Boston City Councilor Ed Flynn is pushing a sweeping crackdown on e-bike and moped delivery, filing a proposal this week that would bar drivers for major third-party apps from using e-bikes, mopeds and other motorized scooters to complete restaurant deliveries inside the city. His draft would also keep e-bikes that can top 20 miles per hour out of bike lanes and sidewalks, and it calls for registration or licensing for even faster models. Flynn has sent the ordinance language to City Council committees for review.
The move comes as Boston rolls out a new Road Safety and Accountability permit for large delivery platforms. According to the City of Boston, the permit requires big third-party delivery companies to carry umbrella liability insurance, submit anonymized quarterly delivery data and renew their permits every year. WCVB reported that the ordinance took effect in January 2026 as the city responded to a rise in complaints about reckless delivery driving.
What Flynn Is Proposing
Flynn’s amendment would flat-out ban third-party delivery drivers from using e-bikes, mopeds or similar motorized two-wheelers to make deliveries inside Boston. It would also bar any e-bike that can exceed 20 mph from bike lanes and sidewalks. Under the draft, riders on e-bikes capable of more than 20 mph would have to wear helmets, and any e-bike that can go over 30 mph would be treated like a moped or motorcycle, with RMV registration, driver’s license requirements and equipment rules. As reported by The Boston Globe, Flynn has sent the measures to committee for review.
The Safety Case
Flynn and city officials say the push follows a drumbeat of resident complaints about delivery riders blowing through red lights, riding the wrong way on one-way streets and hopping onto sidewalks, accounts that local outlets have documented. NBC Boston has reported similar firsthand complaints and said the spike in incidents helped fuel the city’s regulatory effort. In a high-profile case last summer, a pedestrian who was struck near Copley Square by a delivery e-bike later died of their injuries, as noted by WCVB.
Reactions And Concerns
The Boston Cyclists Union has praised parts of Flynn’s plan as “urgently needed” while also urging the city to pair new rules with more investment in protected bike infrastructure, the group said on its website. At the same time, some councilors and advocates warn that a blanket ban on e-bike and moped delivery could jeopardize the livelihoods of low-income and immigrant workers. Companies including DoorDash have also cautioned that an outright ban could push more deliveries back into cars and raise costs, as per Boston.com.
Legal Details And Enforcement
The city’s new permit already requires providers to show proof of liability insurance that covers operators using different vehicle types and to submit anonymized delivery data to the Transportation Department, the City says. The Boston Globe reports that the existing ordinance includes civil enforcement tools, and Flynn’s draft would add equipment, registration and speed rules for high-power e-bikes, with penalties for violations. If advanced, his measures would layer licensing requirements and fines on top of the city’s current oversight of third-party delivery platforms…