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‘Wild West’: Boston cracks down on reckless food delivery drivers

Boston officials are demanding answers from Uber, DoorDash, and GrubHub after an "alarming" uptick in dangerous behavior by food delivery workers on mopeds and scooters.

Scooters and motorcycles crowd the sidewalk along Boylston Street in front of Chick-fil-A in December 2022. Pat Greenhouse/Boston Globe

By Ross Cristantiello

June 4, 2024

3 minutes to read

Boston officials are attempting to crack down on “dangerous and unlawful” behavior by food delivery workers driving motorcycles, mopeds, and motorized scooters.

Police Commissioner Michael Cox and Chief of Streets Jascha Franklin-Hodge sent a letter to Uber, GrubHub, and DoorDash executives Monday outlining various issues. Cox and Franklin-Hodge have registered an “alarming” increase in unlawful behavior by delivery drivers, many of whom they say are operating unregistered vehicles.

These workers consistently run red lights, drive on sidewalks, break the speed limit, and drive the wrong way down one-way streets, officials said. This behavior puts drivers and pedestrians in “imminent danger,” and collisions are common.

“The consistent failure of those operating on your behalf to abide by rules and regulations indicates a concerning lack of oversight and care in regard to public safety,” Cox and Franklin-Hodge wrote.

Cox is directing Boston police to increase enforcement on traffic violations. Officials warned the delivery companies that violations can lead to fines, drivers losing their licenses, and the seizure of vehicles. The companies will be considered responsible for continued violations by their drivers, Boston officials said.

“We’re always working to help ensure that streets remain vibrant and active in the communities we serve. The overwhelming majority of Dashers do the right thing and like all drivers must follow the rules of the road. If they don’t, then they face consequences — just like anyone else,” a DoorDash spokesperson said in a statement.

Informational materials in 11 languages are being distributed by the city to drivers, restaurants, and the general public regarding the safety concerns and the necessity of using registered vehicles. Boston officials are asking the delivery companies to separately communicate with their workers about the problems.

In February, City Councilor Ed Flynn filed a hearing order about transportation planning where he called on officials to better regulate the small vehicles. Flynn said in a post on X that he had pushed BPD officials to take increased action, and that reckless drivers should be arrested.

“Everyone using city roads needs to abide by the rules of the road. If you’re able to go 25 mph like a car — you should be licensed, registered, and carry liability insurance in the event of an accident and injury. I continue to advocate for strict enforcement from Boston Police and arrests for reckless driving, if warranted. It can no longer be the Wild West on the streets of Boston,” Flynn said in a statement Tuesday.

Flynn is hosting a virtual listening session on Wednesday night with Back Bay businesses and residents about planned changes to bus and bike lanes on Boylston Street. The issue of reckless driving by delivery workers “has been a major concern and is likely to come up during the discussion,” a spokesperson for Flynn said.

DoorDash said it has been working with Boston officials to reduce congestion for more than a year. It created a new notification for drivers that arrive at particularly busy locations to remind them that double parking along Boylston Street is prohibited and sends workers regular reminders about safety regulations. The company is also working to reduce the number of vehicles it deploys to the area, and is making more “bike-friendly” options available for customers ordering from particularly busy restaurants.

“We’ve been working closely with Boston city officials, advocates and other community stakeholders on these issues — including sending regular reminders of local regulations to Dashers picking up in the busiest areas of the Back Bay — and are eager to help find solutions so everyone in Boston can continue to safely share the city’s streets,” a DoorDash spokesperson said in a statement.

Cox and Franklin-Hodge formally requested that the executives answer a series of questions by June 7. They want to know more about how the companies verify drivers are using properly registered vehicles, what training materials are given to workers, how safety violations are internally tracked, and how companies prevent unapproved drivers from using vehicles registered to approved drivers.

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