Former prostitutes banned from operating pedicabs on I-Drive

It’s hard to walk anywhere on I-Drive and not be nearly run over by a pedicab. The small rickshaw style tricycles have inundated the tourist corridor in recent years and with the rise of pedicabs questions of safety have also risen.

For years there have been calls for more regulation on the pedicabs and their drivers. In 2013, Orlando Weekly covered the issue and mentioned that talks had begun on bringing some type of uniform standards to the pedicabs in the area. This month, those standards were finally approved by the county.

On October 17, the Orange County Commission unanimously approved a litany of new regulations designed to protect riders and cut down on shady operators.

From everything like banning those who have been arrested for prostitution from driving pedicabs, to requiring a permitting and inspection process for the pedicabs, the new regulations put in place standards that many I-Drive business owners have been asking for years to have.

However, not all are happy with the new regulations. Some say a few of the requirements, like the insurance ones, are too much for many small business owners just getting started. The liability insurance requires owners to have policies that cover one million dollars per occurrence and two million dollars in the aggregate.

The regulations also ban the use of any bikes not designed for pedicab use, such as attaching a trailer to a traditional bike. Motors are also banned. Pedicabs are now only allowed to sit up to four adult passengers at a time and must take the most direct route unless otherwise requested by the passengers.

The new regulations are similar to ones that the Orange County Convention Center requires for all pedicabs that operate on their property.

The northern section of I-Drive, roughly north of Magical Midway, are within Orlando city limits, which have had pedicab regulations for years. In recent months some pedicab operators have been calling for stricter regulations in the city where trailer-style pedicabs are allowed.

The new regulations on International Drive take effect beginning on January 1, 2018.