‘Do it the right way or you don’t’: Clark County may change pedicabs rules

Clark County might strengthen rules for pedicabs in an effort to clamp down on unlicensed entities, a proposal endorsed by the county’s largest legal operator.

“It’s time to update the pedicab ordinance,” said Dan Kerrigan, owner of Las Vegas Rickshaw.

On Tuesday, county commissioners instructed staff to work on an ordinance that could limit the number of licenses issued, address enforcement and expand the area where the three-wheel cabs are currently barred.

The County Commission discussion didn’t require a vote and possible amendments would be considered at a later date.

Outdated ordinance

Commissioner April Becker, who introduced the agenda item, said that current regulations are “out of date.”

She suggested limiting the number of licenses and requiring placards attached to the cabs so that law enforcement “can simply see the (license) numbers and know immediately who’s in the cab.”

Becker said she’d learned about out-of-state, unlicensed pedicabs operating within the tourist corridor.

“We have no way of being able to determine who these people are,” she said.

Kerrigan said “rogue operators” come to town and disregard the rules. Their behavior then reflects badly on those who operate within the law, he added.

Commissioners said they’d learned about similar violations around Allegiant Stadium, where pedicabs are allowed. Commissioner Michael Naft proposed studying the issues around the venue.

Clark County has licensed two companies that operate less than 75 pedicabs in total, according to director of business licensing Vincent Queano.

Rules already prohibit pedicabs on Las Vegas Boulevard between Sahara Avenue and Russell Road and its connecting roads, as well as a portion of Paradise Road near the tourist corridor.

The Nevada Resort Association President and CEO Virginia Valentine said the organization is proposing expanding the boulevard’s prohibited zone through St. Rose Parkway.

‘Tow them; crush them’

To deter illegal operations, Commissioner Marilyn Kirkpatrick said she would like more stringent penalties for the unauthorized pedicabs, including the ability to “tow them, crush them and never bring them back.”

“I just want to at least throw the book at the people who are doing it wrong because there just has to be a way to say you’re not welcome,” she said. “You either do it the right way or you don’t.”

Queano said that the county didn’t have towing authority. He added that the law allows fines up to $1,000 per violation in addition to misdemeanor fines that also can court-issued fines up to $1,000 and up to six months in jail.

He said his department is responsible for the bulk of the enforcement.

Metropolitan Police Department Capt. Josh Martinez said the agency was in ongoing discussions around licensing and enforcement.

“The sheriff is opposed to the pedicabs,” he added.

Nuisance vehicles

Commissioner Jim Gibson said a pedicab ordinance can conform to the language in a ordinance being drafted that seeks to tightly regulate mobile billboards.

A study presented to commissioners in 2022 concluded that the mobile billboards tend to slow down traffic, and that some have lights emitting from them that are much brighter than county code allows.

He said he would like to see more severe consequences for violating the law.

“The only thing they have to lose is the pedicab,” Gibson said. “And if we’re not taking that, then we’ve done nothing.”

Las Vegas Rickshaw, which is licensed in the county and the city of Las Vegas, has 40 cabs “in the stable” with the ability to ramp up operations during large events, Kerrigan said.

Some of the 25 drivers he employs showed up to the County Commission meeting in their teal-colored uniform polo shirts.

“We just want to improve these jobs,” he said.

In the future, Kerrigan said he’d like to see a pilot program that allows a limited number of pedicabs to operate on the Strip to test the waters.

“If we can’t ultimately agree on Las Vegas Boulevard, there is still a lot of possible change that could come from a new ordinance,” he said. “And we’re here to cooperate.”

Contact Ricardo Torres-Cortez at rtorres@reviewjournal.com.