NEW YORK CITY (PIX11) — NYPD officers will no longer issue criminal summonses to e‑bike riders and cyclists for low‑level traffic offenses, Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced Wednesday.

Beginning next Friday, the NYPD will shift away from requiring riders to appear in criminal court for minor violations, a practice that previously carried the risk of a bench warrant or arrest if they missed their court date.

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Under the new policy, those violations will be handled through the same civil summons process used for motorists. The mayor’s office said the change “ensures accountability while ending a punitive system that has burdened working New Yorkers.”

However, the E‑Vehicle Safety Alliance said it is alarmed by the policy change.

“E‑bike riders would be required to have a license, registration, a visible plate, and carry insurance, they have none of the above but should!” the group warned in a statement.

The organization warned that “without proper regulations, and without C-Summonsses, e‑bikes can simply ignore a traffic summons with virtually no meaningful repercussions.”

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The city said it also will expand safety training for all e‑bike and bicycle delivery workers, enhance Citi Bike safety features, and strengthen accountability for app‑based delivery companies.

All delivery platforms would be required to share trip‑level data with the city Department of Transportation to help inform safer delivery standards. The city will also seek authority to mandate enhanced training for delivery workers who repeatedly engage in unsafe riding behavior, under the new policy proposal.

“This balanced approach supports riders while protecting pedestrians and motorists and moves us closer to making our streetscape the envy of the world,” Mamdani said.

Nicole Alarcon is an award-winning digital content producer. She has covered local news for the tri-state area since 2021. She joined PIX11 News in 2026. See more of her work here.

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