Pedicab drivers who overcharge unsuspecting riders are being shut down by the City Council.
A key committee yesterday unanimously approved a bill that forces drivers to charge a per-minute rate — which is laid out on the side of the rickshaws and printed on a rate card handed to passengers before the ride begins.
Drivers must also have a timer in clear sight of passengers, so they can see how long the trip is taking.
The full council is expected to approve the bill today. Mayor Bloomberg said he supports the measure, which passed the council Consumer Affairs Committee.
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STREET PEDALER: Riders see Central Park by pedicab, an industry the City Council is getting ready to regulate after cases of hidden charges.
The new rules will go in to effect in April.
“Deception must not be a legitimate business practice in New York City,” said Councilman Dan Garodnick (D-Manhattan), who sponsored the bill.
“If somebody wants to pay an exorbitant amount for a pedicab ride, that should be their prerogative. I wouldn’t do it, but that’s their prerogative. What we want to do is eliminate the surprises at the end.”
Currently, pedicab drivers can charge a minimum fee per passenger, which is set at each driver’s discretion.
“Some of us feel like it’s as good a solution as there is going to be,” said Laramie Flick, president of the New York City Pedicab Owners’ Association. “As long as it gets rid of those per block, per person signs, we think it’ll help.”
He said he looks forward to seeing if “the rip-off artists will adapt or get out of the business. They’re not particularly smart.”
This summer, The Post reported on a pedicab driver who charged a Texas family of four $442.54 for a 12-minute ride in Manhattan.
The rip-off included a $100 flat charge for each passenger in addition to other fees. The rate was printed in very small type on the rate card, and the passengers didn’t see it.
And although it’s illegal, many operators were tacking on fees for taxes and mandatory tips.
Garodnick, who chairs the Consumer Affairs Committee, said the city still needs to work on regulating pedicabs, whose operators are known for reckless driving.
“If we can get the pricing issue under control, we’re significantly along in the process. But once you close one loophole, you fear that there are others that will open,” Garodnick said.
“It’s still an emerging industry, so we have been trying to regulate as the issues have become clearer.”
Riders who suspect they have been ripped off should call 311, Garodnick said.
Additional reporting by Jennifer Fermino
sgoldenberg@nypost.com
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