Pedicab News & Blog

Pedal-powered taxis roll down Castro

2010-01-19T01:35:00.000-08:00

by Daniel DeBolt

The latest form of transit in downtown Mountain View may be low-tech, but it also seems a perfect fit for these modern times, being easy on both the environment and the pocketbook.

A company calling itself KwickCart has started operating two pedal-powered taxis, or pedicabs, around the downtown area on weekend evenings, taking people to and from their homes, businesses and the downtown train station. Passengers pay nothing but a tip, which drivers solely rely on for their wages.

The company makes its money by displaying advertising on each of its three-wheeled cabs, which can hold two passengers -- three if they're small.

Last weekend, KwickCart began a weekly service between 7 p.m. and 1 a.m. on Friday and Saturday nights in which two pedicabs operate downtown simultaneously. Before launching the regular service, the company tested the waters during the city's Art and Wine Festival and Thursday Night Live events held downtown last year.

So far it is hard to tell how much demand there is, but founder and president Caanan Meagher said that "We expect Mountain View will be one of our busiest cities." The company already operates pedicabs in Campbell and Los Gatos.

"The most common thing so far is people want a ride to or from their house," Meagher said. "People that live maybe five blocks away -- maybe they live on Calderon and want a ride to Castro call us up to get a ride."

Meagher said his "environmentally friendly" business is trying to become certified by the county as a green business. There isn't much room to improve in this regard, but he said "We need to make sure we're printing on both sides of our paper."

To arrange a ride in a KwickCart pedicab, call (408) 858-2278. The company has a Web site at www.kwickcart.com, as well as a Facebook page.

City Hopes Project Will Keep Cruise Ship Industry Afloat

2010-01-19T01:28:00.000-08:00

by 10News.com

SAN DIEGO -- Tourists hitting the high seas pump $500 million into San Diego's economy every year, but in 2009 San Diego's cruise ship industry took a hit.

Business owners said sales increase 30 percent when a cruise ship unloads thousands of passengers. The Port of San Diego said one cruise ship puts about $2 million into the local economy every time it docks.

Vendors along the Embarcadero said they noticed a dip this year, and some told 10News they depend heavily on the foot traffic generated by the people getting off and on the cruise ships.

The owners of Destinations in Seaport Village told 10News they see a 30 percent jump in sales whenever a ship is in port. "It's always extremely busy, super crowded," said Destinations salesperson Melissa Cena.

Some pedicabs focus all of their business in the cruise ship docking area. One pedicab can take home $150 off one cruise ship.

"I'd say 90 percent of the business that I do is from the cruise ship," said pedicab driver Roy Grant.

Grant said he never leaves the Embarcadero when ships are in.

In 2008, 279 cruise ships dropped off 991,000 passengers on the Embarcadero. But in 2009, only 224 ships came in and unloaded 813,000 people.

"And that has to do with competition. It has to do with our construction. It has to do with market trends," said Jackie Williams of the Port of San Diego.

Those market trends said fewer people were interested in going to Mexico, which is San Diego's primary cruise ship destination.

To boost traffic, the Port of San Diego is building a temporary terminal next to the current B Street terminal. Once completed, B Street will be torn down and a new one built in its place. When both are completed, up to three cruise ships could dock in the area at one time.

The project could be a big boost to businesses and San Diego.

A Bitter Holiday for Pedicabs

2010-01-19T01:27:00.000-08:00

By J. DAVID GOODMAN

Nuriddin Shamsiev abandoned his usual spot in Central Park on Monday and pedaled his way down Fifth Avenue to search among the throngs spilling into the streets around Rockefeller Center. Despite the sun, it was shaping up to be another tough day — only one customer in four hours — in what has been a season of tough days for the city’s pedicab industry.

Mr. Shamsiev, a 24-year-old Tajik driver, summed up the situation in two words: “Very bad.”

“Last Christmas was much better,” he added. “But the business went down — you don’t make the same money.”

The economic crisis, a series of wet weekends and new regulations requiring licenses for pedicab drivers have created a perfect storm of misery in New York’s pedicab industry, which depends on the holidays to get through the slow winter months. This year, owners and drivers report, the slow season has come early, with potentially dire consequences for some operators.

“I have no drivers left — at all,” said Ari Nichols, owner of Manhattan Pedicabs. He said he had been undercut on rental rates by other operators in a fierce competition for those few licensed drivers. “There’s three bikes for each driver,” he said. Mr. Nichols is trying to sell some of his pedicabs in order to “hang on one more season,” but said it “would have to be a miracle for me” to make it to the summer.

Many owners blamed the licensing requirement, which went into effect before Thanksgiving and requires pedicab operators to obtain both a driver’s license and a special pedicab license. The regulation has put in a crimp in the number of “shotgun” riders who want to start driving right away — perhaps the intent of the regulation — and has also been a problem for many veteran drivers, said Gregg Zukowski, president of New York City Pedicab Owners Association. Some of these veterans had outstanding fines or other issues with their driver’s licenses that had to be taken care of before they could obtain a pedicab license.
A driver searches for customers on Fifth Avenue near Rockefeller Center.

“The impact of the regulation has been brutal,” said Mr. Zukowski, who is also the owner of Revolution Rickshaws and a driver himself. “We always face a dry season in the winter, but this year, we’ve lost the whole holiday season.” Normally his 18 pedicabs would all be rented during the weeks before Christmas and New Year’s. But this month, only two or three have been rented by drivers on a given day.

License plates have been issued for 889 pedicabs and 474 drivers have applied for licenses, according to the Department of Consumer Affairs. The number of licensed businesses with at least one pedicab is 172 and the department is no longer accepting new applications. There is no cap on the number of pedicab driver’s licenses.

Like others, Mr. Zukowski has lowered the rental rates, but to little effect. “The whole industry has been thrown for a curve,” he said, adding that the only way his business can survive is by refocusing on rickshaw van rentals and deliveries.

There are simply not enough licensed drivers, he said, adding, “The only people who are doing okay are the solo-owner-operators.”

But tell that to Mark Stringer, 44, a seven-year veteran driver whose pedicab is his only source of income. “Normally Christmas builds, gets busier and busier and busier,” he said. But this year it’s been less reliable.

“Me and me buddy, we go out, and one day, I’d be O.K., and he’d have $32. Another day, he’d be fine and I’d have like $27,” Mr. Stringer said. “It was almost like there’s not enough money for everybody out there.”

Rickshaws Pedal Their Way Into Oak Cliff

2010-01-19T01:25:00.000-08:00

By SUSY SOLIS

North Oak Cliff has several pockets of retail and restaurant districts and business owners hope pedicabs will connect customers in a safe and cost effective way.

"We want to have a solution for getting people to the different businesses that are going to be popping up down here, so we want to help the economic growth, but we don't want to start plugging concrete parking lots everywhere," said Matt Spiller, owner of Eno's Pizza Tavern.

Spiller wants to start the pedicab operation by spring and has the support of the city of Dallas.

"We needed to move people around the Bishop Arts area," said Delia Jasso, a Dallas City Council member who serves that area of town. "We started talking about what a route might look like to bring people from Jefferson to Bishops Arts and vice versa and then we realized there are a lot of new restaurants on Davis."

Business owners said pedicabs would allow customers to see more of North Oak Cliff and therefore, spend more.

A pedicab service would also help alleviate parking problems. One thing Spiller does not want to do is allow parking problems to bleed into the residential neighborhoods nearby.

"What you could do is park farther away and then ride a pedicab over here because I think once they're in this district, they are going to want to walk from store to store, but to get to here, it would be nice to have a pedicab," said Jan Steiner, who parked several block away from her destination.

Pedicab operators have to get business permits, licenses and insurance before they are allowed to operate, according the City of Dallas Transportation Department.

The pedicab drivers work for tips and will be given a background check before they are hired. The service would be available only on the Bishop Arts District's busiest nights or when special events take place.

A proposed route would cover about a 1.5 square mile area.

"It should be going down Davis, over to Zang and then Zang to Bishop and down to Colorado and up to Jefferson," Spiller said.

Spiller said he will start with a fleet of three to five pedicabs and see what the response is like before expanding.

Police Begin Pedicab License Enforcement

2010-01-19T01:16:00.000-08:00

Police this weekend began pulling over pedicab drivers to see if they and their vehicles are licensed.

Police on Saturday set up a checkpoint in Times Square to see which pedicab drivers are in compliance with new regulations.

Friday was the deadline for operators to apply for medallions.

The medallions signify the pedicabs have been inspected, are safe, and have posted rate cards.

Police say 943 pedicabs were registered before Friday's deadline.

So far, more than 300 drivers have applied for licenses.

New York City Cracks Down on Pedicabs

2010-01-19T01:14:00.000-08:00

As authorities begin strongly enforcing rules for pedicabs operating in the city of New York, personal injury lawyers like David Perecman are supportive of the effort.

New York (PRWEB) December 8, 2009 -- The streets of Manhattan are now safer according to New York City personal injury lawyer David Perecman, making reference to the city's crackdown on unlicensed pedicabs.

"The fact that there were so many operators driving with no accountability on safety issues and without insurance made the city more unsafe. Few would know that better than a New York personal injury lawyer," said Perecman, who has had a law firm in Manhattan for over 30 years.

Before the crackdown, up to 1,000 pedicabs were on the streets at one time. To regulate the industry, the city added rules that require pedicab drivers to have headlights, seat belts and working brakes. Prices must also be displayed.

There have been no known fatal pedicab accidents in Manhattan, but passengers and drivers have been injured in collisions with cars, taxis, and buses.

"Thankfully the city is not waiting for a fatal accident to occur before they really enforce the rules. I believe I speak for many New York personal injury lawyers when I say that," said Perecman.

About David Perecman and The Perecman Firm, PLLC:

For the past 30 years, the New York personal injury lawyers, auto accident, construction accident, and medical malpractice lawyers at The Perecman Firm, PLLC have championed all types of cases for personal injury accidents. David Perecman, founder of the Firm, is a Board Director and the past Secretary and Treasurer of the New York State Trial Lawyers Association (NYSTLA) and a chair of its Labor Law Committee. Mr. Perecman's achievements have brought him recognition as an Honoree in the National Law Journal's Hall of Fame, in New York Magazine's "The Best Lawyers in America" and The New York Times Magazine "New York Super Lawyers, Metro Edition" for the years 2007-2010.

The Firm has recovered millions of dollars for its clients. Among the more recent victories, Mr. Perecman won a $15 million verdict* for a construction accident, a $5.35 million dollar verdict** for an automobile accident, and a $40 million dollar structured settlement for medical malpractice.

*later settled while on appeal for $7.940 million ** later settled for $3.5 million "Lawyer Advertising" "Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome."

###

Austin gets ready for cold weather

2010-01-19T01:13:00.000-08:00

by By JIM BERGAMO/KVUE News

Posted on December 4, 2009 at 9:45 PM

Updated Friday, Dec 4 at 10:26 PM
******

Despite those very chilly temperatures, some people in Central Texas are spending tonight outside.

The people we talked to from Austin to Cedar Park weren't about to let the threat of freezing temperatures keep them from having fun or going to work, and none of tonight's outdoor events that we covered had to cancel because of the weather.

Since Friday's real snow didn't stick around long enough, the evergreens at the Mueller development were covered in the phony white stuff. This snow may have been fake, but the threat of a hard freeze is very real. And that is just fine with the Hagler family.

"We have plenty of hot weather in Texas so I look forward to all the cold weather we can get," said Glenn Hagler from Austin.

Melissa Steiner is used to the cold.

"It is something I have always dealt with in Michigan but it keeps you moving, keeps you going," Steiner said.

Folks in Cedar Park didn't have to light a fireplace at home, because there was already a pretty good fire working in the old pit. The fire warmed their bodies and the annual tree lighting warmed their hearts.

"We have been residents of Cedar Park for 13 years and I told the family hey lets go out and do something different on a Friday evening and so here we are," Janice Auld said.

For others, a Friday night near freezing was no different than any other Friday night - its simply time to go to work. Scott Cannon is a pedicab driver for Capital Pedicab.

"This is the first ah, first cold weekend of the year and it seems like it is really taking the customers by surprise, it is really dead out here so far," Cannon said.

Leave it to some KISS fans from Florida to come prepared for the cold weather and a hot time -- each sporting a ski mask in the likeness of their favorite KISS band member.

"We flew in from Orlando last night, it was 80 degrees when we left and we heard there was going to be snow here tonight but we're here for the show, it's going to be a hot show," said Brad McMahen.

So just how cold is it? Well it is cold enough to keep a duck on dry land. Only four people showed up for the Duck Tour today -- we're told they need at least 10 passengers before the land and water tour can take off.

Pedicabs Will Now Be Inspected and Licensed

2010-01-19T01:12:00.000-08:00

By MICHAEL M. GRYNBAUM
Published: November 20, 2009

New York City’s pedicab business, by most accounts, began on an East Village side street circa 1995, as a close-knit collective of tricyclists squeezed into a garage next door to the Hells Angels. Tap dancers, undertakers and striptease artists were among the first drivers.
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Memet Emin Ozgan repairing pedicabs at Zenk Pedicab on West 57th Street.

From these bohemian beginnings came an unlikely pairing: green transportation and unbridled capitalism, a pollution-free way around town that, in good times, earned its proprietors upward of $1,000 a week.

But as the business grew, so did its troubles. Hundreds of new bike operators arrived, pestering tourists and testing the city’s tolerance. Pedicab owners, alarmed at lax safety standards, began a push for regulation — an effort that stretched for years, encompassing a rare mayoral veto in 2007 and a protracted court battle that ended only last spring.

Now, the upstart enterprise has officially become a profession. Citywide regulation went into effect this weekend. Under the new rules, pedicabs must be insured and inspected for safety. Headlights, seat belts and hydraulic brakes are required. Drivers must be licensed, and prices clearly displayed. Infractions will result in warnings, suspensions and, for repeat offenses, an outright ban.

“We’re going from something that was born in a dusty downtown garage, completely out of grass-roots activism, into a commercial, regulated activity,” said Peter Meitzler, who ran one of the early fleets. “12:01 Saturday, we’re in a new era.”

Regulation is a milestone for a business that has long yearned for respect, yet some owners and drivers worry that the rules could go too far. Rumors abound that the city will ban pedicabs from Midtown, hurting sales. And drivers fear overzealous police enforcement.

But many longtime pedicab workers recognize that the business has changed, and that they must change with it.

“We grow, we get older, we’re changing. Life is different,” said Igor Krugov, 24, a student who started driving a pedicab in 2005 and now rents out four. Initially attracted to the glamorous side — meeting celebrities, flying down to work the Super Bowl, giving free rides to pretty girls — Mr. Krugov now says the rules will make the business more legitimate.

“Now we are officially a part of the city,” he said the other day, pointing to an official rate card freshly affixed to a bike. (Not all of that do-it-yourself quality has been lost: the prices were printed on computer paper.) The new rules, however, could put a damper on the easygoing mentality that let out-of-work artists and amateur bike nerds get paid to do what they loved. In the off-season, some drivers spent their earnings on vacations to London, Brazil and Mexico that lasted for months.

In 2000, Ricardo Hernandez, a musician, needed $800 to pay his rent in Bushwick, Brooklyn. He answered an ad in the Village Voice seeking pedicab drivers; in his first week, he made $900. “We were like troubadours,” Mr. Hernandez recalled recently at a pedicab garage on 57th Street. “We all knew each other. You’d go back to the garage and gather and talk about your day.”

“Now there’s a lot of normal people, just average people,” he said. “Now it’s an average job. It’s lost its charm.” Mr. Hernandez registered for his license this week; he said he hoped that the new rules would make customers and police officers consider pedicabs a safer form of transit. “They’re going to have to respect us,” he said. “We’re not anonymous anymore.”

In June, a pedicab driver and two passengers were injured in a collision with a taxi at the foot of the Williamsburg Bridge in Brooklyn, prompting a renewed effort by the city to regulate. Fleet owners like Cevdet Kiziltan, who owns 30 cabs, said accountability would keep reckless players out of the profession. He said he missed the days when customers were friendlier and the business looked out for its own.

As of Friday morning, the city had received applications from 303 drivers and 150 businesses, for a total of 844 individual pedicabs.

Officials said they were disappointed that many waited until the last minute. “This industry is taking a journey toward professionalizing itself,” said Jonathan Mintz, the commissioner of consumer affairs. “It’s going to be a long journey.”

George Bliss, 56, started the original garage on East Third Street; at first, he thought pedicabs would be a popular way for clubgoers to migrate crosstown on weekend nights. Nowadays, he is more ambivalent.

“Even some of my most cherished drivers didn’t care whether they had liability insurance or not,” he said disgustedly. “The attitude was, ‘Go ahead and sue me, I don’t have any assets.’ ” But he admitted to some nostalgia.

“Those are the glory days of my life,” he said. “People would just tell me: ‘I love this job. You have given me the best job of my life.’ ”

Plus, there are the health benefits.

“Pulling two Texan tourists, that’s 400 pounds you have in the back, plus the cab is 150 pounds,” Mr. Bliss said. “I had many people take that job to lose weight.”

New York Pedicabs Go Legit, Lose Outlaw Status

2010-01-19T01:11:00.000-08:00

by Victor Ozols

I've never taken a pedicab in my life, but it seems I'm in the minority, as the number of the pedal-powered bicycle taxis has risen dramatically since their introduction to New York in 1995. Pedicabs have become so popular, in fact, that they're now regulated by the city, which requires vehicles to be insured, inspected, and fitted with seat belts, headlights, and hydraulic brakes. A story in The New York Times explains that the new regulations legitimize an industry that began as something of a fringe group, attracting actors, artists, and various downtown weirdos to a unique profession that could net them up to $1,000 a week and help them stay skinny and hot.

Back in 1995, I was living on East Third Street above a bar called The Edge when the first pedicabs began rolling out of a garage just down the block, next to the Hells Angels clubhouse. I honestly thought they'd never be more than a novelty in the city. After all, pedicabs go slower than taxis and cost more. But people must like the open-air ride, with good views and occasional moments of terror, because nowadays I see them everywhere, especially in midtown where I work. Their increasing popularity in the city is especially odd because cyclos and rickshaws are a dying breed in places like Vietnam, India, and China, rapidly being replaced by cars and smoke-belching scooters.

So I guess pedicabs are a good addition to New York's streets, because they emit no exhaust and are a nearly silent form of transport in a city with more than enough noise. I'm still unlikely to flag one down, though, because I automatically head for the subway whenever I need to travel fast. Have you ever taken a pedicab in New York or anywhere else? Share your experience in the comments.

Pedicab Owners Rush to Beat Deadline for City Licenses

2010-01-19T01:09:00.000-08:00

Pedicab Owners Rush to Beat Deadline for City Licenses

By Jennifer Glickel

DNAinfo Reporter/Producer

BATTERY PARK CITY — Pedicab owners filled the licensing office of the Department of Consumer Affairs Friday in order to beat the 5 p.m. deadline to apply for business licenses to stay on the road legally.

After a series of complaints, accidents, and injuries, Friday marked the culmination of the city's push to regulate the pedicab industry.

"Everybody used to like us. It used to be so much fun!," said Bernard Treanor, a self-declared pedicab veteran. "Now, it's just like all we do is run people over. But hopefully that's going to change now with the regulations."

In order to become licensed, pedicab owners had to submit a business application, provide proof of insurance, and pass every vehicle through an extensive safety inspection. Pedicab drivers also need to secure a special drivers license issued by the DCA.

Pedicab Owners Apply for City Licenses with a Few Hours to SparePedicab owners waited patiently at the New York City Department of Consumer Affairs Friday to submit their business applications for pedicab licenses. (Jennifer Glickel/DNAinfo)

Pedicab owners applying for licenses on Friday agreed that the regulation will have a positive impact, particularly in terms of safety.

"I think it's really important that the DCA is regulating safety because some people used to drive without seat belts and they took more than three passengers," said Andrey Zhilnikov, 24, who applied for a license on Friday.

"It's dangerous, especially on the street."

Applications will not be accepted for 18 months following today's deadline, which has prompted an influx of applications in the last week and a half, according to the DCA.

"We have really been out there hitting the streets trying to get the word out to all the thousand plus pedicabs that everybody sees out on the roads to let them know if you want to stay in business, you need to come into DCA and submit your application," DCA Commissioner Jonathan Mintz told DNAinfo.

"Obviously people have gotten that message because as of the end of [Thursday], we had over 844 pedicabs that had been applied for," Mintz said.

"These licenses are all geared toward one thing, which is to make sure that pedicabs are safe and accountable to the public."

Pedicab Operators Face Steep Fines as Registration Deadline Looms Read more: http://dnainfo.com/20091118/manhattan/pedicab-operators-face-steep-fines

2010-01-19T01:08:00.000-08:00

By Heather Grossmann

DNAinfo Reporter/Producer

MANHATTAN — Pedicab owners who stay on the road without a business license from the city after today will face steep fines.

The New York City Department of Consumer Affairs, which is administering the licenses, said 119 companies had applied for licenses as of Tuesday, accounting for 649 pedicabs.

However, it's difficult to determine how many of the city's pedicabs could be operating illegally beyond Friday because owners may be stocking up on licenses ahead of an 18-month freeze. Each owner can register up to 30 cabs.

The Department of Consumer Affairs reported an acceleration of applicants this week, though it could not predict how many pedicabs would ultimately be licensed. Two weeks ago, 70 pedicabs had been registered, compared to more than 600 this week. The licensing office was bustling with activity on Wednesday.

The city regulated the booming industry after a string of injuries and accidents. Legislation had been in the works for more than two years, and was kick-started last June after an accident that injured a pedicab driver and its two passengers on the Williamsburg Bridge.

The Department of Consumer Affairs will not comment on the specific strategies they will use to enforce the new law, but they said they will be aggressive in their tactics. Fines will range from $200 and up for a first violation to upwards of $4,000 for a third. In some cases, authorities could immediately seize unlicensed pedicabs.

In order to be licensed, pedicab companies must pass an inspection, provide proof of insurance and make sure that all of their drivers have obtained a special driver's license from the city.

The business license costs $110, with each additional cab registration adding $60. Though no other business licenses will be issued until the spring of 2011, drivers may register for a license at any time at a cost of $35.

A lack of regulation has made it difficult to determine the exact number of pedicabs in Manhattan. The number is estimated at around 700 to over 1,000 depending on the source.

Read more: http://dnainfo.com/20091118/manhattan/pedicab-operators-face-steep-fines-as-registration-deadline-looms#ixzz0d30R3cwP

Are Pedicabs Overcharging?

2010-01-19T01:07:00.000-08:00

By Jen Carlson in News on November 17
As pedicab operators make the final stride in becoming legit under the city's new regulations, the NY Post takes a look at their rate cards. Unlike other modes of transportation in this city, pedicabs don't have a fixed fare. Operators can change their prices from minute-to-minute as long as they provide rate cards for their customers.

One driver, Patrick O'Donovan, told the paper he has five different rate cards, and he'll charge "$50 for a 20-minute ride during the holiday season. $10 from January to April." Another charges a $10 base fee, then $20 for every added 1.5 miles. Odometers, and even stopwatches, are all city-approved ways of keeping time and distance measured — meters were part of the inspection process many pedicab operators just went through to become licensed.

The number of totally legit pedicab operators was up to 519 by the end of yesterday — the rest have until Friday to get their licensing applications in.

Licensing Deadline Looms for Pedicab Owners

2010-01-19T01:02:00.000-08:00

By SARAH MASLIN NIR

Get licensed or get out, is the message from the New York City Department of Consumer Affairs to the city’s pedicab professionals, who have until Friday to obtain business licenses and register their vehicles or else close up shop. The Nov. 20 deadline marks the end of a 60-day period in which the city invited pedicab operators to apply to become licensed, a process that entails submitting their rickshaws to a rigorous inspection, and retrofitting them with things like seat belts and turn signals to bring them up to new safety standards outlined in the law.

“Friday is an end and a beginning; it’s the end of a very, very long process in which the pedicab has been seeking regulation,” said Chad Marlow, a spokesman for the New York City Pedicab Owners’ Association, a group of about 70 rickshaw business owners who have pushed for the new rules. They include pedicab licenses for drivers who were unlicensed.

The city’s commissioner of consumer affairs, Jonathan B. Mintz, said in an interview that the move toward licensing would address concerns expressed over years about safety.

“There has been a significant concern, including from those in the industry, that an unregulated and rapidly growing industry posed some concerns to public safety,” he said. Though the city law setting the licensing requirements was adopted by the City Council two years ago, business owners sued because they were unsatisfied with certain points. A final compromise version went into effect two months ago.

After Friday, no business licenses will be issued for 18 months, after which point, the city will reassess its decision. There is no deadline for applying for a pedicab driver’s license — those will continue to be issued.

Although pedicabs entered the city’s streetscape around the mid-1990s, they became prevalent — some would say too prevalent — only about five years ago. At first, the human-powered carts had no oversight except by voluntary groups founded by those in the business, like the owners’ association.

In the industry’s early days, regulation wasn’t necessary because the small number of operators held one another accountable, said the association’s president Gregg Zukowski, who owns 22 pedicabs he rents out to drivers from his company, Revolution Rickshaws.

After Sept. 11, 2001, according to Mr. Zukowski, when pedicabs gained national attention and positive P.R. by ferrying people to cordoned-off areas downtown, the number of drivers and vehicles boomed. Industry estimates put the number now at more than 1,000. “The industry is taking its next steps into a more responsible era,” Mr. Zukowski said, “It got very big and unwieldy and it needed a little help from the city to get it into a more accountable sort of arena.”

One sticking point in the new licensing program is that it is heavily favored toward those who already own pedicabs. The licenses are limited to businesses with a fleet of no more than 30 cabs, and permit only the registration of existing cabs.

After the Friday deadline, owners may purchase registered cabs from one another, but there will be a cap on the total number of pedicabs. The pedicab businesses themselves can be sold, but only with the department’s permission.

As of Monday afternoon, 100 pedicab operations had applied for the necessary business licenses — which are awarded only if the company has insurance and its vehicles are deemed to be up-to-speed — with a total of 519 pedicabs.

But only 240 people have applied for the pedicab-driver licenses, despite what Mr. Mintz said was a rigorous long-term outreach program to make people aware of the deadline. (It is possible that some have not applied for the driver licenses because the Friday deadline is not as firm for them as it is for owners.)

Mr. Mintz speculated that some drivers were not prepared to meet the rigorous new requirements, because of financial and other reasons. “Our sense is that there are hundreds of operators out there right now who are not willing to make an investment, or not able to make an investment in insurance or retrofitting,” he said. “The process of professionalizing the industry will weed several out.”

One of those who may be weeded out is Nicholas Iacovino, 26, a pedicab driver for the past four years who says he makes $1,500 to $2,000 per week giving tourists rides through Central Park and other parts of the city. He said he had no plans to seek a license. “I think it is going fine the way it is now,” he said. “If I am doing something wrong, write me a ticket. Why do I need a license?”

The newly created pedicab licenses will be issued only to people who already have driver’s licenses. Because Mr. Iacovino, a native of the Lower East Side who has never had a driver’s license, owes $2,338 to the city in unpaid tickets from when he was a bicycle messenger (he says he didn’t believe traffic rules like pausing at red lights should have applied to those on bikes) he has been unable to get a driver’s license because he can’t afford to pay the fines.

“Strictly speaking, you don’t need a driver’s license to ride a bike,” said Mr. Zukowski, the president of the owners’ association, but “as a baseline, it’s a good way to make sure people are on the record, and insure that they know the rules of the road.”

Anecdotal evidence suggests that a large number of pedicab drivers are foreign, largely working illegally in the city, drawn to a job where it’s possible to make a living under the radar by paying just $20 to $50 to rent a rickshaw for the day. “We know that happens,” said Mr. Zukowski, who says he has rented his bikes to people from around the world. He says he pushed initially for drivers to be required to have a driver’s license issued in the United States.

“Immigration status is not a factor in getting either a business or a driver’s license,” said Mr. Mintz. “When we look at whether somebody is fit to get a pedicab license, we don’t ask what their immigration status is.”

Yet, some attribute the low application turnout to fear of discovery by some drivers and rickshaw owners who are working illegally. Mr. Iacovino, the pedicab driver, said that many of his colleagues say, “Why would I put my immigration status at risk just to ride a bike?”

“There’s a lot of guys in my situation,” said Mr. Iacovino. “They just say, ‘Hey you know what? We can’t do anything.’”

Friday, he said, will be his last day as a pedicab driver.

Ideas for Cities: Pedicab Infrastructure

2010-01-19T00:59:00.000-08:00

Pedicab infrastructure
Some streets could be zoned for pedicabs (and bicycles) only. Themed pedicabs would make alternate transportation more fun, and would make this method of commuting a “destination” instead of simply a mode. It would also provide healthy work for the employees. Pedicab themes could be anything from music, to luxury, to branded experience, to learning lessons (TED Peds).

This is part 12 of a continuing brainstorm on the future of cities, inaugurated at the Velocity conference in September 2009. We’ll post a new idea each day until we run out, at which point we’re counting on you to come up with something smart. Do you have a good idea for improving your city? Add it in the comments below, or tweet it to @GOOD with hashtag #cityideas—we’ll publish the best ones. Tomorrow’s idea: Decentralized Design Hubs and Work Centers.

Pedicab Drivers Urged By City Officers To Register

2010-01-19T00:54:00.000-08:00

By: NY1 News

The Department of Consumer Affairs is urging pedicab operators to license their businesses 10 days before the city's deadline for registration.

Pedicabs owners were originally given 60 days to register.

So far, only 32 businesses and 145 drivers have applied for licenses and 117 pedicabs have been registered.

Industry estimates say there are thousands of pedicabs on the road, creating concern that many won't be registered before the deadline.

Unlicensed pedicab businesses and drivers cannot legally operate after November 20.

Once a tourist attraction, pedicabs grow in everyday use

2010-01-19T00:51:00.000-08:00

By Rachel Kipp, The News Journal
NEWARK, Del. — Downtowns, particularly college towns, make room — and rules — for new pedicabs.

Pedicabs, adult-size tricycles with room in the back for passengers, have gone from the occasional tourist attraction to a more prominent means of public transportation, prompting a race by cities to beef up safety ordinances amid backlash from automobile cab operators.

In New York City, a string of traffic accidents and brawls involving pedicab drivers prompted officials to impose new regulations. By Nov. 20, all pedicab businesses must be registered and licensed with the New York City Department of Consumer Affairs.

"The New York Police Department will enforce this law to the fullest extent," said Consumer Affairs spokeswoman Elizabeth Miller. Operators must agree to an annual safety inspection, too.

Since the licensing process began, 16 pedicab businesses have applied, with 77 affiliated pedicabs and 80 drivers, but the office hopes to see a rush just before the deadline, Miller said. "By the industry estimates, there are over 1,000 pedicab drivers on the street," she said.

It's not just a big-city issue. Dan Werner, director of sales and marketing for manufacturer Main Street Pedicabs, said he used to sell primarily to big cities but has seen an increase in orders from what he calls "small-town USA." Recently, he fielded pedicab business inquiries from Akron, Ohio; Sandpoint, Idaho; and Modesto, Calif. Some of the interest is generated by the public's thirst for environmentally friendly travel options and ways to avoid traffic during big events, he said.

"The downtown life is big for pedicabs," he said, particularly in college towns.

Speeding up safeguards

Once just a summertime sight in Delaware, pedicabs have moved from the beach to the streets of downtown Newark. This fall, two pedicab companies launched service in the college town of about 30,000 people to ferry University of Delaware students and others to and from the restaurants and bars that line Main Street.

Newark had no pedicab-specific regulations when Matt Greenberg and Sean Hague, owners of Green Rides, tried to apply for a business license. Pedicab companies are now required to get business licenses and show proof of insurance for their vehicles. Green Rides and the other pedicab company, College Taxi, talked with Newark police about installing lights and other safeguards.

The city of Bloomington, Ind., had no regulations for pedicabs when a business started there in 2008, targeting Indiana University students seeking transportation to downtown nightlife. Legislation is in the works, but it comes with controversy.

"We were contacted by the yellow cab companies saying, 'Hey, this isn't fair, and how can they cherry-pick the downtown and do what they want to do when we have to serve the entire city limits, we have to operate 365 days a year, and we have to have a physical building?' " said Adam Wason, the city's assistant economic development director.

In Arlington, Texas, City Council members are mulling a pedicab ordinance, Councilman Jimmy Bennett said.

"What we're looking at is ... do we need to become involved in regulating it with regard to public safety?" Bennett said.

Pedicab regulations that recently passed in Marietta, Ga., require that drivers post the company's business license and rates inside each vehicle, similar to the procedures followed by taxi cab drivers, said Brian Binzer, director of development services.

This past year, the City Council in Salem, Mass., passed a host of regulations to deal with the rising pedicab industry, member Steven Pinto said.

"Pedicabs started popping up (for the tourists), and we didn't have anything on the books to deal with them," he said. The new ordinances deal with certification, liability and traffic safety, he said.

Hailed for filling a void

As baseball fans watched the Yankees take on the Angels inside a Newark pizzeria last month, pedicab drivers from College Taxi and Green Rides were parked at the curb. The safety lights on the pedicabs created a blinking red glare on the sidewalk as the drivers waited for passengers and traded stories about customizing their rides.

The two new Newark pedicab services were started to fill a void created when public safety officials at the University of Delaware said they would stop providing safety escort rides to students.

Pedicab passenger

"I think it's decent, especially for college people ... and it's good for very tired people like us, who are standing on our feet all day," Timmon said.

Their trip to the bus stop was powered by Ross Sylvester, co-owner of College Taxi. "They (pedicabs) turn heads when we're riding down the street. We immediately got a great response. I think the student body really embraced it because on campus there's no real form of transportation other than the buses," Sylvester, 20, said.

Pedicab drivers began pedaling at the University of Oregon and Washington State University this fall.

Contributing: Jessica Leving of USA TODAY in McLean, Va.

Pedicabs may soon be rolling through Elm City

2010-01-19T00:49:00.000-08:00

By Mary E. O’Leary, Register Topics Editor

NEW HAVEN — Outgoing Fair Haven Alderwoman Erin Sturgis-Pascale, D-14, Thursday saw one more pedestrian-friendly city transportation option added to her legacy as a lawmaker concerned with safe streets and clean air.

The Board of Aldermen approved her proposed ordinance that outlines the rules for any entrepreneur who wants to run a pedicab service here.

After a public hearing, the original proposal was amended with some safety caveats that require seat belts for the occupants of the three-person vehicle and training for the drivers.

There can be a total of 20 pedicabs in operation, although the city’s traffic authority can increase that for special events.

Sturgis-Pascale, who has been a leader on safe streets and traffic calming measures that are being emphasized in neighborhoods and development projects, said she is looking forward to her first ride in a pedicab.

The ordinance will put New Haven in the same league as New York, Portland, Ore., Boston, San Diego, Austin, Texas, and Chicago, which allow pedicabs.

The only area municipality with pedicab service is Milford, where four cabs are in operation. In New Haven, Paul Hammer and John Binford, a Yale University medical student, are interested in starting a similar operation.

When Sturgis-Pascale recently came back to New Haven on the train from New York, she said she had to take a taxi downtown to the State Street station, but would have preferred to just jump in a pedicab as a “novel, sustainable, slower option.”

Operators of pedicabs will need to be licensed and carry liability insurance and workers’ compensation insurance. They also will need to take the Smart Cycling course offered by the League of American Bicyclists, to demonstrate they know how to correctly navigate through traffic.

It was felt that New Haven’s flat geography was conducive to nonmotorized transportation. The City Plan Commission found that the pedicabs would be a positive addition to the transportation options, although it recommended the ordinance be assessed within one year to look at any safety issues.

Sturgis-Pascale decided not to seek re-election to her aldermanic seat after her term ends this year because the considerable time demands of the office kept her from young family. Still, she said she wouldn’t have felt comfortable leaving without the strong coalition of concerned lawmakers and citizens that has been established around safe streets in New Haven.

“I feel there has been a groundswell of interest in these topics,” she said, and felt her legacy will be carried on by Alderman Roland Leman, D-9, and freshman Democrat Aldermen Justin Elicker in East Rock’s 10th Ward and Michael Jones in the 1st Ward.

Mary E. O’Leary can be reached at 789-5731 or moleary@nhregister.com.

The pedicab pole dancers of NYC

2010-01-19T00:34:00.000-08:00

By Jeffrey Davis

Wed, Oct 28 2009 at 3:26 PM EST

What's better than going on a bike ride? A ride in a pedicab. What's better than a pedicab? A pedicab with pole dancers on the back.

Bikers are taking back the streets of NYC, but one of them is doing it with a platform and a pole dancer in tow. Andrew Katzander is the brainchild of PoleRiders, New York’s hottest show on two wheels.

The description on their website pretty much explains it all: “PoleRiders is a new invention that unites two great things that are even better together: bicycles and pole dancers!”

Time Out New York says, “Though it started merely as a fun idea, PoleRiders has become a second job for Katzander, who's an industrial designer by day. In addition to catching regular joy rides, you can book them for special events.”

How is this public stripping even close to legal? Because it’s not stripping.

Via the New York Post: "It's all legal. The cops can't really stop us — I'm riding my bike and she's exercising," said Katzander of flash dancer Marlo Fisken, 25, who is a pole-dancing teacher. "I'm not a stripper. Because you have high heels and you're on a pole, it doesn't mean you're doing anything raunchy," she said. "It's fun, and it's a little bit exhibitionist."

What does that mean? Mommy and daddy can rest at ease. These PoleRiders are just scantily clad dancers; they don’t even get partially nude. Sure, they’re in lingerie and fishnet stockings, but you’re going to see more than that at the pool or the beach, aren’t you?

The PoleRiders are liable to pop up anywhere around NYC, day or night, so keep your eyes peeled. If you see a crowd of people rushing out of a bar or gathering on the sidewalk and staring in bewilderment, there's a good chance that the PoleRiders are cruising by.

Check the PoleRiders’ blog for up-to-date pictures and commentary. You can catch their next scheduled ride in the NYC Village Halloween Parade.

See, and you thought biking wasn’t sexy…

Legislation To Regulate Pedicabs

2009-06-28T00:22:00.000-07:00

By: NY1 News

Mayor Michael Bloomberg and City Council Speaker Christine Quinn said Sunday they've come to an agreement on a new bill to regulate pedicabs that owners support.

Quinn will introduce the pedicab legislation in two weeks, which the mayor says he will sign.

The legislation will give owners a 60-day window in which they must license all commercial pedal taxis, requires them to post rates and to pass safety inspections on tail lights, headlights, seatbelts and brakes, and addresses concerns like accidents.

"I think some drivers will lose work, because a lot of bikes are in really bad condition," said one driver. "For me it's good because I've got everything, the blinkers, the seat belts, the best bike, the best driver."

Just last week, a pedicab coming off the Williamsburg Bridge hit a taxi cab – injuring two people. The new city law requires the pedicab to have insurance to cover drivers and riders.

"I feel safe with the way they are now, but if they need to have the blinkers or the safety belts, so be it," said a pedicab rider. "I mean, I understand that. Safety is first."

After years of being at odds with the city over licensing, the Pedicab Owners Association says it will endorse the new plan.

"The Mayor and the Speaker's pedicab law amendment will allow only the safest pedicabs to operate on the streets of New York, and will drive those who place profits ahead of safety out of business for good," said the POA in a statement.

'PEDI'-CURE PLAN CITY TO CRACK DOWN ON BIKE CABS AFTER CRASH

2009-06-28T00:12:00.000-07:00

By ZOEY RUSSO and JENNIFER FERMINO

Less than a week after a pedicab crash on the Williamsburg Bridge seriously injured two people, City Hall yesterday announced new regulations requiring the three-wheeled vehicles to be licensed, have insurance and provide seatbelts for passengers.

The new rules also resurrect a ban prohibiting pedicabs from using bridges, tunnels or bike lanes, and require them to be equipped with waterproof brakes and lights.

"We've been asking for it for years," said pedicab driver John Allen, 55.

He believes stricter rules will force unsafe drivers off the road and create more business for law-abiding pedal-pushers.

"We're incredibly enthusiastic about it," said Chad Marlow, lawyer for the NYC Pedicab Owners' Association.

City Council Speaker Christine Quinn announced she'll quickly introduce the new legislation, and Mayor Bloomberg has pledged to sign it into law.

It's a marked change from 2007, when the mayor and the council squabbled over how many licenses to dole out to the growing industry.

Once the bill is passed, pedicab drivers will have two months to apply for licenses and pass a safety test. After that, the licensing process will be closed for 18 months.

Previously, the council voted to issue only 325 licenses. Bloomberg sided with the pedicab owners, who argued that it was an arbitrary number that would put people out of work.

When the council overrode Bloomberg's veto and enacted the regulations -- including the 325-license cap -- the pedicab owners sued the city.

The owners won their fight to have the caps removed in April, but during the prolonged legal battle, the other pedicab regulations were left in limbo.

A police source said that cops were told to "leave the pedicabs alone" while the litigation was hashed out in the courts.

"Not nearly as many summonses were given out as should have been," said the source.

Last Wednesday, a pedicab carrying three passengers crashed in Brooklyn right after it came off the Williamsburg Bridge.

Additional reporting by Larry Celona

jennifer.fermino@nypost.com

Pedicabs find niche in Decatur, but going is slow elsewhere in area

2009-06-28T00:10:00.000-07:00

By Jamie Gumbrecht

There’s a new way to get around in Decatur, different even from the bicycles, scooters, rent-by-the-hour cars and mass transit that already make the city unique.

It involves a pair of pedicabs — bright yellow boxes large enough to seat two or three passengers, attached to an adult-sized tricycle — powered by Mike Gerke’s legs. For a few bucks, he runs short tours around town, takes tired event-goers to their parked cars or provides easy trips home after a long night out.

His pedicabs are the first to operate around Atlanta with the local government’s blessing, but he’s not the only one who wants to see more on the road.

Gerke, 52, and his wife moved to Decatur last year from Green Bay, Wis., after years of pedaling Packers fans around Lambeau Field parking lots for pay. Pedicabs have become part of traffic in cities from New York to Denver to Savannah, but Gerke thought the small city was a “perfect” candidate for short, person-powered trips.

After his city-designated six-month trial is complete at the end of 2009, he expects they’ll hammer out regulations for long-term pedicab use around downtown Decatur, Oakhurst and Agnes Scott College.

“It’s such a stop-and-stare,” Gerke said of the cabs, with their bright colors, blinking safety lights, hydraulic brakes and thick tires. “If you’re predictable, operate as trained, you’ll get drivers’ respect.”

Other pedicab owners would like to operate tours and short trips around Atlanta’s entertainment districts, but haven’t had such an easy time getting their businesses on the road.

Avid cyclist Matt McMahon, 32, and a friend bought a green pedicab months ago, but have shown it off only at festivals or when driving friends around town. McMahon talked to police permitting officers and city officials, but didn’t find regulations among the taxi cabs, trolleys, horse-and-buggy and bike rules that allowed pedicabs to operate safely.

He envisions a fleet of cabs, which typically cost $4,000 to $7,000, offering short, low-cost trips through Downtown, Midtown and neighborhood festivals. By placing ads for local businesses on the cab, they can keep ride cost down and transport people to the spots that seems just a bit too far to walk. For now, the “Atlanta Green Machine,” as he calls the cab, spends most of its time in a garage.

“We wanted to do something to help the community and support green business,” McMahon said. “I feel like we’re just going in circles now.”

Atlanta City Councilman Ceasar Mitchell said he likes pedicabs’ credentials as environmentally friendly small businesses that can fill the transportation gaps between buses, taxis and sightseeing vehicles, but it’s tough to make a priority when budgets and public safety occupy officials’ time.

He wants to hear more, too, about how to operate the vehicles safely and effectively in Atlanta’s notoriously heavy traffic.

“We’re probably another two or three months from even coming up with a pilot plan. It’s not because of lack of interest,” Mitchell said. “We’re constantly trying to think out of the box, but sometimes you have to be very realistic about the character of our city. There are factors we have to take into consideration that folks in Decatur don’t have to.”

Gerke, McMahon and Atlanta Bicycle Coalition Executive Director Rebecca Serna said cities should have pedicab ordinances in place before the vehicles begin to operate on roads.

Serna has heard about “clueless,” unregulated pedicab drivers operating around Atlantic Station, and worries that an accident or a bad rider experience will ruin the vehicles’ reputations before they have a chance to take off in the city.

Pedicabs travel at slow speeds — 12 mph would be considered fast — and are difficult to tip. But they’re not immune to accidents. In August 2008, a tourist was killed in Portland, Ore., after the unregulated pedicab he was riding in ran a red light while traveling down a steep hill.

Serna wants Atlanta pedicab operators to be trained, insured and traveling along designated routes that stay away from hills or traffic hazards.

“Once people understand what they are,” Serna said, “traffic will adjust.”

Stalled Plan to License Pedicabs Advances

2009-06-28T00:09:00.000-07:00

By MICHAEL M. GRYNBAUM

The city will move forward with its long-stalled regulation of pedicabs, officials said on Sunday, four days after an accident in Brooklyn seriously injured a driver and focused attention on the lack of oversight of the tourist-friendly tricycles.

Owners of the pedal-powered cabs would have a 60-day window to register with the city, under a proposal announced by the mayor and the City Council speaker. Those who provide proof of ownership and insurance would receive a license, providing that their vehicles pass a safety examination.

The proposed rules are a shift from the city’s first attempt at regulating the industry in 2007, when the city insisted on a limit to the number of licenses it would issue. Pedicab owners sued, arguing the cap would hurt established businesses, and regulation was held up for two years.

The lawsuit was resolved in April, and the licensing cap was thrown out. In the meantime, safety laws enacted in 2007 — including the requirement of seat belts, turn signals and emergency brakes — have not been enforced. Last week, a pedicab collided with a taxi at the foot of the Williamsburg Bridge, injuring the pedicab driver and two passengers.

Advocates for regulation said the city should have enforced rules that made it illegal for pedicabs to travel on bridges, but the city said it was powerless until a licensing procedure could be established.

Sunday’s proposal was an attempt to end that impasse, but enforcement may still be a few weeks or months away. The proposal must wind its way through the legislative review process, and city officials have said their hands are tied on regulation until the new procedure becomes law. (The first public hearing for the bill is set for the end of month.)

But one potential hurdle may have been cleared: Pedicab owners who sued over the original licensing plan said they had no qualms with the new proposal.

“This is really what we had been hoping for from the beginning,” said Chad Marlow, a lawyer for the New York City Pedicab Owners Association. “We think we’ll be the most vigilant supporters of the bill out there.”

City officials said the plan had been in the works since April, when the lawsuit was resolved.

“To say the mayor and the speaker saw this accident and they’re jumping into action because of that, that would take credit away from them,” Mr. Marlow said.

The bill would require pedicabs to display a fare card, owner information and contacts so passengers can file complaints. The city would revisit licensing rules after 18 months. The original rules limited licenses to 325; owners estimated that there were about 1,000 pedicabs in the city.

One pedicab operator said Sunday that the new rules could still put established companies at a disadvantage. “It leaves the window wide open for anyone who is going to speculate on this and say, ‘If I’m going to jump in the pedicab business, now’s my time,’ ” said Robert Tipton, owner of Mr. Rickshaw.

“An accident is always an unfortunate thing to have happen,” he said. “But if there is any good that’s coming out of it, pedicabs in New York City should be safer after this.”

Spokane Pedicab is GU duo's brainchild

2009-06-28T00:08:00.000-07:00

SPOKANE -- You might see a new spin on an old form of transportation in Downtown Spokane starting Hoopfest weekend. It's the business brainchild of two Gonzaga students.

"We just had this idea," said Gonzaga Student Kevin Darrow.

Darrow wanted to start his own business, he wanted to start a pedicab company.

"I started to get comfortable with opening my own business and I talked to Sam about it," Darrow said.

Darrow's friend Sam Youtsey was less than enthused.

"My first reaction? It sounded a little silly," Youtsey said. "The more we thought about it, the more it made sense."

So with an idea in the works, the guys looked into it.

"We did research on companies in Portland, in Seattle, Eugene, Denver... everywhere they have a pedicab company, they're successful."

The pair lined up investors, got a bicycle taxi, got the shirts, licenses and insurance. $11,000 later, Spokane has it's own pedicab company.

"I'm kind of nervous because it's a new thing and our new business, but I'm really excited," said Darrow.

They'll pick you up in downtown if you call them, or you can simply just flag them down.

The duo knew it wasn't going to be easy, in fact sometimes the physical labor is hard work.

"By the end of the summer I'll be in pretty good shape," Darrow said.

To fight fatigue, Sam and Kevin rotate shifts on the taxi.

"We have a shift of five hours a piece,"said Darrow.

They've taken quite the risk with their new business. During Hoopfest, Spokane Pedicab's inaugural weekend, they need the Hoopfest crowds to take advantage of their new and unique service.

"Hoopfest is going to be huge for us," Youtsey said.

The guys do tours around the Gonzaga campus or up and down the Centennial Trail for flat fees. Their taxi service around downtown is really cheap, about 50 cents per bloc

Take a pedicab ride at the beach

2009-06-28T00:06:00.000-07:00

By Andrew Ostroski

REHOBOTH BEACH -- The streets of coastal Delaware can be a crowded place.
Advertisement

Often, traffic can be bumper to bumper, with cars stacked up at red lights, stuck mid-turn around corners and knocking fenders while looking for parking. But there are more ways to get around beach areas.

The classic way is on a bike. The number of bikes ridden through the streets of coastal towns can be both a positive and a negative, according to some.

"We're very fortunate, because bikes do help with the parking situation downtown," said Rehoboth Beach Police Chief Keith Banks. "But what becomes the burden is when people don't follow the rules of the road."

Banks said with the number of bikes on the streets of Rehoboth Beach coupled with the motor vehicle traffic, both riders and drivers need to keep their eyes open for others on the road.

Not in the mood for manual labor? Mopeds have also been popular items for renting in beach towns. But for those who are frightened of the prospect of a two-wheel balancing act, something else has appeared on the market --the Scoot Coupe, a single-cylinder engine-powered, three-wheel moped that seats two like an automobile but is controlled using handlebars.

Some have expressed safety concerns regarding the vehicles, but Banks said problems have been few and far between in Rehoboth.

"The only concern we've had with these is people making the comment to us that they're very low and sometimes difficult to see," he said. "But they are licensed by the Department of Motor Vehicles and they have all the correct lights and turn signals and things like that, and they have tall orange flags so they can be seen."

If you're not up for operating your own vehicle, a mainstay of Route 1 and streets branching off of it is the Dewey Beach Rickshaws. Adam Henderson bought the company several years ago and said the pedicabs are popular among late-night crowds in downtown Dewey.

Henderson's fleet of nine pedicabs are operated by a team of drivers who are trained in traffic laws and safety involved with operating the vehicles since they travel in traffic lanes. Of course, lugging passengers up and down Route 1 isn't for everyone.

"I have some of these guys who come to try out who think just because they can ride a bike they can do this," he said. "They can't."

WOMAN SAYS PEDICAB RIDE ENDED IN INJURY

2009-06-28T00:05:00.000-07:00

By DAREH GREGORIAN

A Brooklyn woman says she suffered a "serious injury" while enjoying a pedicab ride through Central Park.

In what's believed to be a first of its kind case, Ana Angeli Guterrez Perez pedi driver Sherif Hamouda's "carelessness, recklessness and negligence" resulted in her injuring her head on April 23 of last year.

That's when the Cypress Hills resident was "thrown out of" the pedicab as the driver went down a slight incline on the East Drive near 72nd Street and hit a pothole, the suit says.

"The guy lost control," said her lawyer Stuart Perry.

He said Perez suffered a "closed head injury," and has suffered from headaches, blurry vision and inability to concentrate ever since.

The suit, which seeks unspecified money damages, also names the city as a defendant because of the pothole.

"I truly doubt the pedicab has any insurance but this lady deserves her day in court," Perry said.

"She's an average nice lady who was just in a park going through the park on a nice day."

Pedicab Regulation

2009-06-28T00:01:00.000-07:00

By Richard A. Epstein,

Around 7:30 a.m., on June 10, 2009, a pedicab driver crashed into a taxicab while getting off the Williamsburg Bridge, injuring himself and his passenger. The pedicab driver was at fault and presumably liable both for personal injuries and property damage.

That's the small story. The large story is that four days later, Mayor Michael Bloomberg and City Council Speaker Christine Quinn proudly announced New York City will finally impose regulation on the growing pedicab industry, with the blessing of its trade association, which only two years before had beaten back an earlier version of these regulations.

The new regulatory system will license pedicab drivers, mandate liability insurance and impose detailed safety rules on such issues as brake pads, headlights, taillights and vehicular size. Similar regulatory initiatives are afoot in both Chicago and London. This regulatory boomlet poses two challenges to regulation: why and how?

It's estimated that there are about 1,000 pedicabs cruising New York City. So why does a single accident suffice to ignite this regulatory cascade? I am not aware of any city that licenses bicycle riders or pedestrians, but both pose greater safety risks. Like bike riders, pedicab drivers know that they expose both life and limb. So too do their passengers. Self-help is imperfect, but it is also cheap. Can any system of regulation do so much better as to justify its costs?

It's a tough question. Yet, no one, and certainly no libertarian, can brand as illegitimate any safety regulation intended to protect others from physical harm. Not only does the state have general regulatory powers, but it also owns the public highways. Shouldn't that extra power allow it to adopt the same kind of restrictions that a private condominium association imposes on its members?

Well, not quite. Private owners can exclude outsiders for good reason, bad reason or no reason at all. The state, as a fiduciary for all people, can exclude people for good reason only. It could not decide, for example, to let only men, Protestants or Republicans pedal a cab in New York City.
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Safety rules, however, count as good reasons because they can reduce the social costs of accidents. Licensing can keep dangerous drivers off the road. Liability insurance provides compensation for accident victims. Vehicular safety devices prevent accidents. Yet, alas, all good ends can be perverted, for crafty safety regulations can be deployed for partisan ends--to drive the economic competitors to cabs, buses and livery services off the street. No explicit safety regulation should be free of public scrutiny.

Regrettably, many transportation regulations don't bother to hide behind the safety fig leaf. They just play the public ownership card. For example, the aborted 2007 New York regulation would have reduced the number of pedicabs from 1,000 to 300--great news for the pedicab survivors and the regular cabs, but bad news for everyone else.

Chicago's proposed pedicab regulation raises this anticompetitive theme to an art form. Buried in its insurance and safety standards is a prohibition against operating "a pedicab along any route unless such route is first approved by rules and regulations promulgated by the commissioner."

This is troublesome, because the rule can't be dismissed out of hand since it could make sense to prohibit, as the New York rules will do, the operation of pedicabs on bridges or, more critically, in tunnels. And it surely makes sense to keep these slowpokes off interstate highways. But the use of the word "route" signals the strong likelihood that the commissioner will, in good Chicago style, also keep pedicabs off safe routes that compete with ordinary cabs or city buses.

At this point, a constitutional challenge is in order. No system of limited government can rule out state ownership of roads. But none should tolerate using state monopoly power to upset the level playing field between competitive businesses. Both New York and Chicago have a long and disgraceful history of keeping jitneys off the roads because of the competition that they give the city-owned, and union-operated, buses. If private utilities used their power for similar partisan ends, they would be on the receiving end of civil and criminal sanctions. The government ownership of the roads does not cleanse these anticompetitive practices for pedicabs or anything else. Our libertarian moral is this: Public safety should never be a pretext for anticompetitive regulation, be it on public roads or private property.

Richard A. Epstein is the James Parker Hall distinguished service professor of law, the University of Chicago; the Peter and Kirsten Bedford senior fellow, the Hoover Institution, and a visiting professor at New York University Law School.

Pedicabs pedals green fare

2009-06-28T00:00:00.000-07:00

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Paul Kletter has traveled the world, and along the way he noticed a thing or two. Like rickshaws, which he saw throughout Southeast Asia. They were an efficient, easy way to navigate through congested streets and were emission-free. So when Mr. Kletter, 28, returned home to Upper St. Clair, he thought the time might be right to introduce them to Pittsburgh.

And so on St. Patrick's Day he rolled out the city's first pedicabs, bicycle-driven rickshaws made in England to the most demanding comfort and safety specs. Mr. Kletter's Green Gears now boasts seven pedicabs on patrol in the Cultural District, South Side, North Shore, Strip District, Oakland and Shadyside.

The man-powered vehicles are ideal for going short distances, especially Downtown, where many taxis do their best to avoid brief trips. But they can also take riders longer distances, say, from PNC Park to the SouthSide Works.

Independent operators lease the pedicabs from Mr. Kletter, who provides storage, roadside assistance and the pricey insurance that only two companies offer. Customers can form a relationship with the drivers and call them directly to arrange a ride, call the office, or stop a pedicab on the street and jump in. The rate is $1 a block, $40 an hour for special events like weddings or negotiable for longer distances and times. A cab can hold up to three people.

"We offer clean transportation, which aligns perfectly with Pittsburgh right now as one of the major green advocates in the country. We can also help the local community by acquainting people with the area and giving suggestions on restaurants, shops and nightlife," Mr. Kletter says.

As unofficial tour guides, the drivers will recommend places they think are terrific, "not skewed by bribery or something like that." Mr. Kletter also promotes the pedicabs for mobile marketing purposes and hopes to one day offer private service to Downtown companies that would like to keep a pedicab on call.

Mr. Kletter, whose girlfriend, Mary Beth Karabinos, started the company with him, says the response to Green Gears has been great.

"Though an occasional passer-by will shout, 'Where the hell did you make that -- your basement?' "

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09174/979176-51.stm#ixzz0JhnpjCP7&D

Brooklyn Woman Sues City for Pedicab Ejection

2009-06-27T23:58:00.000-07:00

by Associated Press

NEW YORK (AP) — A Brooklyn woman has sued the city claiming she was thrown out of a pedicab and injured when it hit an unidentified bump on a Central Park roadway.

Ana Perez’ court papers say the accident occurred on the park’s East Drive near 72nd Street in April 2008. Perez says she was thrown onto the roadway and “seriously injured.” She says the pedicab lost control when it hit the bump.

The bump was not described in the court papers. Perez filed the lawsuit Friday in Manhattan Supreme Court. She says the city failed to maintain the roadway properly.

Her lawsuit asks unspecified damages. Perez’ lawyer did not return a call for comment.

A city Law Department spokeswoman said her office had not received the lawsuit and had no comment.

Some Petoskey officials view pedicab ads as unacceptable

2009-06-27T23:54:00.000-07:00

By Ryan Bentley News-Review Staff Writer

A downtown Petoskey pedicab service’s sales of advertising space on its vehicles is a topic that’s stirred numerous questions among city officials.

When fitted with advertisements for outside businesses, city planning officials have concluded that the pedicabs — large tricycles with carriage-like rear seats — function like trailered signs, which Petoskey’s sign ordinance prohibits. Signs identifying the pedicab business itself don’t pose an issue.

Members of the downtown management board, however, wonder if the sign rules might indeed provide room for ad sales, and would like city legal counsel to weigh in on the matter. Acting city manager Al Terry said he’ll soon have attorney Jim Murray consider this.

On Tuesday, the downtown board voted 6-0 in favor of a resolution indicating that the pedicab service is consistent with the board’s marketing plan and mission. It requests that the city attorney review the sign ordinance and give an opinion as to whether the pedicab ads are allowable. Three downtown board members — James Reid III, Jennifer Shorter and Bill Takalo — were absent and did not vote.

“The board felt there was ambiguity in the sign ordinance,” said mayor and downtown board member Ted Pall. “Certainly, the word pedicab doesn’t exist in there.”

Petoskey Pedicab LLC owners Josh Lycka and Calvin Schemanski began offering rides in and near the business district last month.

“(Income from ads is) the main thing that’s keeping us downtown,” Lycka said. “It provides us a fixed revenue (source).”

In reviewing a proposal for the pedicab advertising, a city sign committee concluded that the vehicles would fall within the prohibited category of trailered signs. Schemanksi and Lycka then appealed this decision to the Petoskey Planning Commission in March, where a proposal to reverse the sign committee’s decision died by a 3-5 vote.

“We’d like to see them succeed, but we felt with the way the ordinance is written at this time, it wasn’t allowed,” planning commission chairman Gary Greenwell said.

Updates to the sign ordinance to address such situations might be a possibility, Greenwell said, but “it should be researched and something put together that covered a broader spectrum rather than just be specific to a pedicab.”

Greenwell noted that the planning commission had suggested some acceptable options for Lycka and Schemanski to generate advertising revenue — like selling ads on T-shirts, an idea which the pedicab operators did decide to use along with the rear-mounted signs.

“We were trying to give them some ideas and be flexible,” Greenwell said.

City planner Amy Tweeten is aware that the pedicabs have been displaying outside advertisements.

“As far as I’m concerned, they’re in violation,” she said. “I will be citing them.”

Sign-ordinance violations are treated as a civil infraction punishable with a fine.

Asked why the pedicab operators decided to go forward with the advertisements after they were ruled unacceptable, Lycka said: “We were putting up the sign in order to get permission for it through some sort of an appeal. We put up a sign not out of spite, but out of a positive effort to appeal the decision.”

At this point, Lycka said he and Schemanski are unsure as to whether they’d contest a ticket. Noting that the pedicab operators dont have hard feelings toward the city, he added that they might try to resolve the situation through negotiation or look for a way to operate under existing rules.

Documentary on pedicabs coming to Huntington

2009-06-27T23:53:00.000-07:00

By Susan Finkelstein

The Cinema Arts Centre’s “Real-to-Reel” documentary film series continues Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. with a screening of “The Third Wheel” and an appearance by filmmaker Brian Schoenfelder.

Northport-born filmmaker Schoenfelder’s powerful new documentary about the regulation of the Pedicab industry in New York is an exciting tale of entrepreneurship that develops into a fascinating expose of the real inner workings of city government.

In an age of green transportation, and massive gridlock on New York City streets, few ideas make as much obvious good sense as pedicabs. These modern versions of the classic Asian rickshaw offer a fast and environmentally clean way to get around the clogged streets of Manhattan.

In recent years, these human-powered vehicles have gone from being an oddity to an increasingly common sight. However, nothing is even as simple as it seems in a modern metropolis like New York. Through two of the industry's founders, George and Peter, we see how government is legislating over a small business while catering to special interests.

“The Third Wheel” is essential viewing for anyone who is interested in the environment, wants to understand the hidden processes of government, or just looking for a mesmerizing good story well told.

Admission, $9 for members and $12 for the public, includes a reception. Tickets can be purchased online, at the box office during theater hours or by calling Brown Paper Tickets toll free at 1-800-838-3006. For more information, click here.

Cinema Arts Centre is at 423 Park Avenue, Huntington. For show times in general, call 631-423-FILM (3456).

Petty Rules could Slow Pedicabs

2009-06-27T23:52:00.000-07:00

By Eric Richardson

Pedicabs could soon be coming to Downtown Los Angeles, but new rules proposed by the city's Department of Transportation could be so onerous and confusing as to make the service unappealing to both riders and operators. The rules govern everything from insurance requirements to the bikes that may be used and even the pants and shoes that operators may wear.

Pedicabs, or bicycle driven pedestrian taxis, are popular pieces of the transportation puzzle in cities such as San Diego and San Francisco. They act as short-range transportation for locals and a sightseeing platform for tourists.

In 2007, a pair of operators tried to start up pedicab operations that would serve Downtown. Eric Green started up Green Machine in August, but was shut down because he lacked a license to operate. Mike Echols, founder of MagiCab Express, was similarly stymied despite having worked for months to craft a proposal that would be legal under DOT pedicab rules passed in 1986.

Those rules were put in place to regulate services that had been operating in Venice and Westwood, but the report accompanying the new rules notes that "by the end of the 1980s most pedicab service within the City had been discontinued, and by 1992 the last pedicabs had ceased operation."

While the new rules purport to bring the city's pedicab regulations up to date, there are some questionable inclusions.

Pedicabs are required to have both seat belts and helmets for each passenger. The proposed rules include a $500 fine for pedicab operators found "transporting passengers without adequately secured helmets or seatbelt." That escalates to a $1000 fine for the second offense.

Some rules are confusingly vague. Similar fines exist for operating on a street with a posted speed limit above 25 miles per hour, but it is unclear how that would affect Downtown. Our streets do not have posted speed limit signs, but many have "prima facie" speed limits of 30 or 35 miles per hour.
The rules also require that drivers pick up and drop off passengers along curbs, complying with "all parking restrictions and prohibitions." It is unclear whether flexibility similar to that of the recently-passed Hail-a-Taxi program would be available to pedicab drivers.

Other rules are overly specific. A section on pedicab drivers states that "Driver must be attired in a shirt with sleeves, and a collar, pants or shorts (no sweat pants) with a belt and black shoes." The vague offense of "Failure to present a neat personal appearance" garners a $25 fine, plus immediate removal from service.

The new rules, proposed as Board Order 594, will be heard by the city's Board of Transportation Commissioners on Thursday, June 11, at 10am.

Pedicab driving no easy ride

2009-06-27T23:50:00.000-07:00

By Heather Haddon

It takes more than calf-muscles to pedal the city streets for hours a day.

Pedicab drivers need charm, hustle and a grasp on city lore to succeed in the increasingly competitive industry.

And soon, the city will likely require rickshaw businesses to take out insurance, pass inspections and beef up their safety protocol. Veteran drivers said they welcome the requirements as the number pedicabs pushes past 1,000.

“The industry is getting a bad rep,” said Julian Isaza of Revolution Rickshaws, one of the city's first pedicab companies. “We are an intimate and safe way to see the city.”

Pedicabs popped up on New York streets in the last decade. Typically, drivers rent their cabs from Manhattan companies with small fleets. Isaza said they train fledging drivers in negotiating the roads and obeying traffic regulations.

“I scare the s--- out of them,” Isaza said. “It's a reality check.”

Pedalers hunt for tourists near Central Park during the day, or scope out the Theater District and busy taxi lines in the evening.

“If you're a tourist, you want to do drink in everything,” said John Allen, 55, a rail-thin driver from Hells Kitchen. “On the subway, you miss so much.”

Some drivers look to the industry for quick cash. Others say they like freedom to be outside and boast that their trade is eco-friendly.

And then there are the showboats.

“I want them to experience things they would otherwise miss,” said Madison Reyes, 24, who sings during his tours and drives a cab lined with fake flowers.

Central Park drivers pepper their trips with local history. Tours cost about $60, but Reyes said he gets about three takers a day.

“You see everything. It's comfortable. And there's no horse smells,” said Benny Lilipaly, 39, a tourist from Amsterdam who road with Reyes.

Out on city streets, pedicabs ride in traffic looking for passengers. It's here that pedestrians and cab drivers can get irked.

“They are dangerous,” said G. Slatin, 65, a retired Manhattan resident. “They don't abide by the traffic signals. I've see them driving on sidewalks to avoid traffic.”

In one high-profile incident, a pedicab driver and one of his three passengers were injured last week after they sped down the Williamsburg Bridge and slammed into a cab on the street.

Police issue tickets to pedicabs for traffic violations, but the city doesn’t track complaints about them because the industry is not yet officially regulated, according to the Department of Consumer Affairs. That will change if the city passes a pedicab licensing law proposed last week.

Trying to break out of the street hustle, some companies now offer cargo-messaging services. Revolution Rickshaws works with City Harvest in picking up restaurant leftovers for the needy, Isaza said. Pony Cab provides rickshaws for weddings and film shoots, including a Times Square scene filmed for “Gossip Girl,” said owner Tony Rojas.

Allen said he still enjoys his job after five years on the streets.

“It's like working out at the gym, but more fun,” he said.
Pedicabs by the numbers
1,000: Estimated number of pedicabs
$4,000: Cost to buy a new pedicab
$180: Weekly rate to rent a pedicab to peddle
$1: Average cost per block for a ride for each passenger
$60: Average price for an hour tour in Central Park

Should I become a pedicab driver?
Pros:
- Able to set your own hours
- No need for the gym and lots of fresh air
- Budding tour guides can test their skills on passengers visiting the city
- Hard workers can earn $400 a day

Cons:
- Increasing competition; must develop a sales shtick
- Constant rejection from weary tourists
- Rain and calf pain are your enemies
- Manhattan biking is stressful and chaotic

Does LADOT Fear Pedicabs?

2009-06-27T23:48:00.000-07:00

by Damien Newton

After a solid push from Councilwoman Jan Perry's office, the City of Los Angeles is finally debating a proposal to bring pedicabs back to the streets of Los Angeles. Pedicabs have proven wildly popular in a diverse amount of American cities, everywhere from San Diego, to New York, to Portland, to San Francisco. While the city has had pedicab rules on the books since 1986, a pair of operators tried to bring the business to L.A. in 2007 and were shutdown.

Now, the LADOT has written up a list of new rules allegedly to help bring pedicabs back, but the rule list is so onerous and at times ridiculous that one can't help but question whether they really mean it. In its first report on the rules, Blogdowntown deadpanned:

but new rules proposed by the city's Department of Transportation could be so onerous and confusing as to make the service unappealing to both riders and operators.

The new rules regulated everything from dress code, to routes, to helmet requirements for drivers and passengers and an onerous licensing procedure. Fortunately, the Transportation Commission, a group of transportation planners that review many LADOT reports and recommendations before they go to the Los Angeles City Council Transportation Committee, was as incredulous at some of these rules as Blogdowntown and other cyclists. They sent the LADOT packing until next month's meeting, hoping that they come back with a competent piece of work.

At this point, one has to wonder why anyone listens to the LADOT when it comes to bicycling laws, rules or engineering. The LADOT insisted to the Commission that state law required that bike helmets be worn by all riders, and passengers over the age of 18. When the Commissioners noticed that no such law exists, in fact I can't even find a mention of helmets for riders or passengers in San Francicso or other California cities' rules for pedicabs. And of course, the state's helmet law for those riding normal bicycles only applies to those under the age of 18. When the LADOT explained that their rules only required drivers to supply helmets, the Transportation Commission noticed the rules said the exact opposite of what the LADOT said they did.

While the Commission focused on the patently ridiculous, such as the helmet law and LADOT's Amir Sedadi's fear that Hawaiian shirts would take over the streets of Los Angeles, the LADOT's licensing program is what could provide the greatest threat to pedicabs.

Specific wording in the permitting part of the application require that during licensing, all potential operators submit routes, maps, hours of operation and other parts of their business plan for review by the LADOT in conjunction with the local council offices and the LAPD. What is of concern is that one of the things the LADOT is looking at is whether or not the proposed routes and hours will effect "traffic congestion" and "local businesses."

Since we already know that the LADOT considers single-passenger bikes as traffic impediments, this language seems to imply that they will only allow pedicabs to operate on streets that don't attract a lot of car traffic and don't have a lot of businesses. You know, just the sort of places that there won't be any traffic for pedicabs.

It's important for the Transportation Commission, and later the City Council, to deal with the LADOT's theater of the absurd; but it's more important that they go into the details of the program and make certain that this rules list for pedicabs isn't just a secret plan to make sure a program never gets started.

DOT Reverses Course on Helmet Rule for Pedicab Passengers

2009-06-27T23:43:00.000-07:00

By Eric Richardson

DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES — Pedicabs passengers would not be required to wear helmets under new rules proposed by the city's Department of Transportation. That clarification came as part of an hour-long discussion of the pedal-powered transport, and contradicted language in both DOT's proposed rules and statements earlier in the meeting.

The new rules were in front of the city's Board of Transportation Commissioners for approval, but the body instead chose to take another month on the issue to clarify language and create a document that will not discourage potential operators.

Commissioners and public speakers were supportive of the pedicab concept, and a representative from Councilwoman Janice Hahn's office shared that work is moving quickly on a plan to bring pedicab service to the San Pedro area.

Both commission members and speakers took issue with some of the specifics contained in the DOT-produced rules, with issues over helmet use and operator apparel front and center.

During their initial presentation, DOT staff told the Commission that passenger helmet use was required by California's Vehicle Code.

That did not sit well with commissioners. "Just as a practical issue, anyone who's a passenger on this pedicab is not going to want to put on a helmet," said Commissioner Angela Reddick. "I think you're going to set the people up for failure."

After staff then said that the new rules would only mandate that helmets be provided, not that they be worn, the commissioners pointed out specific language in the proposed rules that would do just that. The rules dictate a fine for "transporting passengers without properly secured helmets or seatbelt" that starts at $500 for the first offense.

Referring to another section of the rules that authorize operators to refuse service to passengers who refuse to wear a helmet, Commissioner Grace Yoo took issue with the disparity between the presentation and the written rules. "The wording here again is just not quite what you're telling me," she told staff. "It needs to be cleaner."

Commissioners also took exception to the specific language used to regulate operator attire, asking that the wording be changed to allow for wardrobe options more suited to operators pedaling a bicycle in potential hot Los Angeles weather.

The board ended up continuing the item for thirty days and appointing Yoo to work with DOT staff to produce a simpler document.

Human powered cabs coming to Storm Lake

2009-06-27T23:42:00.000-07:00

Monday, June 22, 2009, 2:20 PM
by Joel Hermann, KAYL, Storm Lake

Human-powered taxi cabs may become a familiar sight around Storm Lake this summer. City development director Mike Wilson says plans are underway to begin a rickshaw or "pedicab" service, something that's well-known in certain Asian nations, but not in Iowa.

"They might not know what a pedicab is because they're pretty unique around here but it's sort of a combination between a bicycle and a rickshaw -- a bicycle front and a seat on the back," Wilson explains.

Last month, the city council in Storm Lake changed the taxi ordinance to include pedicabs and last week the council issued a license for a company called "Paradise Pedicab."

He says the company will open soon to offer the rides around the lake and trails or call them to cart you around for your daily errands. The license issued by the city is for one pedicab, but additional units are planned.

3 HURT AS PASSENGER BIKE SLAMS TAXI

2009-06-12T09:45:00.000-07:00

By LORENA MONGELLI, AMBER SUTHERLAND and ANDY GELLER

3 HURT AS PASSENGER BIKE SLAMS TAXI

A pedicab speeding down the bike lane of the Williamsburg Bridge crashed into a yellow cab on the Brooklyn side yesterday, seriously injuring the pedicab driver and two of his three passengers, police said.

The passengers, returning home to Bushwick after a night of partying, yelled at the driver to slow down just before he hit the taxi at 7:27 a.m. at Bedford Avenue between South Fifth and Sixth streets.

The impact knocked over the pedicab and sent driver Nicholas Nicometi and his three passengers flying.

"He was going so fast it was scary," passenger Stephanie Monfort, 22, who had bruises all over her body, said at Bellevue Hospital.

"We were telling him to 'Slow down! Slow down! Stop!' But he just kept going and turned right into upcoming traffic. He hit a cab and we all flew out. It was horrible. I'm lucky I am OK."

Nicometi, 42, hit his head on the curb and was unconscious when cops arrived. He was in serious condition at Bellevue.

Monfort's boyfriend, Jonathan Richardson, 28, suffered two broken wrists. Her friend, Jessica Mageik, was not hurt.

While city rules say pedicabs have to stick to the streets, state laws that allow them on bridges are currently in effect.

That's because the bridge rule -- and dozens of other regulations -- was not enforced while the city and the pedicab industry were involved a lengthy legal battle.

That ended in April, and the city laws will prevail.

Monfort, a Fashion Institute of Technology graduate, said she and her two friends met Nicometi, a licensed pedicab driver, in a Times Square bar and he offered to take them home.

They decided it would be cool.

They had to walk halfway across the bridge because the incline made it too hard for Nicometi to peddle.

"Then when we get in, he starts going really fast," she said.

Cops said that when the passengers started screaming to slow down, Nicometi turned to talk to them over his shoulder, blew through a stop sign and then crashed into the cab.

"He was coming at me too fast," said Rafiqul Islam, 30, the cabby. "It was his fault."

"There was yelling when they hit me," he added.

One transit-advocacy group called the crash intersection "infamous for safety concerns."

"The entrance to the bridge path at Bedford Avenue is extremely dangerous," said Wiley Norvell, a spokesman for Transportation Alternatives.

Pedicab Safety Rules Were Never Put Into Effect

2009-06-12T09:44:00.000-07:00

By MICHAEL M. GRYNBAUM

It was a longstanding controversy over a booming city industry: should pedicabs — the pedal-powered rickshaws that delight tourists and bedevil taxis — be regulated?
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Richard Perry/The New York Times

Julian Isaza works on a pedicab at a maintenance shop in Manhattan.
Related
Four Hurt When a Pedicab Slams Into a Taxi in Brooklyn (June 11, 2009)
City Room: 2 Hurt in Pedicab Crash Near Williamsburg Bridge
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The City Council passed a bill in 2007, and overrode a veto of it, only to see a court challenge from pedicab owners. That delayed imposing the rules for two years. An appeal was decided in April, but by then the debate had died down and key players hardly noticed.

Now, two months after the lawsuit ended, the city acknowledges that its safety and licensing provisions are still not being enforced — a lack of oversight highlighted by an accident on Wednesday at the foot of the Williamsburg Bridge in Brooklyn, where a taxi collided with a speeding pedicab. The pedicab driver was seriously injured.

Pedicab owners said that there was no excuse for the police and city to ignore the safety laws enacted by the Council. City officials said their hands have been tied.

It was not supposed to be this complicated. The law called for a licensing system that would issue permits to pedicabs and require them to display registration plates, carry insurance, and install seat belts and hydraulic brakes, among other measures.

The Department of Consumer Affairs issued rules to carry out the law in July 2007. That prompted the pedicab owners to sue, arguing that the licensing process would allow inexperienced drivers to gain permits and hurt established businesses. The rules were thrown out by a judge, and an appellate court concurred.

The next step was for the city’s Department of Consumer Affairs to create a new set of rules to issue permits.

But so far, that has not happened. And in the interim, the safety provisions — including a ban on bridge travel — are not being enforced.

“It doesn’t make any sense: if we’re arguing over who gets registration plates, that doesn’t change the law that you have to have seat belts,” said Chad Marlow, a lawyer who represents the New York City Pedicab Owners Association.

“We begged the city, for the sake of safety, to please enforce these things before someone gets hurt,” Mr. Marlow said. City officials said that the safety rules were intended to apply to licensed pedicabs; without a licensing process, they say, the rules are moot.

“Until you can figure out who can have a license, you can’t begin to enforce some or all of the regulations,” said Jonathan Mintz, the city’s commissioner of consumer affairs.

But he declined to say when the new licensing procedure would be put in place.

“This is not a question of me initialing the bottom of a piece of paper, and tomorrow everyone’s out there regulating,” Mr. Mintz said, noting that the process requires public hearings and other time-consuming steps that could take months. “We are anxious to start regulating, as we were two years ago,” he added.

Officials noted that some provisions of the law can be enforced only through formal inspections, a difficult option when the city has not issued licenses to begin with.

But what about a pedicab that carries too many passengers, or does not have any seat belts? Can a police officer flag it down?

No, according to the city’s lawyers: police officers would have to be trained about rules that may change again in a matter of months. And they say a piecemeal enforcement of the law is not an option.

In the meantime, the Police Department considers pedicabs to be bicycles, and is enforcing applicable traffic laws. “We are treating them as bicycles until the lawsuit is clarified,” said Paul J. Browne, a spokesman for the Police Department. Informed that the suit was over, Mr. Browne said, “I’m not aware of that,” and referred further questions to the city’s lawyers.

And at least one other official expressed surprise on Thursday that the suit was over. “I hadn’t heard that,” said Councilman Leroy G. Comrie Jr., a sponsor of the original bill. “I’ve been working on the budget. I haven’t paid much attention to it at all.”

Pedaling the Way to Fair Fares

2009-06-12T09:42:00.000-07:00

PediCab is launching Milford

By DIANA PEREZ

There’s a new way to get around town in Milford that easy, fun and green -- Milford PediCab.

Joe Meade and he partner started up the service in March after seeing how popular pedicabs were in New York City.

So far, this peddling entrepreneur says he’s had a smooth ride with introducing his brand of taxi to drivers and walkers.

The newest way to travel Milford streets is Milford PediCab.

The fleet consists of four bikes and the owners are hoping to be in full swing and fully staffed by next month.

“School is out. The boaters are here and the weather is good. You’ve got a lot of events,” Meade said.

Some of the great feature of the cab, aside from a great view, is that you get to determine how much the fair is.

‘We let the passenger decide what’s fair, so you really can’t get complaints for being overcharged,” Meade said.

For now, you have to wait until you see one of these cabs to hitch a ride but they are developing a unique call system.

“We’re going to set up a bells and whistles system. We’re putting bells in some areas where our drivers can hear them,” Meade said.

Oklahoma entrepreneurs hope to make the grade

2009-06-12T09:40:00.000-07:00

BY JENNIFER PALMER

Between homework and lecture hall, some college students are finding the time to start their own businesses.

These entrepreneurial students are taking on the demands of owning a small business while continuing their education.
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While many of her peers are spending the summer relaxing or working for someone else as an intern, film major Katie Clark, 19, is busy readying Chimaera Massage to open for business. The combination of a massage studio and art gallery is under construction at 514 N Porter Ave. in Norman, with plans to open later this month.

Building permits, construction set-backs, advertising and hiring employees is not the way most students spend their summer break. But Clark didn’t want to waste the opportunity.

"Why wait?” she said.

She said she’s scaling back her fall class load and expects to do homework between clients.

"I see it more or less as the equivalent of taking on a full-time job while attending school — potentially difficult but doable and worthwhile,” she said.

Taking a chance
College life often inspires entrepreneurs because of the need to make a few extra bucks, said Vince Orza, dean of the Meinders School of Business at Oklahoma City University.

Students also make better risk takers because they often don’t have obligations such as children or a mortgage, he said.

"If it does crash and burn on you, the damage doesn’t affect very many people other than you,” Orza said.

While getting his business, Brickshaw Buggy, off the ground, marketing major Rocky Chavez learned that good help is invaluable.

"(At first) I thought I was going to be able to do it all on my own. I was naive,” he said.

Chavez started the company as a sophomore, with Orza as one of his mentors.

Now in its third year, Brickshaw Buggy, a pedicab service in Bricktown, has doubled its rickshaws and grown to have a roster of up to 40 drivers.

Chavez, 25, will have to manage the company from afar this summer while he’s in Washington, D.C. on an internship for the Congressional Hispanic Leadership Institute.

He plans to finish his degree this fall and is considering graduate school. After that, who knows? "I’ve really grown into the business world,” Chavez said.

‘Pedicabs’ now at The Greene

2009-06-07T22:54:00.000-07:00

By Amelia Robinson

Now there is no need to walk around the Greene to get your shop on.

Starting today, Thursday, June 4, TrykeCabs operated by the nonprofit HK Tryke will offer rides anywhere within the 72 acre mixed-use complex, Steiner + Associates, The Greene’s developer, announced Wednesday, June 3.
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The service will be free, but gratuity-supported so plan on chipping in.

According to its website, HK Tryke’s tricycle parks and related services “generate revenue to fund nationally accredited childcare programs and facilities to children in areas that may not have access.”

Wrap-around advertising on rickshaws stalls pedicab licensing

2009-06-07T22:51:00.000-07:00

June 3, 2009

BY FRAN SPIELMAN City Hall Reporter

A demand for wrap-around advertising on rickshaws has stalled Mayor Daley's plan to license as many as 200 pedicabs in downtown Chicago.

With bicycle-powered taxis already operating around Millennium Park, Navy Pier and Wrigley Field, Daley proposed last month that the city license and regulate them to guarantee public safety.

But, the ordinance is stuck in the City Council's License Committee, despite a lengthy hearing on the issue earlier this week.

On Wednesday, Norma Reyes, commissioner of the city's Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection, explained why: Pedicab owners want to wrap their rickshaws in advertising, but the mayor's ordinance expressly forbids advertising.

"Without advertising, they said they would not be able to exist," the commissioner said.

Reyes noted that ads are prohibited on horse-drawn carriages because they're required to post fares, identification and contact information. The same would be required of pedicabs "so people know who is operating the business and how to contact them for enforcement reasons," she said.

"It's a space issue. Where is the advertising going to go and still have all the information that is required for public safety concerns?" the commissioner said.

Reyes said she plans to meet again with pedicab operators to try and find a middle ground.

But, she said, "We have serious public safety concerns. That is first and foremost for consumers to have the information they need if there is an issue with a rickshaw. For a police officer stopping them, maybe it would be easy. But what if there is a traffic situation and a driver in another vehicle wants to file a complaint?"

The mayor's ordinance would require pedicab operators to purchase liability insurance and a $400 license. Operators would have to be fingerprinted and pass both drug tests and criminal background checks. They would have to be licensed Illinois drivers, doctor-certified and at least 18 years old.

Equipment would be strictly regulated, with battery-operated headlines, tail-lights and seat belts required.

The city would not set pedicab fares, but haggling that now goes on routinely between driver and passenger would become a thing of the past. The fare schedule would have to be clearly posted. Drivers would be prohibited from charging more than that amount.

Pedicabs would be confined to city streets -- not sidewalks -- and limited to the downtown area roughly bounded by Oak Street, LaSalle, Roosevelt and Lake Michigan. To avoid rush-hour traffic conflicts, they would not be permitted on the streets before 7 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Passengers would be limited to three per rickshaw.

Peddling Pedals for Profit: Despite the Recession, Pedicab Companies Thrive

2009-06-07T22:44:00.000-07:00

By Kris Coronado

JAMES RICE IS EASY TO SPOT as he maneuvers his bike along the National Mall. It's not his oversize aviator sunglasses, navy mesh Adidas shorts, mismatched green and blue socks, or even the pale yellow "Air Force Dad" T-shirt that does it, though. It's the two-seater cart the 26-year-old is tugging along behind him.

"It's a lot like fishing," he explains over his shoulder to the two passengers he's pedaling in his Capitol Pedicab along Seventh Street. "You want to go where the most fish are."

On this sunny Tuesday afternoon, that's easily the National Museum of Natural History. As Rice cruises by a dozen tour buses crammed along the Constitution Avenue curb, he passes three pedicab peers who smile and wave. A look at the varying logos on the drivers' carts — Capitol Pedicabs, D.C. Pedicab and National Pedicabs — prove there are like-minded entrepreneurs at work here.

The District is in the midst of a rickshaw renaissance. The last two years have seen a steady rise in those willing to ferry folks around on the oversize two-seater carts.

"There's more of a market for it now," explains Steven Balinsky, a 23-year-old co-owner of Capitol Pedicabs (Capitolpedicabs.com).

"Everybody is a lot more environmentally conscious than they were five years ago. I would hope that if someone saw a pedicab and a taxi, they would make the choice to ride in a pedicab."

Surprisingly, the timing couldn't be better. The increasingly eco-conscious culture dovetails with the District's rise of a more bicycle-friendly atmosphere — from the launch of last year's SmartBike bike-sharing program to a mayor who rides regularly with a local cycling team.

Ben Morris, president of Boston-based National Pedicabs (Nationalpedicabs.com), was quick to take notice. The 27-year-old entered the D.C. market last summer and has expanded his D.C. fleet to 40, all the while continuing to spread his rickshaw reach to locales such as Newport, R.I. and Shreveport, La. That's pretty impressive, considering he started the company on a whim while he finished his senior year at Northeastern University. "I didn't even know how to change a flat tire on a bike, which is quite embarrassing," he admits. "I do now!"

Five years later, things have gotten into gear quickly. Morris readily recalls begging friends and roommates for their leg power. Now, he's overwhelmed with options. "On any given week, we have 20 to 30 people who apply to be a pedicab driver," he says. "It's pretty unbelievable, considering I couldn't keep five guys out riding when we first started."

And with great demand comes great variety. It turns out pedal people are an Americana cultural mishmash. Of course, students and young working professionals do it as a part-time gig, but there are also teachers on summer break, as well as actors and musicians who take it up between creative projects. "It would make a great reality TV show," Morris jokes.

For Rice, it's a great four-day-a-week gig that he'll continue until he heads to law school in the fall. "It's the easiest job if you can do it physically," he says. Once he's paid Balinsky a flat fee — $25 to 40 a day or $400 monthly — Rice can pocket the rest. Since he charges $5 a head for a run from the National Museum of Natural History to the Washington Monument, it's easy to pull in $150 a day. "I know if I quote low, I'll make it up in tips," he says.

For those running the companies, however, things can be slightly more complicated.

"It's an extremely difficult business to make profitable," Morris says. "A lot of people get into it and think, 'It's great. I'll buy a few bikes.' They don't realize all of the work you have to put into it." There's the cost of maintaining and storing the bikes, and at about $1,500 annually to insure each cab, the price tag adds up.

Getting insurance almost threw a wrench in John Patterson's plans to launch his Alexandria-based nonprofit, viaVelo (www.viaveloservice.org). "That was one of our hurdles to get across," he admits.

Fortunately, he got it last month for his first-of-its-kind venture with the Boys & Girls Club. Like Balinsky's and Morris' companies, viaVelo offers pedicab rides, but the drivers are teens from the local youth program (ages 18 and up). The hard-shell rickshaws also double as a delivery service, he says, with viaVelo already huff-and-puffing fresh veggies to local doorsteps for nearby farm co-ops.

"Washington is quite supportive," says Patterson. "So far, when we've been riding around it's a novelty. People are smiling and honking because it's, like, 'Oh, isn't that cute?'"

Cute, yes. In the future, it could even be common. Better yet, when the next Metro-clogging, can't-find-a-taxicab-anywhere Washington event arrives, a pedicab commute may just become crucially convenient.

"Somebody reserved a ride for 3-o-clock in the morning from their hotel to the National Mall — because they wanted to get a seat at the inauguration," Balinsky recalls. "If the opportunity is there, we'll do it."

Just don't expect to get there in a hurry, Rice says. Considering his cart is 175 pounds when empty, "it's hard to get above 7 mph."

Pedicabs Revisited

2009-06-07T22:42:00.000-07:00

by John Kennedy

I’m sure many of you have seen the front of the well respected “TAXI” newspaper and were probably jumping for joy thinking that at long last transport for London have seen sense and decided to remove pedicabs/rickshaws from the public highway.

Well sorry to spoil the party but I’m afraid this is old news for at the recent hearings (March 2009) of the opposed bill committee of the house of Lords it was public knowledge that transport for London were scrapping the idea of a licensing regime hence the change to the bill which seeks to introduce a “voluntary registration scheme”. Yes a VOLUNTARY registration scheme that will give the pedicab/rickshaw operator/rider an air of respectability. Couple this with the Westminster City Council pedicab ranks (up to 30 bays) sorry “pedicab waiting areas” and hey presto we shall have a worst case scenario for the working taxi-cab driver.

A pedicab/rickshaw industry with ranks, some with registration plates the majority not, members of the public duped into believing that these objects are in fact regulated/licensed because some will have registration plates. Chaos is about to reign even further on the streets and roads of the capital and people who state they represent you think it is a good idea to allow a bill through parliament that will become a “stepping stone to licensing”. To make matters worse still nobody at transport for London nor the dep’t of transport is prepared to take a pedicab/rickshaw and crash test one to see if it is suitable for the carrying of fare paying passengers, nobody is even the slightest concerned with regards to the use of these objects by people with disabilities, nobody was prepared to inform the opposed bill committee of the serious sexual assault/rape back in 2004. It seems our whole system of governance is prepared to turn a blind eye to the unsuitability of these objects to be allowed to carry fare paying passengers on the public highway.

Presently pedicabs/rickshaws can be ticketed under section 54 of the 1839 Metropolitan Police Act where it is an offence to have a stage carriage being “drawn or driven upon any footway or kerbstone”. So if the Metropolitan Police wish to move or at the very least ticket these objects powers exist that allow them to clear the exits of theatres and pavements of these death traps. I am led to believe that recently some Police Community Support Officers have been doing just that and ticketing the riders that happen to block the bus lane but more importantly the footway/kerbstone outside Hamleys on Regent Street.

Now I read the article in “TAXI” newspaper and was interested to read in the final paragraph and I quote “A Bill is currently progressing through parliament which, if successful, will allow local authorities to issue tickets to pedicabs, licensed or unlicensed which cause obstruction. The pedicab industry is fighting desperately to prevent the Bill from progressing and they are considering a ‘pedal in’ to defend their ‘human right’ to block the streets”. So it seems we should sit back and allow the passage of this bill and subsequent formation of pedicab ranks in the West End and possibly other borough’s, then hope when HM Government get around to it they decide to listen to the LTDA and then ban pedicabs from their newly granted ranks with their VOLUNTARY registration plates. Sorry Bob I’ve read the opposed bill committee record and it seems Westminster City Council wish to work with the pedicab industry and see this VOLUNTARY scheme as a stepping stone to a licensing regime. The point you raise about ticketing also needs clarifying because it seems only those who “register” for the VOLUNTARY scheme will be liable for fixed penalty notices and we shall have to rely on the Metropolitan Police yet again to do what they could do NOW if they had the will or the wish to ticket those that obstruct the pavements.

I like many other taxi-cab drivers have decided to petition against the London Local Authorities and Transport for London (no.2) Bill if it manages to proceed to the House of Commons after a third reading in the House of Lords. Many taxi-cab drivers are seeking support of trade bodies like the LCDC and the newly formed but rapidly growing RMT London taxi branch and will be urging them to petition against this bill. For instead of making it easier for a ban to come in to affect this bill will certainly become a “stepping stone” to further chaos upon the streets and roads of the capital.

Pedicabs/rickshaws are not a safe secure method and mode of transport in a modern first world city like London, they offer no protection from impact and for this reason alone they should be confined to the Parks of the capital where the chance of impact and serious injury is dramatically reduced. The 3rd Way is the only Way and with your help, support and assistance we at www.ltcpr.blogspot.com can start a campaign to do just that and place the pedicabs in the parks where they belong.

John Kennedy, founder of London taxi cab public relations.

photo credit: Thomas the Taxi LTCPR

2009-06-07T22:39:00.000-07:00

From Londonist

Way back when, we reported on the street rivalry betwixt sensible, licensed and regulated black cab drivers and the burgeoning maverick pedicab fleet that is so bemusingly appealing to tourists. At the time, the taxi trade was trying to get the ricketty rider powered rickshaws outlawed. Instead, then Mayor Ken Livingstone got a consultation going on licensing them. News today is that our current Mayor Boris is shuffling this one under the carpet amidst fears that passenger claims for injuries arising from licensed pedicab accidents would drain City Hall resources and swallow tax payers' money. Implicit in this is the fear that folks are regularly imperilled from riding in these modern day deathtraps "stagecoaches". Tell us, have you been in one? Near death experiences and environmentally friendly ripostes in the comments please. Interestingly, the PCO has now moved on to consulting on whether motorcycles should be licenced to carry passengers.

Pedicab fall nets $1M

2009-06-01T09:03:00.001-07:00

By ADAM LINHARDT Citizen Staff

A Key West pedicab company will not get a chance to plead its case again after a jury awarded nearly $1 million to a 52-year-old St. Petersburg woman who claimed a spill from a trike left her with brain injuries.

Perfect Pedicab Inc.'s motion for a new trial was denied by a Monroe County circuit court judge.

Now the company must pay Phyllis Smith $927,924 the jury awarded her in October, about $200,000 of which was for her pain and suffering.

Smith claims she scraped her head on the concrete, leaving her with headaches, trouble sleeping and a litany of other mental health issues that have forced her to withdraw from her normal routine, court records say.

"I can't explain what was in the minds of the jurors," said the company's attorney, Christopher Fertig. "It was the position of my client that [Smith] was not as injured as she claimed and did not suffer any permanent injury from the fall. It was not a complex case."

The crash occurred on March 22, 2004, when Smith was in town for a wedding. She and other guests were taking two pedicabs from their hotel to a rehearsal dinner when the drivers began to race. Fertig blamed Smith for egging them on, telling them they wouldn't get paid if they didn't oblige.

They collided and overturned, but Fertig said Smith sustained only minor injuries and presented evidence to suggest she displayed similar symptoms of mental injury before the wreck, records say.

"A surveillance film from a nearby business that captured the accident was presented to jurors," Fertig said. "In that footage she appears to be acting normally, but the jury felt otherwise."

Fertig's motion for a new trial also complained that one of the plaintiff's witnesses, a doctor, acted inappropriately on the stand when he used an encapsulated plastic brain for a demonstration and "caused the brain to suddenly leak and seep a red, viscous material reflecting a bleeding or hemorrhaging brain," court records say.

Though the company has insurance to cover the settlement, Fertig said, he argued that it should not be responsible, as the drivers were independent contractors not under the control of Perfect Pedicab Inc.

Circuit Judge David Audlin denied the motion on April 18.

Smith could not be reached for comment and a receptionist for her attorney, Aubrey O'Dicus Jr., said he had no comment after he declined to return repeated phone calls to his St. Petersburg office.

alinhardt@keysnews.com

Your client riding about in a pedicab

2009-06-01T08:54:00.000-07:00

No longer just novelty vehicles seen at the beach

By Kevin Downey
Jun 1, 2009

One of the appeals of out-of-home advertising generally, as opposed to what takes place in the living room, is that it connects with consumers when they're already out, whether it's a McDonald's billboard pointing to a restaurant a mile down the road or an ad for shampoo on a parking bumper in front of a convenience store.

The consumer is that much closer to an impulse purchase.

And in that regard, among the most effective forms of outdoor advertising is on pedicabs, bikes that tow around passengers that are increasing seen near concerts and ballgames, as well as on resort boardwalks and at events like Fashion Week in New York, when crowds of fashionistas descend on the city to see the latest work of top designers and take in New York's sights.

Pedicab are in effect mobile billboards, often promoting local restaurants and entertainment, and what makes them so effective is that they seek out the crowds, rather waiting to be seen. They go where the people are.

To get your client’s message on pedicabs, read on.

This is one in a Media Life series on buying out-of-home venues. They appear weekly.

Fast Facts

What
Ads on pedicabs, which are bicycles with seating behind for passengers.

How it works
Though there are pedicab operators with fleets in cities around the country, enabling advertisers to reach dozens of markets with one buy, most are mom-and-pop businesses with fewer than a dozen vehicles serving just one market. Media buyers need to check what's available in the markets they need to reach.

For this article, Media Life looked at Easy Living Pedicabs of Decatur, Ga., GoPedicab from GoGorilla Media, and Main Street Pedicabs.

The pedicabs transport people to and from events, often for free.

The pedicabs are covered in ads, including on the back panel of the pedicab or wrapped around the cab. Some pedicabs have canopies that can be used for advertising and some haul around billboard-type signs.

In some cases, the driver sports a T-shirts also covered in ads, and drivers can also serve as pitchmen for the advertisers.

That's particularly effective when the advertiser is a local restaurant, and the passengers are in from out of town and are looking for a place to eat or enjoy a cocktail.

Typically, advertisers pay a flat rate per pedicab for a certain period of time, whether for a week or a full year. Tailored campaigns, such as transporting conventioneers to a convention center, are sometimes priced by the hour.

Markets
Pedicabs over the past two decades have popped up in just about every city where locals and tourists gather in numbers.

Numbers
Media buyers shouldn’t expect to hear concrete figures for audience exposure when speaking with pedicab operators. So much depends on the event and the number of cabs that are used.

How it is measured
Pedicab campaigns aren’t measured. Most media buys are made simply because pedicabs can get an advertiser’s message close to targeted consumers, whether it's women attending a fashion event or men coming out of a Denver Broncos game.

What product categories do well
Pedicab ads are about as localized as advertising gets, with restaurants, nightclubs and coffee shops the most frequent advertisers. But national beer and soft drink brands and retailers also use pedicabs.

Demographics
The profile of consumers exposed to ads reflects the venue and event the pedicab is sent to.

Making the buy
Easy Living Pedicabs in Decatur, Ga., covers its pedicabs with ads, including the option to have the driver tout a specific advertiser, for a few hundred dollars per event.

GoPedicab from GoGorilla Media tailors its campaigns to the needs of specific advertisers, such as Starbucks, with GoPedicab drivers in Los Angeles taking passengers to Starbucks stores. Pricing depends on the campaign.

Main Street Pedicabs has hundreds of pedicabs in dozens of cities around the country, including in Denver and New York City. Typically, most media buys are booked for a month for a few hundred dollars per pedicab.

Who’s already using pedicabs
A slew of advertisers have advertised on pedicabs, including national brands like Coors, Nike and Kate Spade. But the most frequent advertisers are local restaurants and bars.

What they’re saying
“The drivers are riding the pedicabs to make money, so they will always position themselves where people are. It’s like a billboard with a homing device that’s always seeking out people.”-- Steve Meyer, founder of Main Street Pedicabs.

2009-06-01T08:53:00.000-07:00

New pedicab service offers Folly Beach a lift
By Allyson Bird (Contact)
The Post and Courier
Monday, June 1, 2009

As if the refurbished, South Beach-inspired Holiday Inn and the glut of new restaurants didn't establish Folly Beach as a growing tourist destination, try this: Now the Edge of America experience includes rickshaws.

One downtown-based bicycle taxi, Charleston Pedicab, launched Folly Beach Pedicab over Memorial Day weekend. The service runs seven days a week from 10 a.m. until after the bars close, according to owner Joel Carl.

"It's become a whole little community out there," Carl said. "You can have everything you need without leaving the island."

The business, now four bikes, will soon grow to five. Carl said the drivers cart around a variety of customers: Center Street revelers who need a ride back to their rental homes, vacationing families who want a sunset cruise and locals looking for a lift. Plus, plenty of patrons just want a ride to Bert's Market to fill their coolers.

Carl said he hopes people will call ahead in the same fashion they might reserve a taxi.

"We're trying to build a reliable transportation system out there," he added.

A write big crowd

Given how much ink travel scribes spill over Charleston, it's no surprise this year's Atlantic-Caribbean Society of American Travel Writers conference attracted double the number of attendees.

Last year's event was held in Little Rock, Ark. This year's June 7-10 conference headquarters is the Mills House Hotel.

Last year 52 writers and destination representatives showed up, according to the Charleston Area Convention and Visitors Bureau. This year, despite the recession, 104 have registered, marking the highest number of attendees in conference history.

The CVB plans to indulge the group with sample dining at local restaurants and late-night sessions at popular pubs. The schedule also builds in time for historic tours.

The event closes with cocktails in Middleton Place's historic stable yard and dinner at the plantation's pavilion.

Raising rates

Though still not great, the hotel occupancy numbers are getting better.

April's rate averaged more than 77 percent, or 7 percent less than April 2008, according to a study by the College of Charleston's Office of Tourism Analysis. March came in 9 percent lower the previous year.

April's average daily rate reached nearly $128, up about $9 from March but still nearly 10 percent less than in April 2008. The study pointed out that both occupancy and average daily rate continue to steadily rise as the year continues.

Reach Allyson Bird at 937-5594 or abird@postandcourier.com.

2009-06-01T08:52:00.001-07:00

Pedicab company expands to Martha's Vineyard
By Katie Curley
Staff writer

NEWBURYPORT — The preferred mode of summertime transportation in the Port has expanded to another coastal locale.

Newburyport Pedicab has expanded to the Martha's Vineyard town of Oak Bluffs. Former Newburyport Pedicab drivers John and William Pasquina run the Martha's Vineyard chapter.

"Our primary goal is to double our fundraising for the Pan-Mass Challenge," co-owner Kevin Murphy said. "If it works here, we figured we would duplicate it."

Started in 2007 by Murphy and Blake Harris, the charitable organization gives free rides to locals and tourists on the back of a bike. Young drivers pedal each rider through town to their destination.

While there is no charge to ride, tips are encouraged and a portion of the tips go to the Pan-Mass Challenge. The other portion takes care of bicycle upkeep.

Murphy and Harris say the idea to expand has been around for a while before they finally took the leap to execute it this season.

"It stems from a trip Kevin took," Harris said. "He got off the ferry with all his bags in 90-degree heat and was frustrated there was no real service for a short hop a few blocks away."

The Pasquina brothers offered to help Murphy and Harris jump-start the latest venture as they were hoping to move to the Vineyard and saw the timing as perfect.

"They had come back from working for the Red Cross and wanted to continue doing something with charity," Murphy said of the brothers.

Over the winter, Murphy and Harris said they did a lot of research as to whether the idea was viable and even spoke with taxi drivers in Oak Bluffs to get their reaction.

"Taxi drivers are all for it because they don't want to do the short trips for $5 when they can drive across the island for $50," Murphy said. Harris added, "The island is also into sustainable living and green living, and that's something we are trying to do."

Both Murphy and Harris say they will duplicate the model used in Newburyport almost exactly with four pedicabs traveling around Oak Bluffs.

"We know four pedicabs generate X amount of money and we put X toward charity," Murphy said. "We run lean, as it is all done with fundraising in mind, and we keep expenses low."

In the first two weeks of operation, the business received sponsorship for each of the four pedicabs and requests from other sponsors for them to add more.

"We only work with local companies, just as we do in Newburyport," Murphy said.

Harris noted sponsors include a green construction company, a store that sells green products, a bank and a restaurant.

While the two hope to continue to expand into other cities and towns in future years, for now they are focused on Newburyport and Oak Bluffs and a busy season to come.

"We've added a fifth pedicab in Newburyport and switched garages," Murphy said, noting the new garage location in the works will be behind Port Tavern.

The two are also happy that most of the first-year sponsors of Newburyport Pedicab continue to come back each year and sponsor.

"We are mostly sticking with what works," Harris said. "Why change it?"

City has new rules for limousines, pedicabs

2009-05-30T00:37:00.000-07:00

by James Mayer, The Oregonian

Portland will regulate limousines and pedicabs for the first time under rules approved last week by the City Council.

The issue has proven difficult for the council -- in the past, it has abandoned efforts to bring limousines under the regulations governing taxis.

Commissioner Randy Leonard explained that cab companies are required to meet strict regulations, including being available 24 hours a day and providing service to anyone who requests it with rates set by the city, while limousine companies could compete unregulated.

The regulations provide that pedicabs and limousines, as well as shuttles, town cars and executive sedans, must have permits and meet certain safety and insurance requirements.

Limousines must offer prearranged service. They can provide "on demand" service in direct competition with taxis only if they have a contract with TriMet, the Port of Portland, a major hotel or airline company, and pay an annual license fee of $2,500 for the first vehicle and $1,000 for each additional vehicle. They must charge a minimum $50 for a ride from the airport to downtown.

Leonard said that's designed to thwart the practice of limousines "poaching" taxi passengers from hotels. Hotels will pay a $500 fine for allowing a guest to obtain limousine service without the required one-hour reservation.

Rates charged for shuttle service between the airport and downtown must be at least 35 percent lower, per passenger, than the prevailing taxi rates for the same route.

The rules restrict pedicab operation on sidewalks. Pedicab drivers must have a driver's license or a government-issued photo identification. And pedicab company permit holders must have commercial business and liability insurance.

Vineyard Pedicab pushes for donations

2009-05-30T00:35:00.000-07:00

By Lauren Folino

Islanders and visitors will have a colorful and unusual new way to get around in Oak Bluffs this summer. Vineyard Pedicab offers free rides in bright yellow, rickshaw-like bike taxis, as part of a fundraising effort built around an eco-friendly form of transportation.

Each of the cabs is basically a bench made for two, drawn by young person pedaling a bicycle. The service began on Circuit Avenue last week. There is no charge for a ride, but passengers are encouraged to tip.

A portion of the daily tips pays the drivers and maintains the taxis. Another portion goes to the Pan-Mass. Challenge, a benefit bicycle race for the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.

The Challenge is the inspiration for the enterprise that Blake Harris and Kevin Murphy of Newburyport began in 2007, then called Newburyport Pedicab, and formed as a charitable organization to raise money for cancer research.

Brothers William and John Pasquina of Newburyport saw the cabs and decided to try out the idea in Oak Bluffs, where their family has a summer house. The brothers had been coming to the Vineyard since they were children, and both John and William had been pedicab drivers in Newburyport last summer.

On March 24, the brothers appeared before Oak Bluffs selectmen, asking permission. Town officials agreed to the Pasquinas' business proposal.

At the Edgartown selectmen's meeting on Tuesday, the Pasquina brothers, as well as Mr. Harris and Mr. Murphy, appeared before the board to ask permission to expand Vineyard Pedicab into Edgartown. The selectmen turned down the expansion request because they said they were concerned about public safety on Edgartown's already crowded streets.

Edgartown police chief Paul Condlin also said he was not in favor of Vineyard Pedicab's expansion because it would create safety problems and obstruct traffic.

In a telephone conversation Tuesday with The Times, John Pasquina, who manages the enterprise on the Island, explained how Vineyard Pedicab's financial operations work. He said that company sponsorships cover the costs of operating the pedicabs and help support the Pan-Mass. Challenge.

Green-friendly businesses that include Eco MV, the Martha's Vineyard Savings Bank, Sharky's Cantina, and Squash Meadow Construction sponsor a cab in exchange for advertising messages placed on the bicycles.

Free pedicab service around Fresh Pond begins in June

2009-05-30T00:34:00.000-07:00

From Wicked Local

Cambridge —

Neville Place, an assisted living and memory support community overlooking Fresh Pond, announces the return of pedicab service around the perimeter of Fresh Pond beginning in June.

This free service, sponsored by the Fresh Pond Trust, is provided during the spring and summer to allow Cambridge seniors and local residents who might not be able to navigate the trail on their own to enjoy the beauty of such a relaxing, natural setting. Tours leave from the main entrance of Neville Place at 650 Concord Ave. continuously throughout the day, three days a week.

“The pedicab service is something that Neville Place residents look forward to each year,” said Jamie McWilliam, executive director at Neville Place. “It enhances their quality of life and provides an opportunity for them to get out and enjoy the sights and sounds of Fresh Pond in an extraordinary way.”

Each ride takes about 30 minutes to complete the main loop, giving riders ample time to observe the birdlife and wildflowers that abound throughout Fresh Pond. For reservations, call 617-233-6394.

Pedicab services to be offered in Door County this summer

2009-05-30T00:32:00.000-07:00

From NorhtWestern.com

Door County visitors will have a new option for traveling the downtown areas of Sturgeon Bay and Fish Creek this summer.
Advertisement

Two new businesses in the area are offering pedicab services. Pedicabs are bicycle-driven pedestrian taxis that offer an environmentally friendly alternative to short-distance travel.

"It's a great way for people to get where they want to go while enjoying the fresh air," said Angie Brusky, co-owner of Peninsula Pedicabs LLC in Fish Creek.

Brusky and her boyfriend, Josiah Lent, recently returned to Door County, where they were both born and raised, to start their pedicab business.

For Brusky and Lent, the decision to start a pedicab business stemmed from a love of biking, which is a definite requirement to haul between 600 and 700 pounds of weight up hills and around town at a pace of 15 mph.

"We've both been biking most of our lives," said Lent, who biked more than 4,000 miles last year and will be the primary driver for Peninsula Pedicabs. "It is great exercise for me and hopefully a fun experience for our passengers."

But exercise isn't the only reason entrepreneurs are turning to pedicabs: The dismal economy spurred Jim McCarthy of Sturgeon Bay to start his pedicab business, Fresh Air Cabs. McCarthy, owner of Uptop Roofing, saw one of his slowest winter's during his 20-year career last year.

"I'm lucky because in roofing, people still need to protect their investment, so I still had work," he said. "But I'm also getting up there in age (50), and I needed to think of another viable resource." During the cold winter, he thought of pleasant times he had as a tourist in Key West, riding from restaurants, bars and hot spots in a pedicab.

He liked the freedom that riding a pedicab gave him to kick back and not worry about parking, drinking and driving or noise.

"It's a cab service, but it's more about the experience," McCarthy said.

Although pedicabs are a new concept in Door County, they have actually been around in larger U.S. cities for many years, said Dan Werner, director of sales and marketing for Main Street Pedicabs, the largest manufacturer of pedicabs in the United States.

"Pedicabs started out in larger cities like New York, San Diego and Austin," Werner said. "It's only over the past several years that they have really taken off in smaller areas."

But pedicabs can be more than just a novel way for visitors to tour the downtown areas of certain communities.

"We are finding more and more that they provide a nice way for people who are physically challenged or have trouble walking to enjoy the outdoors in a way that a traditional taxicab does not," Werner said. "You can really enjoy the scenery — see the birds and the squirrels — and feel the fresh air and sunshine."

More than that, Werner said, pedicabs operators can be an ambassador for the towns they serve.

"We want to promote the community and let people know about our history," Lent said.

McCarthy envisions taking a lot of people to museums for the fireboat tours and back and forth from bars and hotels and over the bridges.

"Mainly, it will be short distances downtown," he said. "I want people to enjoy their stay here in Sturgeon Bay and not worry about getting picked up for intoxicated driving. They can just eat, drink and be merry."

Both businesses plan to be available at major county events and festivals, as well as maintain a regular presence in their respective communities.

McCarthy intends to operate his both day and night with a student partner, 23-year-old Cameron Voss, taking the day shift while McCarthy is at roofing jobs in the summer. McCarthy just ordered his new taxi and expects it to arrive in time for Memorial Day.

"I am really happy to hear that there is more bicycle-based transportation in Door County," Brusky said.

"It's really a unique way to experience the community, and I think it adds to the ambiance of Door County."

Pedicabs are coming to downtown Chicago

2009-05-30T00:31:00.000-07:00

BY FRAN SPIELMAN City Hall Reporter

Move over cyclists and horse-drawn carriages. Up to 200 pedicabs are coming to downtown Chicago.

Acknowledging that bicycle-powered taxis are already operating around Millennium Park, Navy Pier and Wrigley Field, Mayor Daley wants to license, regulate and open the city’s arms to them.

“Safety issues. If someone wants to get in, just make sure” that it’s safe, Daley said.

Pedicabs offer a quirky alternative that has the potential to become quite popular, just as they are in Europe, said Norma Reyes, commissioner of the city’s Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection.

“People are really interested in other forms of transportation — in terms of the environment, the green movement. The ambience. People like to be [transported] — not in a Corvette, but [by] a bike that’s open and being driven around,” Reyes said.

“They have about 500 in New York. They have ‘em in Miami and in other jurisdictions. The pedicab industry has been growing in various cities around the country. We started seeing pedicabs in Chicago about a year ago. There's definitely an industry here."

Oak Park and Joliet already authorized pedicabs and Naperville is about to join them.

The Daley-sponsored ordinance introduced at Wednesday's City Council meeting would require pedicab operators to purchase a $400 license that would only be issued to those with insurance to cover $50,000 worth of property damage, $100,000 to cover injuries to one passenger and $300,000 to cover multiple injuries.

Pedicab operators would purchase two-year, $50 permits that would be issued to those who are fingerprinted and pass both drug tests and criminal background checks. They would have to be licensed Illinois drivers, doctor-certified and at least 18 years old.

Equipment would be strictly regulated, with battery-operated headlights, tail-lights and seat belts required.

Unlike with taxicabs, the city would not regulate pedicab fares, but haggling that now goes on routinely between driver and passenger would apparently become a thing of the past. The fare schedule would have to be clearly posted. Drivers would be prohibited from charging more than that amount.

Pedicabs would be confined to city streets — not sidewalks — and limited to the downtown area roughly bounded by Oak Street, LaSalle, Roosevelt and Lake Michigan. To avoid rush-hour traffic conflicts, they would not be permitted on the streets before 7 p.m. Monday-through-Friday.

Passengers would be limited to three-per-rickshaw.

But, Daley joked, “We’re not gonna weigh people.

City council votes to double the number of pedicab licences

2009-05-30T00:30:00.000-07:00

By Rebecca tebrake, VANCOUVER SUN

VANCOUVER - There may be twice as many pedicabs on Vancouver streets this year after city council agreed Thursday to double the number of available licences to 60 from 30.

The decision comes after demand for licences spiked this year, to a record 43 requests compared to 30 in 2008 and 10 in 2007.

Tom Hammel, the city’s chief licence inspector, said he didn’t know why demand had spiked, but speculated it might be related to the Olympics or tourism in general.

Patrick Balian, general manager of Cruise Cabs, which has been operating the bicycle taxis in Vancouver since 2007, said the reason for the increased demand has “gotta be the Olympics.”

Eighty per cent of the customers riding in his company’s 10 pedicabs are locals, mostly party-goers along the Granville Street bar district.

Balian is concerned about the increase in available licences during an economic downturn.

“Our drivers are making 40-per-cent less money now than last year,” said Balian, who asked council to consider increasing the number of available licences by 20 per cent annually instead.

Still, economics didn’t stop Balian and his business partner Kathleen Granados from adding eight new licences to their operation. Granados said they are committed to the business long-term and want to keep building even during tough times.

They had a “hiring spree” this year, taking on 25 new employees, mostly students or people also working in the entertainment industry.

The licences cost $146 each year.

“You don’t have to take it if you don’t need it and if you do think the economic circumstance is so dire, you won’t buy a pedicab,” said Coun. Kerry Jang.

Council also restricted advertising space on pedicabs to a maximum of 0.45 square metres on the rear of the pedicab.

Previously the whole pedicab was available for advertising space. Now, pedicabs will have to display business names and identification numbers to ensure consumers with a complaint can identify the cab they used.

Safety requirements for pedicabs were also strengthened. They now must have rear hydraulic braking systems as well as a front braking system.

Green Leaf Pedicabs To expand to courier service

2009-05-30T00:28:00.000-07:00

From What's up Pub
Green Leaf Pedicabs, the company that has been providing bicyclist-propelled transportation to Downtown El Pasoans since December, will soon expand to offer a new eco-friendly service, dubbed Green Leaf Courier. And the company is in need of drivers.

�I see a lot of people moving back and forth between offices with carts or dollies stacked with boxes, and I wanted to offer a delivery service that doesn�t use fuel,� said co-owner and operator Charles Lauser. �And for food delivery for restaurants, also; that�s going to be our biggest clientele.�

Green Leaf Courier is awaiting the completion of a new courier vehicle before it gets approval by City Council. The service hopes to be up and running next week, although the pedicab is already making deliveries for Downtown eatery Tortugas restaurant.

�It is the most earth-friendly delivery service in El Paso,� Lauser said. �It (the courier service) will be available every day.�

Since opening last December, Green Leaf Pedicabs has more than doubled its pedicabs Downtown, expanded its club transit hours, and made the service available to private parties including quincea�eras and weddings.

�We need more people to drive the pedicabs,� Lauser said. �Drivers average $25 an hour, and they really enjoy the work.�

Drivers also get a work-out while getting paid, Lauser said.

�I started (driving the pedicabs) at 210 lbs., and now I�m 150,� Lauser said. �We want to get the word out to El Pasoans to go out and ride their bicycles, and realize the advantages: it�s fun and it�s healthy.�

All current Green Leaf Pedicabs employees are college students.

�I make my own hours; it�s way convenient for me and makes good money, which I need for college right now,� said Green Leaf Pedicab driver and EPCC biology student Josue Enriquez. �And it�s very good exercise.�

Green Leaf Pedicabs provides fixed-route tours of downtown. Drivers offer historical tidbits from the book �The History of the Union Plaza District� by Fred Morales.

�Sights include Maggofin (Home), Pancho Villa stash house, The Mansion Hotel �, and the San Francisco historic district including The Union Depot,� said co-owner and operator Ray Campos. �Because (employees) are giving tours, we want them to be outgoing and be comfortable with people. We look for people who are physically fit, reliable, like to have fun, social and like to talk to the customers. It�s perfect for students � we�re very flexible on our hours.�

As part of the expansion, Green Leaf Pedicabs now offers bike repairs at its office at 400 W. Overland, and bike rentals are slated to begin next month.

�The experience is an eco-friendly service that is complementing the revitalization of Downtown El Paso and small businesses as well,� Campos said. �We�re currently focusing on Downtown El Paso but hopefully in the very near future we�ll expand to Las Cruces and Mesilla.�

Green Leaf Pedicabs
Hours:
Monday�Friday: 11 a.m.�4 p.m.
Friday�Saturday: 9:45 a.m.�2:45 p.m.
Green Leaf Courier hours to be announced
For more information on bike rentals,
repairs, advertisement and employment
visit greenleafpedicab.com.

Gearing up for new business, pedicab company will offer free rides Read more: "Gearing up for new business, pedicab company will offer free rides" -

2009-05-30T00:25:00.000-07:00

From NYDailynews.com

Pedicabs aren't just for tourists anymore: Beginning next month, people in Harlem can come on and take a free ride.

Amir Chizic, owner of BicyTaxi NYC, is sending 10 pedicabs uptown to offer free trips within 20 blocks of 125th St.

The gratis rides will be supported - at least for the first three months - by advertising, he said.

"It's such a good thing for the environment, you know?" said Chizic, whose business currently caters to the midtown tourist trade.

"There's so much pollution out there," he said of Harlem, where one in four children suffers from asthma.

Nadine Varra, of Harlem, plans to use the pedicabs to make grocery store runs. "If it's free, I would use it," she said.

Chizic is still looking for a place to store his fleet, but promised Harlemites will see his pedicabs - plastered inside and out with advertisements - beginning June 1.

He may soon have competition. Bill Clinger, controller of midtown-based Revolution Rickshaws, said he sees potential for expansion into Harlem.

"I think it's a market that's just waiting to be tapped into," he said. "There's a lot of people that need to get moved around...I'd like to get up there pretty soon."

Pedicab rides may turn out to be popular in Harlem, if a recent event is any indication.

A group called Safe, Healthy, Affordable and Reliable Energy (SHARE) set up a stand on 125th St. and offered free rides as a part of an Earth Day promotion.

Pedicab drivers were busy throughout the day, said Gregory Joseph of SHARE, which advocates environmentally friendly transportation.

"One reason this event was so appealing is because pedicabs don't frequent uptown, and given the asthma rates, they really should," said Joseph.

The move to Harlem comes at a time when pedicab fleet owners are dealing with a variety of woes.

Cops are cracking down on reckless pedicab drivers who break traffic laws. The police are also seeking to boot lone-wolf operators who don't have the required insurance for their three-wheelers and give the legit businesses a bad name.

In 2007, the City Council approved legislation limiting the number of pedicabs in the city to 325.

Owners must purchase insurance comparable to that of a medallion taxi and get their pedicabs regularly inspected. There are periodic threats from lawmakers to impose more restrictions.

But perhaps the biggest roadblock owners face in expanding their businesses beyond the tourist trade is the shaky reputation pedicabs have among New Yorkers.

Some fleet owners, including Chizic, say a free ride is the only way to get locals to step in pedicabs.

The owners also are hoping impending mass transit and taxi fare hikes - as well as the nice weather - could drive more New Yorkers to the pedal-powered people movers, which can each hold up to three people.

But Danny Barsas of Cycle Central Park, a bike rental and pedicab company, said that moving pedicabs to Harlem is a risky proposition, and he wouldn't consider it.

"Midtown is a gold mine," said Barsas. "Tourists make 80% of all clients and all the tourist attractions are in midtown."

"There's parts of Harlem, like the park, where you might be able to make money on the weekend, but you can't rely on that," he added.

Some Harlem residents said they were simply a little leery of pedicabs.

"Isn't it mainly tourists who take them?" asked Harlemite Maria Nicols.

Read more: "Gearing up for new business, pedicab company will offer free rides" - http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/bronx/2009/05/17/2009-05-17_gearing_up_for_new_business_pedicab_company_will_offer_free_rides.html#ixzz0GyLXlKRd&A

Bicycle built for three comes downtown

2009-05-30T00:23:00.000-07:00

From Naperville Sun

Ever think you'd see taxis powered by man in Naperville? Well, they're here.

Brett Dingeldein, a Naperville resident since 1961, along with his son Matthew are co-owners of GreenStreet Pedicabs. Pedicabs, which are bicycle-powered taxis that carry two passengers, were set to roll Saturday.

According to Dingeldein, "depending on traffic, the hours are 4 p.m. to 2 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays with 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. Sundays and holidays."

The pedicabs were delivered May 18 and lettering was applied May 19. Dingeldein anticipates increased popularity of the pedicab service, so college students will eventually be added to his staff. Naperville joins a host of other trendy locations in offering this unique green transportation.

The proposed rate schedule is: train station to downtown, $5; train station to Naper Settlement, $7; and an hourlong ride through town, $50. For an impromptu pickup, GreenStreet can be reached on the run at 630-202-2232.

COMINGS:

Getting a bigger bang for your buck with mom

Helping you save some dough is the mission of Zohra Shaik, the sole proprietor of the 600-square-foot Mom & Me shop at 120 S. Webster, on the first floor of the Paw Paw Building, corner of Jefferson and Webster.

Mom & Me started to roll out the bargains May 19.

This store targets the whole family and brings brand-name items at hugely discounted prices. Mom & Me will carry such products as children's toys and games, fine dinnerware, contemporary cookware, kitchen tools and appliances, home decor, bedding and bath, ethnic and modern jewelry, unique gifts and more. Merchandise is brought in daily to keep the bargains coming.

Comings:

When you need more than a spoonful of sugar

On May 1, Naperville Family and Internal Medicine opened at 2720 Hassert Blvd., in the Republic Bank Building.

Doctors Sumin Shah and Claudia Vera are both available for patients Monday through Saturday with same-day appointments often available.

Shah has been practicing for more than five years and is board certified in family medicine and is becoming certified in weight-loss medicine. Vera is board certified in internal medicine and is fluent in both English and Spanish. Vera has been practicing medicine for more than 10 years.

Going:

Trekking north to different pastures

Prairie Loft, which markets prairie-inspired items -- especially furniture and rugs, will leave the Design Pointe Center on Brookdale and Route 59 at the end of June. The store will relocate to the Arboretum of South Barrington.

Deborah and Lock Lee design finely crafted, moderately priced furniture for their Prairie Loft customers. Their expanding line of prairie furniture and accessories can be crafted in mahogany and custom woods such as quartersawn oak or cherry.

This 1,500-square-foot location was among the first five businesses to open at the Design Point Center. Visit the store during the next several weeks as they prepare to close one chapter and prepare to open another. All furniture, mirrors, rugs, and Prairie Loft made accessories are to be sold, nothing is to be held back! Comings and goings

Saltzman creates new pedicab committee to oversee policy changes

2009-05-30T00:20:00.000-07:00

From BikePortland.org
Today in City Council chambers, Commissioner Dan Saltzman proposed an amendment to the City of Portland’s proposed changes to the Private For Hire code. The amendment, which passed unanimously, will create an ad-hoc committee to address the issue of how the City regulates pedicabs.

Last month, we reported that one local pedicab business owner, Ryan Hashagen of Portland Cascadia Pedicabs, was very concerned that the new code would have a negative impact on his business.

The City issued a statement refuting Hashagen’s concerns, but that didn’t stop Hashagen from swinging into action. He organized fellow pedicab owners, he rounded up pedicab operators to testify at City Hall, he did the local media circuit, and he met with Commissioner Saltzman to present his concerns.

Now it seems like Hashagen’s work has paid off.

According to Hashagen, the new committee would include representatives from pedicab companies, pedicab operators, the BTA, PBOT, the Police Bureau and the Revenue Bureau. The committee will be tasked to meet and come back to Council within 60-90 days with revisions to the current Private For-Hire code, or Hashagen says, “Maybe even an entirely new set of codes specific to pedicabs.”
The proposed Private For Hire code changes are slated for a Council vote next week. In its current form, Hashagen says that it still contains “huge contradictions” because the Private For Hire Board of Review is “dominated by taxi cab companies that could still seek to cap the number of pedicabs or eliminate them altogether,” he said.

As for Saltzman’s amendment that passed today, Hashagen had this to say: “Saltzman showed amazing leadership by listening to constituents and stakeholders and by putting forth this thoughtful amendment.”

Saltzman’s Policy Manager Matt Grumm said the Commissioner put this motion forward because he wanted to more clearly define who the stakeholders were in the pedicab community so they could be fairly represented in any policy changes. Grumm also told me that Saltzman has gained quite an education about Portland’s pedicab scene of late. “In listening to testimony and digging into this issue in the past few weeks,” he said, “he now realizes that pedicab operators don’t just do this to make a buck. They’re unique and they love being out there, being carbon-free… So seeing that, he felt they needed a separate group to look into this.”

Grumm also credited Hashagen’s activism around the issue. “He did a great job advocating for this. He met with the Commissioner and he was instrumental in how this turned out.”

Pedal Power: Petoskey Pedicab LLC

2009-05-30T00:19:00.000-07:00

By Ryan Bentley News-Review Staff Writer
For those seeking transportation around downtown Petoskey, Josh Lycka and Calvin Schemanski have pedal power to offer.

The 2008 Petoskey High School graduates — now university sophomores — have formed Petoskey Pedicab LLC. This company will use pedicabs — large tricycles with carriage-style seating at the rear — to offer transportation and sightseeing around the business district, waterfront and nearby areas.

This weekend, Lycka and Schemanski will be offering pedicab service to and from plays at Crooked Tree Arts Center, as well as Mother’s Day rides. Starting around May 15, they plan to be available for passengers on a daily basis between mid-morning and late evening.

Two years ago, when Lycka and Schemanski were working kitchen jobs at the Bay Harbor Yacht Club, the notion of a rickshaw business randomly entered a conversation. It evolved into the concept for a pedicab company which would offer sustainable transportation with a bit of luxury.

Pedicab pitch

2009-05-30T00:16:00.000-07:00

Albany officials test one; will the 3-wheelers roll out for summer events?

By Cathy Ingalls
Albany Democrat-Herald

Bill Pintard of Albany’s bicycle and pedestrian advisory commission got Mayor Sharon Konopa and City Manager Wes Hare to take a spin around City Hall in a pedicab Tuesday.

“Wow! This is comfy,” the mayor said on her return. “It was fun. I liked it.”

Hare said he also enjoyed his ride.

Pintard wants to introduce pedicabs to Albany to reduce traffic and improve pedestrian safety downtown. He said pedicabs benefit the environment because they are pollution free.

Pedicabs, three-wheeled bicycles that are pedaled by a person in front while one or two people sit behind, are common in larger cities. A good one costs about $4,000, Pintard said.

Pintard asked Dan Crall, owner of Corvallis Pedicab, to pedal several city officials around downtown on Tuesday to acquaint them with the vehicle. Now he will see if the idea catches on in Albany, particularly during summer events.

Crall, 28, started his business in late March with a pedicab he purchased for $2,000. He said he put another $1,500 worth of improvements into his vehicle, including a top.

Crall is available for tours, offers taxi and chauffeur services and transportation to and from events. He plans to learn more about the history of Corvallis and the Oregon State University campus so he can take visitors around those areas.

Crall, a former announcer and producer for Oregon Public Broadcasting in Corvallis, got the idea for his business after the radio operation shut down in Corvallis and he saw a pedicab at about the same time.

“I was offered a job with OPB in Portland,” he said. “I could either move there or commute, but I wanted to find something that would keep me in Corvallis.”

It takes strength and endurance and a good diet to be in good enough shape to operate a pedicab, he said.

“I’ve ridden a bike regularly for four years, but I’m not at 100 percent yet, but I soon will be,” Crall said.

Crall carries liability insurance and works on a donation-only basis.

He can be reached at (541) 609-8949 or at corvallis

Want to Keep Your Job? Stop Trying to Fit In

2009-05-30T00:14:00.000-07:00

By Peter Bregman

I was running along the six-mile loop in Central Park on a cold winter day when I passed the southern most end of the park where I noticed a large number of miserable looking pedicab drivers huddled together to keep warm. Periodically one reached out to a passing pedestrian, but no one seemed to want a ride in a bicycle-drawn carriage. It was too cold.

And then, to my surprise, a little further along the run I saw a pedicab — with passengers in it — circling the park. The reason this pedicab had been hired instead of the others was immediately obvious. On both sides of his small carriage hung signs with large letters that read "HEATED SEATS."

In any highly competitive field — and these days every field is highly competitive — being different is the only way to win. Nobody wants to sell a commodity and nobody wants to be a commodity.

Yet, even though we all know that, most of us spend a tremendous amount of effort trying not to be different. We model ourselves and our businesses after other successful people and businesses, spending considerable money and energy discovering and replicating best practices, looking for that one recipe for success.

Here's the thing: if you look like other people, if your business looks like other businesses, then all you've done is increase your pool of competition.

I was working with American Express in 1993 when Harvey Golub became the new CEO. He wore suspenders. Within a few weeks so did everyone else. In our corporate cultures, we school, like fish. We try especially hard to fit in when we worry about getting laid off. Maybe, we think, standing out will remind them that we're here and then they'll lay us off too.

But fitting in has the opposite effect. It makes you dispensable. If you're like everyone else, then how critical to the business can you be?

That's how my friend Paul Faerstein lost his job. He was very successful at fitting in. It was the early 1990s and he was a partner at the Hay Group. He was a good consultant — I learned a lot from him — and for a long time he acted like the other partners. He sold the projects they sold. Billed the hours they billed.

Then, in a year and a half, Paul's mother died, his brother died, and he got divorced. He couldn't keep up his sales or his billable hours. And here's the important part: he didn't bring anything unique to the table beyond those things. It wasn't that he couldn't, as we'll see in a moment. But he didn't. So he lost his job.

Trying to distinguish ourselves by being the same as others, only better, is hard to do and even harder to sustain. There are too many smart, hard working people out there all trying to excel by being the best at what everyone else is doing.

It's simply easier to be unique.

Entertainment is a great example. In a field with a tremendous number of beautiful, sexy, talented people, what are the chances that you'll be noticed by being even more beautiful, sexy, and talented? But, Susan Boyle was different. She broke the mold. Which is why her YouTube videos received over 100 million hits. If she looked like every other aspiring singer, would the world have noticed?

If you're 60, don't get a facelift and pretend to be 30. Embrace 60 and use it to your advantage. According to a tremendous body of research, talent is not inborn, it's created by practice. Which gives a 60 year old a tremendous advantage over a 30 year old.

But even in our diversity-focused corporations, it's hard to be different because we have cultural norms that encourage sameness. That's why we have dress codes. And expressions like "don't rock the boat." My advice? Rock on.

That's what Paul eventually did. After he lost his job, Paul realized that he was never fully himself as a partner in the Hay Group. He had more to offer. He wanted to connect more deeply with his clients, help them achieve things outside the scope of the Hay Group's offerings, and engage with them on issues beyond the bottom line.

Picture-of-Parameshwara-at-the-Lodge.jpgNow, his name is Paramacharya Swami Parameshwarananda (you can call him Swamiji for short). He is the resident spiritual master at an ashram in Colorado. His change might seem drastic. But it was easy for him because each step he took was a step toward himself. And now he couldn't be happier or more effective. He serves on various boards and leadership councils and is a driving force behind several educational and humanitarian projects around the world.

He's still doing many of the same things he did as a failed consultant in New Jersey, but he's more successful because he feels and acts like himself. In his words, "I'm living my inner truth." And he is indispensable. Not simply for what he does, but for who he is.

Now, I'm not suggesting you go live on an ashram in Colorado. For most people that would be absurd. And copying someone else who's different won't help. You'll never be as good a version of someone else as you are of yourself.

How can you move closer to contributing your unique value? What are your "heated seats"? Can you be more effective by being more yourself?

Face it: you're different. And the sooner you realize it, the sooner you embrace and leverage it, the more successful you'll be. The same goes for your business.

That's why one pedicab driver with heated seats can stay busy all day while the others huddle around each other, fareless, trying to stay warm.

Midtown Cyclists Routinely Break Law, Study Finds

2009-05-30T00:12:00.000-07:00

From New York Times

An expanded study of bicycle behavior in Midtown Manhattan has found that “a large number of cyclists routinely disobey many traffic laws.” Thirty-seven percent rode through red lights, while 28.7 percent paused to look — then ran the light. More than 10 percent rode against traffic, and fully two-thirds were riding without a helmet, a requirement for delivery workers and children under 14.

Those were some of the less-than-stellar observations made in the research study [text, pdf] by Peter S. Tuckel, professor of sociology, and William Milczarski, professor of urban planning, both at Hunter College.

The study, based on 5,275 observations by Hunter college students of riders at 45 randomly generated intersections across Midtown from First to 10th Avenues and 14th to 59th Streets, was a rigorous and scientific version of a survey the professors conducted in November 2008. The 2008 survey saw similar bad cycling behavior, but its results could not be generalized to all riders in central Manhattan, because it was based on a “convenience sample,” the researchers said.

How bad bike behavior ought to be judged relative to bad car and pedestrian behavior is not addressed by the study, though Spokes readers have offered their own suggestions in the past and have atoned for their own bicycle sins.

The current study, based on observations at randomly generated intersections, can be broadly applied to Midtown bikers, Dr. Tuckel said in a phone interview.

“It’s an enormous sample — so we’re very confident with the results,” he said.

Yet some cycling advocates were quick to dismiss the results.

“They picked probably one of the only areas of the city that is bereft of bike lanes,” said Wiley Norvell, a spokesman for Transportation Alternatives, a transit advocacy group. According to the city’s cycling map, the area under study has about six bike lanes. Below 14th Street, there are more than a dozen.

“It makes no mention of bicycling infrastructure,” he added. “It’s like we’re talking about this in 1995 and they haven’t been paying attention for the last five years.”

A thoroughly unscientific study conducted Monday by this Spokes reporter on the corner of 40th and Broadway, where the city has recently built a protected bike lane, found that from 2:22 to 2:32 P.M., most riders used the lane (15 of the 24 observed were using it, including a huge cargo pedicab pulling a large rack with 12 more bikes).

From April 1 to 28, the students, undergraduates in the sociology department and graduate students in urban planning, recorded several variables, including: helmet use; behavior at lights; riding with traffic, on the sidewalk or in the bike lane (if available); and the use of an iPod, cellphone or other electronic device. The students also collected demographic information, including whether the riders were commercial or “general.”

However, as Mr. Norvell pointed out, the study does not specify how the students determined that a given cyclist was a commercial rider if there was no visible commercial insignia. It is therefore difficult to say how many of those riders were accurately tallied, and also whether in fact only 23.6 percent of delivery riders complied with the city law requiring helmets for delivery cyclists.

“That’s troubling, because there’s a different set of laws that apply to commerical cycling than to the general public,” Mr. Norvell said. “In the methodology, it does not state how they’re making that distinction.”

“I think that’s a major failure,” he added.

Among the riders observed in the study, 49.8 percent were general and 44.4 percent were commercial or “delivery riders.” (For about 5 percent of cyclists, the student observers were unable to determine whether the riders were commercial or general.)

Ninety-one percent of all riders in the study — and 99 percent of commercial riders — were male, though those few women who were observed by students were found to be more law-abiding, Dr. Tuckel said.

Few riders were seen holding mobile phones, but about 10 percent had some sort of electronic device like a hands-free phone or an iPod, the study said.

Lest the bike-friendly be inclined to accuse the Hunter College professors of partisanship in favor of bipeds or the four-wheeled, Dr. Tuckel assures that the study was done with general public safety in mind.

“I’m not interested in apportioning blame” among riders, drivers and pedestrians, he said. “Motorists could learn more about orienting themselves to the presence of cyclists.”

“The only agenda we have is to promote public safety,” he added. In the past, Dr. Tuckel’s students have also studied distracted drivers.

In their conclusion, the professors recommend greater enforcement of existing traffic laws and float the idea that commercial bikes be required to have license plates. (They add in a footnote that the license plate idea came from Bunny Abraham, an Upper West Sider who traded letters last fall with Transportation Alternatives in a community newspaper over bike behavior.)

The release of the Hunter College study coincides with bike month and with the unveiling of Transportation Alternatives’ new Street Code for the city’s bikers, a “major civic cycling education campaign” with the goal of establishing a pecking order, with pedestrians on top, followed by cyclists, followed by motor vehicles. On May 15, bike to work day, the group handed out 5,000 copies of the code at East River crossings and at City Hall.

“This is the kind of thing that we think is a productive and concerted way to improve bicycling behavior on New York City streets,” Mr. Norvell said.

The No. 1 rule of the new code: always yield to pedestrians.

Chicago suburb to have bike-powered taxis

2009-04-03T13:01:00.000-07:00

From UPI.com

NAPERVILLE, Ill., April 3 (UPI) -- The Illinois town of Naperville is preparing to become the second Chicago suburb to permit the operation of bicycle-powered taxis.

The Naperville City Council will vote next week on a proposal to allow a pedicab firm to conduct a one-year trial, The Chicago Tribune reported this week.

Naperville resident Brett Dingeldein pitched the idea of allowing his GreenStreet Pedicabs to conduct a trial run in the suburb.

Dingeldein says his firm's focus will be on short trips such as downtown destinations from Naperville's train station, city parking garages and remote parking lots.

Each pedicab costs about $4,200 and can carry two passengers.

Dingledein plans to operate the service with his son, Matthew.

He told the city council he can have three vehicles on the street by mid-May.

Oak Park has had pedicabs operating since 2005 and a restaurant in Joliet, Ill. recently started offering the service.

Bicycle cabs could be rolling through Naperville next month

2009-04-03T10:23:00.000-07:00

A father-son team hopes Naperville approves their plan to offer bicycle cab rides, a la Oak Park and other cities.

By Greg Canfield iSPECIAL TO THE TRIBUNE
April 3, 2009

Pedicabs — bicycle-powered taxis — could begin transporting people around downtown Naperville as early as next month.

The City Council has approved the concept and on Wednesday will vote on a proposal to permit a one-year trial for a pedicab business. Naperville resident Brett Dingeldein, owner of GreenStreet Pedicabs, pitched the idea to the city, citing how they are compatible with the city's goals of being energy efficient and reducing traffic congestion downtown.

He said the focus would be on short trips, such as to downtown destinations from the 5th Avenue train station, the city's parking garages and remote parking lots. Specific routes and rates have not been determined.

Once people know they can easily leave the train or parking garages, maybe they'll use them more frequently, "possibly making one small step in reducing the parking congestion in downtown Naperville," Dingeldein said.

Dingeldein, who would operate the service with his son, Matthew, said they could have three vehicles on the street by mid-May.

"It would only take about six weeks for the pedicabs to arrive," he said. "We've held off on buying them to find out how many pedicabs the city will allow."

Dingeldein said each pedicab costs about $4,200, carries up to two passengers and reaches speeds of 12 to 15 m.p.h.

They are used in many U.S. cities. Oak Park has allowed the service for several years, and a restaurant in Joliet recently started offering the service.

Rick Carter has run Rickshaw Rick's Tour and Taxis in Oak Park since 2005. Weather permitting, he starts pedaling on Earth Day in April and continues until Halloween.

"It seems to have been pretty well-received," Carter said. "I used to work with double-decker buses and like one of the guys there used to say, 'If it looks weird, funny or interesting, people want to ride it.' Of course, being eco-friendly is a popular thing so that helps, too."

Carter acknowledged last summer's soaring gas prices boosted interest in his business. He charges $5 per quarter-hour per adult passenger, with children on laps riding free.

"When everybody was taking such a beating at the pump, I had no worries. I think that resonated with a lot of folks," he said.

The bulk of Carter's service involves tourism, such as taking visitors to view the many Frank Lloyd Wright homes in Oak Park, but he also gets requests to make short customized trips.

Oak Park Village Clerk Sandra Sokol said the town has no ordinance governing pedicabs but requires the company to be insured and licensed as a solicitor. Routes are limited to Oak Park's downtown area and tourist sites, she said, adding that there have been no complaints about pedicabs.

In Joliet, Derek Brenczewski, owner of The Department restaurant, said he secured a license to operate pedicabs before he opened two months ago. He does not charge for the service and said he is the only operator in the city.

Naperville Councilmen Jim Boyajian and Richard Furstenau expressed concern at a recent council meeting that pedicabs could cause additional congestion or pose a safety risk. But Police Chief David Dial said he is unaware of any statistics that indicate pedicabs pose a safety hazard.

Their use also has the support of the Downtown Naperville Alliance. Executive Director Katie Wood said the group had initial worries that have been addressed.

"The key is that they are not being allowed on Washington Street and Chicago Avenue," the area's most congested streets, Wood said. "We were skeptical at first, but after hearing all the information, our management council concluded there was not strong enough reason to oppose the service and compelling reasons to try it.

"We think it might just be a good way to people to and from the parking decks."

Pedicabs: the new taxis?

2009-04-02T11:47:00.000-07:00

From Yale Daily News

Shahla Naimi
Contributing Reporter
Published Thursday, March 26, 2009
A mode of transportation characteristic of the Big Apple will find a home this summer in the Elm City: pedicabs.

Yale Cycling Team member Jongwook “Wookie” Kim ’09 plans to establish a pedicab business — tricycles fashioned into carriage-like cabs — in New Haven, an idea born from a class project last semester in which students were given a $50,000 hypothetical grant to establish a business within a mile of the Yale campus.

Tentatively named CaBike, Kim’s proposed business, established in partnership with a School of Management graduate and School of Medicine freshman, is still in its infancy. Kim, who entered the proposal in the 2009 Y50K Entrepreneurship Competition with its own $50,000 grand prize, is finalizing business plans and garnering city support.

“After a while,” Kim said, “I realized that [my business plan] could actually work as a social enterprise.”

Naturally, he said, he sought out Matthew Feiner, owner of The Devil’s Gear Bike Shop on Chapel Street.

“I’ve been encouraging people to take up the idea of pedicabs,” Feiner said. “We almost bought a pedicab last year and I’m glad we didn’t because that was just when the economy tipped and we had to close the downtown shop. But I’m always supportive of anyone who wants to do it.”

Hoping to avoid Metro Taxi’s $2.25 per mile charge in a faltering economy, Kim said he hoped New Haven residents may be looking for more affordable transportation. Pedicabs, Kim said, can be a good alternative. He added that he is considering a tip-based compensation model for CaBike.

“We aren’t trying to make lots of money,” Kim said. “We plan to use any profits towards the creation of a bicycle/health education program at Haven Free Clinic.”

But chances are they will not make a profit, said West Hartford resident and librarian Dave St. Germain, who established his own pedicab business, Tree Hugger Taxis, last year.

“It is funny to look at my business plan after a year has gone by,” Germain said in an e-mail. “My income projections were so far off base and what I expected to charge for a cab rental was also far from reality. It is very lucky that I did not quit my day job.”

But Kim said there are significant differences between his business model and Germain’s. CaBike, for instance, has established an agreement with Feiner giving them free storage and maintenance services.

In preparation for his business model, Kim said he did some anecdotal research in New York, taking pedicabs on several occasions.

“It seemed like it was being used as a sort of novelty,” he said. “So it’s a concern about whether or not people would take [one] on a regular basis.”

Kim said a preliminary survey he conducted of approximately 2,000 New Haven residents showed wide-reaching support for a pedicab business.

Less than a mile away, New Haven’s Union Station would be an ideal hub for such a business. And city officials agree.

“We should hopefully see the bike lane to and from union station by the end of this year,” said Jim Travers, deputy director of Transportation, Traffic and Parking for New Haven. “We are very interested in talking to [Kim].”

Kim, who will be meeting with Travers on April 7, said he hopes to jump-start his business before he graduates in May and leaves New Haven. Although he said he understands the difficulties of developing and maintaining a nascent business without his physical presence, he hopes his team and the wide community support will maintain the business.

According to the Washington State Energy Office, only 1.6 percent of Americans commute by bicycle.

Business Is ' Blume-ing'

2009-04-02T11:44:00.000-07:00

From flyernews.com

Student's Chicago-based Pedicab Now On Campus
Jennie Szink - News Editor
March 29, 2009
Like many students on St. Patrick's

Day, senior Brendan Blume was up all night splitting time between

Brown Street and the student

neighborhoods. But unlike anyone else, instead of walking it, he was flagging pedestrians down asking if they wanted to ride on the back of his bike.

As a co-owner of Blume Brothers

Pedicab, based in Chicago and less than a year old, Blume brought the pedicab to campus in March. He works Thursdays to Saturdays from 9 p.m. to 3 a.m., when he's not on duty as an RA in Stuart. It's just him and a 21-gear bicycle with a carriage-like seat attached.

"When (passengers) get on it they think they're kings of the world," Blume said. Entire parties

turn and cheer when they see his bike and passengers go by. "It's like chariots of fire."

Blume, 21, started the business

with his 24-year-old brother last summer because neither had a job. Instead of continuing their job search, they looked into buying

a pedicab bicycle, of which there are only about 50 in Chicago.

"It was a turning point in my life," Blume said. "We said, 'Let's do something new, something clean'."

They were attracted to the idea because it could fill transportation

needs in an environmentally friendly way. They also liked the idea of being their own boss.

"We started a snow shoveling business when we were young, we've always been entrepreneurs,"

Blume said. "We were both home schooled so we have the drive inside of us. We don't need to have a teacher telling us what to do."

On the suggestion of their father, also an entrepreneur, the brothers signed a notarized agreement about the business. They bought insurance and a bike with operating break lights and turn signals in the dark.

Their goal was to make the 81 home games for the Chicago Cubs and hit as many Chicago White Sox games as they could. Both being

water polo players and feeling fit, the Blumes weren't ready for what pulling around the weight of two or three people does to a person's body.

"The first week it was so hard because it is a strain on your body, no matter how in shape you are," Blume said. They decided not to stick to their original plan of riding every day.

The brothers did work enough to increase their business by three bikes and hired more riders

in Chicago. Their goal for this summer is to double their business.

Though they do not have set ride prices, it's usually never more than $10 for all riders combined.

They work when most students would be out with friends, like New Year's Eve, but Blume said as he pedals he forgets he's working.

"You won't look at it as a job. You're riding and you're having a conversation with the passengers."

While the partners do face some problems with the economy, like having difficulty obtaining loans, Blume said he brought the business to Dayton hoping to help students' economic troubles improve.

"With the state the economy is in, we want to create jobs," Blume said. "We can give students rides while creating jobs for them."

Blume will be riding around campus until next December, when he plans to graduate with an accounting degree. He's looking

for employees for the business so it can continue when he moves back to Chicago.

"I'm going to ride full-time until

I stop having fun, which won't happen."

Pedicab business launches in Salt Lake City

2009-04-02T11:41:00.000-07:00

From ABC 4 News

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah (ABC 4 News) – There’s a new cab service in town, but it’s probably not what you’d expect. Stick Dog Pedicab launched Friday afternoon and it offered free rides to anyone downtown.

The bicycle-cab service, started by Bret Cali, surprised many people, walking and driving alike, who stopped to take photos of the pedicabs with cameras and cell phones.

“It’s a lot of fun for a lot of people” said Tom Steed, one of the drivers.

Cali has hired eight drivers to run the free cabs in shifts so there are at least two running during the afternoon and evening. The rides are free, so the drivers work on tips alone. The pedicabs run around downtown mostly between restaurants and bars.

“I don’t expect to make a living out of it.” Steed said.

This isn’t the first time Salt Lake has seen pedicabs. There was a pedicab service in Salt Lake a few years ago but it stopped service after the owner cited insurance disputes with the city.

Pedicabs a "matter of liberty" Mayor Johnson

2009-04-02T11:38:00.000-07:00

From London Daily News

City Hall Desk

Mayor Johnson today faced the growing resentment and opposition of Assembly Members to pedicabs at City Hall questions session today, with calls to ban them from the roads of the capital. The Mayor in response to a question by Roger Evans and Brian Coleman responded by asking members to raise hands if they were for or against pedicabs in London; which was prevented to take place by Jenette Arnold the Chair of the London Assembly.

Mayor Johnson said on the issue of the pedicabs:

"I am a cyclist and believe in liberty that is why I am still undecided on the issue".

Brian Coleman then raised the concerns of his constituents in Covent Garden who find pedicabs a nuisance and annoyed at the unregulated nature in the way pedicabs operate.

The London Daily News is aware of legal action by black cab organisations that are being brought to courts to enforce the Hackney Carriage which in effect prohibits any vehicle plying for hire in London that is not a regulated black cab.

Indeed Westminster Council in 2008 attempted to rid motor operated pedicabs from the streets of the borough which were fixed with motors from the West End.

Westminster in a statement said:

"Many of the riders of the 'souped-up' pedicabs are also uninsured and frequently flout traffic laws by mounting kerbs and jumping traffic lights - as well as carrying more passengers than the pedicabs are designed for."

Cllr Danny Chalkley, cabinet member for environment and transport, said: "The sheer number of these deathtraps has left us with little choice other than to take firm action. At the moment what should be a fun visit to the West End could all too easily turn into a tragedy for innocent passengers, and I'm not prepared to stand by and wait for that to happen."

In a bid to rid the capital's streets of the unsafe pedicabs officials from the council, along with officers from City of Westminster Police and Traffic Unit, will set up a series of checkpoints in the heart of the West End and seize electrically assisted pedicabs and pedicabs flouting traffic legislation.

It is believed that up to 80 per cent of the 1,000 pedicabs in Westminster have been adapted to run on car batteries, often hidden under the passenger seat.

What has also angered black cab organisations is the proposal to have a designated pedicab bay which in effect will be a rank, and will mean pedicabs plying for hire.

Counting the driver, a pedicab is a bicycle built for three

2009-04-02T11:35:00.000-07:00

From Naperville Sun
March 11, 2009
People think of different things when they ponder Naperville.

Some form a mental image of the Riverwalk. Others the Carillon. Still others of the bustling downtown.

The mental image I've been carrying around with me for the last couple of days is of a police officer commandeering a pedicab to chase a bank robber who is fleeing in a pedicab.

"Pedicab driver, follow that pedicab," the cop might yell.

I have to admit I'm sorry I missed whatever discussion the City Council had about pedicabs for the downtown.

I'd never even heard of a pedicab until we got a letter to the editor from residents Abbie Jane and Tom Williams complaining that "pedicabs that hold all of two passengers that will clog the downtown streets."

When I ran the term "pedicab" through The Sun's computerized library system, I came up with an episode of "The Apprentice" from 2004 in which they featured a typical "Apprentice" assignment -- the contestants were supposed to run a rickshaw stand in Manhattan and find innovative ways to get people of ride the pedicabs.

For that is what a pedicab is, a modernized version of the Chinese rickshaw.

The modern-day ones have the front part of a bicycle pulling a small carriage that holds a couple of passengers.

Think of the times you've seen a dad on a bicycle pulling a carriage with a little kid in it, then double the passenger capacity, and you've pretty much got the concept.

Apparently they use them in Chicago, Joliet and Oak Park, among other cities.

As the Williamses put it, "Transportation is not needed downtown. The farthest anyone would ever have to work to cover the downtown is four blocks in any direction."

The point is well taken, but one can see a certainly utility for pedicabs for people who are unable to walk several blocks. That, after all, is the best reason to have valet parking at the restaurants.

Both valet parking and pedicabs are a convenience for those who don't want to walk a few blocks, but much more than that for people who physically can't walk a few blocks.

The council, which usually can be counted on to disagree over almost anything, unanimously approved the drafting of an ordinance to allow these last week, and since the impetus for pedicabs comes from the company that would run them, you can bet you should be seeing them on Naperville streets pretty soon.

Incidentally, these will only run spring through fall.

The city staff has done its usual thorough job of vetting these things, so I guess we can assume Naperville will have safe, comfortable pedicabs. World-class pedicabs friendly to children and all that.

Maybe the Last Fling can have pedicab races.

Still, when the inevitable happens, we'll get to read in The Sun "Two pedicabs collided yesterday at the intersection of ..."

Stamping out good business?

2009-04-02T11:29:00.000-07:00

By Brian X. McCrone

PHILADELPHIA. Unlike Philadelphia’s first and possibly last pedicab business, Chariots of Philly — which was shut down because of a lack of a city law governing the vehicles— pedicab drivers in New York City like Stan O’Connor are thriving.

And that’s without any currently enforced laws on the Big Apple's books allowing them to drive tourists and other commuters in their bicycle-drawn “rickshaws.”

“It’s a shame that Philly demands that businesses without regulation must not be opened,” O’Connor said. “It would seem that new technologies would be stymied by that.”

Chariots of Philly, originally owned and operated in Manayunk by brothers Ben and Tom Dambman, was shut down in 2007 after four years of business by the Department of Licenses and Inspections. L&I’s business compliance unit said in a letter that anyone seeking “to operate on the streets of the City of Philadelphia as a passenger carrier must first obtain authorization from City Council.”

The department even went a step further in determining that Ben Dambman's Pechin Street garage, where he housed his two pedicabs, was in violation of city code.

“There is an absence of authorization for this type of business,” city spokeswoman Maura Kennedy said recently. “The city controls right-of-way which is streets and sidewalks.”

That is also true in New York City, according to Manhattan Rickshaw Co. owner Peter Meitzler, but added that pedicabs have flourished through a lack of any specific regulation.

He said insured pedicab companies are trying to get a law passed to prohibit
uninsured, dangerous pedicabs. Until then, anybody with a pedicab can operate in the five boroughs.

“I think the foundation of our republic is that: If a thing isn’t explicitly illegal, shouldn’t it be legal?” Meitzler said.

Owners closer to driving here

PHILADELPHIA. As some ambitious entrepreneurs have done in other cities during the past decade, Ben Dambman crafted his own legislation and personally handed it to every Philadelphia City Council member over the past two years.

One industry expert said pedicabs don't usually spur an incredible amount of interest at City Halls around the country.

"You have to bring a comprehensive plan to City Council so they don’t have to do anything," Greg Duran of Colorado-based Big Treet Pedicab Management said in a recent interview, adding that San Diego and Phoenix are also contemplating pedicab legislation.

Dambman has apparently done enough work on his proposed bill. Councilman Curtis Jones, who represents Manayunk, said he is very interested in pedicabs.

"They could fit well since they wouldn't affect the carbon footprint and would create jobs," Jones said in a recent interview.

Legislation may be introduced next month that could create a law allowing pedicabs by summer, according to one official involved with the proposal.

Timberland Announces Sponsorship of Green Apple Festival

2009-03-13T13:00:00.000-07:00

Partnership with "America's Largest Earth Day Action" to Encourage Volunteerism and Community Service

STRATHAM, N.H., March 13 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Timberland today announced that it is a presenting sponsor of the nationwide Green Apple Festival and Earth Day Network events over Earth Day Weekend, April 17 to 19. The simultaneous national series of volunteer activities will be coordinated in ten U.S. cities, including New York, Boston, Washington DC, Atlanta, Chicago, Denver, Austin, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Seattle.

The weekend of activity and service will culminate on Sunday, April 19 with free nighttime "Thank You Concerts" for volunteers at popular music venues in each participating city. In Washington DC, "Earth Day on the National Mall" will be a free Festival, open to volunteers and the public that will feature performances and speakers throughout the day.

To encourage the use of alternative transportation in Washington DC, Timberland will also sponsor free pedicab rides around the National Mall area before, during and after Earth Day Weekend. Timberland-branded pedicabs will be free to Green Apple volunteers, tourists and pedestrians April 15 to 21. Timberland will also sponsor the Timberland Bike Valet at the National Mall on April 19, which will allow Festivalgoers and Green Apple volunteers to safely park their bicycles in a secure area. Bike riders will receive a complimentary tune-up while they enjoy the afternoon's live music and activities.

"Timberland encourages everyone to take this opportunity to make a difference on Earth Day, and every day," said Theresa Palermo, Timberland's Senior Director of U.S. Marketing. "We have always strived to be a part of the communities in which we work and do business, and we're proud to partner with Green Apple Festival and Earth Day Network, two organizations that have the same appreciation for their neighbors and the environment."

In concert with its Green Apple Festival activities, Timberland will be launching an interactive "Earthkeeper Contest" on March 30 at www.timberland.com/greenapple. Participants will be asked to submit online entries about their efforts to promote environmental sustainability, and two winners will receive an all-expenses paid trip and guided "eco-tour" through the forests of Darwin, Australia. Please go to www.timberland.com/greenapple on March 30 for a complete copy of the contest rules.

Timberland's sponsorship of Green Apple Festival is one example in a long history of environmental stewardship, both in its business operations as well as in the design of its products. Over more than 20 years Timberland employees around the world have used more than 300,000 hours of Path of Service(TM) time to take care of the environment through individual efforts or through global service events like Earth Day or Serv-a-palooza. The company has also developed an industry-leading product labeling initiative using a Nutritional Label and Green Index(TM) rating to help promote transparency for consumers about the environmental impact of the product they're buying. In 2008, Timberland launched its online Earthkeeper Network (www.earthkeeper.com), using social media to engage like-minded consumers in discussion and action related to preserving the environment. At the store level, all new Timberland(R) retail stores are built with the environment in mind, using recycled or reclaimed materials throughout; paints without harmful VOCs; and other environmentally-conscious solutions.

About Timberland

Timberland (NYSE: TBL) is a global leader in the design, engineering and marketing of premium-quality footwear, apparel and accessories for consumers who value the outdoors and their time in it. Timberland markets products under the Timberland(R), Timberland PRO(R), SmartWool(R), Timberland Boot Company(TM), Howies(R) and IPATH(R) brands, all of which offer quality workmanship and detailing and are built to withstand the elements of nature. The company's products can be found in leading department and specialty stores as well as Timberland(R) retail stores throughout North America, Europe, Asia, Latin America, Africa and the Middle East. Timberland's dedication to making quality products is matched by the company's commitment to "doing well and doing good" -- forging powerful partnerships among employees, consumers and service partners to transform the communities in which they live and work. To learn more about Timberland, please visit www.timberland.com.

About Green Apple Festival

Now in its fourth year, the Green Apple Festival began in New York City as an environmental and music event and has grown to become the country's largest coordinated and interactive Festival dedicated to observing and preserving the environment. From its origins in 2006 as a New York City event, through last year's expansion to eight cities with an overall attendance of 200,000, organizers now will present an impactful series of community projects in ten cities to unite individuals, families and civic leaders in making greener life choices and stemming the tide of climate change. Green Apple Festival was founded by executive producer Peter Shapiro and Zenbu Media, a music media company. Since 2007, Green Apple Festival has worked closely in partnership with Earth Day Network. Visit www.earthday.net and www.greenapplefestival.com.

SOURCE Timberland

Bicycle licensing short-sighted and discriminatory: Part II

2009-03-13T12:58:00.000-07:00

By Meredith Sladek
NY Bicycle Transportation Examiner

This is a two-part article analyzing the necessity--or rather, lack thereof--for bicycle licensing in New York City.

Part I can be found here.

“#4 – Law enforcement officials adopt a formal initiative to write tickets to cyclists as aggressively as motor vehicles.”

Maybe the reason they've never been seen getting a ticket in Seattle is because they don't get pulled over for speeding. However, I can personally vouch for getting a ticket for running a red light this past October. I went to court in January and it was overturned.

Cyclists should be ticketed when they directly pose a threat to others' safety. Running red lights at minor intersections or crosswalks when there are no cars approaching does not pose a threat to anyone's safety. Cutting off cars that have the right of way does. Two concrete instances are when they bikes ride on the sidewalk, especially for an extended period, and when they go against the flow of traffic. Sidewalks are for the safety of pedestrians, and unless road conditions make it impossible for a cyclist to be on the road, bikes need to be in the street with the other vehicles. Going against the flow of traffic when not on the shoulder of the road or in a bike lane is most dangerous to both the cyclist and oncoming traffic; it hurts a lot less to be sideswiped than to be in a head-on collision. I also mention these two because cars are most certainly not allowed on the sidewalks or to travel the wrong way either. Bicyclists are not Hell's Angels with a death wish. We are commuters and workers, trying to get from point A to point B.

Cyclists may “get off the hook” not because they lack accountability, but because it's more prudent to reprimand dangerous drivers first, whose irresponsible actions pose an immediate and potentially devastating effect on others, as opposed to reckless cyclists, who will only hurt themselves. Which, I might add, is excellent motivation for bikers to cultivate good judgment about safety and self-preservation. The system works; it is merely prioritizing.

“#5 – And, of course, mandatory liability insurance requirements for bicyclists.”

Aww, poor Chevy...that horrid bike scuffed the bumper. Too bad for the bike—it's now folded in two. Guess that poor two-wheeled sap will have to pony up to get your bumper buffed. Let's hope he can spare the cash after his medical bills.

Cycles bear the burden of damage when collisions occur. Not only would liability insurance be a costly burden, it would also be largely unnecessary. Considering the humble income of most New York City messengers and pedicab operators, none of them are going to afford any kind of insurance. Neither can I, for that matter. I got a bike so I didn't have to pay car insurance. I'm saving a ton of money and I've never damaged a car. For those drivers who are complaining about bills right now, I suggest you try it.

For that matter, why shouldn't cyclists get a break on tabs and fees? Why shouldn't there be a monetary incentive to ride? When cars guzzle up nonrenewable resources and rip holes in the ozone layer and create a smog-filled environment, why not reward those who travel with zero carbon output and look after their health and well-being with regular exercise? It's the same argument that many use for the cigarette tax, which is undoubtedly in place.

* * *

I think my major argument to this question is if licensing cyclists is really going to earn riders the respect and consideration they ask from drivers. I don't think it will. By the arguments presented and the tone set by Mr. Myrick, it seems as though many drivers aren't after equality; they want to be unburdened. Many express concern about cyclists' safety, but at the same time neglect to look at their own behavior while operating a motor vehicle.

As the number of bicyclists increases at the rate it has been, it means people are choosing them over cars, which will feasibly lead to fewer accidents, not more. The notion that “in order to be taken seriously, to be treated as equals on the road, bicyclists’ street cred will be earned by strapping on the same yoke their fellow commuters don to enjoy the privilege of traveling on public roads” is insulting and patronizing. I would love to see Mr. Myrick ride even five miles to work every day—hell, two—for a year, or a month, or even a week, and have to deal with reckless drivers, jaywalking pedestrians buried in their Blackberrys, bridges, bumps, gravel, below-freezing temperatures, 30 mph wind, sunrises, light rain, catcalls, sunsets, grimy faces, and sweaty t-shirts, and then tell us in full earnest that we need to earn our street cred. We all must follow the rules and look out for each other while we share--yes, share--the road.

Counting the driver, a pedicab is a bicycle built for three

2009-03-13T12:55:00.000-07:00

From Naperville Sun

People think of different things when they ponder Naperville.

Some form a mental image of the Riverwalk. Others the Carillon. Still others of the bustling downtown.

The mental image I've been carrying around with me for the last couple of days is of a police officer commandeering a pedicab to chase a bank robber who is fleeing in a pedicab.

"Pedicab driver, follow that pedicab," the cop might yell.

I have to admit I'm sorry I missed whatever discussion the City Council had about pedicabs for the downtown.

I'd never even heard of a pedicab until we got a letter to the editor from residents Abbie Jane and Tom Williams complaining that "pedicabs that hold all of two passengers that will clog the downtown streets."

When I ran the term "pedicab" through The Sun's computerized library system, I came up with an episode of "The Apprentice" from 2004 in which they featured a typical "Apprentice" assignment -- the contestants were supposed to run a rickshaw stand in Manhattan and find innovative ways to get people of ride the pedicabs.

For that is what a pedicab is, a modernized version of the Chinese rickshaw.

The modern-day ones have the front part of a bicycle pulling a small carriage that holds a couple of passengers.

Think of the times you've seen a dad on a bicycle pulling a carriage with a little kid in it, then double the passenger capacity, and you've pretty much got the concept.

Apparently they use them in Chicago, Joliet and Oak Park, among other cities.

As the Williamses put it, "Transportation is not needed downtown. The farthest anyone would ever have to work to cover the downtown is four blocks in any direction."

The point is well taken, but one can see a certainly utility for pedicabs for people who are unable to walk several blocks. That, after all, is the best reason to have valet parking at the restaurants.

Both valet parking and pedicabs are a convenience for those who don't want to walk a few blocks, but much more than that for people who physically can't walk a few blocks.

The council, which usually can be counted on to disagree over almost anything, unanimously approved the drafting of an ordinance to allow these last week, and since the impetus for pedicabs comes from the company that would run them, you can bet you should be seeing them on Naperville streets pretty soon.

Incidentally, these will only run spring through fall.

The city staff has done its usual thorough job of vetting these things, so I guess we can assume Naperville will have safe, comfortable pedicabs. World-class pedicabs friendly to children and all that.

Maybe the Last Fling can have pedicab races.

Still, when the inevitable happens, we'll get to read in The Sun "Two pedicabs collided yesterday at the intersection of ..."

Editorial: Bike-powered cabs idea worth peddling; If notion gets investors, we'll take a ride

2009-03-08T20:31:00.000-07:00

by The Ann Arbor News
Monday February 09, 2009, 2:01 PM

Bicycle-powered taxicabs cruising around downtown Ann Arbor. Crazy idea? Or cool?

Put us down as thinking: cool.

It's a long way from happening. But local resident Barbara Annis wants to bring the idea, called pedicabs, to Ann Arbor. If and when she does, we want to go for a ride.

Annis is seeking funding and a partner for the venture. Under her vision, trips would be free; the service would be funded by sponsors and advertising.

There are plenty of logistics to be worked out, including whether it would work in winter. Our guess: probably not. But it's not a far-fetched concept; pedicabs are already in use in New York and elsewhere.

As Ann Arbor continues to investigate and invest in alternative transportation, private citizens with vision, like Annis, can certainly contribute to the goal. Pedicabs just might have a place in our future.

We hope they do.

Feature: London Pedicabs pedal for promoters

2009-03-07T23:07:00.000-08:00

By Sales Promotion

Public relations agency Virgo Health PR was looking for innovative and relevant ways to support Reckitt Benckiser’s campaign to launch the new Nurofen Express last year. The key message of this campaign, which included £10 million of TV advertising, was that the new painkillers targeted pain twice as fast as standard Nurofen tablets.

The PR agency turned to London Pedicabs, the outdoor marketing services company with a fleet of bicycle-drawn vehicles. As part of a week-long “Fast Lane Frenzy” tour, a fleet of branded pedicabs were taken across the country providing free rides to get people to their destinations “twice as fast”. Starting with three days in London, it subsequently took to the streets of Birmingham, Manchester and Hull.

The agency’s director Lisa Rodwell says: “Virgo Health PR was tasked with delivering a campaign that would guarantee 360 degree noise around the launch of Nurofen Express. A crucial part of this was creating a memorable experience for consumers that would reinforce the brand proposition. London Pedicabs helped bring this to life with a highly visible campaign that ensured we really became the talk of the town.”

Three pedicabs can still be seen around the streets of London to promote the ISP Awards 2008, which are being announced at a ceremony at the InterContinental Hotel Park Lane, London, on May 22. Liveried with the Awards creative work, the bicycle-powered cabs also hand-delivered the Call for Entries brochure to agencies in London in January.

London Pedicabs has helped to promote brands such as Tesco, Vodafone, O2, Volvo, Nurofen and Eon. It was established three years ago by Graeme Rivett as a specialist Outdoor Marketing Services company after he had been working with the bicycle-drawn vehicles as a promotional medium for five years.

Anthony Robertson, sales director at London Pedicabs, says: “The London Pedicabs media and promotional offering adds a new dimension to standard outdoor media. It engages with consumers, delivering the brand in a completely experiential way.”

With the increasing emphasis on carbon emissions caused by marketing, Robertson adds that pedicabs are a “truly green medium. By running a transport service with zero emissions, we are committed to the improvement of the environment particularly in city and town centres.”

More case studies and information at www.londonpedicabs.com.

Council looks favorably on pedicab plan

2009-03-05T19:52:00.000-08:00

By KATHY CICHON kcichon@scn1.com

Downtown Naperville visitors could soon add pedicabs to their list of transportation options.

The City Council gave preliminary approval to allow the operation of a pedicab service in the downtown area. With a unanimous vote Tuesday, the council directed staff to draft an ordinance allowing one company to operate up to three pedicabs for a one-year trial period.

"Pedicabs will provide a unique and environmentally friendly method of transportation in and around the downtown Naperville area, encouraging downtown patrons to the parking garages and remote parking areas, possibly making one small step in reducing the parking congestion in downtown Naperville," said Naperville resident Brett Dingeldein, owner of GreenStreet Pedicabs.

A pedicab is a bicycle-propelled two-seat passenger taxi which travels between 12 to 15 mph, Dingeldein said. Pedicabs are currently operated in several cities, including Joliet and Oak Park. Dingeldein's proposal calls for the service to begin in April and continue through November or early December. The cabs would travel around downtown and to the train station. They would not be allowed on Washington Street and Chicago and Aurora avenues.

Some councilmen expressed safety and traffic concerns. Among them was Councilman Jim Boyajian, who called the idea intriguing but said he is "worried about some of the effects on a very tight and cramped downtown."

Others though said pedicabs would bring customers to merchants and add to the atmosphere downtown.

"I think it's something that would add a different character here. I think it would be pedestrian friendly as well as helping as a calming device for traffic," Councilman Doug Krause said.

Bike-powered pedicabs get a green light in Naperville

2009-03-05T19:51:00.000-08:00

By Melissa Jenco | Daily Herald Staff

Several entrepreneurs are looking to bring new businesses to downtown Naperville.

The city council gave preliminary approval Tuesday to a pedicab service and is also considering a proposal for a hot dog vendor.

GreenStreet Pedicabs would like to run a bicycle-propelled taxi service in the downtown area including the train station.

"Pedicabs will provide a unique and environmentally friendly method of transportation," said spokesman Brett Dingledein.

The pedicabs would run from April through early December, weather permitting. Proposed rates are $5 from the train station to downtown, $7 from the train station to Naper Settlement and $1 per block around downtown.

The cabs hold two passengers and typically travel about 12 to 15 miles per hour, Dingledein said. They would pick up passengers at designated locations as well as respond to phone calls for service.

Some councilmen expressed concern about the cabs tying up traffic in the already busy downtown as well as safety issues.

"It's an intriguing idea and adds really neat features but I am worried about some of the effects on the very cramped and tight downtown as it is," Councilman James Boyajian said.

Dingledein said the cabs would stay out of traffic lanes when loading and unloading. In addition, city staff discussed the cabs with other communities that have the service and found that crashes are rare.

The council unanimously agreed to give the pedicabs a one year trial run with a maximum of three cabs.

City staff will work out the details of the ordinance to minimize safety and traffic concerns. For instance, cabs will likely have restrictions on where they can run and may be barred from some of the busier roads. Staff will bring the final ordinance back to the council for approval.

Another venture proposed Tuesday is for hot dog carts in the downtown area.

"I think a well-operated hot dog (cart) would bring an old time feel to the downtown area and everyone I talk to loves a great hot dog," said petitioner Joe Hornbaker.

Councilmen tabled consideration for a month for more research and input.

ESCONDIDO: Tour of Traffic

2009-02-22T22:18:00.000-08:00

By GARY WARTH - nctimes.com

Cycling fans directed to lots to avoid jams

NORTH COUNTY --- With more than 40,000 fans expected to watch the final stage of the Tour of California in North County on Sunday, motorists are being asked to take shuttles, ride their own bicycles and park in assigned lots to avoid traffic jams.

Even during the rain-soaked first stages of the race that began Feb. 14 in Sacramento, thousands of race fans braved wet weather to watch some of the world's top cyclists ride through their towns. With the National Weather Service predicting a partly cloudy day with highs in the 70s on the tour's final day, local organizers are bracing for large crowds of cars and pedestrians along North County's normally quiet Sunday streets.

More on the Amgen Tour of California

Unlike in other stages throughout the state where the start and finish lines were as far as 100 miles apart, the start and finish lines in the 96.8-mile final leg looping around North County are separated by only about seven miles.

Many fans are expected to try to catch both ends of the race ---- watching the racers take off from the starting line at Bernardo Center Drive between Lomica Drive and Bernardo Plaza Court in Rancho before catching the finish at Broadway and Grand Avenue in Escondido.

To avoid a sudden mass northern migration, motorists are advised to park in one of three locations that offer free shuttles to the start and finish lines. From 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., shuttles will run to the Rancho Bernardo starting line from Westfield Mall in Escondido, San Pasqual High School at 3300 Bear Valley Parkway and National University at 16875 W. Bernardo Drive. Shuttles to the Escondido finish line will run from 12:30 to 6 p.m. from those same sites.

Parking near the starting line is available at The Plaza in Rancho Bernardo, but motorists must enter through the Lomica Drive entrance because of road closures. From Interstate 15, take Bernardo Center Drive east and turn right at Lomica Drive.

Parking for people with disabilities will be at the Bank of America parking lot, 16849 Bernardo Center Drive. For more information, call (858) 487-1767.

Parking near the race route in Escondido can be found at Escondido High School at 1535 N. Broadway, Conway Elementary School at 1325 Conway Drive, and Orange Glen Elementary School at 2861 East Valley Parkway.

Pop's Pedicab of Ramona will take fans in Escondido to the finish line for a fare of $5 to $10 a person, depending on distance, and Bike Bling bike shop of Escondido will operate a bike valet service from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. For $3, cyclists can drop off their bikes at 224 E. Grand Ave., where a valet will take it to a secured location until the owner returns with a ticket to retrieve it.

In Valley Center, where spectators will converge at Cole Grade Road and Lake Wohlford Road to watch the race, parking will be available at Valley Center High at 31322 Cole Grade Road, Valley Center Middle School at 28102 N. Lake Wohlford Road, Valley Center Elementary School at 28751 Cole Grade road, Valley Center Primary School at 14249 Fruitvale Road, and at 29919 Valley Center Road.

Motorists can park along South Grade Road and East Grade Road to watch the racers ride up and down Palomar Mountain, but they better arrive early. Sgt. Lew Hill of the California Highway Patrol said people were expected to begin parking recreational vehicles on South Grade Road on Friday night to stake out the best spot to see the uphill ride.

Because of such early arrivals, South Grade Road will be closed to vehicular traffic by 9 a.m. until about 3 p.m. Sunday.

Contact staff writer Gary Warth at (760) 740-5410 or gwarth@nctimes.com.

Student's pedicab service helps Northgaters get around conveniently

2009-02-19T19:01:00.000-08:00

Lending a ride
By: Clair Lavender

If you've been to Northgate lately, you may have noticed a new set of wheels on the street. For the ladies that regret wearing heels, the weary that had one too many or simply the easily entertained, this new luxury will thrill you.

EZ Rider Pedicabs is a new business in the Bryan/ College Station area owned and operated by senior industrial distribution major Holland Lawrence.

The "pedicab" is a bicycle pulling a rickshaw, or a three-seat bench on wheels.

Every Thursday, Friday and Saturday night, from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 a.m., Ags are given the option of jumping into a pedicab and getting a ride to their car or nearby home. Though a typical ride is within a three to five block radius of Northgate, Lawrence hits the usual hotspots down Old College, University, Wellborn and sometimes into Bryan.

For a direct pick up, Lawrence tends to begin behind Aggieland Bookstore, the Fitzwilly's parking lot and the St. Mary's Catholic Church parking lot.

After doing some research, Lawrence made the decision to take donations as a method of payment.

"In big cities, the rates are high, but as a college student myself, I thought about what I would pay and the best conclusion I came to was donations," said Lawrence.

Rachel Hood, a senior industrial distribution major and friend of Lawrence, said she found out about the business this semester but was eager to catch a ride.

"Holland is very easy going, easy to get along with and definitely my saving grace the other night," said Hood.

On Lawrence's third weekend out riding, Hood found the pedicab when she needed it most.

"The ride was wonderful. I was wearing heels all day so my feet were done by the end of night," said Hood.

Taking the cab to Lot 77 facing Wellborn, Hood and two friends took pictures and video as they rode around Northgate.

"When we were riding everyone was looking at us and we were waving at everyone. It was really fun just getting a ride to the car," said Hood.

Since her night of fame, Hood has spread the word about the cabs and thinks the business will do well.

"It's nice and easy, he meets you right out of Northgate and takes you right to your car. I don't think he could have come up with a better idea," said Hood.

To Lawrence's surprise, he hasn't received any negative feedback on the business yet.

The idea came to Lawrence in October 2008 when he saw the pedicab business in Austin and spoke with one of the "cabbies" or riders. Lawrence said the more he thought about it, the more it sounded like a great addition to Aggieland.

"It provides an eco-friendly mode of transportation and eliminates Aggies' use of vehicles," said Lawrence.

The first person he called was his older brother Whitney Lawrence who graduated from the University of Texas and now works as a transportation engineer in Oakland, Ca.

"I was totally behind it," said Whitney, "I thought it was such a good idea and Holland's got the heart of an entrepreneur, it's not hard to tell."

As it turned out, older brother Whitney ended up helping in more ways than moral support. The cabs that Lawrence wanted to purchase from Craig's list were located in California.

"I was there to help him with advice, running ideas, looking at the merchandise and organizing the transportation of the stuff back to Texas," said Whitney.

When the bikes arrived in November, the idea became a reality as Lawrence began working 12 hours a day to get the bikes ready by January.

"I had to assemble the cabs, find out the local laws and regulations, register the bikes and become a certified taxi cab driver," said Lawrence.

Lawrence said he is thankful for the support his family has provided throughout the production of EZ Rider Pedicabs.

"I think I would have given up a long time ago if it wasn't for the support of my family and friends," said Lawrence.

Holland's father, Whitney Lawrence, owns a business in San Antonio, which came in handy as the pedicab business began to take action.

"My dad tells me like it is," said Lawrence. "He has helped me with insurance, starting the right business, getting the right titles and registrations; things I wouldn't have otherwise known to do."

Though the pedicabs are still a surprise to many of the faces on Northgate, Lawrence hopes the business will grow in riders and passengers and continue for many years to come.

"I think once it's going, it'll be a big hit and in high demand," said Lawrence.

Bike taxis could come to Ann Arbor

2009-02-17T22:06:00.000-08:00

Bike taxis could come to Ann Arbor
By Lara Zade
Daily Staff Reporter On February 17th, 2009

Imagine a city that provides cabs with three wheels, no doors and two pedals for its busy commuters. Ann Arbor may be that city in the near future.

Barbara Annis, a resident of Ann Arbor’s old west side, is looking to garner support to have a pedicab business open in Ann Arbor.

Pedicabs, also known as bike taxis or rickshaws, are pedaled vehicles that transport people from one place to another.

Annis first rode a pedicab when she was abroad in Asia.

“It must have planted a seed,” she said.

Pedicabs have become an international phenomenon and have become popular in cities like New York, Boston and San Diego.

Annis said she came up with the idea to bring pedicabs to Ann Arbor after she heard about a grant proposal from the Ann Arbor Community Foundation.

“It’s just a cool idea, said Annis. “It connects with the bigger idea of non-motorized transportation, and that’s something the city has been working on for quite a long time.”

Annis said she thought pedicabs in Ann Arbor would cater to city walkers traveling short distances or to those who have their hands tied up from children or grocery bags.

The cost per fully equipped cab, including turn signals and seat belts, is $3,500 to $4,000. Other costs include maintenance, storage and insurance, which Annis has not yet estimated.

Her plan is to bring a fleet of 10 pedicabs to Ann Arbor and adjust that number after gauging popularity.

Though pedicabs operate the same way as taxicabs and are primarily owned by private companies, Annis said she would like to see Ann Arbor employ free pedicab service. That would require the city to manage the cabs and be funded by sponsorships.

The deadline for the last Ann Arbor Community Foundation grant proposal has already passed, but Annis said she’s still looking for a sponsor.

Pete Hines, chair of the Washtenaw Bicycling and Walking Coalition, said that his group is in full support of having pedicabs as an alternative source of transportation in Ann Arbor. He added, however, that as a nonprofit organization, it wouldn’t be able to offer a sponsorship.

Annis also spoke with Nancy Shore, the director of Ann Arbor’s getDowntown — a program that focuses on finding sustainable transportation options for the city’s commuting employees — about the practicality of bringing pedicabs to the city.

Shore liked the idea, but didn’t think it was feasible for such a form of transportation due to winter weather conditions and a small population density.

“I’m very supportive of all types of alternative transportation, but I’m just weary of some issues regarding our density here,” Shore said. “Right now I don’t think that pedicabs will work in Ann Arbor.”

However, other Michigan cities — including Grand Rapids and Detroit — have joined the trend.

Darin Galinis, owner and operator of Elite Pedicabs, became the first pedicab operator in Michigan when he opened his business with co-owner Randy McCullough in Lansing in 2007.

Shortly after opening in Lansing, Galinis moved his business to Grand Rapids so that he could be closer to his family.

Currently Galinis operates four pedicabs in Grand Rapids, but is looking to at least double that number and expand to other cities, including Ann Arbor.

“We’d love to have our business in Ann Arbor,” he said. “It could be in there in a matter of weeks.”

Although Shore had concerns about Ann Arbor’s low population density as a potential issue for supporting a pedicab service, Galinis said that the city's size is not a major problem.

“If there’s one thing I can say, as long as you have any sort of night life, size doesn’t matter, you can have pedicabs there,” he said. “It’s just how many bikes you allow.”

But even with the most expensive ride settling at $5, a lack of customers forced Galinis to cut operation in Grand Rapids from seven days a week to Wednesday through Saturday from 8 p.m. to 2 a.m.

“At first it was our intention to go every day of the week but we found out that it was harder to get started during the day than during the night,” he said. The nightlife is more accepting of it.”

In addition, Galinis acknowledged the fact that weather during the winter months can make for uncomfortable conditions outside, but that business is just about as busy now as it is during summer months.

“The one thing that definitely stops us is the wind,” he said. “It’s just unsafe.”

Even last Friday — when temperatures were near 22 degrees — Galinis said he made as much money as he would have on an average summer night with perfect weather.

And in regards to competition with taxi cabs, Galinis said he knows it’s there, but thinks that time will mend any ill feelings after cab drivers realize that it’s a give-and-take relationship.

Although the pedicabs business takes away some shorter rides from taxicabs, Galinis said he also refers longer distance rides to cab drivers.

“I think it just needs time,” said Galinis.

Pedicabs focus letter: Pedicabs would be useful if used enough

2009-02-17T22:02:00.000-08:00

by Bill Marshall | Clinton
Tuesday February 17, 2009, 1:09 PM

I read with excited interest the pedicab articles of Feb. 9 and hope such a program works. I can't help but imagine, though, the frustration of some motorists who would likely find sharing the downtown streets troublesome, and view the pedicabs as impeding their speedy travel if they were not able to easily pass them. From videos I have searched for on the Internet, the pedicabs seem to move much slower than the motorized traffic. Heck, toss in a downtown traffic circle with pedicabs and I bet there would be no end to opinion page write-ins! I think pedicabs would serve a purpose in direct relation to their numbers; the more pedicabs there were, the more likely they would be accepted. The trick to this thing ultimately would be if the vast amount of people in the area affected would use them.

If that is accomplished, then pedicabs could work their magic.
Perhaps coupled with a Yellow Bike program (www.austinyellowbike.org/about_ybp.htm has links to other such YBPs) the pedicabs would make Ann Arbor even more of a bike-friendly city. Such a coupled program I personally would most certainly approve of and actively support, whatever city it was set up in.

I feel such ideas should be explored and wish Barbara Annis the very best in this matter!

Pedicab proposal Bike-powered taxis seen as viable

2009-02-15T15:53:00.000-08:00

Sunday, February 15, 2009
BY DAVE GERSHMAN
The Ann Arbor News
Imagine a fleet of bicycle-powered taxis, ready to be hailed on the street at a moment's notice to carry people throughout downtown Ann Arbor.

It's an interesting idea - although still just an idea right now - put forward by Barbara Annis, a resident of the Old West Side.

To make it happen, she'll need money; she's working on a grant proposal, and she needs a community organization as a partner. She sees the bicycle-powered taxis, called pedicabs, operating as a nonprofit in a joint venture with an already established organization.

Those are big hurdles, but being able to ride in a bicycle-powered taxi, doesn't seem so farfetched in a city that prides itself on being bicycle friendly and environmentally conscious. And the concept is sparking some conversation.

"My idea is that the rides would be free and that the cabs would be supported through advertising and sponsorships,'' said Annis, a semi-retired freelance writer.

Who would use the pedicabs? Lots of people, she says. The downtown is walkable, but sometimes the feet aren't willing. Annis cites her own experience: When she walks to the Ann Arbor Farmers Market, she frequently buys too much to lug it all home on foot.

Cities like New York and Grand Rapids have pedicabs, but Ann Arbor isn't as densely populated as those cities. And Ann Arbor's colder and often icier streets could be impediments during winter, said Nancy Shore, director of the getDowntown program in Ann Arbor, which encourages alternative forms of transportation.

Pedicabs, which usually seat two people, also offer only limited protection from the elements. But, Shore said, Annis has identified what's lacking in the city's transportation fabric - a public service people can use without timing their trips to a bus schedule. At least during the warmer months, Shore said, "I don't see why it can't be an option.''

The pedicab vehicles cost about $3,500 to $4,000. There's also the costs of insurance and maintenance, and wages for employees - presumably many college-aged people who might like to pedal the pedicabs.

With 21 low gears, pedicabs are easy to pedal, said Annis, who thinks the downtown could support a fleet of 10.

"We think it's a really cool idea,'' said Pete Hines, chairman of the advocacy group Washtenaw Bicycling and Walking Coalition. "It would raise (cycling) visibility and awareness.''

Pedicabs faster, safer, sustainable transit

2009-02-13T10:46:00.000-08:00

by Meredith Sladek, NY Bicycle Transportation Examiner

The next time you think about hailing a yellow cab, consider riding a pedicab instead.

Pedicabs, also known as cycle rickshaws or bicycle taxis depending on the design, are a means for transporting both passengers and cargo. They have one wheel in front and a carriage in the back supported by two other wheels. They are human-powered and the entire unit can weigh up to 200 lbs. They can also carry up to 800.

They're not just for tourists wanting a spin through Central Park. Pedicab operators have an in-depth knowledge of the city streets, knowing both shortcuts and the nearest dollar slice. They can be found cruising for fares both day and night, or are reachable by a phone call. They're safer than motorized cabs, due to the pedicab driver's greater visibility and easier maneuverability. They're slimmer, taking up less space and easing congestion. They have been used anywhere from transporting delegates in Denver during the 2008 Democratic National Convention to rounding up food for the homeless with City Harvest.

Besides being affordable (some cabs have a price list; others charge on a sliding scale; still others work for tips) and completely carbon-emission-free, pedicabs can also get passengers to their destinations more quickly, it turns out, than their motorized cousins:

Riding in one can whisk passengers through the pulsing heart of Manhattan while giving the most working-class of citizens a feeling of aristocracy. And, unlike many cabbies, pedicab cyclists actually enjoy their jobs.

Pedal power: Ann Arbor resident is making a push for bicycle taxis downtown

2009-02-09T11:35:00.000-08:00

by Dave Gershman | The Ann Arbor News
Monday February 09, 2009, 7:48 AM

Imagine a fleet of bicycle-powered taxis, ready to be hailed on the street at a moment's notice to ferry people across downtown Ann Arbor.
It's an interesting idea - though still just an idea right now - put forward by Barbara Annis, a resident of the city's Old West Side.

To make it happen, she'll need money, so she's working on a grant proposal, and she needs a community organization as a partner. She sees the bicycle-powered taxis, called pedicabs, operating as a nonprofit organization in a joint venture with an already-established organization.

Those are big hurdles, but being able to ride in a bicycle-powered taxi, or pedicab, doesn't seem so farfetched in a city that prides itself on being bicycle friendly and environmentally conscious. And the concept is sparking some conversation.

"My idea is that the rides would be free and that the cabs would be supported through advertising and sponsorships," said Annis, a semi-retired freelance writer.

Who would use the pedicabs? Lots of people, she says. The downtown is walkable, but sometimes the feet aren't willing. Annis cites her own experience: When she walks to the Ann Arbor Farmers Market, she frequently buys too much to lug it all home on foot.

Cities like New York and Grand Rapids have pedicabs, but Ann Arbor isn't as densely populated as a city like New York. And Ann Arbor's colder and often icier streets could be a drag during the winter, said Nancy Shore, director of Ann Arbor's getDowntown Program, which encourages alternate forms of transportation.

Pedicabs, usually seating two people, generally offer only limited protection from the elements.

But, Shore said, Annis has identified what's lacking in the city's transportation fabric - a public service people can use without timing their trips to a bus schedule. At least during the warmer months, Shore said, "I don't see why it can't be an option."

The pedicab vehicles cost about $3,500 to $4,000. There's also the costs of insurance and maintenance, and wages for employees - presumably many college-aged people who might like to pedal.

With 21 low gears, pedicabs are easy to pedal, said Annis, who thinks the downtown could support a fleet of 10.

Only time will tell if she can make it happen.

"We think it's a really cool idea," said Pete Hines, chairman of the advocacy group Washtenaw Bicycling and Walking Coalition. "It would raise (cycling) visibility and awareness."

Reporter Dave Gershman can be reached at 734-994-6818 or dgershman@annarbornews.com

Pedicab 'Chariots' put on ice

2009-02-03T22:15:00.000-08:00

by brian x. mccrone / metro philadelphia

PHILADELPHIA. Ben Dambman got the idea for starting a pedicab company in Manayunk during an eight-month stay at his brother’s apartment in southern Florida.

Chariots of Philly owner Ben Dambman catches a ride from Roy Abrams, who could have been a driver if the company wasn’t shut down by the city. (Photo: Rikard Larma/Metro)

When he returned to Philadelphia in 2003 and realized not a single one of the unusual vehicles operated within city limits, he quickly got a business license and starting shuttling people around Main Street.

“He sold his car to get a couple of them,” said Ben’s brother, Tom Dambman, who later returned to Philadelphia to help his brother run the company, Chariots of Philly. “Philly is one of the only major cities that don’t have them.”

But after four years and hundreds of pedicab rides in Manayunk later, Philadelphia is again one of the only cities without them.

The city in October 2006 forced the Dambmans off the street after officials with the Department of Licenses and Inspections decided that there was no ordinance regulating pedicabs and ordered them to cease running the business, the Dambmans said.

“They actually impounded one of the pedicabs,” Tom Dambman said. “At that point, we were told we could not operate because no ordinance was in place.”

The problem arose after the Dambmans brought their four pedicabs to South Philadelphia for a couple of Eagles games in 2007 in hopes of expanding their business outside Manayunk.

“We don’t know who filed a complaint but it must have been someone important,” Tom Dambman said. Chariots of Philly have since taken their pedicabs to the Jersey Shore, where they operate during the summers in Avalon.

“It’s not regulated or anything but they’re happy we’re down there,” he said.

A spokeswoman for the city was unable to track down information about the business yesterday.

---

Name: Chariots of Philly

Address: Formerly of Manayunk, now operating summers in Avalon

Services: Four pedicabs, which shuttle customers much like taxi cabs, only the pedicabs use human energy to transport people instead of gas

Background: The company operated with a general business license from 2003 to 2007 until city officials forced the company to cease operations. The Dambmans are currently trying to gather support within City Council.

A pedicab puts the city up really close

2009-02-01T11:53:00.000-08:00

From Washington Post
By Andrea Sachs

NEW YORK - Among the experiences that make one go "Eek!," tooling around Manhattan in a rickshaw ranks high, falling somewhere between a cab ride during rush hour and walking through Times Square after the theaters let out. Some of the bike-drawn buggies come equipped with seat belts; others don't. You decide your threshold of thrill.
"There's a real rush going through traffic," says Jacob Press, with the Manhattan Rickshaw Co., the longest continuously operating pedicab outfit in New York City. "We can always find a way through."

I have explored the city that never stops by foot, bus and bike. But I want to sightsee in a vehicle that is intimate with the urban landscape but doesn't require any energy expenditure. So I call Manhattan Rickshaw and book Press and his quads.

Rickshaws are pervasive in Asia, where the economical bicycles with big backseats jostle for space among mopeds, cars and swarms of pedestrians. In the United States, they're more of a novelty than a necessity, but they're a rousing ride nonetheless. Though passengers are not as vulnerable as the biker, they're still thrust into the chaotic street scene.

"It's a combination of entertainment and transportation," says Manhattan Rickshaw owner Peter Meitzler. "It's fun and environmental and fills a niche."

In 1994, he and a group of entrepreneurs brought a dozen pedicabs to Manhattan, a nervy experiment in a city so dependent on taxis. To drum up interest, the rides were free. Today, a number of companies send nearly 500 pedicabs onto the streets. The taxi alternatives, which can be hailed on nearly every busy corner, charge $15 to $40 for a 10- to 30-minute ride.

In Central Park, where I meet my driver, pedicabs congregate alongside horse-drawn carriages, vying for passengers with a romantic streak. Some operators also employ licensed guides capable of pedaling, pointing and narrating without crashing.

"We cover a lot of ground," Press says me as I climb into the 150-pound contraption, stashing my bags in a compartment. "In the pedicab, you can see the landscape change and are close enough to see New Yorkers in their daily life." (We discussed the price and the route beforehand. My only request for the 90-minute tour was to cruise through Times Square during rush hour; he balked, then conceded.)

The 29-year-old New Yorker has a master's degree in urban planning and is keen to share his advanced-degree education. "You see layers of the city," he says while pedaling away, his steady voice cutting through the street noise. "It's looking forward and backward."

I was hoping Press would spend more time glancing forward, at the oncoming traffic, than back, at me. We start with a spin through Central Park, where he singles out the Ghostbusters building and Sheep Meadow, named for the lawn mowers of yore.

As we exit the park and join the stream of traffic, staying to the far left, Press describes the passing structures, his eyes ping-ponging between me, the sites under discussion (such as the Plaza Hotel, St. Patrick's Cathedral and Trump Tower), and the surrounding bedlam.

"We're faster than traffic," he says, swooshing around a double-parked minivan, then seamlessly returning to the bike lane.

Seated on a padded bench protected by elbow-high sides and a convertible canopy, I feel as though I'm nestled in a cocoon and am enough at ease to give Press 90 percent of my attention. (The remaining 10 percent is busy being a backseat driver: "Parked car on left!" "Pothole ahead!" "New Jersey plates coming at you!")

"We've had fender benders, but no fatalities," he says. Well, that was comforting.

From the Central Park area, Press cruises through Midtown and cuts through the heart of Times Square. At 45th Street, he removes the top, and with clear skies overhead, I watch the giant faces of billboard models float by like clouds. At a red light, I eavesdrop on sidewalk life.

Onward we coast, through a living documentary of landmark structures (the Chrysler Building, New York Public Library, Flatiron Building), complete with narrative. Press never gasps for breath or falters for topics. He explains such architectural designs as art deco detailing and cornices. Then he riffs on ill-behaved drivers.

"I've given up on out-of-town cars," he says, referring to a sedan from Maryland that cuts us off. After a Jersey driver gives us the middle-finger salute, I ask about vehicular abuse. "I've had coffee thrown on me," he says, "and almost got doored."

In Greenwich Village, Press steers us onto narrow streets enclosed by centuries-old buildings. We also take a spin through SoHo and Little Italy, where Press' description of food at Lombardi's (America's first pizzeria) made me wonder if he was carb-deficient.

With evening approaching, Press heads uptown. As we crawl through Chinatown, Press points out one final attraction: the spot where he almost got smacked by a car door.

Pedaling his patrons

2009-02-01T11:49:00.000-08:00

From Arizona Daily Star
Entrepreneur powers his one-man horseless carriage during the wee hours Downtown
By Valerie Vinyard
Tucson, Arizona | Published: 01.31.2009

Wes Weisheit vigorously pedaled his bike along North Fourth Avenue, pulling a reporter in the "cab" behind. The gentle bumps during the ride seemed to echo the pulsating beats from the Bose stereo attached to his bike.
This open-air taxi burns no gasoline and provides a leisurely ride to your destination.
Otherwise known as pedicabs, rickshaws or bike taxis, you've probably seen them cruising the streets during University of Arizona football games or late night on Fourth Avenue.
The pedicabs are free to ride, but the lively individuals, such as Weisheit, who power them work for tips.
The 46-year-old prefers to call the pedal-powered people-mover a rickshaw.
"It kind of gives it that foreign influence," said Weisheit, who works most weekends on Fourth Avenue starting about midnight.
He's pedaled people during pub crawls, UA football games and some basketball games.
And, of course, there's St. Patrick's Day. "That's the best," said Weisheit, whose usually starts around 3 p.m. on that day.
Riders include anyone from students to bar-goers to senior citizens, depending on the time and where they're riding.
You often can spot a pedicab along Fourth Avenue or Downtown on weekends from midnight to about 3 a.m.
A pedicab usually is a bench seat on wheels enclosed by arm- and backrests. A bicycle — and its operator — serve as the "engine."
Larger cities such as Phoenix and tourist towns like Key West, Fla., have an abundance of pedicabs in their downtowns. Tucson has just a few.
Weisheit first worked for Sean Dile, who bought his $4,000 pedicab in November 2007 from Colorado-based Main Street Pedicabs. The two met in December 2007, and Weisheit worked for him for about five months before branching out with his own Main Street pedicab in May. His model is tricked out with a $5,000 Bose stereo and gas-charged Volkswagen shock absorbers.
"The reason I came up with the idea is because I live by The Shanty and I wanted to go to Congress and not have to walk," said Dile, who works at New Empire Food Market on West Ninth Street and commissions out his pedicab.
Weisheit said he's logged about 1,500 miles on his rickshaw and probably carried 2,500 passengers.
"I think they do have a place here," said Matt Zoll, bicycle and pedestrian program manager for the Pima County Department of Transportation. "It would be nice to see a successful one here — they have tremendous capabilities."
Thom Devrie has hitched rides on a pedicab along Fourth Avenue. He said he likes the convenience of it when he's on a date.
"Sometimes she's wearing high heels and it's hard for her to walk very far," said the 22-year-old, who has tipped about $5 each time he's used one. "It gets us to the next place faster and easier."
Besides the hefty initial investment, owning a pedicab isn't as simple as it seems.
"It's not easy to make money at this," Weisheit said. "A lot of people think that they can do it, but they can't."
Dile agreed.
"You can't just sit on the corner and wait for people to ride," he said.
Though Dile and Weisheit agree that it would be nice to operate the pedicabs during the day, they said demand tends to be low.
"People are on the Avenue in the daytime, but they tend to be sober and don't ride," Weisheit said.
As to how far they'll ride people around, well, that depends.
"Far is relative to how many people you've got," Weisheit said.
He has crammed six "small" students in his cab, which comfortably seats three to four. He said he's carried about 800 pounds before, and he estimated that his cab alone weighs 170 pounds.
Weisheit said the average tip runs about $10. Of course, some riders don't tip. To velvet-tongued pedicab drivers like Weisheit, non-tippers are few and far between. He usually persuades riders to give him something, even if it's pizza or beer.
The real money is in the advertising on the cab. Dile's rickshaw has had up to eight ads on it, from Nova Home Loans to Bison Witches Bar and Deli.
Weisheit mainly sticks to area advertisers like Brooklyn Pizza Co. and Ordinary Bike Shop. Depending on the placement of the ad — the back is the best spot — revenue varies, but the ads bring in hundreds a month.
David Tang, the 27-year-old owner of Ordinary Bike Shop, is pleased with the attention his ad brings.
"It's great — it gives us lots of local exposure," Tang said. "When members of the community are involved, it's always great. It does a lot of local outreach."
Erik Ryberg, self-described Tucson Bike Lawyer, thinks pedicabs are a great idea.
"I had some friends come into town to take the bar exam," he said. "I wanted to show them old parts of Tucson and El Presidio, so they rode in the back of (Weisheit's) pedicab.
"It was a great way of showing a couple of friends from Maryland what Tucson is like."
Contact reporter Valerie Vinyard at 573-4136 or at vvinyard@azstarnet.com.

Pedicab driver accused of exposing himself at North Austin book store

2009-01-30T09:58:00.000-08:00

From KVUE News

Austin police have issued an arrest warrant for a man they say recorded himself exposing himself near a child at a North Austin book store.

Christopher Carney, 36, is charged with indecency with a child by exposure.

A sex crimes detective at APD told KVUE News he found almost 300 videos on Carney's cell phone -- half of which police say are of a sexual nature.

Carney, a pedicab driver, is now considered a fugitive because police can't find him anywhere.

On December 3, Austin police got a call about a man peeping through a window of a West Campus apartment on Leon Street. When officers arrived they say they caught Carney in the act. They say he was touching himself while looking through a woman's window.

He was arrested for the misdemeanor and bonded out.

Austin police say it took weeks to get a search warrant to go through his phone, and when they did, they found 275 videos -- many of which were taken early in the morning, and police say half of them captured women in various states of undress.

One of those videos was taken on November 26. Police say it shows Carney on the children's isle of the Book Stop at 4001 North Lamar. Investigators say the video shows a young girl with her back to Carney while he's touching himself.

"I consider him to be a threat to the general public by the nature of what he does, and I would compel anyone who's had a -- someone who they've suspected of window peeping -- anybody, a prowler, anybody that would cause you to wonder what that person's doing -- just a suspicious person to phone the police," said Detective John Server, APD Sex Crimes Unit.

Austin police are also planning to release pictures showing the inside of some of his unknown victims' homes. Investigators hope that will bring forward some of his victims who may not even know that they were victimized.

Austin police also told KVUE News that Carney has a previous arrest for indecent exposure and window peeping.

Customers on board with pedicab service in Roanoke

2009-01-30T02:16:00.000-08:00

From WDBJ Roanoke News

The Sharebike organization has been instrumental in offering a new service to help people get around Roanoke.

It's called Star City Pedicab.

Patrons can relax in a comfortable cart being pulled behind a bike.

Star City Pedicab is a self-sufficient service that operates off of tips and donations.

All of the revenue generated goes back into Star City Pedicab.

To set up a ride, call the Sharebike office at (540) 344-1499.

Bike Taxi's May Be In Birmingham's Future

2009-01-23T00:34:00.000-08:00

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."

Cracking Down on Central Park Pedicabs

2009-01-22T15:32:00.000-08:00

From The New York Times

If there were a chase scene in this particular crime drama, it would not be too hair-raising. But the long arm of the law still drew plenty of stares from passers-by on a recent Sunday along the Central Park Mall, the long promenade leading to the Bethesda Terrace. At one moment, three pedicab drivers, some with passengers still ensconced, were pulled over almost simultaneously by enforcement officers and issued summonses.

“Pedicabs are not allowed to be on pedestrian pathways, and obviously the Mall is a major pedestrian pathway,” said Douglas Blonsky, the Central Park administrator and president of the Central Park Conservancy, the private, nonprofit organization that manages the park under contract with the Department of Parks and Recreation.

Of the 28 summonses issued to pedicabs in Central Park on Dec. 28, when this photo was taken, eight were on the Mall. In 2008, a total of 2,609 summonses were issued to pedicabs for various infractions.

“We like pedicabs,” Mr. Blonsky said. “They’re clean and a good way for tourists to see the city. But they clearly push the envelope of where they should be and what they can do. Many operators are very good, but there’s a handful. …” The sentence trailed off.

“Just like anything,” he concluded, leaving the impression that the phrase “bad apples” had been lurking in his thoughts.

With a maximum penalty of $200, it was unclear how much of a deterrent a summons represents. One driver at the Dec. 28 ticketfest seemed in a jaunty enough mood as he shouted over to an enforcement officer, “Remember, my name is spelled with one T, like the governor!”

Jeffco entrepreneur to start pedicab service

2009-01-22T15:28:00.000-08:00

From Al.com

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) — Willie Pittman, a former aircraft mechanic and self-described "hedge doctor," is hoping to start a third career as owner and operator of Birmingham's only rickshaw service.

If city officials give him a green light, Pittman plans to start Magicity Pedicabs, offering rides to residents and tourists on a three-wheeled vehicle also known as a pedicab.

Unlike a traditional rickshaw, in which operators transport passengers in carriages pulled by operators on foot, pedicab operators use bicycles to pull the carriages. Pittman already has purchased one pedicab and plans to add several more if his idea wins approval by the City Council.

Although they may be new for Birmingham, pedicab businesses are already operating in big cities such as New York, Chicago and Washington, and in smaller ones such as Oklahoma City, Fort Lauderdale and Salem, Mass.

Greg Duran, a Denver-based pedicab consultant, estimated there are hundreds of such businesses in the U.S. today, ranging in size from a single entrepreneur with one bike to large fleets of 20-100 vehicles.

Although pedicabs have been manufactured in the U.S. since the 1970s, pedicab businesses have become increasingly popular over the last decade because they are environmentally friendly and fun, Duran said.

As businesses have started, many cities have had to deal with issues such as safety, licensing and insurance.

Pittman, 51, said he and a friend got the idea for the business in the 1980s, when Pittman was working as an aircraft mechanic for Lockheed Martin in Marietta, Ga.

"The idea never left me, really."

Pittman, who now runs a seasonal hedge-trimming business from his home in Hoover, said he hopes to operate pedicabs in downtown Birmingham and Southside.

Pedicab operators would wear matching red and black uniforms but would work as independent contractors, leasing vehicles from him.

Pittman said he would also sell advertising space on the outside of the vehicles.

Pittman said pedicabs could be used to transport visitors and locals between the city's Civil Rights destinations, or from hotels or concert venues to their cars.

They could be used for City Stages, weddings and other special events, or just to take downtown workers to lunch.

He said pedicabs would be a novel addition to the Birmingham landscape.

They're so novel, however, that city ordinances contain no provisions for regulating them. The city's transportation and communication committee is working to craft rules for the business.

City Councilwoman Carol Duncan, who chairs the committee, said she is concerned about where pedicabs would operate, especially given Birmingham's hilly terrain and lack of bicycle lanes, and how much they would charge.

But she's optimistic the committee will have a recommendation ready for the full council within several weeks.

Duncan said pedicabs could add an interesting component to a downtown entertainment district.

She said she'd like to see the business up and running in time for the Davis Cup in March.

The committee is scheduled to take up the issue again at 4 p.m. Tuesday.

___

Information from: The Birmingham News, http://www.al.com/birminghamnews

Bicycle taxies for Obama's huddled inaugural masses

2009-01-21T17:21:00.000-08:00

FROM Examiner.com

It’s more than likely that some portion of the millions planning to descend on the National Mall for the inauguration, particularly older or out-of-shape folks, will end up doing far more standing, walking, and waiting than they anticipated. With cars banned and key Metro stops—including Smithsonian, Navy Yard—closed for security purposes, it’s no wonder that DC officials have been warning anybody that will listen that inauguration-goers should expect to do miles of walking if they show up for the festivities.

Still, as the day wears on, you can be sure there will be hundreds, if not thousands, of people who find themselves yearning to be free of the crushing crowds, the stench of more than 5,000 used porta-potties, and the surge of Obamania. Some advice for such people: consider calling a bicycle taxi. I stumbled across one this weekend in front of the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History and snapped this picture.

Though I haven’t ridden on one yet, they certainly look like sturdy vehicles capable of carrying three, if not more, people. The Associated Press reports that at least six will be on hand ferrying people about. Given the circumstances, however, I would encourage people to give precedence to people truly struggling to walk, particularly older folks dealing with disability.

The number to call to reach one company called DC Pedicab, which has been in the news and on blogs recently, is 202-345-8065. DC Pedicab keeps a useful page of photos on its website and a photostream on Flickr if you’re looking for shots of the taxies in action. Bicycle enthusiasts can also sign up as to be a driver. The pay is $15 to $20 per hour.

Midtown Police Refuse to Help Hit-and-Run Pedicab Victim

2009-01-21T17:11:00.000-08:00

FROM StreetBlog

NYPD "Broken Windows" Strategy Does Not Apply to Traffic Crime

Last month a grand jury indicted officer Patrick Pogan for leveling cyclist Christopher Long during a Critical Mass ride and lying about it afterward. For all the satisfaction one may derive from seeing justice grind forward in that case, the Pogan assault is something of a rarity -- police aggression caught on tape, making the cover-up utterly transparent and leaving a media storm in its wake. The more common -- and pressing -- problem for pedestrians and cyclists is the routine NYPD response to traffic violations that cause them injury and harm.

Not long before the Pogan indictment, pedicab driver Ethan Haymes got a taste of this everyday injustice. On the night of November 25th, cruising for fares on Fifth Avenue near Rockefeller Center, Haymes was swiped from behind by an SUV as the driver made a reckless attempt to pass him on the left. The impact gashed Haymes' rear fender and bent one wheel into a potato chip, causing no physical harm. His cab rendered unrideable, Haymes watched as the driver accelerated and rounded the next corner.

The collision was unintentional, Haymes says, but the driver’s hit-and-run reaction was unmistakable. "He basically stepped on it and hightailed it out of there," says Haymes. Luckily, a family of tourists witnessed the collision and caught the driver’s license plate. Haymes recorded the number in his cell phone and prepared to notify the police. He figured multiple eyewitnesses and a unique identifier would give him firm footing to seek damages from the perpetrator -- nothing too hefty, just enough to cover damages to the pedicab.

The first officer Haymes approached said he could not help because he had no radio, and advised Haymes to call 911. The emergency operator took the complaint, entered it into the system, and told Haymes to stay at the scene until police arrived. So Haymes waited. And waited. After about 90 minutes, the owner of the pedicab showed up and helped replace the busted wheel. Haymes waited for the cops some more. Two hours after placing the 911 call -- well past midnight -- he rode away from the scene and headed for the Midtown North precinct building.

At the precinct, Haymes recalls, police told him the collision could not be classified as a hit-and-run because he had left the scene. Frustrated, he filled out an accident report, a process that only heightened his sense that enforcement protocols were weighted against him. "It was all catered to drivers, as if the collision were two cars," he said of the form. "I just wrote in the margins what actually happened." He is still waiting for a response to the form from state police headquarters in Albany. The whole experience has proven disillusioning. "I expected them to be like, ‘Oh, you got hit-and-run? Well, give us the license plate and we'll prosecute this guy,’" Haymes said. "I feel like that’s the way it should have happened. That is their job."

Haymes's story is hardly exceptional. Police follow-up is nearly unheard of when a hit-and-run vehicle strikes a bike, says Adam White, an attorney based in New York who has represented cyclists for more than 10 years. "I've never had a situation where a cop has done what's necessary to go after the owner or operator of that vehicle... they just don't do it," he said. "Every now and then clients of mine have been livid and tried to pursue it, and I've encouraged them to do so, and I've never heard a client tell me that it's come to anything."

NYPD's treatment of traffic crime doesn't square with its much-touted adherence to the "broken windows" theory of policing. One of the tenets of broken windows is that eliminating petty offenses pays dividends by reducing more serious crimes down the line. Crack down on turnstile jumping, the thinking goes, and a decline in subway violence will follow. The analogy to cases like Ethan Haymes's collision is clear: Zero tolerance for drivers who act recklessly, regardless of the physical harm incurred, will yield lower rates of crashes that do injure and kill people.

With increased bike modeshare an essential component of the city's green agenda -- and ridership numbers starting to take off -- a tougher NYPD stance on traffic violations would also reinforce sustainability goals by helping to put cyclists on equal footing with drivers. The necessary training and protocols appear not to be in place, however.

"My general sense is, across the board, that the police take vehicle crashes more seriously because they are just more routine, they're used to them, and they generally seem a little out of sorts by cyclist incidents and they just want to get done with them," said Mark Taylor, the attorney who helped Haymes file an insurance claim with the state following the collision. "The paperwork is set up for vehicles hitting each other and that's what cops tend to be trained for -- they just don't know how to handle cyclists."

So what exactly is the NYPD's current protocol for car-on-bike collisions in which a hit-and-run vehicle can be positively identified? Streetsblog's queries have yet to yield a response from the agency. A phone call to Midtown North's community affairs office was re-routed to the "Highway Safety" desk, which refused to answer any questions from reporters. NYPD's central public relations office has not responded to multiple inquiries.

Law enforcement's ingrained anti-cyclist bias is certainly not limited to New York. But there are some success stories elsewhere in the country, where consistent public pressure has improved police protocols for handling car-on-bike crashes. Last year, for instance, Portland's police department lowered the threshold for generating a police report for crashes involving "vulnerable roadway users" -- a new legal category encompassing cyclists, rollerbladers, and skaters.

"There was a time when if you were hit on a bike, and you were knocked off, they wouldn't write up a report," said Bob Mionske, a Portland-based attorney and former Olympic cyclist who in 2007 published Cycling and the Law, a guide to cyclists' legal rights. The new standard, he explains, triggers more police investigations of car-on-bike crashes and leads to better insurance records of drivers' histories.

As a columnist with Velo News -- and, soon, Bicycling Magazine -- Mionske receives letters from cyclists and their families all over the country about their encounters with law enforcement. When you get down to it, he says, police treatment of crashes involving cyclists is really a matter of rights and equality. "We should have parity when it's a cyclist involved, and the fact is, that's not the case," he said. "Whatever the protocols are with respect to motor vehicle-on-motor vehicle are the same ones they should use for bike versus car."

PediCab The Inauguration

2009-01-20T23:10:00.000-08:00

From The Huffington Post

My Fellow Americans. If you are in DC for the inauguration and are bracing yourselves for the logistical nightmares involved in getting around -- you are hearing stories about roads and bridges being shut down; you're hearing predictions about a metro system in meltdown, and you know that DC taxis who will rip you off on a regular day are going to have a field day with your vulnerability this time around. ("What else can you do lady, you're wearing stilettos, it's cold out there, I'm willing to drive you three blocks for three times the fare.") You do have an alternative: Pedicabs. Rickshaws. You know, the small little cabs, room enough for two, pulled by a bicycle, something that maybe, just maybe you associate with hot and exotic places like Vietnam or Thailand.

Well. They too have come to Washington to celebrate the inauguration of Barack Obama.

I know. I rode down from New York City with two of them.

Dennis and John. We met on CraigsList. They will give you a ride.

They gave me one. Just to see what it's like.

My observations, below:

It was cold, but you knew that already. This is January in DC, the temperature is 17 degrees Fahrenheit. The coldest day. They do have blankets though which you can wrap around yourself. And if you're lucky, there will be two of you snuggled into that carriage in which case, well, you probably won't feel the cold all that much.

It was a little bumpy.

"Gotta love Washington DC roads," Dennis says. "Ka-doink, Ka-doink!"
There are plenty of potholes in Washington, DC.
"We're the best road state," Dennis says, nodding proudly, "North Carolina."

First in Flight and the best roads in the Union. Who knew?

It's not going to break the bank.

"Some people charge $30 a head," John says, "but I can't do that, frankly because I don't think it's worth it... I can go about $15 a head."

Usually these guys ride for tips. For longer journeys - something more than say, seven long DC blocks - they will agree on a fare with you before you take off.

They can get you there. John & Dennis took me past the White House, by the Jefferson Memorial and right underneath the Washington Monument. This city impresses me every time I come. The architecture, the monuments, the history breathing through every piece of it ... to get to see it on a pedicab adds that little bit of something. Not quite a horse-drawn carriage, but not a taxi either. Certainly not a taxi stuck in traffic. There isn't a lot that can stop these pedicabs, something that was evident last night in Downtown DC. Traffic, traffic everywhere, and the pedicabs sailing right on through.

These guys might look like gangsters ... but they aren't. They've got woolen caps on, the scarves wrapped around the face to minimize skin exposure. Maybe on a typical night you might say no to a guy dressed like this offering you a ride but this is Washington DC. Inauguration weekend. The whole world is here and there's not a cab in sight. Jump in.

Their ambition for the weekend?

"I just want to make enough money to buy food," Dennis says.

Methinks they'll make enough to dine at Washington's best restaurants ... but only if they can get a reservation.

Caught On Tape: Pedicab Operator, Officer Struggle

2009-01-20T20:07:00.000-08:00

From MSNBC.COM

By PEI-SZE CHENG and JOHN P. WISE
NBCNewYork.com
updated 5:15 a.m. PT, Thurs., Jan. 8, 2009

After a local pedicab driver's confrontation with police was caught on video, other drivers have come forward with allegations that they're being unfairly targeted.

Amadou Traore, 19, said he was trying to reason with a park ranger who was about to ticket Traoare's friend, but he ended up spending a week in jail.

"He said he's going to arrest me because my friend got away and I said, 'No, you can't arrest me because I didn't do nothing,'" Traore said.

Last year, the Parks Department said Traore, who stands 6-feet-5 inches tall and weighs 250 pounds, fought with another ranger, but this time he said he was careful not to. Now, he's thinking of a career change.

"Before I started riding the pedicabs, I'd never been arrested," he said. "But since I started riding pedicabs, I've been arrested four times."

Ever since Traore's arrest last month, other pedicab operators have been saying they're being targeted in a ticketing blitz, alleging that some of their bikes have been taken away. Frankie Legarreta said he's one of them. He took his complaint to a judge after his bike was taken away on New Year's Eve.

"Twenty minutes later, he gave me the decision it was dismissed," Legarreta said. "What does that tell you? Tells me they took my bike for no reason. I've got a family to support. I'm trying to make a living."

Parks Department officials said they wrote 2,609 violations last year, and most are upheld.

"I don't think there's any targeting of pedicabs," Parks spokesman Mike Dockett said. "We've been upholding the rules for public safety in the park."

Pedicab offers easy way around the downtown

2009-01-20T20:02:00.000-08:00

From Modbee.com

By John Holland
jholland@modbee.com

last updated: January 07, 2009 07:51:44 AM
Matt and Natasha Elliott will do the legwork for your next night on the town.

The Modesto couple have started a pedicab business, pulling customers in a small, open-air coach attached to a bicycle.

The business, Downtown Peddlers, is believed to be the first of its type in the city. It started in November and could add a second vehicle next week.

"We always wanted to do something that would be environmentally good, and we also get to work out," Natasha Elliott said.

The pedicab mainly ferries people among nightspots in downtown Modesto. It also serves the neighborhoods near Graceada Park and the Modesto Junior College East Campus.

The 21-gear vehicle, made by a Colorado company, cost about $6,000 to buy and equip. It has a detachable top that can be used when it's wet. The pedicab holds three adult passengers or two adults and two small children.

The lowest fare is $5 per trip between any two destinations in the downtown core. For $20, passengers can ride from a restaurant to the Gallo Center for the Arts, then to their car after the show.

The most popular package is the four-hour "pub crawl," costing $155. The pedicab also can be hired for weddings in Stanislaus County — $420 for four hours of service — and for customized events.

The Elliotts run the business in addition to holding down their day jobs with AT&T. Matt, 34, is a lineman, and Natasha, 33, is an engineer who hires contractors for the company.

They have a son, 5-year-old Beau, and a daughter, 3-year-old Piper.

On a typical night, Natasha Elliott operates the pedicab from 6 to 10 p.m. Her husband, a former semipro bicyclist, takes over from 10 p.m. until 2 a.m.

The pedicab weighs about 200 pounds without people on board, but the flat Modesto terrain makes the going fairly easy.

"You're very invigorated when you're done," said Natasha Elliott, who had bicycled for leisure before operating the pedicab.

Pedicabs are in use in many cities, including San Francisco and Sacramento. They provide pollution-free transportation while helping keep drinkers from driving.

The Elliotts did not need a special license for the pedicab because it is not a motor vehicle, but they did get safety advice from the Modesto Police Department.

Tresetti's World Caffe on 11th Street is among the restaurants that have spread the word about the service.

"It's kind of like the feel of riding the (horse-drawn) carriages in Central Park, on a much smaller scale," restaurant co-owner Mitch Maisetti said. "If they can make people happy and cruise them around in this weather, imagine what they can do when it's summer."

The service area could expand in the future if the business catches on, Natasha Elliott said.

"The downtown clientele, the evening crowd, has been amazing," she said. "They've been glad to see us out and about."

CATCH A RIDE

• Downtown Peddlers can be reached at 918-8918 or downtown-peddlers@pacbell.net. More information is at www.myspace.com/downtownpeddlers.

• The basic fare is $5 for a ride between two locations in the area bounded by H, K, Ninth and 16th streets in downtown Modesto; no reservations are needed.

• Special packages at higher rates can be booked in advance. They include multistop trips in and just north of downtown, as well as weddings anywhere in Stanislaus County.

Bee staff writer John Holland can be reached at jholland@modbee.com or 578-2385.

Joe Temp: Josh Sachs

2009-01-20T19:58:00.000-08:00

From City Desk

Traffic deadlocks. Detoured buses. Jammed Metro. The city’s roads and railways are completely inundated and it’s gridlock-inducing. But if there’s one traffic channel that hasn’t experienced unendurable congestion (unless you’re trying to go from the swearing-in to the parade route), it’s the bike lanes. D.C. Pedicab recognized the inauguration for its unique chance to drum up business. And it needed more drivers.

Josh Sachs, part-time mechanic at Silver Bikes in Silver Spring, heard D.C. Pedicab was looking for people for inaugural week. As a bike enthusiast who is desperate for work, Sachs jumped on the opportunity to get paid for spinning. And he’s prepared for the forecast: “I got my leather motorcycle boots and this thick layered jacket that I bought just for this job. Yeah, it gets really cold.”

The only requirement to be a Pedicab driver is to have a driver’s license. Drivers make up their own schedule and rent the cabs for 40 bucks per day. They pocket all their profits and create their own rates. Sachs, who has been driving for a week, had his best day yesterday, raking in 200 bones for six hours of work.

Sachs said that most of the Pedicabbers he’s talked to are travelers. They work full-time as professional pedalers and follow large crowds around the nation. Tourists, as you might guess, make up the majority of his clientele. “I’ve been collecting states. So far I’ve got Kentucky, Georgia, Hawaii, Florida.…The guy from Hawaii was definitely the most memorable. He had me take him 30 blocks and he was yelling ‘Aloha!’ to every person we passed.

Some climbs are just too steep for these 3-wheeled, 21-speed wagons. Sachs found that out last week. “These people wanted to go to the Capitol to get their inauguration tickets. We got to Independence Street and Capitol Hill. I started up, but couldn’t make it. I had to drop them off at the bottom. But I ended up giving them a good rate in return.”

Sachs said he’ll be out in the wind chill till 2 this morning. “I think a lot of people are more into riding for the novelty of it. But there’s definitely a high level of practicality. I mean, it’s faster than walking.”

Mayor Fenty Declares Pedicab Official Sweet Ride of Inauguration

2009-01-20T19:52:00.000-08:00

From DCist.com

Hizzoner stopped in at CycleLife for a special event to inaugurate the pedicab, apparently the official vehicle for the inauguration. The District Of is going to be chock full of them next week. DCist associates say they've sighted pedicabs from time to time over by Fight Club in Shaw and in Southwest, but they're hardly a regular feature on the city's streets in the way that taxis, buses, or bicycles are.

One natural limitation to the pedicab is that you need poor hippie college students drivers willing to pedal people around D.C.'s notoriously bike-unfriendly streets. Of course, when you're the President, you can commission pedicab drivers by executive signing statement. So be sure to tip your RNC representative driver well!

As you'll see in the video, Mayor Fenty manned a pedicab and beat out some resident bike snobs. By a landslide, even! But sources on the ground say he totally shouted one-two-three-go! and got the turbo boost.

Inaugural Subculture Alert! Pedicabs Descending On D.C.

2009-01-20T19:50:00.000-08:00

From Housing Complex

Last Tuesday night, I saw a very odd sight while walking down 18th Street south of Adams Morgan. About ten of those modern day/all-weather rickshaws descended past me, all in a row, pedaling off into the night.

My god, I thought, they’ll never find riders if they hang together! What dumbies!

There was more to it, of course. These vehicles are called pedicabs. I learned this, as well as other details about this strange inaugural subculture on Saturday night. In search of Chicagoans, I heads out to the Billy Goat Tavern on Capitol Hill. There, I encountered Bobby Lewtell and Colette Valery, two independent pedicab drivers from Chicago and Denver, respectively. They had both arrived in Washington D.C. in the last couple of days, and there were others like them coming from Austin, Chicago, New York, and other cities.

Valery said the line of pedicabs that zipped by me the other day were probably riders from a visiting company training to get used to the weather and hills in D.C. (Washington is pretty hilly compared to other locales, according to Valery. ) For Valery, who is independent, this is the first destination in a grand journey through the American south to Tampa for the Superbowl, then onto Mobile for Mardi Gras, South Padre Island for spring break, and Houston for the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo.

In D.C., the local pedicab culture is still simmering gently. But, according to Lewtell, it’s “on the up and up.”