DOT Begins Rollout of $2 Million E-Bike Trade-In Program for Delivery Workers

The DOT has begun accepting applications for an e-bike swap program open to delivery workers, as part of the Adams administration’s “Charge Safe, Ride Safe” plan. It allows them to trade in bikes with unregulated lithium-ion batteries for ones with approved batteries–at no cost–that have been “UL-certified,” the widely adopted safety standards developed by Underwriters Laboratories. Specifically, eligible drivers will get a new bike and spare safe battery.

There were a total of 277 fires caused by faulty lithium-ion batteries throughout NYC last year, the FDNY recently announced, killing six people. This is down from 18 such deaths that occurred in 2023. One high-profile faulty-battery blaze that occurred in Harlem last February killed Fazil Khan, a beloved 27-year-old education journalist from Delhi, India.

As the DOT itself noted, unregulated lithium batteries can cause blazes that spread rapidly and are incredibly difficult to contain. Regulated batteries, meanwhile, are safe and power an accessible form of green transit. Uncertified bikes & batteries can combust whether they are being charged or not, with the latter actually occurring in a majority of such fires recorded by the FDNY in 2023.

The Adams administration says it has allocated $2 million toward the swap program, in the hope of trading in 400 unregulated bikes for safe bikes and spare batteries by the end of 2025. It will build on a $1-million public awareness campaign on unregulated batteries spearheaded by the FDNY.

The application period runs until Feb. 17. Eligible delivery workers can receive assistance with completing their applications, with the locations of support centers available at the application portal, which can be found online at ebike-trade.nyc.gov. To qualify, applicants must: be a current New York City resident who is at least 18 years old, have earned at least $1,500 as a food delivery worker in 2024, and own an operable e-bike. Application materials will be available in English, Spanish, French, Bengali and Chinese. Applicants will have to provide one of four types of documentation; these include an IDNYC card, Passport, NYS Benefit ID, or U.S. government-issued ID.

“Safer e-bikes, batteries, and charging practices are key to a cleaner and more sustainable transportation future and to protecting all New Yorkers from deadly fires,” DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez said in a statement. “Delivery workers have one of the toughest jobs in New York City, and this trade-in program gives them safe, reliable equipment while giving their families and neighbors greater peace of mind.”

FDNY Commissioner Robert Tucker similarly heralded the rollout of the program. “The FDNY has been working tirelessly to educate the public about the dangers of lithium-ion batteries for the last three years. Part of that work has focused on getting uncertified lithium-ion batteries off the streets, and we are grateful to the DOT for their work and partnership on an initiative we know will better protect delivery workers, first responders and our city,” he said.

Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine joined in the chorus of support for the application rollout, which he said would make “great tools for green, easy riding” safer. “Allowing delivery workers to trade in uncertified e-bikes and mopeds for UL-certified e-bikes and batteries means that New Yorkers will be at less risk for dangerous battery fires and moped crashes,” he added.