Deliveries in New York City
Close to 90% of New York City’s goods are moved into and around the city by truck. Increased demand for deliveries to our homes and businesses has resulted in more trucks on our roads, creating environmental and safety risks.
NYC DOT is exploring alternatives to safely move goods through our city, emphasizing the importance of transforming the "last mile" – the final stage of delivery – by reducing the number of trucks delivering the last mile and expanding the use of more sustainable delivery methods.
Delivering New York: A Smart Truck Management Plan for New York City (pdf) and Delivering Green: A vision for a sustainable freight network serving New York City (pdf) highlight the critical work needed to execute New York City’s shared vision for the future of safer, more efficient, and sustainable freight movement. They also lay the groundwork for freight reform efforts undertaken by NYC DOT:
Blue Highways: Activating NYC's Waterways for the Sustainable Movement of Goods
NYC DOT and NYCEDC are dedicated to promoting the use of NYC's waterways for transporting goods in and around the city.
The Blue Highways program aims to move a significant portion of freight deliveries off crowded streets and onto the city’s 520 miles of navigable waterways with last mile microdelivery by commercial cargo bike. By leveraging publicly controlled waterfront assets, partnering with private industry, and investing in supportive infrastructure for last mile microdeliveries, the plan aims to reduce congestion, pollution, and roadway wear – while catalyzing economic growth and job creation.
Learn more about the program with the Blue Highways Action Plan (pdf) published in Fall 2025.
For Industry interested in participating in a Blue Highways Pilot Route, please visit EDC's Blue Highways Pilot Checklist (pdf).
Commercial Cargo Bicycles
NYC DOT encourages companies to use commercial cargo bicycles to make local and last mile deliveries in NYC.
Commercial cargo bicycles may load and unload in commercial vehicle loading zones and at designated cargo bicycle corrals.
Any business interested in utilizing cargo bicycles for last-mile freight delivery must review the Cargo Bike Training Guide (pdf) to properly train cargo cyclists employed by the company.
Please contact us online if you have questions about operating a commercial cargo bicycle in New York City or if you have a request for cargo bike parking in a specific location.
Links & Resources:
- Cargo Bike Training Guide (pdf)
- NYC DOT Authorizes the Use of E-Cargo Bikes on City Streets and Establishes Key Safety Standards (press release)
- Commercial Cargo Bicycle Pilot - Evaluation Report (pdf)
- Delivery by Bike or E-Bike
- Trucks & Commercial Vehicle Information
- General Bicycle Info
LockerNYC
Every day in NYC over 90,000 packages do not make it to their destination. New York City is working to cut down on package thefts and reduce delivery truck trips with the LockerNYC pilot program.
The program allows New Yorkers 24/7 access to conveniently receive and send packages using secure lockers on public sidewalks. The program expanded to over 70 locations on public sidewalks in 2025. The lockers are operated and maintained by GoLocker and Quadient (Parcel Pending), who oversees customer support and overall management of the technology.
The program is available to anyone who is interested and available across multiple delivery carriers.
Review a list of LockerNYC’s on public sidewalks and indoor off-street locations (xls)
Map of LockerNYCs on Sidewalks
Check back soon for a map of LockerNYC lockers on public sidewalks. For a map of indoor locations, please visit GoLocker's Find Your Locker map.
Microhubs
Transferring packages to smaller, low-emissions vehicles and human-powered modes like cargo bikes and handcarts for last-mile delivery reduces the number of trucks on local streets. This helps protect our environment and promotes safer streets.
In April 2025, NYC launched a three-year pilot to create local delivery hubs, known as microhubs, to support the transfer of packages to more sustainable modes. These microhubs are part of the agency’s effort to better manage the increased demands of e-commerce and incentivize cleaner delivery modes. These on-street (curbside) or off-street locations will allow trucks space to unload items onto smaller, cleaner vehicles for last-mile delivery.
NYC DOT seeks logistics companies already using or interested in using sustainable last-mile delivery modes to be new partners in the microhubs pilot. Interested businesses may fill out the Microhubs Interest Form.
Locations
The pilot will launch up to 36 on-street and off-street microhub locations around the city, with the first locations on the Upper West Side. Each microhub zone will be designated to one delivery company for exclusive use via an annual permit for curbside locations and a license agreement for off-street locations.
On-Street Microhubs
Four on-street sites are installed on the Upper West Side, Upper East Side, and Financial District.
- Amsterdam Avenue and West 85th Street
- Broadway and West 77th Street
- Front Street and Maiden Lane
- Third Avenue and East 91st Street
Off-Street Microhubs
NYC DOT is working to identify off-street locations on city-owned property.
Learn more in our report summarizing research and recommendations for a microhub pilot (pdf). Microhubs Pilot – Off-Street Site – presented to Brooklyn Community Board 2 in June 2024 Microhubs Pilot – Off-Street Site – presented to Brooklyn Community Board 1 in July 2024 Microhubs Pilot – On-Street Site – presented to Manhattan Community Board 8 in September 2024
Off-Hour Deliveries
Trucks most often deliver to businesses 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, double parking, and their related emissions, and requires buy-in from receiving businesses.
NYC DOT’s Off-Hour Deliveries (OHD) program encourages goods delivery during the off-peak hours of 7 pm and 6 am in efforts to decrease congestion and truck emissions.
We work with businesses and delivery services to help develop the most efficient delivery method for each business.
Visit the OHD Program website to learn more and review the 2010 Pilot Report.