Safe Charging Sites & New Pay Policies Impact NYC Delivery Market
Waymo expansion approved, DoorDash + Rouses, digital food deserts
New regulations are taking effect for deliverers in New York City, with big impacts to hot issues like safe charging and minimum pay. Speaking of hot regulatory battles, the CPUC approved Waymo’s expansion, and the feds are chipping away at digital food deserts. And read on to see which top independent grocer is now on DoorDash.
This week’s edition is brought to you by Curbivore — 3/28-29 in DTLA.
Today:
NYC Delivers Get More Charging, Fewer Pay Options
Waymo Approved for LA, Bay Area Expansions
Chart Time | Digital Food Deserts
DoorDash Adds Rouses Markets
POLICY | New E-bike Chargers & Pay Rates for NYC Deliverers
The food delivery landscape continues to evolve in NYC, with the city opening its first public e-bike charging site, intended for delivery workers. A collaboration by DOT, NYCEDC, DCWP and FDNY, this initial East Village location can safely charge bikes for 100 workers. Four more sites are to follow: Sunset Park (Brooklyn,) Lower East Side, Washington Heights (the Bronx,) and Downtown Brooklyn. The amalgam of charging infrastructure is provided by Swobbee, Popwheels and Swiftmile.
The Big Picture: While NYC government is working to address rising ebike battery fires, the city has also passed a number of other regulatory updates around delivery worker pay and billable hours. In response to next month’s $19.56 per hour of active time pay minimum, DoorDash is reducing worker flexibility, making Dashing closer to a traditional, hourly job. To reward workforce loyalty, the company’s highest-rated workers will get first choice when setting their schedules, while newer workers will have to start with less desirable shifts.
AUTONOMY | Waymo’s SoCal & SF Bay Area Expansion Approved
The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) has approved Waymo’s expansion to a large swath of urban California, allowing paid rides at up of 65 miles per hour and on freeways. In the Bay, they can serve roughly the 101 and 280 corridor between SF and Sunnyvale; in SoCal, it’ll run from East LA to the Pacific, bounded by the Santa Monica mountains on the north and roughly the 91 on the south. While the CPUC received 81 letters in support of the expansion, a number of local politicos are arguing that their cities should get to regulate the robotaxis. Waymo says it’ll take an “incremental approach” to introducing LA service, and has “no immediate plans” to expand service to the SF Peninsula.
With the AV revolution in full swing, we’re excited to bring Waymo to Curbivore, this March 28 & 29. See the vehicles, hear from company leaders, and also hear from other key stakeholders like LA Deputy Mayor of Infrastructure Randall Winston, plus Uber’s Global Head of Policy, Cities & Sustainability, Shin-Pei Tsay. Register now.
CHART TIME | Digital Food Deserts
We take food accessibility for granted around these parts, but not everyone is so lucky. While many poorer Americans live in food deserts, where healthy and/or affordable options aren’t available nearby, the digitization of the economy doesn’t necessarily solve that problem. 7% of Americans, and 10% of those who live in a classic food desert, live somewhere with no delivery options. SNAP finally moving fully online will help with that, but only if fees and tips don’t eat into shoppers’ food budgets.
3PD | DoorDash Adds Southern Grocery Rouses Markets
DoorDash is kicking off the week with a new grocery partner: Rouses Markets. Headquartered in Thibodaux, Louisiana (say that one outloud,) Rouses has 64 locations across Alabama, Mississippi and its home state. To celebrate, DoorDash members can get 20% off an order of $35 or more, while DashPass members get a healthy 30% off orders of $40 and up.
The Big Picture: With the nationwide grocers basically all spoken for, the 3PDs are now picking up the smaller pieces. Rouses is a particularly good one, named a “2024 Outstanding Independent” by Progressive Grocer and number seven on Mr. Checkout’s top indy grocer list. Rouses has been offering same-day delivery and app-based shopping since 2018, has partnerships with Instacart and Shipt, and launched a white-labeled curbside pickup app (powered by eGrowcery) back in 2022.
A Few Good Links
London considering allowing more powerful ebikes. Watch how Amazon delivers in NYC. OpenGov sells a majority stake at $1.8B valuation. Inspire Brands eyes overseas expansion. What’s up with food halls? Publix fiscal year earnings climb almost 50%. Whole Foods introducing new small-format urban store, has signed leases for at least five more. Explore Wonder’s key stats. Ocado CEO says grocers botch the basics of online sales. Kia previews delivery vans. FTA readies $9.9B in public transit funding. how PBSC became a Spanish bikeshare giant. CAVA to launch new loyalty program, expand digital pickup lanes.
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