New York City Department of Transportation (NYC DOT) Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez recently announced the expansion of LockerNYC, which is the city’s free, secure public delivery program developed to increase curb space demands. LockerNYC allows city residents to easily send and receive packages by using lockers on public sidewalks. The expansion is particularly helpful as the holiday shopping season has arrived, with lockers now sprawling across all five boroughs, including four additional locker locations on public sidewalks and indoors.
For the first time, LockerNYC users will also have access to the full GoLocker network, which is the company whose lockers are being used in the pilot.
“With the arrival of the holiday shopping season, we expect more deliveries and congestion on our streets,” said Deputy Mayor for Operations Meera Joshi. “Thankfully, through the LockerNYC program, we’re consolidating deliveries to central locations and reducing truck stops in residential communities. We look forward to expanding this program and offering New Yorkers convenient, safe, and efficient ways to receive packages.”
It is estimated that at least 2.5 million packages will be delivered throughout the city every single day during the holiday shopping season—and the city wants to help. Rodriguez stated, “As the holiday shopping season gets underway, we want to help New Yorkers keep the porch pirates at bay… The LockerNYC program offers a safe and free way to send and receive packages during the holiday season. In addition to cutting down on package theft, centralized pick-up and drop-offs can also reduce the number of big delivery trucks on our streets.”
Answering City Demands
The LockerNYC pilot is a part of NYC DOT’s efforts to rethink freight delivery in New York City, especially when demand for curb space—including everything from trash collection and bike lanes to truck loading and parking—continues to increase. NYC DOT is responding to these new demands. “Smart Curbs,” “Microhubs,” and the broader Curb Management Action Plan, released in 2023, aim to answer community needs while preparing NYC streets for the future.
Ready to team up with LockerNYC and the city, the CEO of GoLocker, Kerry Caylor, stated, “GoLocker is incredibly proud to be a partner in the LockerNYC initiative and grateful for the opportunity to support New York City’s efforts in creating a safer, more efficient solution for package delivery and returns, especially in neighborhoods most impacted by package theft… We’ve already processed more than 5,000 packages for New Yorkers in the past few months and look forward to building on that this holiday season.”
Free Help During the Holiday Season
This program was developed to cut down on package theft by offering secure delivery locations and consolidating package deliveries at centralized locations to create more curb space. With large delivery trucks often creating more pollution and presenting safety risks for pedestrians, cyclists, and others sharing the busy streets of The Big Apple, LockerNYC hopes to centralize deliveries, eliminate delivery traffic, and protect individuals traveling through the city.
The LockerNYC pilot program launched in April this year, and NYC residents have already made over 5,000 reservations for secure package pick-up and drop-off. The program is available for free to anyone who is interested, serving multiple delivery carriers, including UPS, DHL, and Pitney Bowes. These lockers are secured with security cameras, LED lighting, and anti-theft mechanisms.
“I applaud the expansion of LockerNYC, which will enhance convenience and security for New Yorkers during the busy holiday shopping season,” said State Senator Brian Kavanagh. “I am especially pleased that one of the lockers is located in my Lower Manhattan district. By providing accessible and secure delivery options across all five boroughs, LockerNYC not only combats package theft but also works toward reducing traffic congestion and pollution from delivery trucks. This program exemplifies our commitment to improving city life and ensuring a safer, more sustainable environment for all. I commend DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez and his staff for expanding this important initiative.”
This holiday season, New Yorkers will be able to send or receive deliveries at 19 publicly available LockerNYC locations, including Sunnyside, Queens, East Flatbush, Brooklyn, City Point Brooklyn Complex, GoLo Storefront East Village, and more.
