Care Bears in a Pedicab

WARNING! Not for the faint of heart or stomach! You and Tenderheart Bear ride a pedicab around Times Square and end up at Toys-R-Us. The view kinda sucks since most of what you see is the left side of a brown bear head. This is very very long, so you probably won't watch the entire thing. Be ready to hit the mute button.

10News Investigates Dark Side Of Pedicabs

10News Investigates Dark Side Of Pedicabs - 10News Investigations Story - KGTV San Diego

This story sparked quite a discussion on Rickshaw Forum recently. There's a debate in the industry about whether or not it's legal to have J-1 students as drivers. In our opinion, foreign exchange students on temporary J-1 work visas cannot be independent contractors in business for themselves. They must be employees, and most pedicab operations do not have driver employees. Somehow, some pedicab companies manage to work the system and "hire" J-1s. I'm curious as to how, exactly, they do that. Do you know? Do you think it's legal to have J-1 drivers in your crew?

Ed Begley Jr. interviewed in a pedicab

Hold onto your hats, boys and girls! This video clip at The New York Times web site will blow you away! If you have a wind turbine handy this story may actually put energy back on the grid.

Thanks, Peter, for posting this on Rickshaw Forum:
"Ed Begley, Jr., goes for a ride with NY Times science reporter and discusses serious environmental issues on a pedicab.....fresh video reporting on New York Times. And the pedicab is treated seriously."

At the end of the video, Begley lauds pedicabs as "the best way to get around Manhattan."

A Eco-Chat With Ed Begley Jr.

The one about the Pedicab.

Six Until Me: The one about the Pedicab.

We had scheduled to bring EXIST to a media conference in NYC last night. Chris was already in the city for the day, so I worked at dLife and then hopped the train to New York.

The train dumped me off at Grand Central Station and I made my merry way to the concourse, happy that I at least knew what direction to go in. It was 6:19 pm and the conference started at 6:30. I was right on track to be fashionably late.

Texted Chris: I’m here. Just getting a cab and I’ll be to you in 20 minutes.

Walked out onto the bustling sidewalk. Roads were closed due to the UN summit, so there were even more people spilling out than usual. Horns beeping. A man dressed as a piece of pizza shoved a flyer in my hand and hollered (to no one in particular), “Everybody loves pizza, man!” I walked towards the corner of the street, heels clicking, fashionably late … very Mary Tyler Moore of me. Started humming “You’re gonna make it after all.” Raised my arm to hail a cab, for the first time in my 27 years.

No one stopped.

Maybe I wasn’t out far enough. Maybe they couldn’t see me. Raised my hand again as a trio of cabs ripped by.

Hmmm. I am clearly doing something wrong here.

There was a police officer standing about 30 feet away from me. I walked over to her, keeping my eyes locked on the gridlock for an empty cab.

“Excuse me?” The cop turned around. “Excuse me. I need to catch a cab. Would I have more luck on another street, because of the roads being closed?”

The cop looked me up and down.

“Would have helped if you wore a skirt.”

“Excuse me?”

“A skirt. A skirt would help. Next time wear a skirt. But good luck finding a cab tonight – roads are closed, it’s rush hour, and everyone is looking for a cab. Cross your fingers, miss.”

Feeling more and more like a country mouse, I stepped back to the curb and scanned the road for cabs. A man with luggage and a cell phone walked up beside me.

“Waiting for a cab?”

I nodded.

“Good luck with that. It’s crazy in this town. I’m just in from San Francisco and I’ve been waiting for ½ an hour for a cab to stop.” My eyes widened. I heard a bell ring.

“Hey lady! You need to get somewhere fast?” A voice called from the street. Out of seemingly nowhere, a bicycle cab/rickshaw peeled out next to me and a tall, skinny man leaned off his bicycle and shot me a craggy grin.

Oh for crying out loud.

“Yes, yes I do. Can you get me to The Puck Building? Off Lafayette?”

“No problem. 52 blocks from here. Gonna cost you $60. Hop in.”

It didn’t look safe. It was an updated version of a horse-and-buggy outfit, only instead of a horse pulling the cart down a country road, it was a skinny guy with an almost-beard toddling through Manhattan traffic. I shouldn’t do it. And sixty bucks? I definitely shouldn’t do it.

“Okay.” I climbed in. He buckled me in like it was the Scrambler at the fair and off we plunged into the sea of buses, town cars, and cabs that didn’t want me as a patron.

Texted Chris: I’m on my way. I’m in an f@*&ing bicycle rickshaw. This is my life. $60.

I have never been so scared in my life. This skinny man rode like he was rally driving, weaving in and out of traffic, skimming by the sides of buses, pitching wildly in potholes, and occasionally pointing out the scenery.

“Lady. That?” He pointed, taking both hands off of the handlebars and causing my heart to almost stop. “That’s a very beautiful art exhibit. It’s so nice. I like art.” We came about six inches from rear-ending a Mercedes. “You like art, lady? You been to the city before?”

The wind blew through my hair and I clutched the side of the seat for dear life. “NO!” I yelled, hoping these words wouldn’t be my last. “BUT I LOVE ART! I REALLY LOVE ART! AND LIFE! I LOVE LIFE, TOO!”

Texted Chris: I may die in this thing. I love you. Don’t forget to feed the cats.

“Hey lady! I take pictures. You like pictures?” He didn’t wait for a response. “I would like to take your picture. I have a nice, Polaroid camera. You like to have pictures taken?”

“NO THANK YOU, SIR! I WOULD JUST LIKE TO GET TO THE PUCK BUILDING, THANKS.”

“Okay. I take good pictures, though.”

Life continued on for 30 harrowing minutes. We finally turned on to Lafayette. My hair was enormous. My cheeks were wind-whipped. My knuckles were white from hanging on for dear life as he pedaled furiously down Manhattan streets.

He cut through a gas station, crossed between three buses and another bicycle cab, and drove up the sidewalk, to the very base of the Puck Building. People were staring. We skidded to a stop.

He rang the bell.

I unbuckled myself from the cab and he took my hand, helping me from the cart as though I were some sort of Disney royalty. It was 7:15.

“Thank you very much, sir. Here’s your money.”

“No charge, lady.”
“What?”

“No charge. You can’t look that scared when you’re waiting for a ride, though. Someone might take advantage of you! You seem nice, lady. Where I am from, we are nice to our women and we make sure they are safe. No charge.”

I handed him a twenty dollar bill and shook his hand.

“Thank you very much, sir. It’s been quite an experience.”

He jerked the bike back onto the street. “The subway is probably more scary than this. I see you next time, okay?” And off he went, towards some semblance of a sunset, but most likely within two inches of the bumper of a bus.

Texted Chris: I’m here. My hair looks a fright. People in New York aren’t as mean as I thought. I may make it after all.

Thanks, Kerri, for the great story about your adventures in a NYC pedicab! Very funny! It's good for us pedicab people to be reminded of the passenger's experience behind the driver.

Lucy Liu tells David Letterman she likes pedicabs

Lucy Liu was a guest on David Letterman earlier in January. Here's an interesting piece of the recap of her visit in the Wahoo Gazette, complete with comentary by the author.

What does Lucy like to do in the city on the beautiful day like we had today? She likes to exercise and ride her bike, and she’s started taking rides in those pedicabs so common now in the city. The pedicab is like a rickshaw where the passenger sits in a little carriage while he/she is bicycled around by a pedaller in front. Dave is familiar with the pedicabs and calls them a “litigation nightmare.” Yippee! I can’t agree more. I have no idea what insurance the pedicab drivers have and they have no respect for any traffic laws. They ride in and out of traffic, never stopping at lights, never signaling, never looking. I can’t believe the city lets them get away with that, and I can’t believe one of those pedicabs haven’t been flattened by an equally traffic law-breaking cab driver. And shouldn’t kids be required to wear a helmet when riding in the back of one of those?

Funny thing... pedicabs have appeared more than once on the Letterman Show.

What's the difference?

This is a great little video highlighting the difference between pedicabs and taxis.

Who's riding in your cab?

The passenger in your pedicab could be anybody. Sports star? CEO of a Fortune 500 corporation? Music producer? You never really know, as this story at SI.com illustrates.

A week after receiving his U.S. visa and trying out in four NBA cities, Greek prospect Giorgos Printezis arrived in New York for the NBA Draft...

"We couldn't get a taxi,'' [his American agent, Kenny] Grant said. "Then a bike went by."

It was one of those pedaled rickshaws, a bicycle with a carriage in back.

"We said, 'Can you take us to the Garden?''' Grant said. "The guy said, 'Sure. Where is it?'"

The two-mile ride took more than 10 minutes. Printezis, a small forward, is 6-8 and 205 pounds, and Grant is a 6-foot former point guard.

"Every time we would stop for a red light, I felt so sorry for the guy on the bike," Grant said. "He was so slow getting started again."

The rickshaw pulled them down 5th Avenue then across 34th Street against traffic to the back entrance of the Garden.

"He pulls up to that green awning on 33rd,'' Grant said. "All the limos are lined up there for Greg Oden and Kevin Durant, and here we pull up in a rickshaw."

Feel free to click on comments below and share your own stories of the rich and famous. But remember, the person riding in your cab is always important, whether they're rich or famous or not. Treat everyone like the star they think they are.

NYC: regs that make you go hmmmm

I know the City Council is trying to be "fair", but it seems to me that the process for receiving permits is crazy. I read the information at the web site for the New York City Pedicab Owners Association (nycpoa.org), and all I can say is "hmmmmm".

There's no allowance for larger or older fleets who built the industry in NYC. There's nothing for local operations with pedicabs in NYC prior to the deadline. (Hmmmm, maybe we should move some of our fleet from Denver to NYC.)

Funny that the City Council should have so many issues with pedicabs, while promoting them as part of the NYC experience. Rather than working with pedicab owners to develop regulations that solve the real issues, they've chosen to marginalize an entire industry. It appears that they want to ensure that pedicabs are nothing more than a novelty for tourists instead of making them part of a real solution to problems of traffic congestion and air quality.

These new regs may prohibit someone from selling their pedicab business. Since licenses are not transferable, except to a vehicle within the same fleet, would someone who wants to buy your business have to go to the bottom of the waiting list? If so, how long might it take to finally receive your new permits? Or would the the licenses be part of the sale of the business?

As for the waiting list, if you requested 20 permits, would you have to wait until all 20 were available, or would you receive them one at a time as they become available?

I hope that the regulations on safety inspections are more clear (which I'm sure they're not), rather than being open to the arbitrary interpretation and opinion of individuals who know little if anything about pedicabs. We've seen this create problems elsewhere. In Oklahoma City, a person of authority suddenly decided that pedicab drivers needed to have a physical before being licensed. And a ski resort town wanted to regulate the color of pedicabs and limit advertisers to locally-owned businesses, although major manufacturers of sports equipment and apparel had ads throughout the town. Hmmmm.

And what's with not riding in the bike lanes? If they're worried about safety in traffic, why keep pedicabs out of the bike lane and force them into traffic? Are there that many cyclists on the city streets?

At the risk of sounding trite... can't we all just get along? Doesn't anybody talk to one another anymore? I would think that in a city the size of New York there would be plenty of business for everyone. Rather than being afraid of competition, why not embrace it and find a way to work together? Taxis, black cars, carriages and pedicabs serve different markets, although I'll admit that there may be some overlap. Maybe focusing on the passengers -- your customers -- and delivering high-quality service would be more beneficial than all this squabbling. I find it hard to believe that a few hundred pedicabs would be such a grave threat to the thousands of taxis operating in NYC.

As consultants to pedicab operations throughout North America, we work hard to bring legitimacy to this developing industry. With legitimacy comes regulation. We support reasonable regulation. When well thought out and enforced, regulations can level the playing field and protect all stakeholders. When poorly designed, they can become little more than red tape and bureaucracy that serves no one.

I don't claim to be an expert on pedicabs in New York City; the NYCPOA is. But in my opinion, these regulations are far from reasonable. Hmmmm.

Read this article from AM New York (below) and visit the NYCPOA web site for more insight into the new regs. Then read the article posted prior to this, Pedicabs a California Polution Solution, and consider how Fresno, California is utilizing pedicabs for cleaner air.

Agency proposes limits on number of pedicabs
July 4, 2007

Fewer bicycle cabs will be pedaling around New York this fall if rules to license only 325 of the cabs are adopted next month.

The city Department of Consumer Affairs proposed new rules this week that were passed by the City Council earlier this year, limiting the number of pedicabs and mandating that the cyclists have valid U.S. drivers licenses.

Only people who owned cabs before April can apply for the plates, and owners can apply for up to 30 licenses. The New York Pedicab Owners Association said in a written statement that the process favors individuals over organized fleets that built the pedicab industry.

Individuals "simply need to sign a statement indicating they were operating [even without insurance] for one year prior to" April, said the pedicab association president Peter Meitzler.

The City Council voted to regulate the industry in April after a mayoral veto. Mayor Michael Bloomberg wanted to boost the number of plates to about 500.

The Consumer Affairs department will hold a public hearing on the proposed rules in August, hoping to finalize them soon after.

Proponents of the new rules have said the industry needs to be regulated and insured. Opponents have claimed the rules will take away jobs from the more than 500 pedicab cyclists already on the road.

New York City plans pedicab regulations

City prepares to regulate pedicabs

City officials, who are facing a Sept. 20 deadline to begin regulating the pedicab industry, announced today that they intend to distribute 325 licenses evenly among the companies that already operate the human-powered vehicles.

The number of pedicabs — a form of transportation that has become increasingly popular in Midtown, to the chagrin of taxi owners and bus drivers — has skyrocketed in recent years as tourists increasingly use them to get around Midtown. Under a law passed by the City Council over a veto by Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, the number of pedicabs will be capped at 325.

The Department of Consumer Affairs, which was given the responsibility to regulate the industry, proposed dividing the 325 licenses evenly among the existing pedicab companies — estimated to number perhaps a dozen or more — “as though we were handing out a deck of cards,” said Jonathan B. Mintz, the consumer affairs commissioner.

The new legislation had directed the agency to give preference to existing cab operators above companies seeking to enter the market.

The new pedicab licenses, or plates, will not be like taxicab medallions, which can be sold, traded and mortgaged and have recently gone for more than $420,000. The pedicab licenses cannot be sold; they may, however, be transferred from older to newer vehicles.

No individual cab company can request more than 30 licenses. If, after the licenses are distributed to the companies that request them, licenses are left over, they will be given out to companies or individuals that place themselves on a waiting list. (It is highly unlikely that there will be any licenses left over.)

“Our proposal strikes the fairest approach by dividing all 325 evenly among those already in the industry,” Mr. Mintz told reporters in a conference call this afternoon.

The department hopes to have the rules in place by mid-August, in advance of the Sept. 20 date on which the law will take effect. The department is holding a public hearing on the new rules on Aug. 3 in the second-floor auditorium at 125 Worth Street.

The new law requires that pedicabs undergo an annual safety inspection and carry safety features like reflective plates, brakes and seat belts. It also requires cab owners to obtain insurance.

The City Council approved the pedicab bill on Feb. 28 over objections from some cab owners. The mayor seemed poised to sign the bill on March 14, but at the last minute, decided not to do so, swayed by arguments that the tiny industry should remain relatively unregulated. On March 30, the mayor vetoed the bill, but on April 23, the Council voted to override him.

There are pedicab companies in NYC with more than 30 pedicabs in the fleet who are being forced to downsize, while smaller companies are boosting their fleet to meet the 30-cab max. Is that an unfair advantage? Are the smaller companies riding on the years of hard work of the larger companies?

The City Council says this is the fairest approach, but is it really? Alternatives might be to force everyone to downsize equally based on a percentage of their fleet or number of years in operation. Seems like the larger operations are being penalized to the benefit of the smaller ones.

And if you were even thinking about opening a new pedicab business in NYC, you can forget it. I'm certain there was a more elegant solution to the issue than this.

Mermaids in Pedicab

This photo comes from the Mermaid Parade in NYC, courtesy of LarimdaME on flickr.

History: What hurt pedicabs in NYC?

If you've ever wondered what lead up to all the pedicab regulation hoopla in New York City, this 2005 article from Business Week should give you a little background. Some of the predictions haven't been realized and may never happen, but pedicabs are still rolling in NYC and around the country.

Pedicabs Steer a Hard Road
The human-powered cabs are familiar sights in big cities, despite regulations and insurance woes that can make this business a very rough ride

On a mild winter day in January, the phone won't stop ringing in the office above George Bliss's garage. Between calls from drivers who want to lease a cab for the day, the 50-year-old owner of Pedicabs of New York recounts the challenges of the past year. He has sold half of his pedicabs to cover the rising insurance premiums, which have doubled from a year ago.

He adds that some of the newer operators mistreat tourists and aren't driving safely, tarnishing the image of pedicabs. "They don't uphold standards," he says. "It's a tragedy."

PEDAL PEDDLERS. The unusually warm winter weather, prime operating conditions for pedicabs, isn't helping his mood, either. Since Bliss is between insurance policies for a few days, he refuses to let drivers ride without coverage, instead directing inquiries to a competing operator.

There was a time, not so long ago, when very little in rough-and-tumble New York could be called good, clean fun. Now, in the amusement-park ambience of Times Square, gourmet popcorn stores have replaced peep shows. Pedicabs, too, have increased in number with the sanitized scene. Some 200 of these modernized, bicycle-powered rickshaws prowl Midtown, up from just a handful 10 years ago.

Their numbers suggest times are good for operators of this novelty transportation. But for all the expansion of the pedicab niche, the business has its share of growing pains -- from rising insurance rates to impending regulation and increasing competitive pressures.

AT THE CROSSROADS. Indeed, Bliss and the rest of the nascent pedicab outfits in New York are at a crossroads. In order to keep growing, operators want to build a reputation as a safe alternative to traditional taxis. But without standard practices and equipment, insurance companies find pedicabs unsavory clients.

"Sometimes underwriters pull pricing out of the air, since there's not much history," says Scott Ziller, an agent at McKay Insurance Agency, based in Knoxville, Iowa, one of the few sellers of pedicab insurance in the country. McKay handles policies for 30 pedicab businesses, representing about 500 drivers, including five outfits in New York.

Operators say they're willing to give up the freedom of not being regulated to bring more legitimacy to the sector. The goal is to find the right balance of ensuring public safety and promoting entrepreneurship. "I'm looking forward to regulations, provided the city doesn't overregulate us," says Peter Meitzler, owner of Manhattan Rickshaw, operator of 13 pedicabs. New York officials are still debating what form those regulations might take.

DIDN'T STAY IN VEGAS. Cities across the country have handled burgeoning pedicab businesses in different ways. In 2002, Santa Barbara, Calif., demanded that drivers apply for city permits. To do so, applicants have to provide a driver's license and proof of insurance. The city also performs background checks on drivers, and it reserves the right to revoke licenses if pedicabs aren't in good operating condition.

Las Vegas last year banned the vehicles from the Strip, where the bulk of the city's pedestrian and tourist traffic takes place. "Pedicabs were causing a lot of conflict," says Sandra Avants, chairman of the Nevada Transportation Services Authority, referring to accidents and various complaints from limo drivers.

The city subsequently granted pedicabs the right to operate in a limited area, as long as they carry insurance. "We didn't want to restrain the business from operating unless there was a public-safety issue of health and welfare of passengers and those sharing the road with pedicabs," says Avants. However, because the Strip ban took away the operators' most lucrative turf, they have virtually disappeared from Las Vegas.

"NEW YORK WAY." Sin City, with its throngs of tourists, bares more similarities to the Big Apple, but banning pedicabs won't likely be the "New York way," says Gretchen Dykstra, commissioner of New York City's Department of Consumer Affairs. "We don't want to go too far, but if there is a fatal accident with a pedicab, then there might be a cry to ban them all together," Dykstra says. For now, it's not clear when pedicabs will get their own set of rules, or what form they'll take. "We are still exploring the possibility of a regulatory scheme," Dykstra says.

Of course, regulations could also have the effect of keeping newer, and sometimes unscrupulous, operators from entering a very competitive market for transportation services. Competition has increased as the city's horse-and-carriage operators enter the trade, along with individuals who own only one or two pedicabs. "We want to keep renegades out," says Meitzler, referring to those who operate without insurance and flout traffic rules.

Bliss says he has trained 100 pedicab drivers over the years, but he adds that only 25 actually took to the roads. Besides customer rejection, drivers have to navigate New York traffic and brave noise, pollution, and bad weather. "It's the selling that's the real challenge," Bliss says.

ROLLING BILLBOARDS. And training drivers doesn't mean they won't take that knowledge to work at a competitor. Bliss, who owns 12 pedicabs now, admits his cabs are older, so drivers he trains often defect to rivals with newer, spiffier vehicles that are easier to drive.

Meitzler, who worked with Bliss previously, has been running his business since 1995, but still hasn't made a profit. "The business doesn't start to turn unless I have advertising" on the pedicabs," says Meitzler, a legal assistant by day. "I couldn't live off of pedicabs," he says. Still, with some additional ad revenue he's hopeful that 2005 will be his first profitable year.

Regulatory changes or not, Bliss and Meitzler anticipate new opportunities down the road. Both are trying to find new advertisers. Altoids paid about $700 per month to advertise on each of Bliss' pedicabs. Meitzler says he has gotten interest from Broadway shows and winemakers. Target and Unilever, maker of Axe body spray, placed ads last year. Meitzler helps operators in other cities start their own pedicab businesses.

HERE, THERE, ALL OVER. Bliss is "strategizing around historic tours," planning to charge $50 for a 50-minute guided pedicab ride. He also aims to expand geographically beyond Times Square and Midtown -- to Harlem, Coney Island, Flushing, Queens, and downtown Manhattan. Eventually, he hopes to develop electric pedicabs.

They won't be overrunning taxicabs any time soon, but in a decade's time, Bliss predicts there could many more pedicabs in New York -- up to 1,000. "The city can absorb it, and it's not an inconvenience to other industries," he says. For the time being, though, the pedicab business will have its share of bumps in the road.

Amsterdam learning from NYC

From the May 1, 2007 article in the Nieuws uit Amsterdam

‘Stricter rules bicycle taxi’

New York has introduced stricter rules for bicycle taxis; France wants to allow cyclists to jump red lights and London found that it may in fact be safer to do so. Useful lessons for Amsterdam?

As a bicycle-friendly city, Amsterdam is often seen as an example for the rest of the world. However, lessons can be learned from other cities as well.

BICYCLE TAXI
The New York Municipality recently introduced stricter regulations for bicycle taxis. They must have good brakes and lights, must be insured, may no longer use electric motors, and may no longer use bicycle lanes. In addition, the number of pedicabs will be limited to 325, while some estimate that there are now 500 to 600.

Businesses located near Broadway had complained about congestions caused by bicycle taxis aggressively trying to attract customers among the theatre-goers. Many bicycle taxi drivers themselves found that some sort of regulation should be introduced, even though they find the current regulations excessive.

An independent bicycle taxi driver complained in the New York Post about fleet owners importing ‘foreign pedalers’ who ignore traffic regulations and give bicycle taxis a bad name. “It's like the Wild West out there. It's completely out of control”.

In Amsterdam, only 30 licenses for bicycle taxis have been issued, 15 of which are used by the Wielertaxi company, tells co-owner Richard Nijssen. In the future, he would like to expand to 20 to 25 bicycle taxis.

According to Nijssen, research shows that bicycle taxis mix well with normal bicycle traffic. “Only someone who is really in a hurry might get stressed if he cannot pass immediately”. Only if the number of bicycle taxis would grow substantially, stricter regulations might be needed, said Nijssen.

Nijssen does get occasional complaints about traffic violations. “Sometimes they have a high adrenaline level and they do sometimes jump red lights”, Nijssen said. “We advise anybody not to do this in busy traffic”.

At times, cyclists bump into a bicycle taxi if it brakes more abruptly than expected. According to Nijssen, this is not really a big issue: “During the three years I have been active as a bicycle taxi driver, I have had at most one incident involving angry cyclists per year”.

De Lange of the Fietsersbond paints a less positive picture. “We get quite a lot of complaints about bicycle taxis, especially about them blocking the way on narrow bicycle lanes. It so happens that bicycle taxis are wide and slow and they are active in the city centre where everything is narrow and tight”.

The Fietsersbond has not yet taken a stand on bicycle taxis, but if the number of licenses is to increase, there should be a debate. One might for example consider banning bicycle taxis from certain routes during rush hour, said De Lange.

She said it is conceivable that reducing car traffic in the city centre would create more room for bicycle taxis.

As yet, there seems to be no reason to introduce stricter rules on brakes. Wielertaxi’s bicycle taxis have brakes that were designed for motorcycles. According to Nijssen, you have to have good brakes, especially if you go down a bridge with a 150 kg taxi plus driver and passengers.

Wielertaxi’s taxis have a support motor. One can hardly do without in a city with so many bridges, said Nijssen. What is more, they use environmentally friendly electronic motors.

Sixty percent of bicycle taxi clients are tourists. In addition, there are Amsterdammers who consider the bicycle taxi a serious mode of transportation, claims Nijssen, among them people who are going out.

Bicycle taxis might come to play a more important role if regulations for regular taxis become stricter and when new technology becomes available, increasing the capacity of the batteries and making the taxis lighter without compromising comfort and safety.

Thanks, Trixi, for leading me to this story.

NYC misses the mark

Pedicab Smackdown: City Council Defies Bloomberg, Reins in 'Green Transport'

Monday's vote in the City Council to sharply rein in the burgeoning pedicab industry was both predictable and dispiriting, given Mayor Bloomberg’s pledge on Sunday to make New York "the first environmentally sustainable 21st-century city."

No matter that the mayor's 2030 plan specifically calls on the city to promote bicycling as one way to lower traffic congestion and emissions.

The Council voted 37-6, with 2 abstentions and 5 absences, to override Bloomberg's veto of the pedicab cap, reflecting the reluctance of some members to risk the wrath of Speaker Christine Quinn by coming out publicly against a bill she has so adamantly defended.

Among those switching sides were Brooklyn rep Letitia James, who stood with Quinn after previously opposing Intro 331-A, and Parks committee chair Helen Foster, who voted no even though she'd initially supported the bill. David Yassky of Brooklyn voted yes, but said the bill's citywide cap of 325 pedicabs was "unwise and too low" and asked that it be revised before the bill expires in two years.

In a press conference before the vote, Quinn, took exception to the notion that her efforts to restrict pedicab transit were anti-environment.

"The issue isn't whether pedicabs are or are not green," Quinn told reporters. "The fact that they are human powered certainly makes them a clean-air vehicle. But we have to balance the reality of wanting to have more green vehicles of all sorts . . . with the reality that you have to regulate industries that use the streets of New York to make money."

Quinn said capping the industry at 325 pedicabs was "reasonable"—even though drivers say it could put 40 percent of them out of business—and predicted the new restrictions, such as allowing the NYPD to ban pedicabs from any Midtown street for up to 14 days—would prove less "dire" than opponents think.

Just why Quinn has been so determined to smack down the still relatively puny pedicab industry has been the subject of much speculation.

She dismissed allegations that she was swung by a close friend who works for a firm that lobbies for the taxi industry, terming that "ridiculous."

Quinn said she was initially motivated to act on behalf of theater owners in her district, who are fed up with aggressive pedicab drivers congregating outside Broadway shows and ringing their bells to attract customers. (Quinn described a recent trip to see Jersey Boys on Broadway: "You couldn't pass on the street because there were pedicabs from one curb to the other, completely blocking the flow of traffic.")

But Quinn didn’t deny that the taxi-medallion owners had given her plenty of input. "There’s nothing wrong with the taxi industry making their position clear on this bill, and there’s nothing wrong with talking to the taxi industry," she insisted, adding, "There was no undue influence here at all."

In fact, representatives of the taxi industry showed up at every public hearing over Intro 331-A, and there were at least five taxi reps on hand for Monday's override, including a guy snapping pics of the Council members as they voted.

Surprisingly, the most outspoken opposition came from the outer boroughs. "This bill is not about regulation. This bill is designed to kill this industry," charged Tony Avella from Queens. "You are immediately, the day this bill goes into effect, putting people out of work. Shame on us if we do this."

His Queens colleague Hiram Monserrate questioned why the Council was requiring pedicab owners to take out $2 million insurance policies, when taxis are required to carry only $350,000 in coverage. "This is about eliminating, not regulating," said Monserrate, who made a last-ditch effort to avert the override by circulating an alternative bill with a bigger cap and fewer restrictions. Monserrate urged the Council to follow the lead of Mayor Bloomberg, who moved at the last minute to reconsider and then veto the bill, even after his Administration spent hours helping to craft it. “ We are going to take people’s jobs away. It’s unfair and it’s wrong."

And the ever-combative Charles Barron accused Quinn and her allies of caving to the taxi and limousine industry. "This is not us versus the mayor," he said. "This is us versus people in New York City who created a creative industry that tourists use and to raise income for their families."

On Saturday, Bronx Borough President Adolfo Carrion argued that the cap of 325 pedicabs citywide would amount to a "de facto ban" on pedicab businesses outside of Manhattan.

"What signal does it send to those who are considering investing in a small business in our city — especially green businesses that should receive heightened protection?" Carrion said. "On the day after Earth Day, of all days, this is not a direction the Council should be going."

Last week, the Sierra Club, NYPIRG, Transportation Alternatives, and the New York League of Conservation Voters sent letters to all the council members, urging them "in the strongest way" to uphold the mayor's veto or risk losing their support. But those voices were outweighed by Quinn's allies on the Council like James Gennaro, chair of the Council’s environmental protection committee, who went so far as to argue that pedicabs cause pollution by creating more congestion.

His comments drew boos and hisses from the roughly three dozen pedicab drivers and supporters who packed the upper rafter of the Council chambers. After the vote, they gathered on the front steps of City Hall and threatened to sue.

"I think they made an absolute mockery of the mayor’s 2030 plan," said Jessie White, who rides a "big red trike" for Mr. Rickshaw. White predicted that the new law would result in a rash of arrests and ticketing of pedicabbies when it takes effect in five months. "It’s going to bog down the system and cost the city a lot of money. It’s gonna be chaos."

The Department of Consumer Affairs is setting up a lottery to award the new pedicab licenses. Many drivers are upset the DCA has not offered to give preference to existing pedicab owners, even though some have been operating in the city for 10 years. They fear the new licenses will get bought up by big players, leaving grassroots operations out in the cold.

"People with tons of money will turn it into a defacto medallion," says Gregg Zukowski, the founder of Revolution Rickshaws. "All of these people standing here could be out of business in five months."

Zukowski says he's already gotten calls from taxi medallion owners seeking "passive investments" in the pedicab biz. "They’re trying to find a way to profit off the new cap," says Peter Meitzler, head of NYC Pedicab Owners Association. "I don’t think they realize how shoestring this industry is."

Pedicabs mentioned in NYC transit ads and online

In a new campaign for a health services provider for small businesses with employees, pedicabs are mentioned very prominently.

See www.healthpass.com.

The text reads: "you could have taken a
PEDICAB... CAB... RICKSHAW... WALK... BIKE... BUS... or FERRY instead

New Yorkers have Choice. The same benefits should go for your health insurance."

This ad is appearing on mass transit posters.

And the organization describes itself as follows:

"HealthPass is an innovative partnership between the New York Business Group on Health, the City of New York and the health insurance industry. With HealthPass small businesses, can enjoy healthcare choices worthy of Fortune 500 companies. The business must be located in the five boroughs of New York City, Nassau, Suffolk, Westchester, Rockland, Orange, Putnam or Dutchess counties.HealthPass is an innovative partnership between the New York Business Group on Health, the City of New York and the health insurance industry. With HealthPass small businesses, can enjoy healthcare choices worthy of Fortune 500 companies. The business must be located in the five boroughs of New York City, Nassau, Suffolk, Westchester, Rockland, Orange, Putnam or Dutchess counties"

Very cool.

Thanks for this post on RickshawForum.com.

Reality or fiction? You decide.

Still a hot debate in NYC, this video and article was released by The New York Observer. Do you believe City Council Speaker Christine Quinn?

Quinn on Pedicabs, Influence, Congestion Pricing

City Council Speaker Christine Quinn thinks the idea that the taxicab industry had any "undue influence" over the Council on a bill to regulate the pedicab industry is "ridiculous."

As noted earlier, the taxi industry hired Bolton St. Johns, where Emily Giske, a major Democratic operative, is employed. She, it should be noted, did not work with the taxicab industry as her client. [clarified].

Quinn addressed the issue in a briefing just now after announcing that the Council would override the mayor's veto of the bill, which seeks to limit the number of pedicab drivers to 350. The Council will also vote to override the mayor's veto of a bill banning the use of metal baseball bats in city schools.

As for congestion pricing, Quinn said the Council is looking into the issue.

For the record, David Weprin opposes congestion pricing, as does Lew Fidler, who said that it's not bold enough on air quality and ineffective on reducing traffic. Peter Vallone, Jr is concerned, but still undecided.

The pedicab as socio-political metaphor...

Social Mobility
by Adam Gopnik
July 26, 2004

One of the stranger sights in the city this summer is the bicycle taxi. Strictly speaking, it should be called a tricycle taxi, since it consists of a strong-thighed young man—there seem to be few women in the guild—on a contraption with a saddle and one wheel in front, pulling a small calèche that rides along on two wheels in back. But to call it a tricycle taxi is to summon images of child labor, and to call it, as it has been called, a “three-wheeled bicycle” lands us in realms of contradiction too confusing even for this contradictory summer. In any event, you can hail the bicycle taxi—or pedicab, to give it its full Avenue of the Americas moniker—at a corner, get into the calèche (or is it a surrey? a barouche?), and take it for a ride wherever you want to go, for as long as it takes to get there. Bicycle taxis have been on the city streets for a decade, and there are at least three entrepreneurs hiring them out—the largest is the Soho-based Pedicabs of New York—but they seem newly commonplace in midtown. Unlicensed and unmetered, though not uninsured, they roam the avenues, searching for riders. (Prices are negotiable, but seem to run to whatever the pedaller thinks the pedallee can afford, taking into account how much work it will be to pull him. Price discrimination against the portly is acceptable, and a fifteen-dollar ride seems typical.)

It’s hard not to admire the pedicabs’ élan as they scoot up and down the avenues, darting in and out of the lines of stolid traffic, the little whatever-it-is in back just squeezing through as the couple from Altoona hold on to their digital camera for dear life, all in a blur of legs and wheels and accompanying obscenities from internal-combustion chauffeurs. Although the bicycle cabs were apparently intended for tourists, their advantages in traffic seduce the natives, too, and a big chunk of their work now seems to involve transporting people who have, in essence, got fed up with sitting in stalled traffic in a taxicab. (The other day, a New Yorker hailed a pedicab for the first time, because she was late for her workout. Pumping hard, sweat pouring, the bicycle pedaller got her to the gym on time.)

To try out a bicycle cab, even in a semi-philosophical spirit, is to be caught up in a rush of exhilaration, embarrassment, and potential significances. Heady and vaguely Edith Whartonish as it is to be pulled around town in an open carriage, it is, at the same time, disconcerting to have someone else’s physical labor quite so plainly, quite so clearly and publicly, quite so accusingly, visible as the source of your forward movement. Normally, in New York and elsewhere, machinery and ritual intercede between the puller and the pulled. The taxi- or livery- cab-driver, whose hours, wages, and health-insurance predicaments are unknown to the rider, is enthroned behind Plexiglas, and he has a whole set of rituals (the right-hand seat piled high with personal objects, the endless cell-phone conversation) designed to salve his self-respect, and to give exploitation at least the appearance of self-reliance.

The pedicab is, no getting around it, a rickshaw with pedals. (In fact, the second-leading pedicab company is called Manhattan Rickshaw.) It offers, in a pointedly symbolic, Bertolt Brecht-meets-Barbara Ehrenreich package, both the eternal facts of capitalism—the capitalist proceeds from home to office by dint of someone else’s sweat—and the essential ironies of the post-industrial era: the more emancipated we seem to become from physical labor, the more physical labor is left for someone else to do. What Robert Reich has talked about for years, and John Edwards has talked about for the past several months—that the gap has widened between the wealthy few and everybody else—is, in the bicycle taxi, suddenly given a local habitation and a loud bell. The feeling is not even so much capitalist as feudal. You are the lord of the manor, being pulled through the streets on a sedan chair; he is Piers Plowman, in spandex shorts.

Riding in a bicycle taxi, one feels nostalgia for the bicycle messenger of the Reagan era. The bicycle messenger, with his whistle and his disdain, was the embodiment of underclass resentment and underclass style, and of a booming economy, which demanded that documents be here now. As oblivious of stoplights as he was of pedestrians, he owned the streets. Everyone yielded to him, or learned to. Are the pedicab drivers of today happy? Well, they are on their way somewhere. And they will tell you flatly that it is the best job they can find. The pedicab may merely suggest rather than entirely embody the new America of puller and pulled, but it is a sharp symbol of a new reality. It even evokes new metaphors. For instance, the thing about George W. Bush is not that he was born on third base and thinks he hit a triple. It is that he has been in a bicycle taxi all his life but has not yet bothered to notice that someone else is pedalling.

The puzzling thing for anyone outside America is the conservatism and docility of the American working people. In France, their confrères are off on their five-week paid vacations; in Canada, they have brought a straight-out Socialist party back into a position of influence, because they cling stubbornly to their right to free national health care. In America, though, we are all remarkably inclined to take it on the chin and keep pedalling. The old explanation of this was, essentially, the bicycle-messenger compact: in exchange for hard work and long hours, you got to pedal your own bicycle to a better life. But over the past twenty-five years that compact has been dissolving. Maybe we are having more feudal moments because American life is becoming more feudal. An open, mercantile society is a society run on the bargain of future prospects: in exchange for your subservient labor, we will provide hope. A feudal society is, simply, a society run on the bargain of fear: in exchange for your labor and subservience, we will provide security. Is it possible that some Republican delegate might hop in a pedicab this summer and pause to ruminate on an economy in which some are always pulled and more and more are always pulling?

The more things change . . .

A couple weeks ago I asked the question "What makes a good pedicab driver?" This article in the New York Times answers that, while presenting a view of the attraction of becoming a pedicabbie. Granted, it's an old article (September 2002), but...

HOME FRONT; No Longer Jobless, but Probably Tan - New York Times

A little more than a year ago, Jens Rasmussen said, he was an executive recruiter who hired accountants. That was before he rashly left his job without lining up another, and spent a month discovering just how tough it was to find work in New York.

Today, his business card reads: Three Wheeled Warrior, one of those bicycle-powered rickshaws you see all over Midtown Manhattan, especially in the theater districts.

And despite the slow economy, Mr. Rasmussen and other drivers say, business is good. The tourists are back, tips are still generous, and regular taxis remain hard to come by at rush hour and in the rain, when bike-cabbies attract impatient New Yorkers into their off-beat, three-wheeled vehicles.

Indeed, the biggest problem for pedicab drivers these days seems to be competition. A new company, Manhattan Pedicab, opened in May with 11 cabs, bringing to three the number of companies that lease the bicycle taxis to the drivers.

The largest, Pedicabs of New York, has 40 vehicles, and George Bliss, the company's owner, estimates that there are more than 60 pedicabs on the streets, up from zero before he opened in 1995. The third company, Peter Meitzler's Manhattan Rickshaw, also opened that year.

And there are plenty of people willing to push the pedals, which Mr. Bliss said is related to the recession. ''We're turning people away a lot,'' he said. ''People are over-qualified, and they just need to bring in some money.''

Because pedicab drivers can set their own hours, he continued, ''it's convenient for people who are between jobs, and it's more interesting than bartending or waiting tables.'' Leasing a cab costs $30 to $40 a day, he said, and includes liability insurance.

On average, rides cost $10 to $20. The drivers negotiate a price, and on a really good night, they say, they can make as much as $400. But there are slow times, and this year business has been more erratic than in the past, said Henry Munoz, a six-year veteran.

''Last year was like this,'' he said, drawing a straight line through the air with his hand. ''This year, you're up, you're down.'' The cabs did a lot of business late last year, when they were among the few vehicles that coould get around in Lower Manhattan; today, ground zero is still a popular destination. Drivers say about half their passengers are New Yorkers, not tourists.

As pedicabs have become familiar sights in Manhattan, it has become easier to persuade people to climb aboard, said Dorothy S. Chen, 21, who has driven a 'trike'' off and on for three years, and now does it full time. But there is a lot more competition, espcially around Broadway (outside the theater for ''Beauty and the Beast'' is her favorite place to find passengers). ''Now we have to do a lot more hustling,'' she said.

Ms. Cheng, who describes herself as ''102 pounds, four-foot-ten and three-quarters,'' is proof that size is not a prerequisite for becoming a pedicabbie.

What is necessary is salesmanship. Some of the drivers take the aggressive route. ''They'll pull up to people and say, 'Get in, let's go,' '' said Arthur J. Nichols, who started Manhattan Pedicab after years in the horse-drawn carriage business.

Others take a different tack to distinguish themselves. Richard A. Sanford, 54, a retired schoolteacher from Brooklyn, was busily waxing and cleaning his trike last Wednesday before going out in the afternoon. He decorated the cab with signs, banners and flashing lights, and adorned himself with a stylish black cap and fluorescent tie.

For Mr. Sanford, a bicycle enthusiast, driving the cab is a labor of love; the same is true for Mr. Bliss, who loathes cars and designs alternative transportation vehicles. In fact, Mr. Bliss likes his current location, on Broome Street at the corner of Thompson, because ''we're right here in the face of traffic jams on the way to Holland Tunnel,'' he said. ''We make a statement that you have other options.''

Thursday through Sunday, he sells some of those options, including bikes and scooters. But since the trade center attack, retail business in SoHo has dropped off. And so, somewhat to his surprise, the now-profitable pedicab business is actually keeping him afloat.

Mr. Rasmussen, the former headhunter, also sounds surprised about his new career, which he began after Sept. 11 last year. ''It turns out I like this a lot better,'' he said, waving to a former passenger flying by on a bicycle. ''All things considered, it's been good.''

My how things have changed. Only 3 pedicab companies in NYC in 2002. Current estimates are around 500 pedicabs in the city.

Denver City Council Candidate Supports Pedicabs

Julie Connor is running for Denver City Council for District 7. We met her at an event celebrating the new Light Rail stop in the Washington Park neighborhood. From the start, Julie was very intrigued by and supportive of pedicabs in Denver.

Quite a contrast. We read and hear a lot about other cities who view pedicabs as a dangerous threat. Take a look at what's happening in Hoboken, New York City and London, for example. It was quite refreshing to meet someone running for election who is pro-pedicab, understanding the valuable service they provide to the community. Sure wish some of these other cities would talk to Julie before they cast their votes.

She included this photo in an email we received from her Friday reminding everyone to vote before May 1.

One of the key components of her platform is "Promoting an environmental ethos citywide." That includes alternative green transportation like pedicabs. You may see her riding her cruiser bicycle to and from the office.

From the Downtown Denver Partnership questionnaire:

Q: What are your priorities for addressing bicycle and transit access for Denver,
especially between Downtown and other neighborhoods? How should this be balanced with automobile access?
A: I favor on-street or on-sidewalk bike lanes, more bike racks and additional connections to regional trails. Part of encouraging multi-modal transit means deemphasizing auto transit, which is not always popular. While planning for the auto will be part of the process, we need to make hard decisions when accommodating other forms of getting around versus accommodating autos.

In her Rocky Mountain News profile, Julie describes herself as "the unabashed environmentalist of the candidate slate."

We enjoyed meeting Julie Connor and support her for Denver City Council.

The battle rages in Hoboken

This came to us from the new pedicab operator in Hoboken, NJ who is struggling to keep his pedicabs on the street. Show him you support pedicabs by contacting the people listed below, posting at Hoboken 411, or leaving your comments on this blog.

You have no idea how comforting it was to hear a voice of support. I was unaware that this was even known outside our little community. Up until I heard from you, I and My cousin, who is my partner, thought we were completely alone in the battle. I also acknowledge we are a small fight as compared to what some cities are facing. I anticipate building a relationship with you and look forward to meeting you .

Here is the information you requested. I hope it will be very helpful. First let me start by stating that Terry Labruno is the head council woman for transportation in Hoboken and she gives us her full support as you can see on the live televised meeting. Also Mayor David Roberts gave us his thumbs up. He can be reached at 201 420 2203.

Two of our biggest opposing ward members are Teresa Castellano AND Michael Russo. Both parties concerning issues are safety and congestion but mainly medallion money concerns.

Also if you would like to pass this on and tell people to leave a blog post on our behalf and to read what has already been written by council and community visit this link @ hoboken 411 ......http://hoboken411.com/archives/6424. [This is the profile on Michael Russo.]

Finally, to observe the live televised broadcast (the actually meeting took place mind you behind closed doors and without any insight or representation on our behalf) you can go to http://www.hobokentv78.org/ and click on play in the middle box date 4/4/07. Its not stated as being one of the two topics to be discussed, but as you watch you will see it brought up as a concern.

Thank you so very much for your time, courtesy and whatever efforts you come forth with from this time.

Sincerely Christopher Costello

Contact these people and let them know you support pedicabs:

Theresa Castellano : 201 656 9449 Theresa@CastellanoForHoboken.com

Michael Russo : 201 792 6226 michael@russoforhoboken.com

Peter Cammarano : 973 533 0777 pcammarano@gbvlaw.com

Ruben Ramos : rramos1973@optionline.net

Christopher Campos : 201 941 8300

MAYOR ROBERTS : 201 420 2000 ext. 2013 or 2018

ALSO CITY COUNCIL MAIN NUMBER : 201 420 2000 ext. 2070 or 2071

The Economist backs pedicabs

Regulation threatens a booming business with, er, a cyclical downturn

A PEDICAB borrowed from a friend for a conference on pedestrianisation in 1990 got Steve Meyer pedalling what is now a fast-moving business. Hoping to liven up the often-deserted streets of downtown Denver, his hometown, he bought two of the bicycle taxis. But they did not work very well, so he started building what has since become the industry standard, with 21 gears, hydraulic brakes and so on. His firm, Main Street Pedicabs, now caters to rising demand both in America and abroad.

Alas, regulation in two of the biggest markets for pedicabs threatens to puncture Mr Meyer's upbeat mood. Last month New York's city council voted to impose onerous rules on the hitherto unregulated pedicab industry and to limit the number of pedicabs to 325. A protest prompted Michael Bloomberg, New York's mayor, to veto the new rules, apparently out of entrepreneurial fellow feeling for the pedicab drivers, but the city council is likely to override his veto, perhaps as soon as next week.

Pedicabs first started operating in in the mid-1990s, but their numbers soared from around 100 to over 500 after they featured in an episode of Donald Trump's business reality-television contest, “The Apprentice”, in 2004. For the sort of fit youngster who wants a flexible job—many drivers in New York are actors or students—it pays well: $300 on a good day, though typically half that. The cost of entry is low, perhaps $4,500, compared with $400,000 for a yellow-taxi medallion.

Pedicabs are under attack in London, too, where an estimated 400 operate. Transport for London, a regulatory body, is reviving its controversial claim that pedicabs should be regulated as “hackney carriages”, like the city's black cabs. Chris Smallwood, chairman of the London Pedicab Operators Association and boss of Bugbugs, a 60-strong pedicab firm, says treating pedicabs like black cabs would impose unbearable costs on the industry. He has helped to draft an amendment to a bill now before the House of Lords that would introduce lighter pedicab regulations.

There is striking agreement between the pedicab trade groups in both London and New York that some sort of regulation is needed, not least to deter rogue operators. But current proposals seem to serve the interests of motor-taxi drivers, who want their rivals off the road.

The irritation is that pedicabs do not compete much with motor-taxis, say Messrs Meyer and Smallwood. Pedicab journeys tend to be the short trips that drivers of gas-guzzling taxis hate most. Pedicabs' main competition is walking, says Mr Meyer, who points out that if New York's 12,000 yellow cabs were replaced with pedicabs, “there would be a lot less congestion”. Here's hoping that politicians on both sides of the Atlantic cast their