N.Y. City puts foot down on pedicabs

New York City’s hordes of unregulated bicycle taxis will have to meet licensing, insurance and safety standards, and only 325 will be allowed to operate at one time, thanks to a City Council’s recent override of a mayoral veto.

The so-called pedicabs, which look like giant tricycles with passenger carriages in the back, have increasingly become popular among tourists and some residents who prefer to beat traffic jams by weaving through all the cars.

The city estimates it has between 300 and 400 pedicabs.

The bill was moments from being signed into law last month when Mayor Michael Bloomberg had second thoughts during the bill-signing ceremony. A group of pedicab drivers told him the bill was unfair, particularly because it caps the number of bicycle taxis allowed at 325. He deferred any decision that day and later vetoed the measure, saying 500 was a more appropriate limit.

Despite his objections, the City Council voted 37-6 to go ahead with the regulations, which take effect in about five months.

“This legislation is designed to make pedicabs safer for passengers and drivers, and less disruptive to small businesses, pedestrians, and other vehicles,” City Council Speaker Christine Quinn said. She added that the cap of 325 will “allow the industry to thrive, while alleviating congestion in the parts of the city most frequented by pedicabs.”

The law includes licensing and insurance requirements and stipulates that each pedicab post its formula for calculating fares.

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