Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
City Council Passes Pedicab Crackdown
By
Jen Chung
Published Mar 1, 2007
Modified Mar 7, 2008
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
By
Jen Chung
Published Mar 1, 2007
Modified Mar 7, 2008
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
After many months of discussion, the City Council passed a bill to regulate the pedicab industry. Pedicab advocates, who agree that the industry should be regulated, are upset about the City Council's battery of regulations, such as a cap of 325 pedicabs and being banned from Midtown during the holidays. Additionally, $2 million insurance plans will be required, which is similar to what taxi cabs have, and pedicabs with electric motors would be banned. Read the list of regulations at On NY Turf.
A former pedicab owner, George Bliss, told the Daily News, "We don't understand why our vehicles, which produce zero pollution, are being singled out for these extreme police tactics." Transportation Alternatives called the City Council's regulations "anti-environment, anti-small business and completely inconsistent with the mayor's long-term sustainability initiative." And NY1 got a great snark from someone: "[The City Council] should regulate joggers too. After all, anybody who gets exercise should be regulated. It doesn’t make any sense for them to be driving around with their feet."
Even some other City Council members thought the regulations went too far, but City Councilman Leroy Comrie dismissed the questions, saying,When you craft an agreement where everyone is a little unhappy, then you know you've done a good job." amNew York reports that Mayor Bloomberg is expected to sign the bill. Pedicab licenses will be distributed by lottery.
Photograph of a pedicab driver in Midtown yesterday by Kathy Willens/AP
Tagged
amNew York
bloomberg
city
City Council
City Councilman
City Councilman Leroy Comrie
Councilman Leroy Comrie
daily news
environment
headlines
holidays
industry
Kathy Willens
leroy comrie
mayor
mayor bloomberg
midtown
news
News: NYC
ny1
police
pollution
regulations
the city
The City Council
the industry
transportation
transportation alternatives
Jen Chung
Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
Deer are all over New Jersey roads looking for sex, state officials warn
Mid-October through mid-December is deer mating season, which can be a danger to drivers as the sex-seeking creatures cross roadways throughout the Garden State.
By
Rosemary Misdary
Published Oct 16, 2026 at 4:22 p.m. ET
Man messaged 'I got straight poison' before giving NYC college students fentanyl, feds say
A transcript from an April court hearing sheds new light on what transpired at Fashion Institute of Technology.
By
Samantha Max
News
Man messaged 'I got straight poison' before giving NYC college students fentanyl, feds say
A transcript from an April court hearing sheds new light on what transpired at Fashion Institute of Technology.
By
Samantha Max
Inside the plan to fix the nearly collapsed Pfizer Building, 1/64th of an inch at a time
By
David Brand
School bus carrying autistic students got lost in Brooklyn for 4 hours last year
By
Jessica Gould
NYC’s bridges can last 'forever,' if we take care of them
By
Clayton Guse
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .