CHARLESTON, SC (WCSC) - For the first time in 35 years, the city of Charleston’s Tourism Commission is taking a look at whether the insurance requirements for carriages and private vehicle tours are meeting state standards.
The changes would affect carriages, certified tour buses and private passenger cars used for touring. These standards haven't been looked at since the ordinance passed in 1983.
Dan Riccio is the city’s director of livability and tourism, and he says the commission is seeing if the level of insurance they currently require is high enough.
“When I took over three years ago, I wanted to make sure we’re doing the best we can,” Riccio said. “I can’t speak to why it wasn’t done before.”
It's all part of the commission's three-year plan to review the entire handbook.
On Monday, the commission will also be talking about tracking horse waste by GPS. It’s already in its testing phase, but the commission is working on adding it to the ordinance.
This would make it a requirement so when a tour guide gets his or her tour route, he or she would also be handed a GPS. It would then be used when the horse did its business, so crews know where to go to clean it up.
And, that’s not all. The commission will also be looking at what type of vehicles can be used for private passenger tours in the city.
“Some vehicles are just too big,” Riccio said.
Right now, the ordinance says “family-type vehicles” are allowed, but the commission is hoping to define what that means. They might do this by adding a maximum weight for cars that are allowed to give private tours.
The meeting is Monday at 4 p.m.
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