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Q&A
Challenges and strategies in pedicab regulation and enforcement
0:59:35
ยท
162 sec
Council Member Brewer raises concerns about pedicab regulation and enforcement, particularly regarding overcharging. DCWP officials explain current efforts and challenges in regulating the industry.
- DCWP works with the Parks Department and NYPD on pedicab enforcement
- There's a need for reevaluating the pedicab licensing structure for better compliance
- Interagency actions are coordinated in high pedicab activity areas
- DCWP held an educational session for the pedicab industry on compliance with local laws
- Unlicensed activity is a significant issue in the pedicab industry
- Long-term changes are needed to address industry complexities, including separate licensing for businesses and drivers
Gale A. Brewer
0:59:35
Pedi caps.
0:59:36
What are we doing about pedicabs?
Vilda Vera Mayuga
0:59:42
Well, we license them.
0:59:43
We certainly do the
Gale A. Brewer
0:59:45
I get in.
0:59:46
I say they say $20.
0:59:48
I say, hell no.
0:59:49
I passed the bill.
0:59:50
Mhmm.
0:59:50
You are illegally asking me for $20.
0:59:53
So let's start negotiating right now.
0:59:55
That's what I do when I get in.
0:59:56
But I'm not and then I pull out my badge.
0:59:59
I'm not the norm.
1:00:00
They are getting ripped off.
1:00:01
Go ahead.
1:00:01
I'm sorry.
Vilda Vera Mayuga
1:00:04
Yeah.
1:00:04
We do we do a lot of work with the Parks Department and NYPD on enforcement of the pedicabs.
1:00:10
I'll have assistant commissioner Ortiz give a little bit more detail there.
Carlos Ortiz
1:00:13
Yeah.
1:00:13
I think to start to start broadly, I think long term, there is definitely a need for reevaluating the pedicab category and its licensing structure to ensure that the city has its tools available to to monitor compliance, to facilitate better compliance among the industry.
1:00:29
Short term, what we've been doing is working with the deputy mayor's office of public safety, the parks department, NYPD, to coordinate interagency actions in high pedicab activity areas.
1:00:38
Of course, PD and parks always have the on street enforcement authority and and capacity, but we're there as well as the expertise as a licensing category as a licensing agency.
1:00:49
I'm sorry.
1:00:50
I think, you know, for example, recently, just last week, I believe it was, we we held the DCVP one zero one for the pedicab industry to help them understand how do we comply with local laws, pricing, for example.
1:01:02
But ultimately, ultimately, there's a lot of unlicensed activity happening out there.
1:01:06
So I think for us, we we have these short term solutions we're working on with the the the city hall, I think long term, there needs to be certain changes, and and and we wanna talk about that too.
Gale A. Brewer
1:01:16
I know Central Park Conservancy would like to have them as a licensee.
1:01:19
That would maybe be parks.
1:01:20
You got two deals.
1:01:22
You got the ones Midtown, and you got the ones in the park.
1:01:24
And they don't always talk to each other.
Carlos Ortiz
1:01:26
Well, I think it's a it's a really,
Gale A. Brewer
1:01:28
you know It's a complicated industry.
Carlos Ortiz
1:01:29
It's a complicated industry because there's a license for the business, and the business is allowed a certain amount of cabs that are registered to them.
1:01:36
Then there's licenses for the drivers.
1:01:38
But oftentimes, you know, the drivers are not they're not the same year to year, although the businesses perhaps are the same year to year.
1:01:45
So something that would be, I think, certainly helpful is how do we bring a bigger stick against the businesses that are always here and are I wouldn't say encouraging, but perhaps our incentives for for their drivers that they're engaging with to break the law.
Gale A. Brewer
1:01:57
Yeah.
1:01:57
And there are just a few owners that are not so clear as to who they are.
Carlos Ortiz
1:02:01
And I do wanna mention that, certainly, if any consumer has been deceived or or by a by a pedicab, they can that comes to us.
1:02:09
We we we mediate that complaint.
1:02:11
But if there's, you know, traffic traffic issues, street safety issues, that should really go to the police department or parks if that's happening.
Gale A. Brewer
1:02:17
Okay.