Boston Globe, January 19, 2000
Less than 15 percent of Boston bicycle messengers have renewed their licenses despite a law requiring they register with the city by Jan. 1.
Last year, 436 bicycle messengers and 56 services that employ couriers registered. But as of yesterday, only 63 messengers and nine services had renewed licenses, said Lieutenant James Curran of the Boston Police licensing unit.
While not all couriers who registered last year may still be working in the city, officials said they are concerned that a law enacted in the wake of serious courier-related accidents is not being followed.
''To me that's a serious reduction. ... Maybe the majority of them are operating illegally. That would be horrible,'' said City Councilor At Large Francis ''Mickey'' Roache.
The 1999 regulation requires bicycle messengers to register with the city and the police licensing unit, to have insurance that covers pedestrians and themselves, to display a license plate on their bicycle, and to carry a photo ID at all times.
Renewing a courier license costs $25; companies that employ couriers must also pay a $25 annual fee.
The law was proposed in 1998 after School Committee member and Federal Reserve Bank vice president William J. Spring was seriously injured after [jaywalking and ] being run down by a [mainly law abiding] courier in the Back Bay. Roache said that the problems that prompted the law still exist, and that the city needs to look into what is keeping down the number of those registering.
''I would think that the police department should set up a public hearing,'' he said, adding that the issue is also one the City Council should consider addressing.
Curran said he isn't overly concerned yet about numbers being low. Some companies are trying to work out kinks with their insurance and others may simply have folded, he said. He also expected more people to register once the weather gets warmer, as he suspects people are less prone to ride around on bicycles in sub-zero weather.
''The fastest way to bring them [the number of registered] up is to have some kind of program in the areas where the courier services are used - either downtown or Back Bay,'' he said. If numbers don't jump by the first of the month, Curran said, he will ask officers to watch for unlicensed couriers. [meaning harassment of everyone who looks like one]
Couriers working on an expired license can be easily spotted by police because last year's plates were green while this year's are orange. Those who are caught face a $100 fine, plus an additional $25 for a traffic violation, said Boston Police Sergeant Detective Margot Hill.
Aaron Driben, president of City Express, said he encouraged his dozen or so couriers to renew their license at least a few days before New Year's, as he didn't want them to get stuck in lines. He was surprised to learn that waiting was not an issue.
[Driben is a member of the board of directors for the MCAA -: "Mr. Driben took a leadership role in promoting higher safety standards for bike couriers. He joined Boston Mayor Menino's Task Force to address this issue and proposed safety solutions that were published in community newspapers."- even though he has never delivered one single package on a bike]
Though he didn't want to say his competitors are ignoring the law, he dismissed suggestions that there has been a dramatic change in the number of messengers working in Boston. And cold weather wouldn't keep couriers from their job, he said. In fact, winter months are among his busiest, since businessmen who don't want to brave the outdoors have packages delivered.
''I don't know why people are just shrugging their shoulders at the law,'' Driben said. ''It's like renewing your auto insurance. Just do it.''