https://techcrunch.com/2023/07/14/nyc-gig-workers-need-help-accessing-safe-e-bikes-amid-lithium-battery-fires/

The sight of bike delivery workers hustling through the streets of New York – oven mitts duct taped to their handlebars, insulated pizza delivery bags strapped above the back tire – has been a staple long before the introduction of e-bikes and food delivery apps. Delivery workers are so integral to the landscape that it’s often easy to take them for granted. But New York wouldn’t be the city that never sleeps if its denizens couldn’t get an order of chicken wings and pork fried rice delivered at three in the morning.

As cost of living skyrockets and demand for food delivery via apps like Grubhub, DoorDash, Uber Eats and Relay increase, delivery workers have to pick up and drop off orders at a much faster clip. This increased pressure comes as electric bikes, scooters and mopeds become more popular and accessible, making the jobs of delivery workers easier.