New York City’s oversight of the delivery sector could extend further to Amazon-branded vans. A report compiled by the nonprofit Alliance for a Greater New York found that vehicles delivering Amazon packages in the city received more than 14,000 traffic tickets between July 2020 and June 2025. The violations included blocking emergency vehicles, obstructing fire hydrants and speeding in school zones.
The data comes from traffic records collected by New York City. The vehicles were registered across all five boroughs and involved 637 license plates. Vehicles associated with Amazon’s delivery operations were also linked to about 13,000 incidents of prolonged idling during the five-year period. New York allows residents to report commercial vehicles that idle for extended periods, after which city authorities assess the complaints.
More than 14,000 tickets across multiple violations
The report said Amazon’s delivery model has placed sustained pressure on New York’s street-management system. Delivery vehicles must make frequent stops, load and unload packages, and maneuver through densely populated areas. Some were consequently cited for obstructing fire-safety equipment, interfering with emergency access or exceeding speed limits near schools. The available data records vehicle violations and idling incidents, but does not establish whether every case resulted in a crash or personal injury.
Samuel A.A. Levine, commissioner of the New York City Department of Consumer and Worker Protection, said the figures suggest that the way delivery operations are organized may shift some costs and risks onto local communities. He supports the Delivery Protection Act, which is currently before the New York City Council. The bill would require companies such as Amazon to directly employ the workers who deliver packages, rather than relying primarily on third-party delivery firms to arrange drivers.
Most Amazon drivers work for delivery partners
Many drivers operating the vehicles are not direct Amazon employees. They work through Amazon’s Delivery Service Partner, or DSP, program, which consists of independent third-party businesses. Drivers typically wear Amazon-branded clothing and must undergo background checks conducted by Amazon.
The arrangement has also raised questions over responsibility. The report said that when drivers raise concerns about unsafe working conditions, Amazon may refer the matter to the DSP employing them. If an Amazon-branded vehicle is involved in a crash, an injured party may seek compensation from Amazon, while Amazon may argue that responsibility rests with the relevant DSP. The outcome depends on the facts of the incident, the contractual relationship and applicable law; the report does not reach judicial conclusions on individual cases.
Amazon points to training and in-vehicle safety tools
An Amazon spokesperson said the company works with DSPs to promote safer deliveries, including through in-person driver training and in-vehicle safety technology. Amazon said its Last Mile Training Academy has trained about 110,000 drivers, with courses covering the safe operation of delivery vehicles.
Amazon also said DSPs are responsible for ensuring that drivers comply with traffic laws and for covering costs arising from driver violations. The company is exploring alternatives to conventional delivery vans, including electric cargo bikes and deliveries on foot, to reduce the use of vehicles on some city streets.
Bill could reshape delivery employment relationships
Amazon opposes the Delivery Protection Act. In testimony submitted in April this year, the company stated its opposition. If the bill ultimately requires platforms to employ delivery workers directly, it could alter the relationship between Amazon and its DSPs, the employment status of drivers, and the allocation of responsibility for traffic violations and crashes.
For now, the city’s disclosed data focuses on traffic tickets, license plates and idling complaints. It does not show how much direct financial cost or operating expense the records may create for Amazon. For consumers, the dispute is not limited to whether packages arrive on time. It also concerns how delivery vehicles use public streets and which party bears responsibility when a traffic crash or workplace-safety issue occurs.