Boston aims to curb delivery driver disorder by holding third-party apps accountable

BOSTON — Boston will soon require third-party delivery apps to apply for new permits and prove all their drivers have liability insurance.

Boston City Council voted 11-2 Wednesday to approve the ordinance created by Boston Mayor Michelle Wu with some revisions.

The measure, which now needs to be signed by Mayor Wu, will also require large food delivery platforms, such as Uber Eats, Grubhub, and DoorDash, to provide quarterly data on where their deliverers are picking up food.

That data will go to the Boston Transportation Department to help look for problem areas.

City officials said the information will be used to ease congestion caused by delivery drivers clustering at restaurants.

“This nation-leading ordinance will help us make our streets safer for everyone while supporting our local restaurants,” said a statement from Mayor Wu. “By holding large, national delivery companies accountable and ensuring insurance coverage for delivery drivers, we will help pedestrians and drivers move around our neighborhoods more safely in this changing economy.”

The Boston Transportation Department and Boston Police were visibly cracking down on double parked vehicles, many of them delivery drivers, in Boston’s Back Bay on Wednesday night.

Neighbors have been complaining for years about idled vehicles clogging up an entire lane of traffic on Boylston Street outside fast-food favorites like Chick-fil-A.

The constant sight of delivery drivers zipping through bike lanes on scooters and mopeds has also been a frequent source of concern.

“They’re zipping through here and down the sidewalks very fast. It’s dangerous!,” said Jennifer Leblanc.

Companies will be required to renew their permits every year, and those that violate the ordinance or operate without a permit will face a fine of $300 per day for each restaurant the company facilities a delivery from.

Boston 25 News received the following statement from a Grubhub spokesperson:

“Grubhub appreciates the Council’s collaboration to improve this ordinance, and we are particularly pleased by the removal of the delivery tax that would have devastated couriers and restaurants throughout Boston. While we still have concerns about the ordinance’s approach to street safety and its potential impact on delivery costs, we remain committed to working with lawmakers on comprehensive solutions to better serve communities throughout the Commonwealth.”

That statement refers to a controversial 15 cent tax per order proposed in Mayor Wu’s first ordinance that was scrapped by the Boston City Council

A DoorDash spokesperson issued the following statement to Boston 25 News:

“Hundreds of Boston customers, Dashers, and merchants made their voices heard loud and clear about some of the consequences that this ordinance could have had, and we’re glad the Council listened to their warning.”

That spokesperson expressed concerns that the delivery platforms are still required to share detailed information about customers’ orders with the city, “essentially making it public for competing restaurants to view what could be sensitive information.”

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts.

Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW

©2025 Cox Media Group