Some bicycle couriers who deliver food for Grubhub will have a place to refresh and recharge this summer.
The delivery company last week opened the JOCO Concierge Sponsored by Grubhub in Manhattan. It’s part of a partnership with e-bike rental service JOCO.
The space at 259 Bowery in Soho is open from 12 to 8 p.m. and offers e-bike batteries, bike rentals, free delivery gear, restrooms and phone-charging stations. It’s one of more than 50 JOCO hubs in the city.
Couriers have to work with Grubhub and have active JOCO credits to access the facility.
New York delivery workers have been pushing for more public amenities like restroom access, charging stations and shelter. In February, Chick-fil-A opened its own hub for couriers called The Brake Room. The temporary space closed in April.
The Grubhub/JOCO program aims to fill a similar need while also providing a safe place to charge e-bike batteries, which have been cited as the cause of fires in the city in recent months. JOCO offers proprietary fireproof cabinets for charging.
“When it comes to our delivery partners, of course safety is absolutely key, and that’s why this hub from Grubhub and JOCO combines elements like safe battery exchange with amenities that help riders rest and recharge,” said Amy Perlik Healy, vice president of government relations at Grubhub, in a statement.
The facility is part of a larger partnership between Grubhub and JOCO focused on e-bikes. This month, Grubhub’s “top tier” Manhattan couriers will start getting free JOCO credits that they can use to rent e-bikes. Grubhub and JOCO will use data and feedback from those riders to work on improving e-bike safety.
Grubhub’s Community Fund has also made a $100,000 grant to the FDNY Foundation’s fire safety campaign, which includes resources on how to safely handle lithium ion batteries like the ones used for e-bikes.
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