Thursday, January 17, 2013
A Clearwater Patch reader shares his experiences trying to operate a low-speed, charter vehicle service on Clearwater Beach.
- GOVERNMENT
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Thursday, January 17
I am writing this letter to give you another perspective on the Golf Cart wars going on in Clearwater Beach. My name is John Starick. I drove the first golf cart on the beach in 2010. It was a free beach shuttle. It was fun. The people that rode it, got to see the beach and get to their destination safely. In that time that I was doing this service, I got to meet a lot of the staff that work at almost all the restaurants, charter services, bars and so on. That Fall my father became sick up in Michigan. I went up to help him recover. When I came back down in December 2011, Florida Free Ride was only a few months old. Florida Free Ride and the Jolley Trolley were having their war. I just sat back and watched. The cart that I was driving was …
Friday, March 2, 2012
Low speed, golf cart-type vehicles, pedi-cabs and other slower, for-hire vehicles face city regulations which include requiring owners to register with the city for $75 starting April 15.
Jason Gibertoni is ready to be regulated. He is one of the owners of Florida Free Rides, a company providing transportation on Clearwater Beach including Sand Key and Island Estates. Gibertoni runs street-legal, low-speed vehicles that are commonly mistaken as golf carts. He sees licensing the slow-moving, for-hire cab business as a boon to business, afterall it could help remove some of the less reputable drivers on the island. “We are looking to be the first to be certified through it,” Gibertoni said. So he should circle his calendar for April 15. That is when rules regulating golf cart type vehicles, surrey bicycles, pedi-cabs and other low-speed, for-hire vehicles goes into effect. The City Council unanimously approved the ordinance …
Monday, February 27, 2012
Low speed, golf cart-type vehicles, pedi-cabs and other slower, for hire vehicles face city regulations which include requiring owners to register with the city for $75.
Pedi-cabs. Surrey bicycles. Segways. Golf carts? So many low speed vehicles fill the streets of Clearwater Beach. “It’s almost where do you start?” said vice mayor Paul Gibson during a discussion on the topic of regulating the vehicles two week ago. “I’m concerned about these vehicles on the street.” It took months for city attorneys to draft the 13 page ordinance that city leaders are poised to discuss Monday and expected to approve Thursday at their City Council meeting. The regulations would require business owners to register with the city, carry a minimum of $500,000 insurance, and show a mechanic's certification that their vehicles are in safe condition. Aside from costs to meet those requirements, business owners also will be …
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City of Clearwater - City Hall
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Lee Obercotter
8:02 pm on Saturday, January 19, 2013
I like the idea of simply reconfiguring your bus to meet the city code. We also hear many complaints about the "you name your fare, but it better be good" free rides. Our store does not recommend them...and never will. more ›