DOWNTOWN — Until recently, operating a for-profit pedicab in Chicago required one thing: a pedicab.
But last month, a new city ordinance requiring pedicabs and their drivers to be licensed took effect, bringing big changes to the previously unregulated industry that operates almost exclusively in the Loop and Downtown, and near entertainment hotspots like Wrigley Field and the United Center.
To help demystify the process and encourage existing and new pedicab drivers to align their operations with the new laws, the Department of Business Affairs & Consumer Protection will host a workshop Aug. 8 at City Hall.
The new ordinance will cap pedicab vehicle licenses at 200, so current operators and aspiring peddlers who act fast will have an advantage.
“What Licenses Do You Need to Run a Pedicab Business or to Drive a Pedicab?” will "help attendees understand a new City of Chicago ordinance that licenses and regulates the pedicab industry," said Deputy Commissioner Rupal Bapat.
"The workshop will cover the new pedicab license and pedicab chauffeur license," Bapat said.
Those two licenses accompany several changes to the industry that took effect June 7. The former applies to all vehicles, which must be licensed individually like a car or motorcycle, and the latter is a license all pedicab drivers, or "peddlers," must have on file with the city.
Applying for a pedicab license costs $250 and requires a valid photo ID. Operator licensing costs $25 and requires a valid drivers license at least a year old.
Operators also need to pass a licensing exam, criminal background check, debt clearance, drug test and physical exam.
The pedicabs themselves must be no more than 55 feet wide and 120 feet long, and must have headlights, taillights, brakes, rim reflectors and seatbelts.
The workshop runs from 9:30 to 11 a.m. Aug. 8 in room 805 at City Hall, 121 N. LaSalle St. To register, email BACPoutreach@cityofchicago.org or call 312-744-2086.
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