City officials in New York City announced a proactive initiative on Thursday aimed at enhancing the safety of delivery workers by providing them with new e-bikes and batteries.
This program is part of a broader safety effort to address fire incidents associated with micromobility devices.
NYC Department of Transportation Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez outlined that delivery workers who exchange unsafe equipment will receive a new, safety-certified e-bike along with two lithium-ion batteries at no cost.
Over the coming weeks, more than 400 e-bikes and batteries will be distributed, but recipients must first complete an online safety course.
Rodriguez emphasized the importance of safety, stating, “I want to be clear. As part of this course, we expect all delivery workers to ride at 15 miles per hour as per the decision Mayor Eric Adams and the city has made to reduce the speed of e-bikes.”
He urged food app companies like Door Dash and Uber to ease the pressure on delivery workers to meet fast delivery times.
Workers interested in the program can register online at ebike-trade.nyc.gov.
The overarching aim of this initiative is to ensure that e-bike riders and their surrounding communities remain safe.
According to the FDNY, there have been 110 fires and 25 injuries linked to faulty lithium-ion batteries in New York City so far in 2025.
FDNY Chief Robert Tucker noted that, while there have been no fatalities this year due to e-bike batteries, the previous year saw 18 deaths and 150 injuries linked to these devices.
“The numbers are trending in the right direction for sure, especially when it comes to deaths, but there is still tremendous work to be done,” Tucker remarked, reiterating that the issue with micromobility devices will persist.
He added that the trade-in program is a “creative solution” aimed at removing unsafe batteries from the streets of NYC.
However, he cautioned that fires can occur even when batteries are deemed certified, and some incidents happen when the batteries are not being charged.
“Data collected in 2023 showed that nearly 60% of fires by lithium-ion batteries were caused by batteries that were not being charged at the time,” Tucker stated.
To further prevent these incidents, Tucker provided several safety recommendations, urging New Yorkers to follow manufacturer guidelines, avoid illegal aftermarket batteries, seek UL certification stickers, and charge e-bikes outdoors whenever feasible.
The $2 million trade-in initiative was established in response to Local Law 131 of 2023, a legislation spearheaded by NYC Council Member Keith Powers.
The Worker’s Justice Project, an organization advocating for immigrant workers, expressed support for the program.
Ligia Guallpa, executive director of WJP and co-founder of the Los Deliveristas Unido campaign, stated, “Worker’s Justice Project applauds the NYC Department of Transportation for this historic, first-in-the-nation achievement in providing safe and certified e-bikes and e-batteries for the city’s app delivery workers.”
She added that the program exemplifies what can be achieved when workers organize for their rights and safety.
image source from：https://www.amny.com/nyc-transit/e-bike-safety-program-batteries-06122025/
