Bicycle-powered cabs similar to rickshaws could soon be legal on Bloomington streets, with some seeing them as a possible downtown attraction.

A city councilman has introduced an ordinance regulating the velocabs, setting rules on the type of equipment used, insurance and licensing.

Talisha Coppock, executive director of Downtown Bloomington Inc., said she looked forward to seeing the cabs.

"Any time you can add an attraction and an amenity to an area is going to be helpful," Coppock said. "I think it's very interesting and fun and adds one more element to making it an exciting and interesting area."

City Councilman Michael Satterfield told other council members the velocabs were an environmentally friendly form of transportation and that the ordinance provides regulations to ensure safe operation.

Chris Waggoner, the owner of Fresh Air Taxi who first proposed starting the velocab service for Bloomington and the Indiana University campus last year, said he was happy with the proposed ordinance.

"I guess the biggest positive thing is now it's sort of been hanging over my head for the entire 20 months (the issue's been debated) that they might come up with a really discriminatory law," Waggoner said.

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