State recommends $560,000 for e‑bike rebates for on‑demand delivery workers

The California Energy Commission has recommended $560,000 in funding to the San Francisco Department of the Environment for a four‑year e‑bike rebate pilot aimed at on‑demand delivery workers, LAFCO Executive Officer Brian Goble told commissioners at the commission’s September meeting. "This is gonna take cars off the streets," Goble said, describing the award as building on LAFCO’s survey and recommendations to improve app‑based workers’ conditions.

City staff said the pilot will offer rebates to delivery drivers who have expressed interest in switching to electric bicycles, and that it could serve as a model for broader e‑bike incentives across San Francisco and for other community choice energy programs. Goble thanked Department of the Environment staff and local partners including the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition, Drivers Seat Cooperative, SFMTA and SFPUC for participating in planning the pilot.

Commissioners welcomed the news. Commissioner Gordon Marr said the grant represented an early policy win from LAFCO’s gig‑worker research and stressed the potential co‑benefits for climate and street congestion. Chair Connie Chan said she hoped the Department of the Environment would recognize LAFCO’s role in helping secure the award.

The report did not include details on the pilot’s eligibility criteria, exact rebate amounts, or rollout timeline beyond the grant recommendation. City staff said they hope the pilot could inform a larger e‑bike incentive program but did not provide specific enrollment dates at the meeting. LAFCO will request future updates as the Department of the Environment finalizes program rules and implementation plans.