Authors

Tanisha Dighe, Ziwei Zhang, Zoey Zhou Yuan, Sanyogita Deshmukh

Research Question

How do extreme heat, stormwater flooding, and air pollution impact the health and working conditions of NYC delivery workers, and what policy interventions can mitigate these climate-related risks?

Background

NYC increasingly relies on delivery workers, who work tirelessly through all weather conditions and face extreme hazards. Gig-economy workers often come from marginalized communities and face barriers including limited access to jobs, resources, and legal documentation that restrict employment prospects and contribute to poverty. Thus, understanding the disproportionate exposure to hazards they face is paramount. This project focuses on delivery workers in Manhattan who endure constant exposure to pollution, heat, and humidity without adequate physical or regulatory safeguards.

Methodology

This study employs a mixed-methods approach that integrates spatial mobility analysis, climate risk assessment, and qualitative data collection. First, mobility data from Spectus was used to analyze delivery worker mobility patterns, while environmental hazard data from NYC Open Data was used to map extreme heat and flood zones. Surveys and interviews provided additional insights into delivery workers’ lived experiences. Second, movement data was filtered by restaurant visit frequency, travel behavior, and complexity analysis using the K-Radius of Gyration and Fractal Dimension Analysis to identify and process trajectories. Third, a Climate Vulnerability Index was developed to assess risks by mapping the workers’ exposure to extreme heat and stormwater flood zones. Fourth, high-risk areas were identified using hotspot analysis (Getis-Ord Gi*), reachability analysis, and Gini Index to locate inequitable climate exposure. Fifth, a sentiment analysis of interviews was conducted, and survey responses were developed into statistical summaries. Finally, policy recommendations were developed advising infrastructure, regulatory, and tech-driven solutions to protect delivery workers.

Deliverables

• Technical Report outlining a climate exposure analysis examining the impact on delivery workers
• Policy Recommendations providing targeted strategies to protect delivery workers against climate-related risks

Datasets