NEW YORK (BRAIN) – The City Council on Monday met with the city’s Consumer and Worker Protection Board to issue a mandate for third-party delivery app companies like DoorDash to provide workers with access to certified e-bikes and batteries. We discussed one bill that would require this, and another bill. Workers will be required to take an e-bike safety course developed by the Department of Transportation.
A new bill aimed at curbing the rise in lithium-ion fires was also introduced on Monday, requiring electric bike or scooter operators to obtain a license to operate in the city.
City Councilman Oswald Ferris announced a bill at a press conference last month that would establish safety standards for food delivery services. Electric mobility devices operated by third-party delivery services or food delivery workers on behalf of delivery services must meet local standards. Last month, New York City began requiring all electric bicycles, other electric mobility devices, and lithium-ion batteries sold in the city to meet UL and other certification requirements.
Under Ferris’ bill, third-party carriers and couriers would be responsible for compliance, and violations would result in civil penalties. The safety course covers the legal operation of e-bikes and the proper handling and charging of lithium-ion batteries. It would also require third-party delivery companies to provide workers with helmets, lights, bells and other signaling devices, and reflective materials. It is up to the delivery company to ensure that its employees complete the course.
Under Rep. Gale A. Brewer’s new bill, when electric bike and scooter companies apply for a license, they would be required to carry liability insurance and demonstrate compliance with safety regulations. The Department of Consumer and Worker Protection may refuse or refuse to renew a license, or suspend or revoke a license. Companies may be subject to civil penalties for violations.
Also during the meeting, the Council reiterated its call for Congress to pass the Lithium-Ion Battery Consumer Standards Act and for President Joe Biden to sign it, and for the New York State Legislature to pass the Act and for Governor Kathy Hochul to: asked them to sign the resolution. It will establish standards for lithium-ion batteries and ban the sale of secondary batteries for electric bicycles and electric scooters.