New York Pedicab Services Blog & News

Uber has partnered with HBO Now to offer a unique “Game of Thrones” experience, #RideOfThrones, to fans in New York. This promotion, available on Thursday and Friday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., provides fans with two options: a Throne option for a photo opportunity with a replica of the Iron Throne (though not for riding around the city) and a pedicab ride within a specific area of Manhattan. Both services are offered free of charge, with Uber promising quick arrival times. The event has seen high demand, with many fans waiting to access the Throne ride option, but the pedicab rides have been more readily available. The promotion has been popular among fans, with many engaging deeply with the “Game of Thrones” theme, including speaking in character and humming the show’s theme song during their rides.

For more information:

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/game-thrones-uber-brings-iron-789250/

On New Year’s Eve in Midtown Manhattan, a pedicab driver charged Ken Smith, a Red Cross worker visiting from Haiti with his family, an exorbitant fare of $165 for a ride of about 15 blocks from Herald Square to Rockefeller Center. The driver illegally charged per rider and obscured the pricing on his sign, leading Smith to feel robbed by the encounter. Despite having extensive international experience, Smith and his wife, who owns a toy company in Laos, were taken aback by the scam in their own country. They paid the fare using a credit card through Square on the driver’s cracked iPhone and reported the incident to 311. New York City’s Department of Consumers Affairs, which mandates that drivers must clearly display rates and company information and prohibits per-passenger fees, has stated it will investigate the matter. Despite this negative experience, Smith expressed his continued love for New York City and his intention to return.

For more information:

https://nypost.com/2015/01/02/pedicab-takes-tourist-for-165-new-years-eve-ride/

Following a city crackdown aimed at curbing overcharging by pedicab drivers in New York, the number of licensed pedicabbies has significantly decreased, with more than a quarter opting out of renewing their licenses. Before the new regulations, which were introduced in 2013 to enforce fair pricing and improve safety, there were 1,217 licensed drivers at the start of 2014. By April, this number had dropped to 903, according to the Department of Consumer Affairs. The new rules mandate pedicab drivers to charge by the minute, display clear pricing on visible signs, and use city-approved timers, in response to incidents where tourists were grossly overcharged, sometimes up to $500 for short rides. While the reduction in pedicabs has been welcomed by many New Yorkers and residents of the Theater District and Midtown, where complaints of slow, dangerous, and obstructive pedicabs were common, there are indications that some drivers continue to find loopholes to overcharge passengers, including concealing high prices and targeting tourists at luxury hotels. Despite these challenges, the crackdown is seen as a positive step towards eliminating the most unscrupulous operators from the streets.

For more information:

https://nypost.com/2014/11/20/pedicab-licenses-down-after-city-crackdown-on-overcharging/

Levi Duchman, a 21-year-old Chabad Lubavitch yeshiva student in Brooklyn, created a “pedi-sukkah,” which is a mobile sukkah attached to a rickshaw bicycle, enabling New Yorkers to partake in the Sukkot holiday tradition of blessing inside a sukkah. This innovation meets all halachic requirements and is part of Duchman’s efforts to make religious observance accessible in urban settings. He spends extensive time during Sukkot traveling around Brooklyn and Manhattan, offering people a chance to engage with the tradition. Duchman’s project has expanded significantly, with over 50 pedi-sukkahs now operating across 15 states and five countries. He also developed related vehicles for other Jewish observances. Duchman emphasizes that his initiative is not commercial but aims to foster religious awareness and community engagement.

For more information:

Despite a city ban on motorized pedicabs in New York City since 2008, there has been no enforcement action by the Department of Consumer Affairs over the past two years. This lack of enforcement persists even after reports of widespread use of illegal motors among pedicab drivers, and a recent incident where a pedicab caught fire due to an overheating motor. The Post highlighted that up to 25 percent of pedicab drivers were using illegal motors as of last fall, and current estimates suggest the majority now do. These motors are typically concealed within wheels or under seats to help drivers achieve higher speeds and earn more by conducting more tours with less physical exertion. Although illegal, the practice continues with vehicles being openly advertised for rent on list-servs. Enforcement responsibilities are shared with the NYPD and Parks Department, but no fines have been issued, even though penalties can reach up to $4,000 for multiple offenses.

For more information:

https://nypost.com/2014/09/08/nobodys-being-ticketed-for-illegal-motorized-pedicabs/

The entry details a frustrating day in New York City filled with traffic jams and delays, culminating in an enlightening experience with a pedicab. After facing prolonged traffic due to an accident, heavy congestion, and a presidential visit, the writer opts for a pedicab, the only vehicle that seemed to be moving. Initially believing the ride cost $4, they later discovered it was actually $4 per minute, leading to a total cost of $48 for a journey from 34th to 54th and Eighth Avenue. This experience illustrates why locals might avoid using pedicabs, due to the unexpectedly high costs associated with short rides.

For more information:

https://archive.nytimes.com/cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/09/05/the-pedicab-was-the-last-straw/?src=twr

An illegal motor hidden in a pedicab overheated and caught fire in Central Park, leading to the vehicle being completely destroyed. The incident occurred as the driver, carrying passengers, attempted to ascend a hill. Fortunately, no injuries were reported as the occupants managed to exit before the pedicab was engulfed in flames. The FDNY responded and extinguished the fire, while the city’s Department of Consumer Affairs continues its investigation.

This event underscores the ongoing issue of pedicab drivers illegally using motors to enhance their performance, a practice that was first widely reported nearly a year ago. Such motors were banned by the City Council in 2008, but enforcement has been lax, allowing the practice to persist and even grow. Honest pedicab drivers express frustration over the unfair advantage these motors provide, as they allow some to work less strenuously while servicing more customers. Penalties for using such motors include fines up to $4,000 for repeated offenses. Despite efforts to regulate this behavior, enforcement challenges remain, with drivers quickly alerting each other to avoid detection during inspections.

For more information:

https://nypost.com/2014/09/02/pedicab-with-illegal-motor-catches-fire/

Pedicab drivers in New York City, often seen in tourist-heavy areas of Manhattan, are predominantly immigrants, as indicated by a word cloud analysis of their names from the NYC Department of Consumer Affairs license dataset. This dataset includes 1,173 licensed drivers, providing insights into their backgrounds and residential patterns. Brooklyn emerges as the most common borough from which these drivers hail, particularly with a notable concentration in Brighton Beach (zip code 11235). A small percentage reside outside the five boroughs. The distribution of pedicab drivers shows significant geographical clusters, especially in southwest Brooklyn, with other clusters in Queens, upper Manhattan, and parts of the Bronx. This clustering might reflect job propagation within specific immigrant communities, similar to other localized employment trends seen in the city. The analysis suggests that these drivers, who must navigate the city’s streets while ferrying passengers, likely face long commutes home, possibly by bike.

For more information: