Hoboken City Council Passes Groundbreaking Legislation to Improve Safety of Electric Vehicle Food Delivery

Hoboken Becomes One of the First to Establish a Licensing Program to Address This Growing Safety Concern.

Hoboken, March 21, 2024 –  The Hoboken City Council passed important legislation last night to improve the safety of residents as well as E-delivery riders on Hoboken’s sidewalks and streets.  Aligned with Hoboken’s Vision Zero program, what has become known as the “Tests and Vests” legislation, will require those who use certain electric bikes and similar vehicles to make food deliveries in Hoboken to be licensed and wear a fluorescent vest bearing a license number.  This legislation is sponsored by Hoboken City Council members Paul Presinzano, Ruben Ramos, and Dr. Michael Russo who collaborated and received input from concerned residents, dedicated delivery riders, local restaurants and delivery companies, and government officials.

“This is the first step in solving a top quality of life issue for residents that has largely been ignored,” says Presinzano.  “As elected officials, our number one responsibility is to ensure the safety of our residents and this legislation hopes to address the unsafe practices of certain E-delivery personnel on our sidewalks and streets.”

The proposed ordinance is centered on three key principles: Registration, Education, and Visibility. Its aim is to cultivate a vibrant food delivery industry while placing utmost importance on the safety and welfare of our community members—a sentiment widely shared by the citizens of Hoboken. By combining education and visibility, the ordinance seeks to enhance accountability among riders, promoting safe driving practices and addressing irresponsible behavior effectively. Under the licensing requirement, individuals will need to familiarize themselves with state and local laws governing safe riding on Hoboken’s streets, complete a brief quiz, and pay a nominal annual fee of $5. Failure to adhere to the ordinance will result in a $50 fine.

“This ordinance is the foundation to bring sanity back to our sidewalks and keeping our pedestrians safe,” states Ramos.  “Our residents have implored us to take action and the current ‘putting our head in the sand and hope’ approach is not getting the job done.”

The start of the new ordinance will be June 2024.  This approach allows time for continued collaboration with public safety and the E-Bike task force, community education and input to ensure a successful rollout and maximum compliance with this new program.

“Our job is to enact laws that protect our community and work with Mayor Bhalla, his administration and public safety to enforce them. And that is what we are doing,” adds Russo.  “This ordinance is about the safety of our children, our neighbors, and our community.”

With this ordinance, Hoboken continues its leading role in urban policy by implementing a comprehensive licensing program aimed at addressing safety issues arising from E-vehicle food delivery services. As cities like NYC and Jersey City follow suit with their own legislative efforts, Hoboken serves as a trailblazer, demonstrating the importance of prioritizing safety measures while supporting the local economy.