NYC DOT Launches Application Portal for Incentive Program to Reduce Truck Deliveries During Busiest Hours and Fight Congestion

IMMEDIATE RELEASE

August 19, 2024

Contact: (212) 839-4850, press@dot.nyc.gov

NYC DOT Launches Application Portal for Incentive Program to Reduce Truck Deliveries During Busiest Hours and Fight Congestion

Businesses Can Apply Now for One-Time Monetary Reimbursement to Help Switch Deliveries to the Nighttime Hours

NYC DOT Aims to Shift 62,000 Daily Trucks to off-Hour Deliveries by 2040, Making Our Streets Safer and More Sustainable

NEW YORK – New York City Department of Transportation (NYC DOT) Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez today announced that applications are open for the Off-Hour Delivery Incentive Program to help reduce truck deliveries during the busiest hours of the day. All New York City businesses who make or receive commercial deliveries are eligible to apply on the Incentives Program page. Applicants must provide their anticipated off-hour delivery-related expenses for reimbursement and commit to conducting off-hour deliveries for a minimum of one year. The application is open until September 30, 2024, at 11:59 p.m. (EDT). The program aims to boost productivity and ensure the safe and efficient movement of commercial deliveries by incentivizing business to make deliveries between 7 p.m. and 6 a.m. Excessive truck traffic during peak daytime hours contributes to congestion, increased carbon emissions, and greater safety risks to pedestrians, cyclists, and others when the streets are busier. The six million in incentive funding, allocated through the US DOT’s Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) program, is part of the agency’s larger effort to rethink how the city manages deliveries and better meet the demands of e-commerce.

“Truck deliveries in the densest parts of NYC during rush hour push the patience of professional truck drivers, hurt their bottom line and contribute to the gridlock which burdens us all. Help is on the way!” Said Meera Joshi, Deputy Mayor for Operations. “Smart access technology and last mile delivery equipment is available for free for business owners who want to switch their deliveries to off hours, saving time and money for those making them and providing a huge step towards bringing the 'rush' back to rush hour.”

“Decreasing congestion, improving our air quality, and reducing the number of large trucks on our roads are vital to making New York City greener, healthier, and more livable,” said NYC DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez. “We encourage all local businesses to apply for this program that will benefit all New Yorkers by reducing the number of delivery trucks on our roads during busy daytime hours.”

“A program that combats global warming and reduces the local truck congestion that complicates business deliveries is a win-win,” said New York City Department of Small Business Services Acting Commissioner Dynishal Gross. “Encouraging small businesses to be early adopters of this change by covering the initial costs of adaptation makes it a triple threat. Hats off to DOT for this brilliant program design! Owners should rush to sign up for off hours delivery.”

NYC DOT’s Off-Hour Delivery program (OHD) will provide a one-time incentive reimbursement for eligible OHD-enabling expenses including:

Access enhancements (e.g. smart access systems)

Security equipment (e.g. camera systems)

Low-noise cargo handling equipment (e.g. pallet jacks and track retrofits)

Green delivery methods (e.g. cargo bikes)

The incentives program specifically aims to help smaller businesses that face financial barriers to transitioning to off-hour deliveries, though the program will be open to businesses of all sizes. NYC DOT will also encourage participants to consider sustainable last-mile delivery options, such as electric vehicles and cargo bikes. The incentive program is managed by Arcadis, which will develop, administer, and monitor its implementation.

Roughly 90 percent of goods are moved through New York City by truck—and businesses often receive their deliveries during the middle of the day when streets are congested and demand for space at the curb is at its highest. Shifting commercial deliveries to the evening and overnight hours can help reduce traffic while also cutting costs for shippers. NYC DOT made its Off-Hour Deliveries pilot program permanent in 2010 and has used it to provide technical assistance to freight receivers and shippers to help them shift deliveries to off-peak hours. To date, the agency has enrolled 27 businesses with close to 1,120 locations receiving off-hour deliveries. As outlined within the Delivering Green plan, NYC DOT aims to reach 5,000 OHD locations by 2040, shifting an estimated 62,000 trucks away from peak hours.

The OHD program includes businesses that receive large amounts of goods into the five boroughs, like Just Salad, ABI (Anheuser Busch-Inbev), Wegmans, Odeko, and Whole Foods Market.

Increasing freight efficiency with an expanded OHD program promotes sustainable business practices with multiple benefits – from the reduction of daytime roadway congestion and double parking in active bus lanes to advancing the City’s Vision Zero goals with fewer truck-pedestrian conflicts.

This past spring, NYC DOT hosted two information sessions with businesses to help tailor the incentives program to businesses’ needs. Webinars were held virtually on June 3 and June 10. Interested businessess can apply on our Incentives Program page.

The Off-Hour Deliveries incentive program is part of NYC DOT’s efforts to reimagine freight delivery in New York City, restructure freight distribution, and create a sustainable last-mile delivery system for getting goods where they need to go safely and efficiently. Earlier this year, NYC DOT launched LockerNYC to combat package theft and reduce the negative environmental and safety impacts of truck deliveries. In March, the agency authorized the use of e-cargo bikes on city streets to make deliveries safer and more sustainable. The agency is also working to install delivery “microhubs,” where trucks can safely offload to smaller, greener delivery modes like cargo bikes, handcarts, and electric vans. Additionally, through the Blue Highways program in coordination with EDC, the city is working to reactivate marine infrastructure helping to shift deliveries from larger trucks to our waterways.

For more information, visit nyc.gov/OHD

“Incentivizing off-hour deliveries is a win for street safety and businesses throughout New York City,” said Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso. “This program is one of many actions that the City must take to protect our streets from excessive truck congestion while balancing demands for the movement of freight throughout New York. I thank the NYC DOT for implementing this incentive and look forward to building on this effort for a safer, more sustainable city.”

“As a mapped truck route, the Atlantic Avenue business community endures first hand the circulatory challenges of daytime deliveries,” said Kelly Carroll, executive director of the Atlantic Avenue BID. “Off hour deliveries would ease congestion, reduce emissions when they are breathed the most, and lessen the potential for conflicts between other vehicles and most importantly, pedestrians. We currently only have one of over 350 businesses utilizing this incentive, and we hope that with our partners at DOT, this number can be substantially increased.”

“The Off-Hours Delivery program has shown it is possible to benefit the quality of life and improve congestion on our busiest streets during regular business hours,” said Jessica Lappin, president of the Downtown Alliance. “Offering incentives for more businesses to participate in this program is great news for our central business districts.”

“Like most downtowns with bustling retail corridors, Downtown Brooklyn is subject to standstill traffic largely caused by illegal parking. The results are unsafe conditions for pedestrians and cyclists, increased pollution, interrupted public transit service, and the inability of our retail businesses to function efficiently,” said Regina Myer, president of Downtown Brooklyn Partnership. “The Off-Hours Delivery Incentive Program is a proactive effort to make it easier for retail to operate in the city, reduce pollution, and increase safety for everyone. I applaud DOT for expanding the program and look forward to its implementation in Downtown Brooklyn.”

“I applaud NYC DOT for developing the Off-Hour Delivery Incentive Program to help manage delivery-based challenges and provide solutions that minimize congestion and improve productivity throughout the city,” said Tali Cantor, director of planning, Union Square Partnership. “This program will enhance livability and make our streets safer in Union Square and across New York City, while still prioritizing sustainable business practices. I encourage Union Square businesses to take advantage of this program and look forward to seeing the beneficial impacts across our district.”

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