By Anne Holzman
As of July, Falcon Heights is following Minneapolis and St. Paul in requiring licenses to operate pedicabs on the city’s streets.
Pedicabs, described as nonmotorized or electrically assisted three-wheeled bicycles with passenger cabs attached, operate in Falcon Heights mostly during the weeks of the State Fair, but licensure will be required year-round.
At $50 for the vehicle plus $25 for the driver, license fees will be lower than in the larger cities in recognition of the shorter season of operation. Operators must be 21 or older and have a driver’s license in order to obtain a pedicab license.
The new ordinance includes rules about carrying insurance, where to load and unload passengers, vehicle safety standards and details such as what to do if a passenger leaves something behind in the vehicle.
City staff told the City Council that there have been numerous complaints in recent years about a proliferation of pedicabs during the Fair, and they can’t do anything about it if there are no rules to be enforced. The licensure clarifies rules, and the fee helps cover the administrative costs of enforcing them.
Anne Holzman covers Falcon Heights government news for the Bugle.
