Santa Monica OKs Regulations on Pedicabs

The Santa Monica City Council gave a green light Tuesday to an ordinance regulating pedicabs in the city.

In an unanimous vote, the council approved the ordinance, which requires pedicabs to have a business license and pay permit fees while prohibiting pedicabs from operating on the Beach Bike Path.

"I’d rather have it regulated than unregulated in Santa Monica," Councilman Robert Holbrook said.

Pedicabs, used mostly by tourists, are known by other names, like cycle rickshaws. They are similar to taxi cabs, but are human-powered.

During discussion, City Attorney Marsha Jones Moutrie said the pedicabs could not be outright banned.

"We can’t keep pedicabs off the street," Moutrie said, citing bicyclists' rights to share the road with vehicles.

Pedicabs are defined by the California Vehicle Code as either a person-operated bicycle that has three or more wheels or a bicycle with a trailer and is capable of transporting passengers for hire on seats attached to the bicycle or trailer.

The city's ordinance requires pedicab companies to have insurance and drivers with clean driving records and valid driver's licenses. Drivers will also be subject to criminal background checks. The pedicabs will be inspected to ensure they have headlights, taillights, turn signals and brakes.

The city opted not to cap the total number of pedicabs or enforce uniform rates. Instead, companies will have to obtain a permit and let the city know the pedicabs' routes. Pedicab drivers would also not be allowed to charge more than the posted rates. Companies will be required to register those rates with the city.

There will be no required loading zones. Instead, pedicabs will be allowed to use any open curb space where a car could pull over.

In June, a company named Trike Pilots Inc. applied for a business license to operate as many as 20 pedicabs in Santa Monica.

Pedicabs in California are currently regulated through the state's vehicle code, which classifies them as bicycles, which allows them to move with the traffic flow on city streets or in bike lanes on streets that have them, according to a city staff report.

The Santa Monica Police Department would enforce the rules of the road.

The regulations would also encompass "barcycles," which carry up to 16 passengers from bar to bar.

Jay Miller of Beach Barcycles said he hoped that the barcycles would not be included in the ordinance.

"We’re more of a unique style vehicle than the pedicab," Miller said.

During discussion, Councilman Tony Vazquez raised concerns about barcycles, which are large in size. He said he first saw one while biking in Venice.

The council also directed city staff to return in six months with a report on the number of licensed pedicabs.

SEE ALSO:

Pedicabs Coming to Santa Monica?

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