A Texas family was charged $442 for a 14-block pedicab ride in New York City, sparking City Council action to address confusing pricing practices in the pedicab industry. Pedicab operators can set their own rates, often using a complex formula that passengers find unclear, leading to unexpected high fares. In this case, the driver charged $100 per additional passenger, even though the family’s two young daughters sat on their laps, and four passengers in a pedicab is illegal. The City Council is considering scrapping rate cards in favor of a per-minute pricing system to prevent such surprises. While drivers acknowledge abuse of the current system, they have differing opinions on how to regulate fares. Some, like Greg Zuman of the New York City Pedicab Owners Association, suggest prices should be quoted upfront. Pedicabs, introduced in the 1990s as a cheaper alternative to horse-drawn carriages, now have 1,335 licensed drivers in the city.
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https://sg.news.yahoo.com/2012-10-27-new-york-city-council-tourists-pay-274-pedicab-ride.html