Boston Delivers
A neighborhood-friendly delivery service powered by electric cargo bikes
Boston Delivers is a neighborhood delivery service for local businesses in Allston and the surrounding area. Instead of motor vehicles, packages will be delivered by electric cargo bikes. The Boston Transportation Department has partnered with Net Zero Logistics to carry out this delivery service. Net Zero Logistics will provide the electric cargo bikes, make the deliveries, and coordinate delivery logistics. This pilot program aims to test and promote a more environment and traffic friendly way of delivering goods.
Upon launch, Boston Delivers will have two main focus areas:
1) Providing on-demand deliveries for restaurants and other mains streets businesses
2) Carrying out final mile deliveries for businesses and orgs dedicated to expanding access to healthy and affordable food in Allston & Brighton
Boston Delivers is an 18-month Pilot program funded by The Massachusetts Clean Energy Center. We plan to launch deliveries in Fall of 2023.
-
If you are interested in participating in Boston Delivers as a business, or if you have questions, please email our program manager:
See who's using Boston Delivers
About Fresh
About Fresh, via the Fresh Truck ECommerce program, is partnering with Boston Delivers to take an innovative, environmentally friendly approach to door-to-door delivery. Allston/Brighton residents can pre-order delivery online.
Allston-Brighton CSA
Allston Brighton Health Collaborative (ABHC) partnered up with Boston Delivers to help our most homebound and vulnerable residents with free delivery of our farm share, expanding food access in the community. Deliveries occur every 2nd and 4th Tuesday.
OliToki
Boston Delivers is powering deliveries of yummy Korean fusion meals for OlitToki. Click to access special Boston Delivers Menu. Allston residents can order delivery every Thursday-Saturday, 5pm-9pm.
Participate in Boston Delivers
How will Boston Delivers work?
Before launch, each participating business will meet with the Boston Delivers team to decide on a delivery plan.
Once the program launches, participating businesses will be able to notify the Boston Delivers team when a delivery needs to be made. A delivery associate will arrive at the business or another pre-specified location, pick up the package, and deliver it on an e-cargo bike.
How much does this service cost?
Boston Delivers will provide participating businesses in the Allston Village area subsidized deliveries Thursday through Saturday from 5 - 9 p.m. This service will cost $15 an hour, totaling $180 a week. Service hours may expand over time depending on interest.
The cost of deliveries outside of this timeframe or area depends on several factors. These factors include delivery distance, number of packages being delivered at a time, package weight, and if the delivery can be scheduled ahead of time.
When will this program take place?
Boston Delivers will begin in September of 2023 and run for 12-18 months.
More questions? You can view in depth FAQs online. You can also email the program manager at harper.mills@boston.gov
Boston Delivers Goals
Our GoalsThe Boston Transportation Department is subsidizing delivery costs to ensure the delivery service is affordable for local businesses and non-profits. We aim to help businesses provide a delivery service where they may not already offer one, and decrease costs for businesses that currently offer delivery. This pilot program will also promote its participating local businesses encourage consumers to buy goods locally.
The City aims to right-size delivery vehicles to better fit Boston’s streets. Many of Boston’s streets were not originally designed to accommodate large vehicles. Often, delivery vehicles stop in bus, bike, and vehicle travel lanes. This results in congestion that affects the whole transportation network.
The City aims to improve safety by reducing the:
- size
- speed, and
- environmental impacts of commercial delivery vehicles.
The number of delivery vehicles has grown significantly. This has led to more conflicts between pedestrians, cyclists and vehicles, which has increased the potential for serious injury and death.
This pilot program will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by replacing motor vehicle trips with e-cargo bike trips. The rise in the use of on-demand delivery services has led to more vehicles delivering fewer goods per trip. These vehicles are increasing pollution, noise, and congestion. Using e-cargo bikes for last-mile delivery may be a solution.
Get Connected
Want to stay up to date on Boston Delivers? Sign up to receive a future newsletter and other updates!
Our Community Partners
Project PartnersUpdates and Announcements
UpdatesToday Mayor Michelle Wu and the Boston Transportation Department (BTD) announced the launch of Boston Delivers, an e-cargo...
A consolidated RFP question-and-answer document for interested vendors is available online and on the supplier portal.
Potential vendors will be able to access the RFP on the supplier portal and searching EventID EV00010559.
The $492,286 in funding will support the Boston Transportation Department to pilot a e-cargo bike delivery program.
