LockerNYC To Combat Package Theft & Reduce Delivery Truck Traffic

New York City Mayor Eric Adams and New York City Department of Transportation (DOT) Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez today launched LockerNYC, a free pilot program that will utilize lockers installed on public sidewalks throughout multiple boroughs to allow New Yorkers to receive secure package deliveries. Statistics show that 80 percent of households in New York City receive at least one delivery per week and 20 percent receive four or more deliveries — and, each day, 90,000 packages are reported stolen or lost in transit in New York City, as many buildings lack secure areas for package deliveries. The LockerNYC pilot includes seven units, each with the capacity to securely hold 25 packages at a time and has the potential to further expand this year. The pilot is open to the public and the LockerNYC program will be available across multiple delivery carriers. New Yorkers can sign up for free and manage orders online.

“We are taking on porch pirates and cutting down on emissions by unwrapping LockerNYC, our pilot program that will combat package theft and reduce delivery truck traffic in our city,” said Mayor Adams. “Reducing crime, fighting climate change, and providing a convenience to New Yorkers all at the same time is a package deal that New Yorkers can be proud of. This is a part of our broader efforts to reimagine how New Yorkers get their goods and services, including through our forthcoming Department of Sustainable Delivery that was announced in this year’s State of the City.”

“CoVID changed the way we shop; now, 80 percent of us get one package delivered per week,” said Deputy Mayor for Operations Meera Joshi. “This administration is taking a holistic look at green solutions for this very modern challenge with delivery lockers and microhubs, and using our waterways, rather than trucks, to get goods where they need to go. The green revolution starts here.”

“New York City is leading the way on making deliveries greener, safer, and more secure,” said DOT Commissioner Rodriguez. “The LockerNYC initiative will help cut down on package thefts and reduce the number of big delivery trucks clogging up our streets.”

In addition to providing a convenience to New Yorkers, the LockerNYC pilot program also aims to reduce delivery truck traffic by consolidating deliveries at central locations. It builds upon recent administration efforts to reimagine deliveries in New York City, restructure freight distribution, and create a sustainable last-mile delivery system for getting goods where they need to go. In his State of the City address this year, Mayor Adams proposed establishing the New York City Department of Sustainable Delivery to harness the potential of non-traditional transportation modes like e-bikes, mopeds, cargo bikes, and more while prioritizing worker and public safety. Additionally, last month, the city released new rules to allow for more deliveries to occur using electric cargo bikes, a safer and more sustainable alternative to large delivery trucks. Likewise, DOT previously announced a local delivery hub pilot program to reduce negative environmental and safety effects of truck deliveries that will launch this year. DOT is also expanding the number of dedicated loading zones for deliveries across the five boroughs, with over 2,000 loading zones installed in the past two years.

LockerNYC setups can currently be found at:

Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn — 830 Lafayette Avenue, outside Ideal Food Basket grocery;
Canarsie, Brooklyn — 1380 Rockaway Parkway;
East Flatbush, Brooklyn — 1086 Brooklyn Avenue, outside Ideal Food Basket grocery;
Prospect Lefferts Gardens, Brooklyn — 2036 Bedford Avenue, outside Ideal Food Basket grocery;
Sunnyside, Queens — 47-01 49^th Street, outside the Cosmopolitan Houses apartments.

LockerNYC lockers will soon arrive at these locations:

Bushwick, Brooklyn — 72-80 Wyckoff Avenue, outside Key Food;
Hell’s Kitchen, Manhattan — 778 9^th Avenue at W. 52^nd Street.

Locations were selected based on land use, concentration of buildings lacking mail or package rooms, and New York City Police Department package theft data, among other criteria. Other priorities in the selection process included providing adequate circulation space, avoiding conflicts with street furniture, ensuring smooth pedestrian flow, and avoiding the obstruction of windows, fire escapes, or public art. Each locker location is visibly equipped with two security cameras, LED lighting, and anti-theft mechanisms on locker compartments. The lockers will be operated and maintained by GoLocker, the vendor selected by the city for this initiative, and GoLocker will oversee customer support and overall management of the technology.

The pilot will be in place for a year, with the potential to be extended upon evaluation, allowing DOT to test and evaluate the technology and delivery model. DOT welcomes additional program partners to foster a culture of best practices for safety and efficiency. DOT will collect anonymized data on locker usage to assess the overall success of the pilot and the potential for expansion. Shared use locker programs have proven successful in other cities, yielding significant reductions in delivery vehicles travel distances, the amount of time delivery vehicles dwell at a curb, failed deliveries, carbon dioxide gas emissions released, and congestion. A delivery locker pilot in Seattle found that carrier lockers can reduce the amount of time delivery trucks dwell at the curb by as much as 33 percent and reduce delivery times by as much as 78 percent.

“As package theft continues to adversely impact our communities, LockerNYC is an innovative solution that will provide every New Yorker with the safe and secure deliveries they deserve,” said New York State Assemblymember Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn. “Moreover, free public delivery lockers will reduce truck traffic, making our commutes easier and the environment greener. I applaud Mayor Eric Adams and DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez for this pivotal program to protect our packages as we continue working to combat theft.”

“LockerNYC is a vital tool to reduce crime and speed up our deliveries,” said New York State Assemblymember Jenifer Rajkumar. “It addresses one of the most common crimes in our city: package theft. Ever since online purchasing skyrocketed during the pandemic, at least two-thirds of New Yorkers have reported having a package stolen. This pilot program ensures that we all have a secure and convenient option to receive packages. The lockers will also reduce traffic congestion by allowing delivery vehicles to drop off packages at centralized locations instead of going door-to-door. This embodies Mayor Adams’ plan to use the latest technology for fast and efficient last mile delivery, so that we all get our packages in a New York minute.”