LONDON, ONT. -- Hazard lights flashing and stopped in the curb lane, London is seeing far more drivers for app-based food delivery services stopped on downtown streets.
“We do rely heavily on the curb side pickup for the delivery drivers.” explains co-owner of Dos Tacos Assaad Naeeli.
Dos Tacos has just reopened on Richmond Row for the first time since mid-March.
The deliveries serve as a lifeline for restaurants restricted to offering takeout and delivery during the pandemic, but the increasing number of drivers stopping in traffic lanes and no parking zones hasn’t gone unnoticed.
Director of Municipal Law Enforcement Orest Katolyk says city hall is taking the financial impacts of the pandemic into consideration.
“We’re working with the BIAs and allowing for that type of pickup in the areas where you normally shouldn’t see cars,” explains Katolyk.
Within the pandemic relief package approved by city council is a direction to have by-law officers use “additional discretion for loading and unloading around the downtown”.
Permitting five to ten minute stops by delivery drivers in no parking and no stopping zones is welcomed news at Dos Tacos.
“It does help small businesses like us who rely on third party deliveries. We don’t have our own delivery,” says Naeeli. expects about half of their sales since reopening have been through online delivery services.
But Katolyk emphasizes bus lanes and fire routes remain off limits.
“We are focusing very much on education recognizing there is a lot of curb side pickup going on right now.
