Skip to Content
Streetsblog New York City home
Streetsblog New York City home
Log In
Bicycling

Help Wanted: Whole Foods Needs Cyclists To Deliver Groceries

The Whole Foods bike gang awaits. Photo: Gersh Kuntzman

They're looking for a few good legs.

Just as many service workers and gig-economy employees are suddenly without work due to coronacrisis shutdowns, Whole Foods says needs it needs scores of new cyclists to bring groceries to people who are keeping their distance from their neighbors.

The chain, which is owned by Amazon, has been participating in the city's cargo e-bike delivery pilot through the Dutch Express Courier Service, which is technically doing the hiring.

The job listing (here) does not specify the rate of pay, but Austin Horse, who has been delivering with the company for several months, said riders make $13.35 an hour, which can end up as much as $25 an hour with tips.

Applicants must pass a road test. Horse said Dutch Express isn't looking for cowboys to blast through red lights. It's crucial to follow traffic laws under normal circumstances, but also when riders are hauling trailers with 50 pounds of supplies.

"If you know how to ride a bike in the city, if you know how to move and be mindful then you'll good," Horse said.

The grocery store chain is the biggest company participating in the city's pilot program for e-bike deliveries, with roughly 100 electric-assist Dutch Express bike-trailer tandems on the road. DHL and UPS are also experimenting with a single electric cargo bike out of their existing West Side depots. The city has not created staging areas for a wider expansion of cargo deliveries, and Whole Foods delivery riders have been accused of taking up valuable space on the sidewalk before officials figure out where they can load up.

But a wider expansion of the delivery program is especially welcome during the virus crisis, Horse said, because people who are currently out of work can get a job, stay in shape and, most important, keep people from packing the aisles of upscale grocery stores.

In-person job applications can be filled out at Dutch Express (13 W. 38th St., third floor), 9-11 a.m., Monday to Thursday. The online application is here.

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog New York City

‘Preventable’: Hit-and-Run Driver Kills Two on Third. Ave Corridor Eric Adams Refuses to Make Safer

A motorist struck and killed two men on a strip where Mayor Adams recently shelved a safety redesign amid a backlash from local business interests.

July 11, 2025

Why No BRT For NYC? Two New Reports Tackle Why Your Bus Service Sucks

Years of bus priority projects barely made a dent in speeds because Big Apple leaders won't install real bus rapid transit, two recent reports argue.

July 11, 2025

Citi Bike Riders Are Pissed About Eric Adams’s 15 MPH Speed Limit

Citi Bike's new 15 mph max speed limit is a bad deal for riders and a potential threat to safety, riders said.

July 11, 2025

Friday Video: Cyclists, Check Out Your Next City

Streetfilms' Clarence Eckerson visited London earlier this summer to check in on the Big Smoke's cycling revolution.

July 11, 2025

Friday’s Headlines: Just the News Edition

We've got one more workday before we can hit the beach. Plus the news.

July 11, 2025

Council To Close Instacart Loophole, Pass Delivery Industry Regulation Bills

The City Council will vote on Monday to close the "Instacart loophole" and force all app companies to pay workers a minimum wage.

July 10, 2025
See all posts