PRESS INQUIRIES
New York City Council
Committee on Consumer and Worker Protection
T2024-0067 – Creating licensing requirements for electric bicycle or scooter businesses
T2024-0075 – Permitting street vendors to vend within two feet from the curb or as close as possible to an obstruction
Thank you, Chair Menin and members of the committee, for the opportunity to testify. The Partnership for New York City represents private sector employers of more than one million New Yorkers. We work together with government, labor, and the nonprofit sector to maintain the city’s position as the preeminent global center of commerce, innovation, and economic opportunity.
Electric Bicycles and Scooters
The Partnership supports measures to increase safety related to vehicles powered by lithium-ion batteries including electric bicycles (e-bikes) and electric scooters (e-scooters). Fires caused by the lithium-ion batteries that power these vehicles have dramatically increased and have become a leading cause of fatal fires in the city. In 2023, there were 267 battery-related fires that caused 150 injuries and 18 fatalities.
The Council has taken significant legislative steps to address the causes of lithium-ion battery fires including placing restrictions on the sale of e-bikes, e-scooters, and batteries as well as creating education programs on battery safety. The Partnership supports T2024-0067, sponsored by Council Member Brewer, which would create a license for businesses that sell, rent, or maintain e-bikes and e-scooters, ensuring that these businesses maintain insurance and comply with relevant city laws.
The Partnership also supports legislative and enforcement efforts to improve safety on the streets. The rapid increase in these and other motorized vehicles has overwhelmed many areas of the city with fast moving vehicles that often ignore the safety of pedestrians and cyclists using non-electric bicycles. In 2022, 239 pedestrians were injured in crashes involving e-bikes and e-scooters, a 30% increase from 2021; e-bike riders made up 70% of the 26 cyclists who have died so far in 2023. This lawless conduct has become a major contributor to public safety concerns especially among older New Yorkers.
The Partnership applauds the efforts of the City Council and the Mayor to further regular these vehicles when they are used for commercial purposes. We urge the City Council to require delivery e-bikes and scooters to be licensed. This is essential to enable enforcement of speed limits and other rules of the road.
Street Vendors
The Partnership understands that street vending is a valuable part of the urban landscape and can be a first step on the entrepreneurial ladder for immigrants, veterans, and other New Yorkers. Yet street vendors also contribute to pedestrian and vehicular traffic congestion, emit smoke and odors, block access to brick-and-mortar businesses, and compete with small businesses that pay rent and real estate taxes.
The current system of street vending has not served anyone well. Businesses and residents have long suffered with a lack of appropriate enforcement of vending rules and vendors have had to contend with a robust black market for permits. The City Council has attempted to address these issues, most notably in 2021, but the status quo largely remains.
The legislation under discussion at today’s hearing would do little to improve the situation. The Partnership opposes T2024-0067, sponsored by Council Member De La Rosa, which would remove the obligation for vendors to place their pushcarts directly next to the curb and instead require pushcarts to be placed within two feet of the curb or “as close as possible” to any obstruction near the curb. This bill would significantly expand the potential locations for vending without any regard for maintaining either pedestrian walkways or the function of “obstructions” such as fire hydrants, LinkNYC kiosks, or street furniture.
We urge the City Council to reject T2024-0067 as drafted and to focus on addressing the systemic issues that plague our current street vending ecosystem.
Thank you.