DoorDash says Boston food delivery permit would cause price hikes
BOSTON - If you've been in or around the city in the past year, you've likely seen the very thing leaders at city hall are trying to get a handle on. Mopeds on streets, sidewalks, bike lanes and seemingly everywhere in between. There is no escaping the two-wheeled food delivery vehicles as they rush to fulfill orders as quickly as possible.
"They are crazy driving in any which direction," said Back Bay resident Alicia Dobbyn. "I almost got hit and almost went down. My boss got hit. Because they take full advantage of the bike paths, so they are almost as dangerous as the actual street now."
Mayor Wu announces new permit
On Monday, Boston Mayor Michelle Wu announced a new ordinance to try to curb the issue. Wu announced a new permit that would be required for third-party food delivery companies like Grubhub, DoorDash and Uber Eats to operate in the city.
The permit would be granted by the city's transportation department and requires the companies to show proof of liability insurance for all drivers and a willingness to share driver data. The second part is a real sticking point for the city because they want access to things like driver speed, route and other habits.
"The companies already have the information within their systems of who is driving the wrong way, of the unsafe behavior that is taking place," said Boston Mayor Michelle Wu. "This will help ensure we are getting that into oversight of our public sector."
DoorDash says ordinance misses mark
In response to this announcement DoorDash said in a statement to WBZ-TV:
"We're committed to playing our part in helping cities like Boston thrive, while promoting safety in their busiest neighborhoods. However, this ordinance would clearly miss the mark in its efforts to create safer streets, doing little to improve safety for Dashers or the public and creating new costs that would add price hikes for Boston families along the way."
Monday's announcement is just the latest in a monthslong back and forth between the city and these tech companies. In June of 2024, the city tried to up the pressure on these companies to reduce the use of unregistered moped or scooters.
Boston City Councilor Sharon Durkan represents the Back Bay and said this latest ordinance from the mayor is needed. "These delivery platforms are causing a lot of issues on our streets," Durkan said. "I think the technology has gotten a little ahead of the regulation and that is what we are trying to correct for here."
