Four pedicab companies look set to get permission to peddle their wares in Santa Monica if the city council approves a proposed ordinance next week. The ordinance would bar the bike-powered taxis from the bike path and require them to have headlights, break lights, and turn signals that would be checked at annual inspections. Pedicabs would also be required to stick to routes listed on their permit applications. Advocates of the pedicab plan say their leisurely pace will be a boon for tourists in addition to providing a green transportation option, though at least two councilmembers are worried the cabs will clog the streets, worsening traffic. The Santa Monica Lookout reports that four operators have applied for permits, it's unclear how many cabs each business intends to put on the street (the application doesn't ask). Under the ordinance, each operator would be charged an annual fee of $195, plus an initial $112 permit fee per pedicab, to be renewed for $54 each year. Pedicabs are currently banned from the streets of LA, though that may be changing too with a potential pilot program in Hollywood.
· Santa Monica Could Adopt New Pedicab Ordinance [Lookout News]
· SaMo Considering Allowing Pedicabs From Main to Montana [Curbed LA]
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