Pedicab Medallions in Boston - an annotated timeline
Please note the following resources to be considered with this timeline:
Raw medallion results 2017, obtained by request from City of Boston
Annotated medallion lottery results, 2017-2018, for clarity from raw results
Timeline of Events
2005
Beanie Cabs and Boston Pedicab debut; Beanie Cabs absorbed by Boston Pedicab and Boston Rickshaw; no pedicab laws on the books in Boston
2007
Police Commissioner’s Special Order SO-07-062 put on record
Section H of the order declares “The number of pedicabs shall be fixed at the number in operation as of September 1, 2007, but in any event, no more than 25”
The order states that the regulations described “shall be in effect pending the issuance of permanent regulations through a public process.”
2009
March 2, 2009: Captain Robert Ciccolo (Inspector of Carriages at the time) addresses letter to Benjamin Morris (ower Boston Pedicab) and Mark Colegrove (owner Boston Rickshaw). Full contents obtained by public records request:
Dear Sirs,
Please be advised that this office is in receipt of your requests for additional pedi-cab licenses. After due consideration, and consultation with the commissioner Tinlin of the Boston Transportation Department, the Police Department has decided to issue the additional four licenses contemplated in the rule.
Both the current companies, Boston Pedi-cab Inc and [Boston Rickshaw, which was then called Boston Bike Taxi] have been operating substantially within the rule, with only minor infractions recorded. In consideration of this, and in order to distribute the remaining licenses in an equitable fashion, the following procedure will take place.
On Monday, March 23, 2009, at 11:00 AM, both Mr. Morris and Mr. Colegrove will report to the Boston Police Hackney Carriage Unit at Police Headquarters. At that time each company will be granted one additional license. At that time I will conduct a drawing for each of the remaining two licenses.
Thank you for your cooperation and see you then.
Sincerely,
Captain Robert W. Ciccolo, Jr,
Inspector of Carriages
The total number of pedicabs in 2009 increases from 21 to 25
2013
With no explanation or record the total number of cabs increases from 25 to 35. (Public records requests to every relevant department or individual yielded no additional information about these). Still a total mystery where these medallions came from.
2015
Begin public records requests, communications with Transportation Department, Boston Police Department, the Mayor’s Office to learn more
No one knows anything at all about pedicabs in the city
The city expresses in phone calls, emails, and in person visits (mostly in-person visits) that they may be open to issuing new medallions/permits, but doesn’t know how, why, or to whom to distribute
Advocacy group begins to take shape and meet in confidence; I pick initial group of 5-10, then ask that those initial members reach out to others to consider working for the cause
The cause: “making the scene better than we found it” and allowing for smaller owner/operators and taking power from the monopoly/duopoly because they had been abusing power, lacked integrity
Concerns raised that we might not get the outcomes we want due to bureaucratic nightmares at Boston Police
Secrecy of group maintained to avoid people from all around the country from applying and killing local opportunity, and also for fear of retribution from Boston Pedicab or Boston Rickshaw (i.e., blacklisting)
Full slideshow offered to Boston Mayor’s Office, Transportation Dept, Police as a crash course in pedicabs, advocacy goals and options
Shorcut to why I did it
Shortcut to public records requests
Shortcut to options, pros, and cons offered to city officials
2016
Jan/Feb - I reach out to Boston pedicabbers with whom I am personally close who have ridden for many years, and/or people that I think are motivated to try to become pedicab business owners, and who could be a good foundation for potential indy owner culture
March - formally initiate Topanga Project, a group of committed riders who are willing to put in work, take risks, show up to meetings
Week of March 14 - Boston announces pedicab medallion lottery on public record (legal requirement; most people do not read the public record); medallion owners are notified
Total number of entrants (anonymous at the time): approx 20; total number of available medallions: 25
Hackney and the city become completely unresponsive to requests regarding the structure of the lottery before it takes place
Lottery ends up being quite unsatisfactory to many - rather than giving everyone “a slice of pizza” then randomly distributing the remainder randomly, the distribution system they eventually set up risks of giving one person all 25 slices of pizza
Lottery occurs May 9, 2016; Boston Police listens to no criticism
Initial Results reveal rampant cheating, the most egregious cases:
Applicant Thomas Kizirian worked for Pedicab Outdoor, the advertising arm of Boston Pedicab, at the time, clear shill for BP
Applicant Jim Coleman - Dennis Morris’ son-in-law
Applicant Andrew Prescott - owner of a bike rental shop in Boston, verbally expressed that he “got medallions for his friend” Ben Morris
2017
Following assessment of ethical applications, ownership, Boston Police revokes or denies medallions to many applicants originally on the list, and redistributes in the order of the randomized list
See results after line 27 to see how medallions trickled down
2018/2019 ??
Due to personal issues, the Suozzi-Colegrove ownership of Boston Rickshaw breaks up, releasing new medallions
Medallions go back to pool, awaiting redistribution
Boston Police goes down the retained randomized list of original entrants in the lottery, and offers entrants (those who were not denied renewals) newly available medallions, some accept
Totals owned by each company unknown; can be inferred from lists for those who want to know more