Wednesday, October 7, 2026, 10 a.m. (New York City time), 250 Broadway - 8th Floor - Hearing Room 1
Committee: Committee on Consumer and Worker Protection
Chair Harvey Epstein led a hearing on the pedicab industry and seven bills, including Intro. 64 (theater-district restrictions), Intro. 77 (visible ride timers), Intro. 673 (fixed per-minute fares), Intro. 992 (meters, scannable plates, training and removing imprisonment), Intro. 993 (moving oversight to the Taxi and Limousine Commission), Intro. 1026 (curb space and relief stands) and Intro. 1063 (allowing electric pedal assist). The chair said an estimated 1,200 to 1,500 pedicabs operate against roughly 850 authorized plates and that just 9% of about 1,200 criminal pedicab summonses in 2025 resulted in any punishment. DCWP Chief of Staff Carlos Ortiz said the agency supports Intro. 77 and the intent of Intro. 992 but raised concerns about price controls, safety-course expertise and plate costs, and relayed NYPD concerns about electric assist; TLC Deputy Commissioner Ira Goldapper said TLC does not support Intro. 993 as written, calling it extremely costly, and opposed adding pedicabs to taxi relief stands. Witnesses from the Midtown Community Justice Center, New York Pedicab Alliance, Broadway Association, Central Park Conservancy and Times Square Alliance generally supported the package, and pedicab drivers asked for legal pedal assist. No votes were taken.
0:27 Oh, come. So hello. Good
0:27 morning. Welcome to today's
0:29 New York City Council hearing
0:30 for the committee on consumer
0:32 and work of protection at this
0:34 time, please silence cell
0:36 phones if you wish to speak in
0:37 today's hearing, please below
0:39 and a parent's card with one
0:40 of the sergeants moving
0:42 forward no one is to approac
0:44 hthe dance, you begin. Goo
0:51 dmorning, everyone and thank
0:52 you for joining the consumer
0:53 work protection hearing my
0:54 name is Harvey Epstein. I'm
0:55 the chair of the committee.
0:57 I'd like to recognize a
0:59 Council Member of Brewer and
1:00 counts member Schulman, who
1:01 was with
1:02 . Me today we're calling this
1:03 the Council Member Brewer
1:07 hearing today. Pedicabs are
1:08 for hire vehicles that combine
1:09 a bicycle seed, hand bars and
1:12 bills for the driver with
1:14 carriages for passengers,
1:15 pedicabs operate generally
1:17 offer short distance rights or
1:18 tourists in midtown and
1:20 Council Member Brewer. Let's
1:20 not forget about that
1:23 manhattan, particularly around
1:24 times square as well as
1:27 central park ready captor are
1:28 the most heavily regulated
1:29 industry by, but these
1:31 regulations being very little
1:32 when the vast majority of
1:34 handicaps operating in New
1:35 York.
1:35 City are unlicensed,
1:37 unregistered despite the cap
1:38 of 850 pedicab register plate
1:40 s. There are estimated between
1:43 12 and 1500 pedicabs cabs
1:44 operating in the City analysis
1:46 on open, dad indicates there's
1:49 just
1:49 . 275 Valid pedicab
1:51 registration plates, meaning
1:51 that individuals who are
1:52 choosing to operate on
1:54 registered petty caps, even
1:55 though they are available for
1:56 regulations, faulted nypd and
2:04 parks for the vast majority of
2:05 enforcement is through
2:05 criminal summons by nypd
2:08 . They are major concerns are
2:09 how effective criminal
2:10 enforcement is the analysis of
2:12 1200 criminal petty cash
2:13 summons from 20 25 found that
2:16 34% 35% of the tickets were
2:19 deemed legally insufficient
2:20 25% were dismissed in the
2:21 interest of justice, 20% wer
2:24 enot pursued for other reasons,
2:27 9% were never prosecuted in
2:28 just 9% resulted in some kind
2:29 of criminal or civil
2:31 punishment this status quo I
2:32 snot working for anyone not
2:35 working for tourists who are
2:35 rude, chilling, ripped off by
2:37 a pedicab drivers charge
2:38 anywhere from 5 2 1200 for a
2:41 ride under 20 minutes. It's.
2:42 Not working for the broadway
2:44 production that are
2:44 interrupted by loud noise
2:46 blaring from pity kids outside
2:48 the theaters and it's not
2:49 working with a license pedi
2:51 cab have can compete with
2:52 unlicensed operator to not
2:53 invest in the City safety
2:55 equipment insurance or follow
2:59 the rules
2:59 . Recognizing the system not
3:00 working in November 20 20205
3:02 5of the midtown community
3:03 justice center, which
3:05 adjudicates criminal summonses
3:07 for pedicab violations,
3:08 organize a roundtable
3:09 discussion with
3:10 representatives from various
3:11 stakeholders involved with be
3:12 affected by the pedicab
3:13 industry, including nypd.
3:17 Central park conservancy,
3:20 manhattan office times
3:21 alliance and broadway league
3:22 in May 26, the justice center
3:25 published the report with
3:26 goals of policy
3:28 recommendations read generated
3:29 from the in the roundtable. A
3:31 lot of those bills were
3:32 beating here today in show 64
3:35 ,right, councilman Maloney
3:36 related to restrictions on the
3:37 operation of pity, captain,
3:38 the theater district intro 77
3:41 by Council Member Brewer
3:42 . Related to the visibility
3:44 writer timing and the pedicabs
3:46 intro six of 73 by counsel
3:48 number one related to the pedi
3:51 cab fares 9 9 2 by council
3:52 members, bruv, related to the
3:53 making certain changes to the
3:56 pedicab law 9 93 by council
3:58 brew related to establishing
4:00 the.
4:00 Taxi and limousine
4:01 commission authority over
4:04 petty cabs intrude at 1 0 2 6
4:06 by council members crew
4:08 related to creating design
4:09 curb space for petty cab and
4:12 tenth 63 by Council Member t
4:14 opetty caps or electrical.
4:17 I really look forward to a
4:18 robust conversation, but
4:19 updating the pedicab blob,
4:21 increasing compliance with
4:23 pedicab regulations and
4:24 effective enforcement of a
4:25 pedicab and drivers
4:26 . And now I invite the bill's
4:28 sponsors to make a statement
4:31 and.
4:31 Obviously, I'm going to
4:32 start with council Brewer,
4:35 thank you very much share.
4:36 Epstein I am the only council
4:37 member who takes a cabs and I
4:40 take them at 72 street and
4:42 central park west because I'm
4:43 always late to get to the
4:46 whatever. Speaking of the
4:47 event is in the park. But when
4:49 I get there, they say, oh,
4:52 it's gail don't overcharged
4:53 her. So I do like that group
4:55 of people and I think for all
4:56 the work that you do, but we
4:59 do need
5:00 . Regulation. So thank you
5:00 ,chair Epstein for including
5:01 the bills on today's agenda. I
5:04 think we heard that for too
5:05 long. The cities approach t
5:07 othe pedicab industry has been
5:09 inconsistent and ineffective,
5:10 creating problems for public
5:13 safety consumers and drivers
5:14 while burning enforcement.
5:17 We've got to start over,
5:17 there's nothing
5:18 . In this industry right now
5:20 is working
5:21 . And New yorkers and visitors
5:22 and drivers all deserve better
5:24 . So last year as you heard
5:26 earlier judge way and his
5:28 amazing staff at the midtown
5:29 community justice cente
5:32 rinitiate a pedicab task force,
5:34 including the New York petty
5:35 cab alliance, the center park
5:37 conservancy. The times square
5:39 alliance. Aye, nypd, and many
5:41 others, including our office
5:42 and they produce fixing the
5:45 pedicab problem that
5:46 particular judges is awesome
5:47 and he's always trying to fin
5:49 dways to.
5:50 Change policy as opposed to
5:53 just doing what he does in the
5:54 court. So we took a hard look
5:56 at what it's not working and
5:58 this report has clear and
6:01 practical solutions. Ah, we
6:02 meet every single week still
6:04 to talk about petty cab
6:06 sfixing the pedicab problem a
6:08 road map to reform has been
6:12 helpful, the report found a
6:12 syou heard earlier the City has
6:14 approximately 850 authorize
6:17 dpedicab plate, but an
6:19 estimated I don't know, 120
6:20 0or 15 operating about 20 24
6:25 and probably more now. They
6:26 often have bogus credentials
6:29 .in 20 25, there were 172
6:33 pedicab complaints 301 half
6:36 six involved overcharging in
6:40 another 35 involved unlicensed
6:41 operators and they were pretty
6:43 , probably more because often
6:44 tourists don't complain. W
6:47 ehave heard that tourists have
6:48 been charged 500 to nearly
6:51 $1000 arrived at our only 2
6:52 0minutes. So we.
6:53 Need clear rules. Passengers
6:56 need to know what they are
6:57 being charged and who is
6:58 responsible for the pedicab
7:00 they're writing and there are
7:02 many legitimate drivers and
7:04 businesses, they should not
7:05 have to compete with
7:07 unlicensed operators and their
7:11 predatory behavior.
7:11 So we have bills. I have
7:12 bills on meters as you heard
7:14 earlier moving the oversight
7:16 from department of consumer
7:18 and worker protection to the
7:19 texting limousine commission
7:22 third party these individuals,
7:23 these abs to carry liability
7:26 insurance and be able to use
7:28 taxi relief stands if possible
7:30 . So those are just.
7:31 Some of the bills and there
7:31 are other ones being discussed
7:35 today. We're not trying to
7:36 eliminate petty cabs because
7:37 they are a form of
7:39 transportation, just like many
7:42 others, they're a part of New
7:43 York City, particularly around
7:44 central park times square,
7:46 midtown and the theater
7:47 district and the chair said he
7:48 just saw one in his district
7:50 on the lower east side. We
7:52 want legitimate drivers and
7:53 businesses to operate safely
7:57 and fairly. We'll have passage
7:57 or to know what they are
7:58 paying right now. You have no
8:00 idea. You just have to argue
8:01 . And the City has to be able
8:03 to enforce the rules. I
8:04 definitely want to thank judge
8:08 john wang, danielle mendes
8:09 ,who is a midtown community
8:12 justice center director ah
8:13 betty smith and David saw
8:14 himself on the central park
8:16 conservancy, tom harris, times
8:19 square alliance and nikon
8:20 camera kenneth winter for the
8:21 New York pedicab alliance and
8:24 many others for my staff,
8:26 former staff sam goldsman
8:27 started this whole discussion
8:30 and now cynthia hornig and
8:31 shula pooter are helping fro
8:32 mmy office as well as the
8:35 legislative division margaret
8:36 life clifford elliot, heisler,
8:38 neil beckman, west jones.
8:39 Rachel, could I borrow natalie
8:42 meltzer and andrea vast quiz,
8:44 and I really appreciate this
8:46 hearing as long in the making
8:47 and I think it's really
8:48 important and thank you very
8:52 much
8:52 . All right. Thank you
8:53 ,councilmember Brewer and
8:53 seeing no other people, too.
8:55 The issue of being statements
8:56 we're gonna turn it over t
8:57 sworn inncy and get them
9:05 . Do you affirm to tell th
9:06 etruth, the whole truth and
9:06 nothing but the truth before
9:07 this committee and to respond
9:08 honestly to counsel member
9:10 questions I
9:10 . Do okay. And so here we have
9:13 carlos ortiz, deputy
9:16 commissioner, a hilly radic,
9:17 er associate commissioner and
9:18 I have a gold dapper who is a
9:20 deputy commissioner for
9:23 uniform services we have on
9:25 zoom Council Member.
9:26 Ball and Council Member
9:27 Hanks has joined us in person.
9:30 Please, please begin whenever
9:31 you're ready. Thank you. Chair
9:35 . Good morning, sheriff scene
9:35 and members of the committee
9:36 and consumer work of my name
9:38 is carlos ortiz and I'm the
9:39 chief of staff of the
9:40 department of consumer worker
9:41 protection. I am joined by our
9:43 associate commissioner of
9:43 inter affairs has it er as
9:45 well as my colleague ira gold
9:47 dapper deputy commissioner for
9:49 your uniform services bureau
9:50 at the tax system is in
9:53 commission, the New York City
9:54 department. Consumer
9:55 protection is the nation's
9:55 leading municipal enforcement
9:56 agency charged with delivering
10:00 economic justice in New York
10:00 City. We're also the licensing
10:01 agency for both pedicab
10:02 businesses and drivers and we
10:04 register pedicab as well.
10:07 There are currently 130 active
10:08 pedicab business licenses
10:11 licenses associated with 3 3
10:14 0registered pedicab and
10:14 approximately 600 activ
10:16 epedicab driver licenses. Pedi
10:19 cab businesses are onl
10:20 yallowed to operate a
10:20 registered pedicab vehicle
10:21 with a licensed pedicab drive
10:24 r, a pay cap business can have
10:25 up to 30 registered vehicles.
10:27 However, the total number of
10:28 pedicab vehicles allowed to be
10:29 registered with the City is
10:30 capped at 840 vehicles.
10:34 Tcp enforces rules regarding
10:34 pricing and disclosure to
10:36 consumers as well as conduct
10:37 sannual compliance and, uh o
10:39 npetty cabs for issues like cap
10:41 conditions, rate, signage and
10:44 license disclosures on treat
10:45 enforcement camp activities
10:46 conducted by the nypd or by
10:47 the parks department if the
10:48 activity is occurring in
10:51 parkland over the past three
10:52 years. Our sister agencies
10:53 have issued approximately 500
10:54 0, some insisted petty caps for
10:57 legal activity candidly in
10:58 recent years, the pedi cab
10:59 industry has struggled with
11:01 non.
11:01 Compliance, including
11:04 unlicensed activity. This not
11:04 only impacts consumers, but
11:05 also the businesses that want
11:06 to be in compliance and who
11:07 engage hundreds of workers are
11:16 secure
11:16 . Support this industry.
11:19 This includes the
11:20 development of educational
11:21 literature are richness
11:21 itiatives working closely
11:22 with local associations, such
11:23 as the New York pedicab
11:24 alliance and sending up a
11:26 central part task force for
11:27 the enforcement activities
11:30 referenced above. We remain
11:31 committed to working with our
11:32 partners to come together on
11:32 common sense solutions for
11:36 this industry during today's
11:37 legislation instruction 64,
11:38 prohibits pedicab drivers from
11:39 parking, stopping or standing
11:41 a pedi cab or picking up or
11:42 dropping off passengers within
11:43 50 feet of any entrance or
11:44 exit of a theater located in
11:45 the theater district zone. It
11:48 would also require the
11:49 department transportation to
11:50 post signs or other markings
11:50 indicating the areas in which
11:52 such petticoat restrictions
11:55 are applicable pedicabs
11:55 already subject to all
11:56 existing card regulations for
11:58 vehicles such as existing no
12:00 standing signage most theatre
12:01 shave no standing signs already
12:02 , and there's an established
12:03 process for a theater to
12:04 request a no standing signage
12:07 if there happens to be any
12:08 locations that you know, have
12:09 it already. We defer to our
12:10 colleagues at an nypd for
12:12 further considerations
12:14 regarding the spill in.
12:14 Church in 77 would require
12:16 that the timer and petty cabs
12:17 we fixed the rear of the
12:19 bicycle seat with in clear
12:19 view of all handicapped
12:23 passengers. Pcp supports this
12:23 bill we sre chaouncils
12:25 concerns related to consume
12:26 rdeception and scams. Petty
12:27 camp fighters. We believe this
12:28 legislation would not only
12:29 assist consumers against
12:30 silver charges but also on
12:31 street enforcement agencies
12:32 against bad actors instruction
12:37 6 7 3 were required to set
12:38 fixed per minute rates for
12:40 petty cab rides index to
12:44 inflation supports bringing
12:44 better price clarity to
12:46 consumers, particularly in the
12:47 context of consumer deception
12:48 and overcharges reported in
12:51 this industry, however, price
12:52 controls can also be an overly
12:54 burdensome measure for the
12:54 agency to set as well as your
12:56 businesses that are otherwise
12:57 complying with the law today
13:00 we are interesting here from
13:00 businesses, preferences and
13:01 workers stakeholders to
13:02 understand the implications of
13:03 price controls on their take
13:04 home pay and ability to
13:08 operate instruction 900
13:09 required have meters t