Pedicabs set to roll through downtown Las Vegas

Modern hype may be centered on technology-driven transportation, but the newest way to get around downtown Las Vegas relies on old-fashioned human strength.

About two months after pedicabs, or rickshaws, got the Las Vegas City Council’s blessing, two companies are gearing up to pedal passengers around downtown.

Kyle Felleman and Jose Solorio are basing their business, Las Vegas Rickshaw, out of a building on Commerce Street in the downtown Arts District. Their eight rickshaws are active and can accept rides, but Felleman and Solorio are fine-tuning details and hiring drivers before they begin operating in full force by February.

Some downtown businesses owners expressed concern to the City Council about how pedicabs would coexist with other vehicles on downtown streets and in casino pickup and dropoff areas. But those were addressed when the rickshaw owners met with business owners.

“There’s always a way to compromise, so when they’re picking up and dropping off they’re not blocking traffic,” said Ward 3 Councilman Bob Coffin.

Mike Nolan, general manager of the El Cortez Hotel and Casino, said his primary question when the council was considering allowing pedicabs was where their staging area would be. That was worked out before the council’s November vote.

“We think it’s a good idea and we hope it works out,” Nolan said.

The City Council allowed 24 pedicabs to operate downtown, split among operators. The maximum one company can have is eight pedicabs.

City rules allow pedicabs to carry a maximum of three passengers at a time. Prospective riders can hail a pedicab on the street, or call to summon one. In some areas of downtown, the pedicabs can travel in bike lanes.

All pedicabs are outfitted with headlights, turn signals and seat belts, as well as canopies for scorching summer days. Felleman estimates the average ride from one downtown location to another will cost $10 to $15.

Tony Rivera, who owns Phoenix Pedicabs, has been trying to expand into downtown Las Vegas for a few years. He hopes to be up and running in a few weeks, once his East Fremont Street facility and the pedicabs have been inspected for safety, he said.

Coffin, who represents a large swath of downtown, thinks adding pedicabs to the transportation offerings in an urban area makes sense.

“I think they should be here,” Coffin said.

Pedicabs were once allowed on the Las Vegas Strip, but the Clark County Commission banned them from bustling Las Vegas Boulevard over safety and traffic concerns.

Contact Jamie Munks at jmunks@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0340. Find @JamieMunksRJ on Twitter.