Patrick Dixon, a UPS delivery driver, delivers more than 300 packages a day.
After 18 years with his company, he works quickly and always with a smile.
I love it. I love it!” (“I love it. I love it!”) says Dixon.
But there is something that hinders his work.
“This is a ticket for parking.” (“This is a parking ticket”), she adds.
Parking is becoming more difficult every day, especially because of the new bike lanes.
“Since they added the bike lanes it has gotten worse.” (“Since they added the lines for bicycles, it has gotten worse”), says the delivery man.
He says that a bad day can receive up to nine fines.
“In New York City we pay more in fines than in the entire world. And in the country, in the United States, we pay about 80 percent here in New York City of all the fines that we pay in the entire country,” says Axel Carrión, vice president, Government Affairs for UPS.
To help workers like Dixon, Open Plans, an organization focused on improving how we share the public road, is asking the city to increase the number of loading and unloading zones and reduce private parking spaces.
Sara Lind, Head of Strategy of the company explains the reason for this proposal:
“This benefits everyone. Even if you are a driver, this will reduce the congestion caused by double parking and will help you in the long run.”
With the growth of online shopping and the expansion of Citi Bike and bike lanes, fighting for space at the curb has never been so difficult.
A 2021 law requires the city to create more than 500 loading and unloading spaces a year.
The Department of Transportation says 1,800 were created in 2022.
Later this year it will present a comprehensive street management strategy.
For now, Dixon and his colleagues will have to do what they can to avoid the fines.
It will not be easy.
“As you can see, we are parking again, ‘no parking”, (“As you can see, we are parking again. No parking”), says Dixon.
Minutes after parking in a prohibited area, they gave him another fine.
UPS says it pays $25 million in parking tickets each year.
