Policy Order to investigate shared free bus service and E bike delivery program

O-16

Cambridge is seeking to increase pedestrian and cyclist safety, reduce traffic and carbon emissions generated by automobile and truck use in the city; and

The Council wants to encourage residents and visitors to the City of Cambridge to use alternative transportation and reduce our collective reliance on automobiles through the installation of protected bicycle lanes and bus priority lanes, the reduction of minimal parking requirements for new development and other methods; and

The reliability and efficacy of the MBTA with its present challenges and reduction in service and bus lanes is not conducive to increasing public transit and not meeting the needs of many of our residents; and

The City Council wants to meet the needs of all our residents, including those with mobility issues, in providing quick, efficient modes of transportation throughout the city: and

The City Council emphatically supports our local businesses along major business corridors such as Massachusetts Avenue and Cambridge Street and in our squares that have all seen a reduction in available metered and guest parking: and

Harvard, MIT, Lesley and many of our largest employers currently operate shuttle services throughout the city for their students and employees; now therefore be it

That the Economic Development and University Relations Committee and the Transportation and Parking Committee work with CDD and the Traffic, Transportation, and Parking Department to conduct a hearing in partnership with our university and business partners who currently operate shuttle services to determine if there could be a shared shuttle plan and service that could also be utilized by residents; and be it further

That the City Manager be and is hereby requested to develop a pilot program in which the city would purchase several EV or Hybrid shuttle buses or other vehicles that would operate free of charge on a much more frequent schedule on our major commercial corridors of Massachusetts Avenue and Cambridge Street encouraging residents, tourists, and visitors to patronize our local businesses while making it easier for them to get around the city; and be it further

That the City Manager be and is hereby requested to develop a pilot program in which the city would purchase E Bikes and hire city residents to create a city-based delivery service for our restaurants and local businesses to reduce the costs paid by businesses and customers of current home delivery services.