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1.5M Packages a Day Bring Chaos to NYC Streets

nytimes.com

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Re: 1.5M Packages a Day Bring Chaos to NYC Streets

#41

Post by Consultant32452 »

Ididntdothis wrote: post #39
Spooky23 wrote: post #36

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What are they supposed to do? There’s a difference between the letter of the law and reality. You need deliveries and couriers to make a city work, and NYC is no different.

Problem is that only people or companies with deep pockets can violate the law that way. If you don’t have money for lawyers you have to pay the tickets. That’s how end up with a two class society where some people are above the law.

I don't know what it's like in NY, but in my state you can take a driver safety course and cut your fees down considerably.

Re: 1.5M Packages a Day Bring Chaos to NYC Streets

#42

Post by Ididntdothis »

Razengan wrote: post #22
skizm wrote: post #18

> They racked up more than 471,000 parking violations last year... I knew someone who owned a trucking company. They had a lawyer on retainer and every month or so they would gather all the parking tickets, go to a judge (or city official) and cut a deal to pay a fraction of the actual owed amount for all the tickets. This is because, if they did not comply, each ticket would be fought tooth and nail, and the city wo…

wow, a legal DOS.

The same happens with pharmaceutical, financial or probably all companies and people with enough money . Often it’s very expensive to prosecute them so they get let off the hook or pay a settlement. That’s how we end up with a two class society where some participants are above the law because they have money for lawyers.

Re: 1.5M Packages a Day Bring Chaos to NYC Streets

#43

Post by xyst »

City tax payers are ultimately paying the price for “2-day shipping” in the form of more congestion and pollution, and compromised safety.

Shouldn’t the companies causing these problems pay for enhancing the infrastructure (roads, parking) they use to make their $$$? I imagine it’s a much more costlier option since you have to work with the city but it should be a net positive gain (packages delivered more efficiently).

Or maybe the city should tax companies that abuse the public infrastructure? This may cause smaller companies/independent contractors to close up shop, but should increase the push towards cleaner delivery options (drone delivery?)

Albeit, this wouldn’t be a problem if people would order less from Amazon and meal ready companies (Hellofresh, blueapron ...)

Re: 1.5M Packages a Day Bring Chaos to NYC Streets

#44

Post by MrBuddyCasino »

teglsbo wrote: post #30
kweks wrote: post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

On paper, it's a perfect system. In reality, failing businesses who want the extra income sign up to be package pickup spots, and then provide deplorable service. Some don't respect the opening hours that were published. Some literally climb over mountains of packages. Some have no organisation. Delivery companies realised that they no longer have to attempt deliveries so automatically dump their packages in the pick…

Let the receiver choose the pickup point. In Denmark it's usually possible to choose the pickup point in the checkout flow when ordering. In that way I can take my business elsewhere, if I don't like service.

Same in Germany. There is usually no problem at all with picking up parcels.

Re: 1.5M Packages a Day Bring Chaos to NYC Streets

#45

Post by Spooky23 »

AJ007 wrote: post #21
CydeWeys wrote: post #5

A few thoughts as a bike commuter in Manhattan who sees this first hand every day: The congestion tax can't come soon enough (and it should have no carve-outs, certainly not for people who live here). We need to get rid of lots of free on-street parking in the city and replace it with loading zones so that taxis/Ubers and trucks have free spaces on every block to conduct their business without blocking travel lanes o…

I suspect in the next recession, municipalities are going to grasp for revenue from fines and fees. Traffic & parking violation escalation will come easy at that point. I’m particularly alarmed by the rental trucks being used in Manhattan for Amazon deliveries. Who is driving them, how much experience do they have, and do they care? The first thing I think about when I see one is the Oklahoma City bombing.

A: Anyone, minimal, not at all.

Motor carrier regulation and safety is a really complex topic with overlapping regulatory domains, which are exploited by irresponsible operators. The US Motor Carrier Safety administration actually has a lot of public information available on carriers.

The safest assumption is that a known, legit bus, truck, van, etc is pretty safe.

Anything that is long term rental, surplus/debrandded, shady looking or too cheap is a dangerous shitshow. Stretch limos are usually dangerous. Unlicensed or not appropriately licensed drivers are a big issue too.

Re: 1.5M Packages a Day Bring Chaos to NYC Streets

#46

Post by SllX »

xyst wrote: post #43

City tax payers are ultimately paying the price for “2-day shipping” in the form of more congestion and pollution, and compromised safety. Shouldn’t the companies causing these problems pay for enhancing the infrastructure (roads, parking) they use to make their $$$? I imagine it’s a much more costlier option since you have to work with the city but it should be a net positive gain (packages delivered more efficientl…

They could tax them, sure. The customers would ultimately bear the cost of those taxes, but that might lead to a self-correction and cause them to order fewer deliveries, perhaps by bundling their orders together into larger deliveries.

Re: 1.5M Packages a Day Bring Chaos to NYC Streets

#47

Post by pas »

Spooky23 wrote: post #36
CydeWeys wrote: post #27

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is common in NYC. The biggest violators should be paying the most, but instead, they pay the least per violation because they bargain down the fines. Here's a pretty typical fine record for a truck that was illegally parked in the bike lane during my commute this week: https://twitter.com/CydeWeys/status/1188467550822293512 (expand all replies) And note how they're getting a reduction in fines: https://twitter.c…

What are they supposed to do? There’s a difference between the letter of the law and reality. You need deliveries and couriers to make a city work, and NYC is no different.

Deliver using bikes?

Or if it's large, send someone out on a bike, wait for a parking spot, bring in the truck.

Reserve spaces for delivery trucks, set up a system so they don't arrive at the same time.

These are all options that the city can encourage/legislate/enforce.

Re: 1.5M Packages a Day Bring Chaos to NYC Streets

#48

Post by semiotagonal »

objektif wrote: post #29

According to elitist NYT only the old rich settlers of manhattan who own multi million dollar apartments and 1000$ a month parking spot are entitled to have a car and drive in the city. Thats why they are against Uber and Lyft as well.

According to the article, much of the negative impact is being felt in poorer neighborhoods where the trucks concentrate around the storage facilities.

Re: 1.5M Packages a Day Bring Chaos to NYC Streets

#49

Post by tgv »

Havoc wrote: post #7

Wait till the things start buzzing around via drones by the thousands...

I'm sure someone will try to spin this positively for drone delivery: "See? We can't let those poor people suffer. We must think out of the box. I know: let's use unmanned aerial delivery. By the way, did you know my company happens to be in this business?"

Re: 1.5M Packages a Day Bring Chaos to NYC Streets

#50

Post by nemo44x »

alexhutcheson wrote: post #6
CydeWeys wrote: post #5

A few thoughts as a bike commuter in Manhattan who sees this first hand every day: The congestion tax can't come soon enough (and it should have no carve-outs, certainly not for people who live here). We need to get rid of lots of free on-street parking in the city and replace it with loading zones so that taxis/Ubers and trucks have free spaces on every block to conduct their business without blocking travel lanes o…

100% agreed. This is a trivially solvable problem, and the only thing standing in the way is the fact that politicians are terrified to upset the small minority of people who currently benefit from free on-street parking. We're currently giving away huge amounts of the most valuable real estate in the country, and we need to reclaim it for publicly beneficial uses including bus lanes, bike lanes, and designated loadi…

It’s not being given away. They pay taxes to live in the city and at 3% it’s not cheap.

I live in the city and think having a car is ridiculous in many parts but let’s remember that the citizens are paying a lot of tax.

Forcing everyone to use a garage is elitist as they run over $600/month.

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