New Bern leaders review draft rules for pedaled tour vehicles, horsedrawn carriages and other 'vehicles for hire'

City staff introduced a draft ordinance on April 14 to regulate a range of "vehicles for hire," including pedicabs, commercial pedal vehicles (multi‑passenger pedal tours), horsedrawn carriages and tour buses within a compact historic/downtown zone.

Manager Mr. Hughes framed the effort as a cleanup and a proactive regulation of services that can already operate under state law, pointing to examples in other cities. The draft would remove an outdated taxi‑cab ordinance and create a permitting structure tailored to the new vehicle types. Key features discussed included background vetting for drivers (similar to ride‑hail checks), a visible badge or lanyard for vetted drivers, minimum insurance requirements (draft started at $1M per incident with higher annual caps discussed), geographic limits focused on the downtown historic district (with narrower limits for horsedrawn carriages), and restrictions on vending or on‑street alcohol sales.

Members of the public and several aldermen asked questions about whether passengers could consume alcohol while on a pedal tour, who would sell or deliver unopened beverages to a vehicle, how enforcement and fees would be handled, and whether insurance requirements would price small businesses out of operating. Staff clarified that under existing state law a for‑hire vehicle can carry alcohol if the driver is not drinking, that the draft is intentionally narrow and that the city would not permit city‑wide operation without a future decision.

Several public commenters — including Margot Feserman and Edwin Roua — described business models that range from family‑friendly history tours to revenue models that include alcohol; Roua asked that regulations not create disproportionate barriers for small, locally owned ventures. The board did not adopt the draft on April 14. Instead members asked staff to continue outreach with the historic‑district association, prospective operators and residents and return with a refined draft.