Are Party Bikes Back On The Scene?

Here is an interesting Bill that popped up for a hearing this week

BILL NO. 090466
AN ORDINANCE
Amending Chapter 9-400 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled “Carriers,” by adding a new Section 9-408, entitled “Multi-Seat Pedalcycles,” to provide for the licensing and regulation of businesses operating Multi-Seat Pedalcycles for hire, all under certain terms and conditions.

Sounds like pedicabs (a colleague has suggested that we start calling them bike-cabs or bike-taxis for clarity), but then there is this description in the bill that suggests something else:

Multi-Seat Pedalcycle. A vehicle propelled solely by human-powered pedals,
equipped with four or more seats and sets of pedals, on which one person (the “driver”) controls the steering and braking system.

That doesn't say "Party Bike" or its more common name "Conference Bike" but it is one of two contraptions that we know of in existence that match that description.





Or could they be talking about Surreys, you've seen these on the boardwalk.





















So Multi-Seat Pedalcycles as described in the bill are different from pedicabs err bike-taxis but the Inquirer apparently didn't get the memo:

Councilwoman Jannie L. Blackwell proposed a bill that would allow "multi-seat pedalcycles" that would operate between the Philadelphia Zoo and areas of Fairmount Park including the Please Touch Museum. The pedalcycles feature a bicycle that pulls a two-wheeled carriage. There will be a hearing on this plan on Thursday and the pedalcycles could be in use this summer.

From kronos

From Philadelphia Bicycle News