New York Pedicab Services Blog & News

Councilman David Greenfield is urging the New York City Council to postpone the vote on Mayor Bill de Blasio’s contentious horse carriage plan, scheduled for Friday. Criticizing the plan as ill-prepared for a council decision, Greenfield highlighted the lack of clarity and unresolved issues surrounding the proposal, which includes restricting horse carriages to Central Park, constructing a $25 million stable on public land for the industry, and banning pedicabs from the southern part of the park. The plan has drawn criticism from various stakeholders, including parks advocates, animal activists, pedicab operators, stable owners, and drivers, many of whom are concerned about job losses and the legality of allocating park land to a private industry. The vote’s timing, coinciding with a council decision on its own pay raise, has also raised ethical questions. Despite the controversy, Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito’s office has not commented on the call for delay, while NYCLASS, an animal rights group, opposes any postponement, citing the safety of horses as a primary concern.

For more information:

https://observer.com/2016/02/councilman-calls-for-delay-in-horse-carriage-vote/

The Local Transport Workers Union (TWU Local 100) is offering support to pedicab drivers who may be adversely affected by Mayor Bill de Blasio’s plan to overhaul the city’s horse carriage industry, which includes a ban on pedicab operations below 86th Street in Central Park. Union leaders argue that this restriction unfairly targets pedicab drivers, potentially jeopardizing their livelihoods. In response, TWU Local 100, known for representing subway and bus workers in the city, is providing the pedicab drivers with training, legal advice, and other forms of assistance. Mayor de Blasio has defended the overhaul, suggesting that pedicabs can continue operating in other areas and that a long-term plan for the industry will be developed. However, TWU Local 100’s president, John Samuelsen, criticizes the mayor’s actions as detrimental to the pedicab drivers, highlighting the lack of business opportunities north of 86th Street. The City Council is expected to vote on the mayor’s proposal soon, potentially as early as next Friday.

For more information:

https://ny1.com/nyc/all-boroughs/news/2016/01/30/local-transport-workers-union-offers-assistance-to-pedicab-drivers-as-vote-on-horse-carriage-industry-overhaul-looms

The Teamsters Union’s compromise with the administration last weekend has sparked further anxiety among pedicab drivers, who feel sidelined by a deal that secures jobs for displaced horse carriage workers but overlooks the pedicab industry. Even horse carriage drivers and animal rights activists are expressing opposition to the bill, citing concerns over job losses and the ethical treatment of both industries. With the potential for significant impacts on individuals and families reliant on these jobs, there is a growing call for reconsideration of the proposal and more inclusive discussions involving all affected parties. The mayor defends the plan, highlighting the tourism growth that fuels the pedicab industry, yet critics argue that the ban from key areas will devastate the sector.

For more information:

Pedicab Drivers Fear de Blasio’s Plan Will Leave Them Jobless

Transport Workers Union Local 100, traditionally representing subway and bus workers, is extending support to pedicab drivers who are facing displacement due to Mayor Bill de Blasio’s proposed changes to Central Park regulations. The mayor’s plan, part of a compromise to reduce horse carriage numbers and relocate them within Central Park, also restricts pedicabs to the park’s northern area, away from the tourist-heavy southern end. John Samuelsen, president of the union, has criticized the move as unfairly targeting a vulnerable workforce, and the union is now offering organizational, legal, and logistical support to the pedicab operators.

Despite de Blasio’s defense of the proposal as a safety and congestion measure and his assurances of willingness to engage with the pedicab industry, operators claim they have been excluded from discussions. The plan has faced opposition from various quarters, including lawmakers, park administrators, and the pedicab drivers themselves, who argue that relocating them will significantly impact their business and livelihoods. In response, pedicab drivers, with the backing of TWU Local 100, are rallying and reaching out to council members to oppose the legislation ahead of an upcoming City Council vote.

For more information:

https://www.politico.com/states/new-york/city-hall/story/2016/01/union-lends-vulnerable-pedicab-drivers-a-hand-030702

The Union, specifically TWU Local 100, has publicly declared its opposition to Mayor Bill de Blasio’s plan which poses a significant threat to the jobs of many pedicab drivers in Central Park, a significant number of whom are immigrants from Senegal and Sierra Leone. This plan, aiming to ban pedicabs from operating below 86th Street in Central Park and to reduce the number of horse-drawn carriages, is criticized as an attack on the working poor, rather than a measure for animal welfare as proposed. TWU Local 100 is mobilizing to support these pedicab drivers by offering organizational support, training, legal advice, and other forms of assistance, with activities including meetings and a large gathering at the Union’s headquarters. Local 100 President John Samuelsen has condemned the mayor’s plan as anti-worker, anti-immigrant, and a means to satisfy campaign donors at the expense of vulnerable workers’ livelihoods. The union’s commitment represents a significant backing for the pedicab drivers, providing them with a powerful voice in their fight against the proposed changes.

For more information:

https://www.twulocal100.org/story/union-stands-pedicab-drivers-against-new-mayoral-plan

The Transport Workers Union (TWU) Local 100 has allied with New York City’s pedicab drivers in their opposition to Mayor Bill de Blasio’s proposal, which aims to restrict pedicabs from operating in the most profitable areas of Central Park, below 85th Street. This plan, part of a broader initiative to reduce the number of carriage horses and confine them to Central Park, has been criticized by TWU Local 100 President John Samuelsen as elitist and contradictory to the mayor’s proclaimed progressive values. Samuelsen accuses de Blasio of sacrificing the jobs of vulnerable workers, including many immigrants, to favor his campaign contributors. The union, representing 42,000 transit workers, offers legal assistance, office space, and moral support to the pedicab drivers, who have felt marginalized in the discussions leading to the agreement with the Teamsters union, representing carriage drivers.

Pedicab drivers, feeling overlooked and undervalued by the city’s administration, welcome TWU’s support. They express frustration over the mayor’s lack of engagement and the proposed restrictions, which they believe will severely impact their livelihoods. Despite Mayor de Blasio’s assurances of willingness to collaborate with pedicab drivers and his claims that there remains ample business for them in other parts of the city, the pedicab community and their new union ally are preparing to fight the proposed changes. The City Council vote on this contentious plan is anticipated to take place next Friday.

For more information:

https://nypost.com/2016/01/29/transit-union-backs-pedicabbies-in-central-park-battle-with-city/

The Transport Workers Union Local 100 is rallying pedicab drivers to oppose a city plan that would prevent them from operating south of 85th Street in Central Park, a key area for their business. This initiative is part of a broader deal aimed at restricting the horse carriage industry to Central Park. TWU Local 100 President John Samuelsen criticized Mayor Bill de Blasio’s plan as detrimental to pedicab drivers and disconnected from the welfare of horses, which was the purported aim of the restrictions. The union is providing organizational and legal support to the pedicab drivers, emphasizing the need for a unified voice and industry representation in discussions about their future. Mayor de Blasio, while defending the compromise on carriage horses, has expressed willingness to work with pedicab drivers to ensure their continued prosperity, stating that the restriction applies to only a part of Central Park and does not necessarily result in job losses. A meeting hosted by TWU Local 100 in Brooklyn is set to precede a critical City Council vote on the proposal.

For more information:

Transit workers union encourages pedicab drivers to organize against proposed Central Park ban

Critics argue that the bill is flawed, raising several concerns about the use of public funds (estimated at $25 million) to benefit a private business, the impact on human homelessness amid a housing crisis, and the potential job losses for small business owners, carriage drivers, and pedicab operators. The latter are especially affected, as the bill would restrict their access to lucrative areas of Central Park. Additionally, the exclusion of the Central Park Conservancy from discussions and the lack of clarity on the future of the reduced industry and displaced individuals have further fueled opposition.

Opponents view the bill not as a necessary policy but as a political maneuver to satisfy de Blasio’s campaign donors and real estate interests eyeing the valuable West Side property where the current stables are located. The City Council is urged to reject this bill, seen as detrimental to the carriage-horse industry, pedicab drivers, and the broader community, without solving any existing problems.

For more information:

TWU Local 100, the largest transport workers union in the country, is rallying in support of pedicab drivers threatened by Mayor Bill de Blasio’s plan to ban pedicabs from the most lucrative areas of Central Park, south of 86th Street. The mayor’s proposal also seeks to reduce the number of horse-drawn carriages and relocate their stables from the West Side. Local 100 President John Samuelsen criticized the plan, dismissing it as not genuinely concerned with animal welfare but rather as a move that harms vulnerable, often immigrant, workers to benefit the mayor’s campaign donors. The union has pledged to help pedicab drivers by organizing them, providing training, legal advice, and other forms of assistance, marking a significant step in giving these workers a voice and strong backing against the proposed changes.

For more information:

Friday Odds & Ends Jan. 29, 2016

Ibrahim Barrie, a pedicab driver and immigrant from Sierra Leone, is seeking a dialogue with Mayor Bill de Blasio as the City Council is about to vote on a bill that could significantly impact his livelihood. The proposed bill, part of de Blasio’s plan, aims to reorganize the horse carriage industry within Central Park, establish a new stable for the horses, and restrict pedicab operations to the park’s northern end above 85th Street. This restriction has sparked protests from the pedicab community, predominantly consisting of immigrants, who argue that the mayor’s proposal will push them out of business by limiting their access to the more tourist-frequented lower parts of Central Park.

Barrie and over a hundred pedicab drivers have rallied at City Hall, demanding to be included in discussions about the proposal, which they believe was made without adequate consideration of its impact on their industry. The Department of Parks and Recreation claims the rule aims to create balance within the overcrowded park, but pedicab drivers fear it will end their operations by excluding them from their main business area. An alternative suggestion from the pedicab community involves negotiating a compromise that allows them to operate between 59th to 77th Street, preserving their access to tourists and ensuring their survival. Despite these concerns, Mayor de Blasio’s office has not directly addressed the pedicab drivers’ requests, stating only that an adjustment was needed for balance.

For more information:

https://www.politico.com/states/new-york/city-hall/story/2016/01/pedicabs-not-yet-hopeless-plead-with-de-blasio-for-seat-at-the-table-030668