Mass. Restaurant Association opposes Boston ordinance to rein in delivery drivers

A delivery driver on a moped drove down Boylston Street as Mayor Michelle Wu spoke during a press conference held in February to announce her intent to file an ordinance with the Boston City Council to address street safety concerns regarding food deliveries by third-party app companies.Jessica Rinaldi/Globe Staff

The Massachusetts Restaurant Association is raising concerns about Boston Mayor Michelle Wu’s efforts to tamp down wayward food delivery drivers.

In February, Wu filed a proposed ordinance with the City Council requiring food delivery apps such as DoorDash and UberEats to obtain a permit to operate in the city, a process that would require them to have liability insurance coverage for all drivers using their platforms, to address concerns that many of them are breaking traffic and parking rules.

This ordinance prompted the restaurant association’s chief executive, Stephen Clark, to send a letter to Wu last week, stating that the “unprecedented and burdensome insurance requirements” could raise costs for restaurant deliveries, which would eventually be passed on to consumers. The letter also expressed concerns that the delivery platforms would have to share detailed information about restaurants and customers’ orders with the city, essentially making it public for competitors to view what could be sensitive information. The MRA also said it’s worried about a 15-cent delivery tax that has been discussed by the city council as part of the ordinance debate.

In an interview, Clark said he would prefer to see city officials better enforce existing regulations than adopt new ones. “We’re not opposed to some sort of regulation,” Clark said in an interview. “[But] the way that they’re going about doing it, with this level of reporting and the fee, that came out of nowhere.”

In response to the restaurant association’s letter, a spokesperson said that the Wu administration is committed to making food delivery safer for Boston pedestrians and drivers while supporting the city’s restaurants. The statement continued: “This ordinance holds large, national delivery companies accountable and will ensure drivers have insurance coverage while making our streets safer for everyone. Data gathered will help the City better plan for food delivery impacts, which has resulted in an alarming increase of dangerous driving, worsened congestion and double parking.”