OCEAN CITY, Md. - In Monday night's Mayor and City Council Regular Meeting, the town of Ocean City approved the ordinance set to bring pedicab services to the boardwalk.
Since the 2024 tram accident that killed a 2-year-old child, the town has been in search of a safer replacement for boardwalk transportation.
After the ordinance saw its second reading on Monday, the town seemingly found its replacement, as it carried with four in favor.
According to the town and Atlantic Pedicab LLC., which the town awarded the contract to, services will begin this weekend. The company says, weather permitting, services will run from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.
But Memorial Day weekend will simply be a test run. The company says free rides will be given to customers who are able to catch a ride on the limited number of pedicabs in service, as only a fraction of the proposed 20 pedicabs will be available during this trial.
Come mid-July, when they say they are hoping to be operating fully, they will run from 2 p.m. to midnight. The company tells CoastTV they are excited to engage with the community while they work to set up their app, which will handle payments.
Pedicab rides will cost travelers $14 per mile, with a minimum price of $12. Those looking to ride will be able to view the price through the app prior to booking the trip. Â
However, some in town say they see the benefits it could provide, but are still wary. Jennifer Hill frequently visits Ocean City and is concerned for the families.
"It's a good resource as far as not having anything," Hill says. "The safety is definitely a concern. It might be safer than what the tram was, but it is still not completely safe. You'll have people that don't follow the rules, you'll have people that are not aware of the rules. They're pretty quiet, so it's pretty concerning if you have small children that are in Ocean City."
But for business owners like Jay Knerr, who owns The Kite Loft, he sees this as an opportunity for people to see all that the boardwalk has in store.
"With the loss of the trams, that was detrimental to the businesses," Knerr says. "A lot of people don't want to walk that far or have limited mobility, so having a situation where something can move them to the boardwalk at places they want to go is instrumental. We need that, for sure."
As Ocean City tests a new ride down the boards, the real question is whether convenience can cruise hand-in-hand with safety.
