecting pedestrians and motorists — and moves us closer to making our streetscape the envy of the world.”
“Every New Yorker deserves a workplace where their safety and dignity are the top priority — including the delivery cyclists who serve our city day and night, through blizzards and downpours,” said NYC DOT Commissioner Mike Flynn. “For too long, third-party delivery companies have incentivized dangerous cycling behavior without proper oversight or accountability. To truly deliver safe streets for all New Yorkers, we will be taking a multipronged approach that holds delivery companies accountable for their impact on street safety, provides training and resources to delivery workers and expands bold new street designs that better accommodate e-bike riders and pedestrians.”
“Delivery workers have one of the most dangerous jobs in the city, and I commend Mayor Mamdani and Commissioner Flynn for these critical efforts to address unsafe corporate practices that play out on our streets,” said NYC Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP) Commissioner Samuel A.A. Levine. “When delivery apps push workers to speed through unreasonable quotas or unrealistic delivery times, it creates a dangerous streetscape for every New Yorker. DCWP will use any and every tool at its disposal to support our DOT colleagues’ street safety initiatives and ensure apps are held accountable.”
“I applaud Mayor Mamdani for taking a real step toward making our streets safer. If we’re serious about safety, we have to address the root causes of dangerous riding, and that includes the systems pushing people on bikes to take risks,” said City Council Majority Leader and Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chair Shaun Abreu. “Our path forward must include holding delivery app companies accountable for unrealistic timelines, investing in real training for workers and continuing to redesign our streets so everyone has a safe place to be, whether you’re walking, biking or driving.”
“Better data is essential to understanding how delivery activity impacts street safety and to shaping effective policy,” said Council Member Gale A. Brewer. “Safer streets require a clear understanding of how deliveries are happening across the city, and I appreciate the administration’s recognition of this legislation and the broader need to address e-bike safety. I look forward to working with the administration to move this forward.”
“The end of criminal enforcement for minor traffic offenses for cyclists and e-bike riders is a major step forward. For too long, app delivery companies have built business models that push workers to speed, work long hours and ride in unsafe conditions — making delivery one of the most dangerous jobs in New York City. One in five delivery workers has been injured on the job, and half have experienced accidents while working,” said Ligia Guallpa, Executive Director, Workers Justice Project / Los Deliveristas Unidos. “We applaud Mayor Mamdani and DOT Commissioner Flynn for taking bold action to hold these billion-dollar companies accountable. This is a crucial step toward addressing the root causes of unsafe delivery work, and we look forward to advancing a comprehensive worker justice platform that makes delivery work safer and creates safer streets for e-bike riders, pedestrians and all New Yorkers.”
“Finally, Mayor Mamdani is ending the previous administration’s wrongheaded and bizarre targeting of New Yorkers on bikes,” said Ben Furnas, Executive Director, Transportation Alternatives. “We’re happy that criminal summonses are finally ending for bike riders, and the era of punishing bike riders criminally, while just giving drivers traffic tickets for the same infraction, has come to an end. Everyone deserves to feel safe on our streets and sidewalks, and we look forward to working with the Mayor, the City Council and the entire bicycling community to make sure everyone is safe and respected as we get around. With thoughtful regulation of the delivery industry, higher quality infrastructure so there is a safe place for everyone on the road, and meaningful education and support for safe operation, we can realize Mayor Mamdani’s vision to make our streets the envy of the world.”
“We’re thrilled that Mayor Mamdani is directing the NYPD to reverse the discriminatory practice of issuing criminal summonses to cyclists that was implemented by the preceding administration,” said Eric McClure, Executive Director, StreetsPAC. “Criminally charging someone riding a bike for an infraction for which the driver of a 400-horsepower, three-ton SUV only receives a traffic ticket makes no sense and does nothing to improve safety, and we’re grateful that City Hall is righting that wrong. What does improve safety is reducing or eliminating the perverse incentives that lead to unsafe behaviors, like delivery-app algorithms that set unrealistic delivery expectations, and enhancing training and education. We’re excited to support the Mamdani administration and NYC DOT in moving forward with these important initiatives.”
As part of this initiative, the City will launch an enhanced safety training program in April for all bicycle and e-bike delivery workers. The program — accessible online through secure accounts and available in six languages — will cover workers’ rights and responsibilities, safe e-bike and bicycle operation and traffic laws. NYC DOT will oversee compliance and implement the program in partnership with delivery worker advocates to ensure that trainings are completed and workers’ rights are protected in the process.
The Mamdani administration will also partner with Lyft, operator of Citi Bike, to introduce hardware upgrades that deter multiple riders on a single bike and to amplify a forthcoming education and safety campaign in collaboration with Transportation Alternatives. The City will continue to work with Citi Bike’s operator and stakeholders to advance additional safety enhancements in the future.
Finally, the Mamdani administration will work with the City Council to develop legislation addressing the root causes of unsafe e-bike and cycling delivery practices. The legislation will:
- Require third-party delivery companies to provide trip-level data on deliveries, worker penalties and safety incidents to NYC DOT;
- Authorize the City to establish safe delivery time standards and regulate penalties imposed on workers;
- Authorize NYC DOT to require enhanced training for delivery workers who repeatedly engage in unsafe e-bike and cyclist behavior; and
- Expand commercial delivery safety and training requirements to cover all two-wheeled devices, including mopeds and motorcycles.