Legislation will prohibit misleading tactics while ensuring fairness and consistency

Will vote to ensure that all taxicabs are accessible to the visually impaired by May 2013

New York, NY – Today, the City Council will vote to bring fairness and consistency to the pedicab industry. Legislation will require fixed rates based on time, regardless of the number of passengers.

The Council will also vote to make the city more accessible for people with vision difficulties by mandating that all taxicabs include audible payment technology.

Additionally, the Council will vote to bring greater transparency to government by requiring uncompensated policymaking board and commission members to file financial-disclosure reports for the first time.

Pedicab Legislation

Currently, pedicab drivers calculate rates in any manner they choose, including per block, per avenue and by arbitrary made-up zones. Drivers are also permitted to impose surcharges, such as added fees for multiple passengers. Customers are often unaware of these fees before they begin their trip, leading to much confusion and frustration when charged exorbitant amounts for relatively minimal travel.

This legislation addresses these unreliable practices in three ways. First, this bill would obligate all pedicab drivers to base their rates on a ride’s duration. The number of minutes will be calculated by a timer affixed to the pedicab in full view of passengers. It would also eliminate any added fees unrelated to the duration of the ride, such as charges for additional passengers. Finally, drivers will be required to post conspicuous signs indicating these details, and must give passengers a Pedicab Information Card.

The Department of Consumer Affairs will be charged with creating the Pedicab Information Card containing information such as the driver’s license number, business contact information, instructions on where to direct complaints and rules related to pedicab rates. The Card would also serve as a customer receipt.

“Today, we’re protecting consumers by giving deceptive pedicab practices the red light,” said Speaker Christine C. Quinn. “Our legislation will bring increased legitimacy to the pedicab industry and will ensure customers know what they’re paying to go on a ride – without being taken for a ride.”

“Confusion is not an acceptable business strategy in New York City,” said Council Member Dan Garodnick. “This legislation will make sure there are no surprises when passengers get their bill at the end of a pedicab trip.”

Improving Access for Visually Impaired Taxi Riders

This piece of legislation will require all taxicabs to be accessible to the more than 362,000 New Yorkers who have vision difficulties as of May 1, 2013.

Specifically, this bill will ensure that payment technology includes an audio component so that the visually impaired can hear the fare amount announced, as well as any changes to the rate code or any tolls that accrued. The equipment also audibly instructs passengers on how to pay.

Under the legislation, taxicabs must also have information on how to contact the Taxi and Limousine Commission (TLC) in the passenger compartment area in Braille and large print.

“Until now, visually impaired taxi riders have had no choice but to pay with cash or rely on the cab driver to swipe their card because they cannot see the screen to touch for cash or credit. But today, with Introduction 599’s passage, that technology will be mandatory in each and every yellow cab in New York City,” said Council Member James Vacca. “It wouldn’t have been possible without the partnership that Lighthouse International and Creative Mobile Technologies forged to solve this problem, and I am thankful for their efforts.”

Financial Disclosure Bill

The Council will vote to require members of uncompensated policymaking boards and commissions – such as the TLC and the Landmarks Preservation Commission – to file financial-disclosure reports.

Passing this bill will bring the City into full compliance with the State’s requirement that all policymaking officials, and members, officers and certain employees of public authorities file financial disclosure forms.

The Council worked with the Conflicts of Interest Board (COIB) and the Mayor’s Office to ensure that this legislation does not diminish the filing requirements for elected officials or other filers. Under this law, new filers will fill out a different form than that completed by elected officials and compensated officers and employees. This new, shorter form asks for sufficient disclosure information about potential conflicts of interest while not being so burdensome as to discourage uncompensated public service. Newly covered filers must provide data about outside employment and businesses, as well as investments and gifts, to identify conflicts of interest they may have with their agency.

The Council is acting today on this matter in order for the new requirement to take effect for this year’s filing period, which COIB has designated to begin at the end of November.

“I am pleased to be sponsoring this bill, by request of Mayor Michael Bloomberg, to introduce changes concerning the financial disclosure process in the city. This bill will mandate members of uncompensated city policy-making boards and commissions, and certain members of public authorities, to file disclosure forms. This will bring the City into full compliance with New York State law without creating a burden for new filers by mandating a new short disclosure form. This will make all public servants that serve our great city accountable to the constituents we serve,” said Council Member Inez Dickens.

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