E-Cargo Bikes: Strategies for Municipal Delivery Transition
Small-scale deliveries for big impact in Greater Boston's cities and towns.
Today in Greater Boston, most deliveries are made by cars, vans, and trucks with internal combustion engines. These vehicles contribute to congestion, emit greenhouse gases and hazardous pollutants, and make streets and sidewalks less safe for pedestrians and cyclists. Electric cargo bikes – e-cargo bikes – can provide an alternative form of delivery that is cleaner, safer, and faster. E-cargo bikes are electric bikes that have compartments or attachments made to carry people or goods.
E-cargo bikes can contribute to the state’s goals of reducing greenhouse gas emissions, expanding mobility, and creating safer streets, and cities and towns can support the adoption and success of e-cargo bikes in many ways. This framework identifies strategies that municipalities can employ to support the transition from traditional delivery vehicles to e-cargo bikes. This framework was developed in conjunction with the Boston Delivers program – an 18-month e-cargo bike pilot program focused in the Allston, a neighborhood in Boston. During this program, more than 20,000 deliveries were made via e-cargo bike. As a first-of-its-kind pilot program in the region, the City of Boston and partners explored the infrastructure, policy, and program design changes needed to support e-cargo bikes.
This framework was written by the Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC) in conjunction with the City of Boston’s Transportation Department. Funding was provided through the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center’s (MassCEC) Accelerating Clean Transportation for All (ACT4All) Grant. MAPC collaborated with municipal staff, e-commerce companies, transportation advocates, and other stakeholders to develop this resource.
E-Cargo Bike Overview
E-cargo bikes come in many shapes and sizes. They vary in number of wheels, location and capacity of the cargo storage, width, height, power, controls, and more. For the purposes of this guide, an e-cargo bike is an electric bicycle that has a built-in or attached cargo compartment. The Urban Freight Lab’s Biking the Goods report details the anatomy of e-cargo bikes and describes six common models, including: Conventional e-bike with built-in racks; Long Tail; Dutch Bakfiets or Long-John; Cargo Trike; Trailer; and Quad Bike.
Learn more about the types of e-cargo bikes, the anatomy of an e-cargo bike, and much more through the Biking the Goods report, published in October 2023 by the Urban Frieght Lab at the University of Washington.
E-cargo bikes come in many shapes and sizes. They vary in number of wheels, location and capacity of the cargo storage, width, height, power, controls, and more.
Throughout the course of the Boston Delivers pilot program, different types of electric cargo bikes were used. The Coaster Cycle Venture with and without the trailer was the most used form factor in addition to the Fulpra Cargo Trike.
Benefits of E-Cargo Bikes
Climate change, traffic congestion, and street safety pose significant challenges in the Greater Boston region today. As of 2020, the transportation sector contributed to 37% of statewide emissions. The transportation data company Inrix released a study in January 2023 listing Boston as having the second worst traffic in the country and the fourth worst on the planet. Transportation is a top contributor to climate change and expanding access to sustainable mobility and delivery options, such as e-bikes and e-cargo bikes, offers an effective solution.
To meaningfully alleviate the region’s reliance on gas-powered vehicles and decrease emissions, Greater Boston needs to invest in and pilot sustainable, electrified modes of transportation.
Most deliveries in the Boston region – from small packages or food orders to bulk supplies – are transported by fossil fuel-powered cars, trucks, and vans. These delivery vehicles negatively impact our streets in many ways. The table below details the challenges of traditional delivery vehicles and how e-cargo bikes negate those challenges.
| Internal Combustion Engines, Cars, Vans, and Trucks | E-Cargo Bikes | |
| Congestion and Parking | Vehicles contribute to traffic congestion and worsen congestion when circling for parking and when parked on the street; Delivery vehicles often get ticketed for parking illegally | Can travel via bike lanes, which is often faster than driving; can park on sidewalks or in designated bike parking zones, reducing time circling for parking and receiving fewer parking tickets |
| Air Quality | Tailpipe emissions of greenhouse gases and harmful pollutants | No direct emissions of greenhouse gases or pollutants |
| Street Safety | Parking on sidewalks and in bike lanes causes cyclists and pedestrians to enter car lanes; accidents with larger vehicles are more lethal | Bikes do not block street and can park on sidewalks or in designated parking areas |
| Delivery Workers | Need a license (sometimes commercial/truck license) to operate vehicles | Licenses are not required to operate e-cargo bikes, providing more job opportunities |
E-Cargo Bikes in Greater Boston
In September 2023, the City of Boston launched Boston Delivers, a pilot program that promoted and facilitated an e-cargo bike delivery service for businesses in Boston.
The goals of the pilot program included reducing urban congestion, reducing carbon emissions, increasing equity through sustainable deliveries, improving safety, and supporting local businesses. The City contracted with Net Zero Logistics, an e-cargo bike delivery operator, which supplied the e-cargo bikes, managed the deliveries, and oversaw logistics.
The program initially focused on the Allston-Brighton neighborhood, which is home to a diverse population, including students and immigrants from Korean, Vietnamese, Brazilian, and Central American communities. This area was selected due to strong support from local organizations, such as the Allston Main Streets Association and the Allston-Brighton Health Collaborative, which aided in outreach efforts during the pilot. Allston and Brighton are also recognized as Environmental Justice communities that experience disproportionate effects from climate change and environmental degradation. The program had a particular focus on supporting small, women, and minority-owned businesses (MWBEs) in the area.
Funding for the pilot was obtained through a $490,000 grant from the MassCEC’s Accelerating Clean Transportation For All (ACT4All). The funding helped cover operational start-up costs for Net Zero Logistics and subsidized the delivery costs for participating businesses. Through the program, around 20,000 deliveries were completed via e-cargo bike. Several small businesses and service providers participated in the program, including City Fresh Foods, OliToki, and Allston-Brighton Health Collaborative.
The City spent a little over a year developing the service model with Net Zero Logistics, identifying a staging location, and recruiting local businesses to participate.
Throughout the course of the program Boston Delivers made over 20,000 deliveries in partnership with Boston businesses including City Fresh Foods, the Allston Brighton Health Collaborative, and local restaurant OliToki.
Lessons Learned
Boston Delivers highlighted several lessons learned and challenges of delivering goods via e-cargo bike. The learnings from this program will help Boston and other cities and towns support e-cargo bikes through policies, programs, and infrastructure. The key insights of the program are:
Future Opportunities
Looking ahead, e-cargo bikes will play a key role in deliveries across Greater Boston, especially in densely populated neighborhoods. Some delivery and logistics companies are already planning to pilot and expand the operation of e-cargo bikes in and around Boston.
In order to successfully expand operations in Greater Boston, many companies expressed a need for clear state, regional and municipal regulations around use of public and private space, as well as vehicle regulations relating to size, weight, and speed. Cities and towns will play important roles in supporting the expansion of e-cargo bikes for deliveries in the region.
FedEx
Piloting e-cargo bikes to make deliveries from the Seaport neighborhood to downtown Boston.
Net Zero Logistics
(the Boston Delivers e-cargo bike provider and operator) is expanding their operations in Boston.
Amazon
Already delivers groceries via e-cargo bike in New York City and has explored bringing e-cargo bikes to Boston to deliver small and medium-sized parcels.
UPS
Has piloted e-cargo bikes in at least five cities across the United States and is exploring the opportunity to use e-cargo bikes in Massachusetts.
Food Delivery
Some food delivery companies, such as Uber Eats and DoorDash have incentives or pilot programs to help couriers transition from 4-wheeled vehicles to 2-wheeled vehicles, such as e-bikes.
CargoB
An on-demand electric cargo bike share company recently launched in Greater Boston that anyone can utilize for personal or commercial use.
Opportunities to Support E-Cargo Bike Deliveries Locally
Municipalities can play a big role in encouraging, and in some cases, mandating e-cargo bike usage in urban deliveries.
According to Massachusetts General Law, “Electric bicycle," is defined as a bicycle or tricycle equipped with fully operable pedals and an electric motor of 750 watts or less that meets the requirements of a class 1 electric bicycle or a class 2 electric bicycle. These classes do not explicitly mention e-cargo bikes, but advocates are working to further define electric cargo bikes at the state level.
Strategies that Prioritize Local Sustainable Deliveries
Establishing dedicated municipal offices with staff focused on sustainable logistics allows cities to integrate local sustainability goals with delivery plans effectively. By developing dedicated offices and integrated plans, municipalities can enhance the efficiency and sustainability of local deliveries, contributing to broader urban sustainability goals. Additionally, setting citywide sustainability goals that prioritize low- or no-emission transportation and delivery methods can support local businesses and private companies to adopt e-cargo bikes, as well as push for regional standards for sustainable deliveries. Regional coordination amongst municipalities around new policies and practices, including setting standard freight policies to allow for economies of scale can make it more worthwhile for private companies to invest in smaller-scale, sustainable delivery models.
Certain policy changes can serve as low-hanging fruit for municipalities to make sustainable changes, as they often take less staff time and less funding than other strategies and programmatic approaches. Policies can set standards that can be applied to specific geographies, specific industries, and more. Creating effective policies that either mandate or encourage e-cargo bike deliveries can produce significant benefits for municipalities without significant financial investment.
Municipalities can support program operations by offering targeted subsidies to incentivize businesses and delivery associates to adopt this eco-friendly transportation option. Subsidies could help to offset delivery fees or help a business transition to a new delivery platform.
The Boston Delivers Program provided two kinds of subsidies through a grant from MassCEC. The first was an operational subsidy for the delivery service provider, Net Zero Logistics. This helped attract the company to a new market and cushioned some of their start-up costs. The second kind of subsidy was used to cover the cost of deliveries for women and minority-owned businesses and nonprofits, of which $115,000 was allocated for this purpose.
Although Massachusetts has defined electric bikes as class 1 and class 2, they have not explicitly defined e-cargo bikes. The City of Boston is currently working on a specific definition of e-cargo bikes that will allow them to operate safely and efficiently within the city.
Strategies that Increase Access to Vehicles
Municipalities can play an important role in increasing access to e-cargo bikes for local deliveries by implementing targeted incentives for the purchase or use of these vehicles. Offering subsidies, grants, or low-interest financing programs can make electric cargo bikes more affordable for small businesses and delivery associates. Additionally, creating shared e-cargo bike programs, similar to bike-sharing systems, can provide businesses with flexible, low-cost access without requiring ownership or being responsible for maintenance. Partnering with local businesses and logistics providers to determine how best to increase access to e-cargo bikes can also ensure the specific solution is useful, ultimately fostering a shift toward cleaner, more efficient local deliveries.
The City of Boston began the Boston E-bikes Incentive Program using ARPA funds to address historic inequities in transportation access, accelerate mode shift to sustainable modes of transportation, and improve mobility options for residents. The first round of the program was designed to fund e-bikes (and e-cargo bikes) for personal use, but eligible recipients could use the vehicles in any way they chose. People eligible to participate in the program included Boston residents, adults aged 60 or above, adults with a chronic or permanent disability, and/or adults with an income at or below 40% of the area-median income level.
Strategies that Increase Operational Efficiency and Access to Public Space
Municipalities can introduce policies that prioritize e-cargo bikes and increase access to public spaces, like creating low-emission zones and allowing ‘microhubs’ through zoning. Municipalities can support e-cargo bike deliveries by streamlining the permitting process for microhubs—small urban logistics centers where goods are transferred to e-cargo bikes for last-mile delivery. By designating and permitting strategic locations for these hubs, municipalities can reduce congestion and emissions in busy urban areas and increase efficiency for deliveries. These hubs can improve the efficiency of e-cargo deliveries by allowing for quicker and more flexible operations, fostering a more sustainable urban logistics system.
Infrastructure changes are crucial to support e-cargo bike usage and safety. Infrastructure changes could include expanding and improving bike lanes, creating designated loading and unloading zones for cargo bikes, and increasing secure parking facilities. Developing bike-friendly routes that connect key commercial areas, as well as implementing traffic-calming measures in urban centers, can further facilitate safe deliveries. Installing charging stations for electric cargo bikes and ensuring access to low-traffic or car-free zones can make e-cargo bikes a more efficient and attractive option for urban logistics.
During the Boston Delivers program, the City of Boston deployed a new arrangement of a loading zone and bike corral that was informally referred to as a small vehicle loading zone. The corral was signed as a no parking zone and the adjacent loading zone was "authorized vehicles only." Boston used this approach because no policy framework existed in their Parking Rules and Regulations to enforce a "small vehicle loading zone."
In 2019, Boston passed an ordinance amending the City of Boston code that defined a “small vehicle.” The City’s definition of a ‘small vehicle’ states, “Any wheeled device used for transporting persons or goods, whether or not powered in any part by a motor, and including any electric vehicle, any vehicle powered by autonomous technology, or such other similar vehicles as may be defined by regulation. A small vehicle does not include a vehicle that must by law be registered with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Nor does it include Electrical Personal Assistive Mobility Devices as defined by Sec. 16-12.38A et seq.”
Strategies that Support Public Outreach and Education
Municipalities can support e-cargo bike deliveries by conducting outreach and education programs aimed at raising awareness of sustainable delivery options and their benefits. This could involve promoting e-cargo bikes as a sustainable and cost-effective alternative for urban deliveries through public campaigns and workshops. Municipalities can engage local businesses, logistics companies, and residents by offering training on how to safely operate and integrate e-cargo bikes into daily operations. Additionally, partnering with local organizations to provide demonstrations, pilot programs, and case studies can help showcase the advantages of e-cargo bikes and encourage widespread adoption.
The City of Boston, in partnership with their delivery partner Net Zero Logisitics, conducted multiple outreach efforts throughout the pilot program. One of these outreach events was an open house which attracted a variety of advocates, transportation planners, folks in the logistics and e-mobility industry, business owners, and general members of the public. The open house not only gave an overview of the program but also allowed attendees to interact with an e-cargo bike up close and tangibly explore their different capabilities. Delivery Associates responsible for making deliveries on these bikes were also available to answer questions on how they maneuver and load the bikes. These hands-on demonstrations are very effective at showcasing how an e-cargo bike can compare to a typical ICE delivery vehicle.
Funding Sources for E-cargo Bikes and Infrastructure
Funding sources to support e-cargo bike deliveries can come from a variety of public and private sources. Municipalities can access government grants aimed at promoting sustainable urban transport, such as national or regional clean energy or transportation funds. Additionally, partnerships with private companies, including logistics firms or bike manufacturers, can offer co-funding opportunities or sponsorships. Municipalities can further explore public-private partnerships to generate financial support for expanding e-cargo bike delivery programs.
Resources
- UFL’s Biking the Goods Report
- World Resources Institute’s Zero-Emission Delivery Zones: Decarbonizing Urban Freight and Good Delivery in U.S. Cities
- Boston Metropolitan Planning Organization’s (MPO) Freight Decarbonization Strategies in the North Suffolk Area
- ITDP’s The Opportunity for Low Emission Zones: A Taming Traffic Deep Dive Report
- Mexico’s Ideamos Program
- Dutch Cycling Embassy
- European Commission’s Urban Mobility Framework
