New York City will soon be limiting larger trucks to designated “microhub” delivery zones.
Photo: Pexels-Daniela Cappella
Last year New York City announced a $6 million plan to get big trucks off of its streets. Now, the New York City Department of Transportation plans to establish on-street “microhub zones” for trucks.
Earlier in January, a much-debated traffic congestion mitigation plan for the Big Apple became law, as well.
And last year, New City announced an automated weight enforcement program for large trucks.
NYCDOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez said the new program is part of a local delivery hub pilot to address the negative environmental and public safety effects of truck deliveries.
Microhub Zones were officially authorized on January 14.
A Three-Year Pilot Program
The three-year “microhubs” pilot program is intended to provide safe, dedicated spaces for truck operators. In these zones, drivers will transfer deliveries onto safer and more sustainable modes of transportation for the last leg of delivery.
According to NYC DOT, these approved vehicles include e-cargo bikes, handcarts, and smaller electric delivery vans.
Rodriguez noted that New Yorkers are receiving more deliveries than ever before, and microhub zones will reduce the number of big trucks navigating local streets.
The first five pilot locations will be in Greenpoint, Clinton Hill, and the Upper West Side. Each microhub zone will be designated to one delivery company for exclusive use via an annual permit.
“New York gets 90% of its freight by truck, which translates to more traffic and worse air, said Deputy Mayor for Operations Meera Joshi. “Well placed ‘microhubs’, or drop-off points, allow trucks to avoid traveling further into neighborhoods and commercial corridors, where less intrusive options like cargo bikes can pick them up and take them to their final destination.
“With this important pilot as a first step, our ultimate goal is to make every piece of the package delivery lifecycle greener and less burdensome on our roads and neighborhoods.”
Miniature Loading Zones
The rules and the design of the pilot program incorporate feedback from the public comment period and community outreach NYC DOT conducted in 2024.
NYC DOT will have the future opportunity to adjust the rules if the pilot moves to a permanent program.
On-street microhub zones will be about 80-100 feet in length and located in the curb lane. They will include signage and other markings designating them as a microhub.
Space will be available for package sorting and transfer of packages to electric vehicles, cargo bikes, and handcarts. The agency will also install upgraded safety barriers and cargo bike corrals where needed.
Off-street microhub zones will be located on city-owned properties and may include space for vehicles, goods storage, vehicle repairs, maintenance, and/or charging, transloading space for package sorting and vehicle transfer, weather protection, and lighting.
The off-street delivery hubs will vary in size based on site location and they will be managed by a license agreement between New York City and the respective companies in the pilot.
Requirements for Participating Companies
NYC DOT said it will work in partnership with small and large delivery companies who responded to the agency’s previously published Requests for Expressions of Interests.
NYC DOT hopes to reduce pollution and increase public safety with new “microhub” truck delivery zones.
Additional companies may have the opportunity to participate following the first year of the pilot.
The rules clarify the requirements for participating companies, known as “microhub operators.”
- Microhub operators must use the microhubs to transfer goods and packages from commercial vehicles onto a sustainable mode of transportation to a final point of delivery.
- Operators seeking to use an on-street microhub zone must first obtain a permit from NYC DOT. Permits will be active for one year, with the option to renew.
- Participating companies will be responsible for maintaining a clean space and are required to share robust data and feedback with NYC DOT in order to help the agency successfully evaluate the effectiveness of the pilot program.
- Operators will be responsible for sweeping microhub zones at least once per week, removing snow and ice, and maintaining the cleanliness of designated street signage.
- Company names must be prominently displayed on each commercial vehicle, low-emission or electric commercial vehicle, bicycle, or handcart using a microhub zone.
NYC DOT will be providing microhub operators with guidelines for design and circulation of microhub zones. To ensure compliance, NYC DOT can suspend or revoke a permit for failure to comply with these terms.
Pilot Overview
The pilot will last three years and will include up to 36 locations, both on-street and off-street. The first five locations to launch this year will be on the Upper West Side of Manhattan and under the Brooklyn Queens Expressway (BQE) in Clinton Hill and Greenpoint, Brooklyn.
The first five locations will include both on-street and off-street locations:
On-Street: The first three on-street sites will be implemented on the Upper West Side as part of the Smart Curbs program:
- Amsterdam Avenue & West 73rd Street
- Amsterdam Avenue & West 85th Street
- Broadway and West 77th Street
Off-street: The first two off-street sites are located under the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway:
- Clinton Hill: A portion of the block under the BQE on Park Avenue between Washington Avenue and Hall Street
- Greenpoint: A portion of the block under the BQE on Meeker Avenue between Sutton Street and Kingsland Avenue
Location selection criteria for further sites will include:
- High-density mixed land use (commercial/manufacturing uses near residential areas)
- Close proximity to truck routes, transit, and bike lane networks
- Serving Priority Investment Areas per the NYC Streets Plan
- Delivery demand/desired neighborhoods as provided by the delivery companies.
Reimagining Freight Delivery
NYC DOT will collect data from each microhub at regular intervals to determine the pilot’s success.
Relevant data points include:
- The make and model of any sustainable mode of transportation used in the microhub
- The operator’s average daily and weekly utilization rate of the microhub
- The total number of trips from the microhub to the final destination of delivery categorized by type of sustainable mode of transportation.
As part of NYC DOT’s analysis of the program, the agency will monitor usage, and work to update street designs if it observes issues.
NYC DOT hopes to reduce pollution and increase public safety with new “microhub” truck delivery zones.
According to NYC DOT, the City of New York’s microhubs pilot program is part of its efforts to reimagine freight delivery in New York City.
This vision includes restructuring freight distribution, create a sustainable last-mile delivery system for getting goods where they need to go, and builds upon previous innovations deployed by the Adams Administration to support these goals.
In a related move, late last year, NYC DOT expanded LockerNYC to combat package thefts.
Additionally, in November 2024, NYC DOT announced the agency began implementation of the “Smart Curbs” program on the Upper West Side.
The program, first announced in 2023, will implement and evaluate new treatments and regulations to improve safety, reduce congestion, create vibrant and clean public spaces, support orderly local deliveries, and more.
Earlier in 2024 the city promulgated new rules to make it easier for delivery companies to adopt electric cargo bikes, a more sustainable alternative to large delivery trucks.
NYC DOT also continues to work on a Blue Highways program in coordination with the New York City Economic Development Corporation to reactivate marine infrastructure, helping to shift deliveries from larger trucks to our waterways.
The Demand for Curb Space
In addition, NYC DOT has installed nearly 3,000 loading zones since December 2021, 500 of which directly addressed public feedback on where New Yorkers commonly see double parking and blocked bike and bus lanes due to vehicle loading and unloading.
The high demand for curb space throughout New York City is a primary driver of the “microhub” delivery concept.
Demand for curb space in New York City – from trash collection and bike lanes to truck loading and parking – is increasing, and NYC DOT is responding to address these new demands.
“Smart Curbs,” “Microhubs” and the broader Curb Management Action Plan, released in September 2023, are efforts to address the community needs of today while better preparing the city’s streets for the future. These efforts build on the core tenets of the ‘New’ New York panel’s action plan, which identified public space as a key force for the city’s economic recovery. For more information, visit nyc.gov/deliveries.
Additional details on the pilot program are available in NYC DOT’s Microhubs Pilot report. This pilot program is part of DOT’s comprehensive freight strategy detailed in Delivering New York and Delivering Green. For more information, visit nyc.gov/microhubs.
“Joining forces with NYC DOT on this groundbreaking initiative aligns perfectly with our mission to provide sustainable and efficient delivery solutions,” said Mark Chiusano, CEO of Net Zero Logistics. “We are excited to contribute to a cleaner, greener New York City while helping to alleviate traffic congestion.”
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