Freight bikes are starting to pick up traction in New York City. This is due to the congestion of their roads. A new city program has its sights set on reforming how New Yorkers send and receive packages – by using bikes.
Why Freight Bikes Are Better
Inner-city shipping has been a problem for as long as there have been cities. Want to ship a package to the other end of the city? It might take a day, sometimes two, or depending on your choice of delivery, multiple days. This is simply to move a package within a 20-mile radius. Having a freight biker is a much more optimized choice.
The City Is Making Improvements
New York City has been making strides for businesses like Amazon UPS, and UHL in order for their delivery services to park in areas to lessen the burden of traffic. The idea is that for smaller, inner-city shipping, bike messengers are the most functional method.
Freight Bikers are More Effective.
In the grand scheme of things, bike messengers can move freely. Although they must abide by standard traffic safety precautions, they have a larger avenue to maneuver. Multiple bikes can fit in one spot at a time, and having 100’s of carriers making short-term, quick shipments work more effectively.
Box Trucks Take Time
Box trucks take more time to move around the city. Between traffic and searching for parking, a regular package delivery time can be hampered dramatically. It is better to have larger quantities of smaller shipment sizes moving functionally than it is to have everything on one truck trying to move around the city.
Freight Bikes and the Increase of Online Shopping
A big factor at play is the increase in online shopping. Amazon has found many ways to improve the wait time between a customer’s purchase and the time to wait for their package to arrive. Amazon has gone to the lengths of using drones to deliver packages but for inner city, where people live “up” and not “out” getting from one place to another in a timely manner can be a daunting task. This has been a large factor in the increase in bike respect for the city.
A Decrease in Accidents
Truckers were responsible for 13 of the 27 accidents involving cyclists last year. By having fewer trucks and more cyclists this can potentially cut down on the risks while on city streets.
Environmental Concerns
Every city has its concerns about the impact that large traffic areas have on the environment. Trucks can be some of the most environmentally damaging vehicles and taking measures to cut down on the impact has brought the thought of freight bikes into the fray.
