City council votes to double the number of pedicab licences

By Rebecca tebrake, VANCOUVER SUN

VANCOUVER - There may be twice as many pedicabs on Vancouver streets this year after city council agreed Thursday to double the number of available licences to 60 from 30.

The decision comes after demand for licences spiked this year, to a record 43 requests compared to 30 in 2008 and 10 in 2007.

Tom Hammel, the city’s chief licence inspector, said he didn’t know why demand had spiked, but speculated it might be related to the Olympics or tourism in general.

Patrick Balian, general manager of Cruise Cabs, which has been operating the bicycle taxis in Vancouver since 2007, said the reason for the increased demand has “gotta be the Olympics.”

Eighty per cent of the customers riding in his company’s 10 pedicabs are locals, mostly party-goers along the Granville Street bar district.

Balian is concerned about the increase in available licences during an economic downturn.

“Our drivers are making 40-per-cent less money now than last year,” said Balian, who asked council to consider increasing the number of available licences by 20 per cent annually instead.

Still, economics didn’t stop Balian and his business partner Kathleen Granados from adding eight new licences to their operation. Granados said they are committed to the business long-term and want to keep building even during tough times.

They had a “hiring spree” this year, taking on 25 new employees, mostly students or people also working in the entertainment industry.

The licences cost $146 each year.

“You don’t have to take it if you don’t need it and if you do think the economic circumstance is so dire, you won’t buy a pedicab,” said Coun. Kerry Jang.

Council also restricted advertising space on pedicabs to a maximum of 0.45 square metres on the rear of the pedicab.

Previously the whole pedicab was available for advertising space. Now, pedicabs will have to display business names and identification numbers to ensure consumers with a complaint can identify the cab they used.

Safety requirements for pedicabs were also strengthened. They now must have rear hydraulic braking systems as well as a front braking system.