Over 100 pedicab drivers convened outside City Hall Park to protest a deal proposed by the mayor that would confine carriage horse operations to Central Park while barring pedicabs from operating below 85th Street. Pedicab drivers argue this change would significantly harm their business, as their primary customer base consists of tourists they pick up from Central Park South for tours around key park attractions, routes that typically do not extend past 79th Street. They claim the legislation would effectively grant carriage horse rides a monopoly on the lucrative southern end of the park, leaving pedicabs out of a key area for their operations.
Pedicab drivers, including many immigrants supporting families abroad, are worried about the impact on their livelihood. The mayor’s plan also includes reducing the number of carriage horses and constructing a $20 million stable in the park, which has raised concerns among park advocates about the use of taxpayer money. Despite the mayor defending the pedicab restrictions as a fair adjustment, pedicab drivers and their representatives see it as an unjust concession to carriage drivers.
The pedicab community, which is not unionized and consists of independent contractors, views the proposed changes as a direct threat to their way of life and an arbitrary government-enforced monopoly benefiting a small number of carriage owners. With the City Council yet to vote on the legislation, and the possibility of changes before a vote, pedicab drivers are preparing to fight the proposal, including pooling resources for lobbyists and legal action, signaling a contentious battle ahead over the future use of Central Park.
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https://gothamist.com/news/pedicab-drivers-are-furious-over-de-blasios-carriage-horse-deal