NEW YORK — A pilot program that encourages trucks to make off-hour deliveries in downtown New York has been expanded.

The program reviewed the experience of 33 truck drivers and receivers who agreed to make and accept deliveries between 7 p.m. and 6 a.m.

The NYDOT says it found that those that participated in the pilot experienced fewer delays, easier parking, reduced congestion and significant savings.

Businesses also saw travel speeds improve by as much as 75 percent and a reduction in parking tickets and fines, which exceeded $1,000 a month for each truck.

As well, trucks spent 30 minutes stopped at the curbside making deliveries, instead of 100 minutes before the pilot. From beginning to end, delivery routes averaged 48 minutes faster.

"New York is a city that never stops, and neither should its businesses," said Transportation Commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan. "Time is money and this program is a signal to the entire industry that there’s an economic model for off-hour deliveries that also helps reduce congestion and pollution."

Freight deliveries into the borough exceed 100,000 daily, with 80 percent made to wholesale, retail and food enterprises.

In 2008, the city tried to pass a "congestion pricing" bill to charge truck drivers $21 to enter the city during peak times, but the proposal was shot down by state legislators.