As more Dashers look to e-bikes as a way to get across and earn money in our cities, we’re committed to help ensure these devices remain accessible and affordable, as well as promoting their safe use. We are especially proud to celebrate the one-year anniversary of these efforts in our partnership with the Equitable Commute Project (ECP). Together, we have helped hundreds of delivery workers in New York City access high quality e-bikes, reduce risks posed by substandard lithium-ion batteries, and provide crucial guidance about how to safely operate them.
DoorDash and ECP are eager to build on this success and broaden our impact, and have extended our partnership to allow us to continue leading the way to help improve safety for Dashers and bolstering proven strategies and new initiatives across the five boroughs.
Growing Demand for Safe Micromobility Devices
The benefits of e-bikes are clear: Many Dashers prefer these devices because they are cheaper to own and operate, while also reducing car congestion and emitting fewer emissions per delivery than cars. At DoorDash, our goal has been to embrace efforts that allow Dashers to access these devices, while also supporting measures to get unsafe and dangerous batteries off the streets. That’s why we eagerly partnered with ECP to invest in affordable options for certified e-bikes for Dashers, bringing equity to the forefront of this work.
Celebrating Milestones and Community Impact
One year later, we are proud to see strong interest from Dashers trading in their devices for these UL certified e-bikes. This spring, we joined ECP for a special trade-in event to celebrate the 100th delivery worker to exchange their device for a certified safe e-bike and batteries. New Yorkers from all walks of life tell us this work is making a difference, helping reduce the unsafe use and charging of e-bikes.
Action At All Levels of Government
Expanding our impact means working with partners like ECP and a broad coalition of stakeholders to help further curb access to dangerous devices. This spring, there was a clear call to action with approval of H.R. 1797 in the House of Representatives, led by Rep. Ritchie Torres (D NY-15), where dozens of policymakers, advocates, and business leaders rallied behind setting a national consumer product safety standard for the rechargeable lithium-ion batteries.
Similarly, New York Governor Kathy Hochul has been a leader in encouraging the safe use of e-bikes, recently signing legislation to set high standards and specifications for devices powered by lithium-ion batteries. We will continue to support these important state and federal initiatives to stop the sale of unsafe batteries and devices at the source and continue to work on new strategies to get more certified devices to Dashers.
Building A Stronger Future For E-Bike Deliveries
ECP has been instrumental in strengthening our work to meet New Yorkers’ needs for safe and reliable e-bike options. Focusing on proven ways like these to support delivery workers using these devices, rather than recreating even more barriers, is crucial to improving safety and collaborating on long-term solutions — unlike new proposals by the New York City Council that could undermine access to bike deliveries altogether if new requirements are imposed.
Despite these challenges, we are committed to prioritizing and expanding these efforts, as well as working with stakeholders across the city, state, and at the national level, to support Dashers, help keep our communities safe, and continue to help grow and empower local economies.
