Bike Taxi's May Be In Birmingham's Future

From CBS42

When it comes to getting around Birmingham, driving your car or walking the sidewalks are the way most people get from here to there.

Then there are those who rely on public transportation. Well if Willie Pittman gets his way, visitors to Birmingham may be hitching a ride on the back of his bike.

Pittman has dreamed for twenty years of starting a rickshaw service using pedicabs!

He says his business would be for short trips. "We're not in competition with the taxi cab business at all, so we're just trying to give a little spark to the city, when businesses come to the city, they'll see something different."

Pittman says his service would cater to tourists and those looking for a quick ride from the office to lunch.

And after taking a close look at the pedicab, there's some clear advantages to being in the pedicab business. First, it's a green industry, so you can feel good. And then anyone driving a pedicab is going to get a great workout.

But would Birmingham support the business?

Tillman Johnson isn't so sure, but he applauds the idea. "You have to do what you have to do to make a living these days. so more power to whoever wants to get in the business."

Veirdre Gaddis is more optimistic about pedicabs catching on. "To tell you the truth, any man that's going to pull me around would be a plus for me. But I think it's a wonderful opportunity since we're trying to get into more green ideas, and that's another idea for transportation, I think it would function great."