A delivery courier in Tashkent says police confiscated the electric bicycle he used to deliver orders after demanding a driver’s license, leaving him unable to work. In an early October video appeal, the man said his bicycle could not exceed 25 kilometers per hour and that he did not ride on roads used by cars.
Economist Otabek Bakirov published the video amid increasingly frequent police inspections of moped and scooter riders, including delivery workers.
Police have justified the inspections by pointing to traffic accidents. Figures released in early October put the number of accidents involving mopeds and scooters in Uzbekistan this year at 563, leaving 89 people dead and another 488 injured. But how well are Tashkent’s streets equipped to accommodate the vehicles used by thousands of delivery workers every day?
Thousands of Violations and New Regulations
According to the Road Traffic Safety Service of Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Internal Affairs, inspectors recorded 4,312 violations involving moped and scooter riders in 2026, about 14 times the number recorded throughout 2025. The agency attributes accidents partly to riders lacking driver’s licenses and having insufficient knowledge of traffic rules.
However, the sharp increase in recorded violations also coincides with new requirements for riders and more frequent police inspections.
In early October, Tashkent police publicly explained another incident involving a motorized two-wheeler. On the night of October 2, inspectors stopped a man on Amir Temur Street because, according to their account, his vehicle was obstructing traffic. It had a homemade attachment that restricted visibility, while the rider’s clothing lacked reflective elements. He also did not have the required documents.
Since October 2025, Uzbekistan has required mopeds and scooters to be registered. In January 2026, the country introduced a simplified A1 driver’s license subcategory for mopeds and certain other low-powered vehicles. This can be obtained by passing theoretical and practical exams, without compulsory driving-school training. Drivers who hold Uzbekistan’s national licenses in categories A, B, C, or D do not need a separate A1 license.
A vehicle’s legal classification depends on its technical specifications. For example, ordinary electric kick scooters are classified as personal mobility devices and do not require a license.
Couriers and Delivery Services
In 2025, the People’s Democratic Party of Uzbekistan estimated that there were approximately 130,000 couriers across the country making deliveries on bicycles, mopeds, and scooters. For students, people from other regions, and those without steady employment, delivery work can offer a way to earn money quickly. However, couriers often have to cover vehicle expenses, documentation costs, and fines themselves.
Amid the police inspections, Sardor Kadyrov, vice president of Yandex Uzbekistan, presented his own figures. According to his estimates, couriers have received fines totaling nearly 4.7 billion soums, approximately $390,000, since the beginning of 2026. Missing documents accounted for only about 8% of the violations he cited, which covered motorcycle, scooter, and moped riders.
Kadyrov also claimed that mopeds were involved in fewer than 6% of all recorded traffic accidents. His figures cover mopeds alone, while the Road Traffic Safety Service’s figures include scooters, making a direct comparison difficult.
Yandex has a commercial interest in the debate because restrictions affecting couriers also affect delivery services.
In June 2025, the company began offering Tashkent couriers rental electric bicycles that automatically limit their speed depending on the area. The initial rollout involved 100 bicycles, with plans to expand the fleet to 500.
Bike Lanes Are Being Built, but Mopeds Cannot Use Them
By the end of 2030, Tashkent plans to improve 100 streets designated for tourism, dining, and round-the-clock activity. The decision was adopted by the city’s Council of People’s Deputies, its local representative body. The project includes upgrading sidewalks and building bicycle lanes.
These improvements are good news for cyclists, but couriers riding mopeds must travel on the roads alongside cars.
The problem is particularly noticeable around restaurants and cafes. A courier arrives to collect an order, parks for a few minutes, and then returns to the road. There may be dozens of such stops during a shift. Yet published summaries of the street improvement plans do not specify short-term parking spaces for delivery mopeds near businesses.
The situation is complicated by cars parked on sidewalks and near building entrances. Tashkent has previously announced smart parking plans and began testing an integrated management system for private parking facilities in April 2026. However, the pilot project description does not mention dedicated spaces for delivery vehicles.
For a courier, searching for somewhere to stop means losing time and potentially income. Designated parking areas near restaurants could reduce conflicts with motorists and pedestrians without requiring extensive street reconstruction.
Road Safety Requires More Than Enforcement
A lack of convenient routes does not justify dangerous riding. In February 2026, a courier riding a scooter collided with a bus in Tashkent. According to the preliminary account provided by the city’s bus operator, Toshshahartransxizmat, the courier ran a red light.
In another incident, a scooter rider traveling against traffic crashed into the hook of a mobile crane parked by the roadside. He died at the scene, according to Tashkent police.
The same police report described accidents in which motorists driving at high speeds struck pedestrians, including after running red lights.
In a collision with a bus or truck, a moped rider has virtually no protection. That makes enforcement of speed limits, vehicle safety standards, and traffic rules essential. But safety also depends on how streets are organized: whether couriers can reach pickup locations, stop without obstructing pedestrians, and safely rejoin traffic.
The case of the courier whose electric bicycle was confiscated has yet to receive a publicly reported legal resolution. Nor has a technical assessment been released to establish whether he was required to hold an A1 license. For the courier himself, the answer will determine whether he can return to work.