Uber will sponsor an NYC delivery worker e-bike buy-back program to remove fire-prone batteries. The corporation also supported a meal delivery charge to assist workers in affording safer selections.
E-bike fires in New York City have killed at least 12 people. In addition, many news agencies reported a lithium-ion battery explosion in Astoria, Queens, killed two toddlers Friday night.
Mayor Eric Adams has urged e-bike delivery businesses to do more after the New York City Council banned the sale of uncertified e-bikes and other micro-mobility equipment.
Uber has two trade-in programs with the e-bike firm Zoomo and the Equitable Commute Initiative. The firm offers “rent-to-own pricing models and priority repairs and services” for delivery employees who trade in their old e-bikes. Zoomo hopes to provide at least $200 for an old e-bike, according to Streetsblog.
Meanwhile, The Equitable Commute Project will launch a trade-in scheme with local bike shops to offer a cheap UL-certified e-bike for “non-compliant equipment.” Underwriters Laboratories (UL), a private organization, certifies the safety of daily items.
E-bike delivery employees, often low-income immigrant males, make their living. E-bike and other micro-mobility vehicle demand have grown since 2020, according to a WXY Studios-commissioned Uber research. 65,000 New York food delivery workers use e-bikes, most of which use cheaper lithium-ion batteries that have caused fires and accidents.
The difficulty is that UL-certified batteries are more expensive than uncertified ones, and city labor records show that delivery employees earn $7.09 per hour. So a $1,000 UL-certified battery is out of reach for many.
“Delivery employees should not have to choose between making a living and safety,” Uber senior director for public policy Josh Gold said. “These unique collaborations will assist deliverers receive safer e-bikes.”
Adams lauded Uber for “stepping up to the plate to contribute hugely” after announcing that all ride-hail cars in the city must be electric by 2030.
“E-bikes have become a key part of our transportation and employment ecology, but malfunctioning and non-certified gadgets are making their way into homes and apartments, sparking fires and putting lives at risk,” Adams said.
Uber has not disclosed the cost of the buy-back scheme, but it will donate $100,000 to the FDNY Foundation for an e-bike safety education campaign.
The corporation also supported “a modest fee to every food delivery in New York City to encourage converting workers to UL-certified e-bikes.” Uber also supports a New York State Legislature e-bike “clean rebate program” bill.