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Council hearing considers raising sidewalk delivery robot weight limit to 275 pounds; DDOT pauses new permits pending regs
Summary
At an Oct. 16 Committee on Transportation and the Environment hearing, companies and restaurant groups supported raising the District's personal delivery device weight limit from 90 to 275 pounds; DDOT said it has paused new permits while it develops regulations addressing device size, sidewalks and multi‑operator interactions.
Councilmember Charles Allen opened the committee hearing by listing three bills under consideration, including the Personal Delivery Device Weight Limit Amendment Act of 2025. The bill would raise the statutory maximum weight for personal delivery devices (PDDs) — sidewalk robots used for short ‘‘last‑mile’’ deliveries — from 90 pounds to no more than 275 pounds (cargo excluded).
Why it matters: industry witnesses said the existing 90‑pound limit, set in 2018, now blocks newer devices that weigh more but offer longer range, larger cargo holds and 0‑emission delivery. Yariel Diaz, director of government affairs for Serv Robotics, told the committee Serv's devices weigh about 225 pounds, operate at pedestrian pace for roughly 1.5‑mile trips, and run up to 14 hours on a single charge. ‘‘Updating the weight limit is essential to enabling the next generation of…
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