Tom Harris of Times Square Alliance calls for TLC oversight and civil penalties
Tom Harris, president of the Times Square Alliance, says pedicabs are vehicles for hire and should be regulated by TLC. He argues criminal summonses are ineffective, civil penalties tied to licenses would create accountability, and pedicabs should be allowed electric assist.
Thank you.
Go ahead.
Good morning.
My name is Tom Harris, president of the Times Square Alliance.
I want to thank Chairman Epstein, Council Member Brewer, members of the committee, and members of the council for helping to make the pedicab industry work for all.
A pedicab ride can be a nice way to see our great city, or it can be a noisy experience that ends with a huge unexpected cost.
The choice is ours.
For far too long, the pedicab industry has not worked for the community, for the consumers, and we found out for most of the honest drivers themselves.
Most of them are honest, like Kenny and McCann.
They're just working people looking to make a living.
Those honest workers are overshadowed by another group who flouts the laws and takes advantage of consumers.
First, let's look at what pedicabs do.
Pedicabs pick people up, take them somewhere, and charge them money.
The very definition of a vehicle for hire.
But for reasons most of us can't remember, they're not regulated by the Taxi and Limousine Commission, the entity that regulates vehicles for hire and does a great job.
Right now, DCWP licenses the pedicabs.
The NYPD enforces the laws through a mix of civil and ineffective criminal court summonses, most of which are dismissed.
There's no connection between the summons and the licenses, no accountability for owners of the pedicabs and bad actors, making it difficult for good actors to remain compliant and still make a living.
In partnership with the Pedicab Alliance, the Central Park Conservancy, the Midtown Justice Center, and the Times Square Alliance, we developed recommendations
reflected in this legislation that will treat pedicabs like other vehicles for hire with fixed fares, meters, visible identification,
civil penalties attached to licenses, a prohibition for amplified sound under the jurisdiction of the TLC, with a strong recommendation to increase the staffing of the TLC.
There's been a lot of talk about resources.
A great deal of resources are currently dedicated to enforcing pedicab laws.
They're just ineffective and put in the wrong place.
We also support pedicabs being allowed to have electric assist power.
Other cities have been able to regulate pedicabs.
There's no reason New York City, the greatest city in the world, can't do the same thing.
Once again, thank you.