New York City is creating a first-of-its kind network of rest hubs designed to give the more than 65,000 food delivery workers across the Five Boroughs places to recharge during their shifts.
Mayor Eric Adams was joined by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer Monday in announcing the unique program that will utilize available vacant or abandoned infrastructure (such as shuttered city newsstands) to provide a place for delivery workers to rest, charge devices including electrical bikes, and seek shelter from the elements.
Called the Deliverista Hubs, in honor of delivery workers, the creation of this network is being funded through a $1 million investment in federal funds that Schumer secured in a Senate appropriations bill.
“With $1 million in federal funding I have secured for deliveristas, we are creating these innovative Street Hubs and a renovated worker center,” said Schumer during the announcement on Oct. 3. “Alongside millions for better bike infrastructure in the Bipartisan Infrastructure and Jobs Law, we are proudly on our way to meeting that promise for better and safer biking infrastructure. I’ll continue working closely with Mayor Adams and Los Deliveristas Unidos to deliver better infrastructure for the thousands of app-based delivery workers serving our city.”
The Street Deliveristas Hub pilot program will be initially located and designed in high traffic areas, and will allow delivery drivers to provide feedback on the hub experience.
“Deliveristas are out there doing the hard work, day in and day out, and are essential to New Yorkers’ way of life and to our city’s economy, and essential workers deserve essential services,” said Mayor Adams. “While most people have a break room to rest while at work, app-based food delivery workers do not. I’m proud to partner with Majority Leader Schumer to create the first-in-the-nation Street Deliveristas Hubs that will eventually help serve the more than 65,000 deliveristas in New York City. By investing in existing, underused spaces, like vacant newsstands, this program will ensure our public spaces serve all and ‘Get Stuff Done’ for some of our hardest working New Yorkers.”
If the program goes well and functions as intended, Mayor Adams noted, could be some possibility that a more permanent fund will be added.
“If this is something that we want to include in the budget next year to keep expanding, we’re going to do so,” the mayor said. “We’re gonna see the usage, how popular it is, how much people enjoy it and we will evolve as needed.”
Ligia Guallpa, executive director of Workers Justice Project/Los Deliveristas Unidos, commended the new partnership and investment in delivery drivers from Senator Schumer and Mayor Adams.
“On behalf of the Worker’s Justice Project and Los Deliveristas Unidos, I applaud U.S Senator Chuck Schumer and New York City Mayor Eric Adams for their commitment to invest and build the nation’s first Deliveristas Hubs,” said Guallpa. “We are proud to be partners in developing the concept of Street Deliveristas Hubs and to be transforming app delivery jobs into a profession that deserves a living wage, safe working conditions, and new deliverista infrastructure.”
