I feel your pain

All you pedicab owner-operators, let me just say, "I feel your pain" when it comes to finding insurance.

We've been on the hunt for insurance for our new pedal cab operation, Colorado Rickshaw Company, and it's been UGLY! The options are limited, for sure, and the costs, restrictions and exclusions are all over the map. In recent weeks I've gotten a real education in a subject I didn't want to know that much about.

From what we hear from operators across North America, insurance is the biggest issue they face. Drivers may be the biggest hassle, but overall, the biggest concern is insurance.

There just aren't a lot of options. The coverage offered by some providers is questionable. Unfortunately, in order to operate, a lot of companies buy whatever is cheapest and still meets the requirements. They may think they're covered, but are they really?

I don't claim to be an expert in insurance, and I'm not going to tell you which insurance policy to buy, or which providers are the best. It really depends on your own particular circumstances, how your business is structured, and your tolerance for risk. What I can tell you is that there are significant differences in policies from one provider to the next.

Here are some questions you may want to ask before you plunk down a large chunk of cash:

• Has the insurance you're considering ever paid a claim? If so, what were the circumstances?
  
• If you report an incident, even if it never becomes a claim, are you charged a reporting or research fee?
  
• What is included and what is excluded?
  
• Is the insurance based on claims made or occurences? Either may be okay, but may require different reporting procedures, and the total deductible may change. (For example, if three passengers in an accident each file a claim, the deductible may apply to each passenger rather than the entire incident, thus tripling your out-of-pocket expense.)
  
• If a driver has an incident but doesn't report it, are you covered?
  
• Is there a deductible? If so, do you have enough in reserve to cover it?
  
• Are the drivers covered, or just the passengers? What about damage to the cabs or other property like cars?
  
• If you have a manager, assistant manager, or mechanic, what is their coverage under the policy?
  
• At what point does this insurance take over? Some policies only cover expenses in excess of those covered by motor vehicle or health insurance.
  
• Are the pedal cabs covered for damage, fire or theft? Does that coverage apply to street use, storage, or both?
  
• Is coverage limited to a specific geographical area like a city, county or region? Or can you take your cabs to an event like an airshow or car race outside of your general footprint? Does coverage extend to transport to or from an event?
  
• Is there an age limit for drivers?
  
• If the policy requires a "clean driving record," what does that mean? If someone gets a traffic ticket after they're approved, what happens?
  
• Are there any benefits for having safety equipment like lights and seat belts?
  
• Are there any benefits for having a training & street monitoring program in place?
  
• Do you have the ability to increase or decrease the number of cabs in your fleet?
  
• Is anything else included in the coverage like legal fees, etc.?
  
• Can you review a copy of the policy before you buy?
  
• If you change to a new insurance provider, are you covered by the original provider for incidents that happened while you were insured by them?

Other things to consider when choosing your insurance coverage are:

• Do you have written reporting procedures in place?
  
• Have you put into place any other systems to limit your liability?
  
• What are the driver's responsibilities in an incident?
  
• How well are your cabs maintained, and do you keep records?
  
• If your drivers aren't covered by your business insurance, do they have any other coverage in place like regular or catastrophic health insurance?

It takes time to evaluate your options. Plan to start looking for new insurance 4 to 6 weeks before you actually need it. Since pedicab businesses are still a nontraditional industry and there aren't any actuarial tables yet, brokers often need time to gather all the information required by the underwriters.

New Operation and Opportunities in Denver

If you didn't notice it in the Westword article posted on April 24, the word is officially out... After managing the day-to-day operations for two and a half years, Teri and Greg have parted ways with Mile High Pedicabs. The separation wasn't pretty, but it was inevitable.

That's right. We're happy and free and launching our own elite fleet of cabs in Denver: Colorado Rickshaw Company. We waited to announce this on the blog until the paperwork (insurance, license, etc.) was completed. We're now rocking and rolling on the streets of Denver and nearby neighborhoods.

We've wanted to expand our business, but the constraints of our relationship with Mile High kept us from moving forward in the direction we wanted. With encouragement and support from operators, drivers and other associates, we're now pedalling our own rickshaw on our own trail.

Thanks to everyone who listened to and advised us. You know who you are.

Compared to our previous management, our initial fleet is fairly small; just 5 pedal cabs. But we have the experience and resources to grow when and how we choose. We've realized that bigger isn't always better. Greg is happy to have the time and energy to be out on the street as a driver again, since that's what he loved in the first place!

Colorado Rickshaw will provide rickshaws for special events, weddings, and tours in addition to transporting passengers at sporting events and around the downtown area. Our focus is on superior customer service, professional business practices, and continuing to support and promote the rickshaw industry.

We established City Cycle Logic (City Cycle Lodging in the Westword article) when we moved into our new facilities last year. Manging over 20 cabs and over 50 drivers never allowed us time to fully develop the concept. In additional to rickshaws, CCL will house green businesses and organizations in a central hub in downtown Denver.

We've formed our own pedal media company: Smart Ads Media. We're selling advertising on rickshaws and arranging events not only in Denver but in cities across North America. If you need help getting advertising on your cabs, or if you're interested in placing your brand on pedicabs, please contact us.

We will continue to provide training and consulting to new and existing operators through Big Tree Pedicab Management and Pedicab University. In fact, you will likely see more in this area of our repertoire.

Things have been pretty hectic over the past few weeks, but progress is being made. We'll keep you informed as we continue to press forward.

Do you (pretend to) care?

I read this post this evening and it got me thinking about how caring and not caring relates to pedicab drivers. (Hmmm... for some reason, most of what I read makes me think of some aspect of pedicabs.)

Does caring make a difference in the number of rides, size of tips, or just plain enjoyment of the streets if you care, or at least pretend to care?

And what exactly do you care about? The people on the street? The safety of your passengers? The experience of riding? Or your take at the end of the shift?

And, as Seth Godin suggests in this post, does pretending to care lead to actually caring? Does it make a difference?

Pretending that you care
Seth Godin 4/27/08

I spent part of the day in New York yesterday.

First stop, an expensive sporting goods store that prides itself on service. I bought some skates, paid and then asked the security guy (the one with all the shelves behind his desk, where people check stuff they bring in) if I could leave my stuff there for ten minutes while I ran an errand.

"No, I'm really really sorry," he said, "but we can't take responsibility and I'll get in big trouble if I do. I know it's a hassle for you..."

I left and did my errand. A little later, on my way back to the car, I had one last street to cross. Suddenly, a motorcade of 20 police cars, sirens roaring, whizzed by, blocking the crosswalk and making me miss the light (if anyone knows why NY City cops are suddenly doing this a lot, please let me know. Where are they going? Why? If it's an emergency, why don't they go faster?).

As I waited for the cops to go by, I watched a meter guy walk up to my car and slowly start to write me a parking ticket. I was being penalized for being a good citizen and waiting for the endless motorcade!

I ran up and begged.

He turned to me and said, "I'm so sorry. I know what a hassle it is, but once I press this yellow button here, I have to finish. But I bet if you go to court and complain, they'll waive it." Then he reached into his pocket and handed me a lollipop. "Thanks for coming to New York, and I'm sorry."

Except this story isn't true.

The guy at the sporting goods store just grunted at me. Explained it wasn't his job and just dared me to return the skates I had just bought. And the meter guy didn't even bother to acknowledge me or make eye contact.

No, you can't always hire exceptional people for these jobs. No, you can't always invest enough time to train them sufficiently. But yes, you can make, "pretending you care," a barely acceptable alternative.

It doesn't take much to take the edge off an encounter.

[Boy does this sound cynical. How inauthentic! How manipulative! Isn't it better to just hire people who actually care? Of course it is. But as far as I can tell, that's a lot harder than it looks--because so many organizations are organized around policies, not caring, and because so many employees have been trained not to care.

So, the essence of the lesson here is this: if people start out pretending to care, next
thing you know, they actually do care. They like the positive feedback and they like the way being kind makes them feel. It spreads. It sticks.]

For operators, how much do you care? How hard is it to find drivers who actually care? How can you tell? Do you bother to screen for drivers who care, and if so, how do you do it?

Pedicabs in Denver's Westword

Wheels of Fortune (Excerpts)
Steve Meyer wants to sell pedicabs to the world — but is the world willing to go along for the ride?

By Joel Warner Published: April 24, 2008

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Some drivers, like Ed Martin, have been doing this for years; for others, this will be their first summer on the streets. Many are hard-core bike enthusiasts, thrilled by the chance to earn money doing what they love; others simply like the exercise. Experienced drivers willing to hustle can take home several hundred dollars for a long night of work. While most have day jobs, a few regulars drive pedicabs full-time, and they make so much cash they don't like to state their income, fearing the IRS may call.

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Dude, you're bad-ass, man!" exclaims the rider when Martin hits the brakes in front of the ballpark.

[Do we refer to you as "Bad-ass Beefsteak" now?]

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Inventor-entrepreneur Steve Meyer hopes to spread that gospel far and wide. The majority of the pedicabs in Denver were made by his company, Main Street Pedicabs in Broomfield, the largest pedicab manufacturer in North America, having supplied about 1,500 vehicles to cities around the world over the past fourteen years.

But the rolling revolution has experienced a few bumps along the way. Many cities have resisted the vehicles, citing safety concerns and traffic issues, while the pedicab industry itself has struggled with casting off its fly-by-night reputation.

But the industry could get a lift this summer when the Democratic National Convention comes to town. Meyer and others hope pedicabs will be seen as the perfect "green" mode of transportation for an event that bills itself as the "most environmentally sustainable Democratic Convention in history" — not to mention a key solution to possible citywide congestion that could make the Rockies' opener look easy.

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That could soon change, however. Greg Duran, the former manager of Mile High Pedicabs, recently split to start his own business, Colorado Rickshaw, with his wife, Teri Robnett. "It's going to be small, it's going to be elite, and it's going to provide optimum customer service," says Duran, who also runs a pedicab consulting company. The operation, which will include city tours and other novel pedicab uses, will be based at what will be called "City Cycle Lodging" — a bike-related garage and office on Arapahoe Street, a few blocks off the 16th Street Mall.

[Uh hem, that's supposed to be City Cycle Logic, but Lodging works too. "Stay at City Cycle Lodging: the place where pedal cabs and cruiser bikes rest in comfort." A little self-promotion, I know.]
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"It's been the pattern ever since the 1950s," Burden says. "There was a serious attempt to rid downtowns of people, to only allow the returning GIs homes in the 'burbs. And streets were built with various incentives, allowing us to build these massive arterials and giving people a huge amount of money to build in a suburban style." The impact has been tremendous: "Forty years of planning has been focused on taking funding away from bicycling and walking and giving roadways entirely to the automobile," he says.

But now, says Burden, communities are starting to rethink their automobile addictions. European and U.S. cities have set low speed limits in downtowns to make them more amenable to pedestrians. Planners are embracing the notion of "complete streets," where, thanks to features like wide shoulders, special lanes and traffic-calming measures, pedestrians, bicyclists, motorists and transit riders all get equal priority. And in their own small way, pedicabs are playing a role in the transformation.

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"The taxi organizations have spent a small fortune in trying to remove pedicabs," says Chris Smallwood, chairman of the London Pedicab Operators Association and founder of Bugbugs Ltd., a local pedicab company, via e-mail. "Authorities tend to shy away from unknowns and, as such, the pedicab issue goes into the 'too difficult' pile."

There's been similar upheaval in New York City, where pedicab drivers are duking it out with hansom cab drivers over rides around Central Park. The city tourist office has said the pedicabs make the Big Apple look like old-time Hong Kong. And in what the Village Voice dubbed "The Great Pedicab War," the city council voted to prohibit electric-assist pedicabs; to ban all pedicabs from bike lanes, bridges and, if they choose, the entirety of Midtown during high-traffic periods; and to restrict the total number of vehicles to 325 because they believed there were too many pedicabs in too many locations around the city. That decision threatened the jobs of at least 175 drivers and launched pedi-protests through the streets last September; a lawsuit by pedicab companies has so far kept the new rules from going into effect.

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But in other cities, pedicab drivers have complained that officials aren't cracking down hard enough. The freewheeling aura of the pedicabs, which appeals to many of its drivers and makes the rides so colorful, can also lead to chaos in cities where rules aren't regularly enforced.

"It's a clusterfuck right now," says Dan Smith, who sold his sixty-pedicab business in San Diego last summer after 400 or so pedicabs — many of them unlicensed, he says — flooded popular urban destinations like the waterfront, the Gaslamp Quarter and around the ballpark. The city, he says, has done little to stop them. "There was no stopping the number of pedicabs coming in, and there was no way to compete with those who were not legally within the country and did not have insurance," says Smith, who's also run operations in San Francisco and Houston. Earlier this month, city regulators in San Diego promised to address the problem, restricting the number of pedicabs in certain parts of the city, but Smith says the measures are too little, too late.

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There's never been a major accident involving Meyer's cabs in Denver, he points out, and serious incidents in other cities are few and far between. "Cars are the killers," he says. "I could run over someone on a pedicab back and forth for ten minutes and hardly break a bone."

[Great line!!]

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So far, the official response has been less than enthusiastic. "Pedicabs will not be allowed within the perimeter," says agent Ron Perea, head of the Denver Secret Service office and of the Pepsi Center's security border, which has yet to be determined.

Nor will they be used by the Democratic National Convention Committee to transport delegates, media or VIPs to and fro, says DNCC press secretary Natalie Wyeth. Instead, the organization will rely primarily on shuttle buses and a motor pool.

The pedicabs' most willing champion may be the Denver 2008 Convention Host Committee, the local agency charged with preparing the city for the event.

"They are gonna be huge," says David Kennedy, the committee's disability-rights coordinator.

But nothing is set in stone, cautions Parry Burnap, the committee's "director of greening," considering that the security parameters around the Pepsi Center are still undetermined, and insurance issues involving the pedicabs and the committee's other pedal-powered transportation system, its bike program (see story, page 22), have proved tricky. "At one end, we have to deal with security, and at the other, we have to deal with liability," says Burnap. "That's just the nature of change in America."

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And if his pedicabs don't get big billing at the DNC, there's always the FIFA World Cup in South Africa in 2010 and the London Olympics in 2012. Lately, Meyer has turned his attention to non-American cities, many of which are less dependent on cars: "I think the prospects for survival are greater outside the U.S.," he explains.

Once production outgrows his Broomfield digs, he may even consider moving much of the manufacturing overseas to places like China, introducing the next generation of three-wheeled transportation to one of the rickshaw's native lands.

[China? Something you're not telling us, Steve?]

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Read the article in it's entirety...

Video: Rickshaws add to evolving downtown Raleigh

I've been meaning to post this for awhile. Unfortunately, Blogger Beta doesn't seem to want to allow me to post anything with javascript, so you'll just have to visit the WRAL web site or the Raleigh Rickshaw web site to see this fabulous video.

This news piece was produced and aired during Greg's trip to Raleigh for our 4-day Operator's Training at the end of March. It was totally unscripted, but everyone, including the passengers, managed to say all the right things. (When did Donald become a ventriloquist?)

It's an awesome free commercial! Doesn't get much better than this.

Nice guns, Brian!

Changes coming to San Diego

New rules may bring pedicabbies to heel

By Helen Gao
UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER
April 4, 2008

SAN DIEGO – Pedicabs have proliferated so much in downtown San Diego over the past decade, the city is planning tougher regulations to rein in the muscle-powered three-wheelers.

Overview
Background: More than 400 pedicabs operate in San Diego, mostly in the Gaslamp Quarter, at the waterfront and near Petco Park.

What's changing:
The city, working with pedicab owners and police, is trying to develop better regulations. A proposed ordinance calls for limiting the number of pedicabs in certain areas and requiring them to prominently post fares and other vital information.

The future: The ordinance is being presented to community groups for input. It's expected to reach the City Council in the fall.

Working with police and downtown businesses, city regulators are proposing to restrict the number of pedicabs in certain zones and require all to prominently post fares.

Zones would be carved out in downtown, Ocean Beach, Mission Beach, Pacific Beach and La Jolla. Only a certain number of pedicabs with special decals would be allowed in those zones, but how many has not been determined.

Pedicabbies with a city permit currently can roam pretty much anywhere in San Diego to pick up passengers. They are concentrated along the waterfront, Gaslamp Quarter and around Petco Park. If a limit on pedicabs is set, those without restricted-zone decals would have to find fares elsewhere.

The proposed ordinance also includes safety and consumer protection measures. For example, pedicabs would have to be marked with numbers assigned by the city and the company's name and phone number – requirements meant to give consumers information for calling in complaints.

The ordinance would reiterate that the California Vehicle Code applies to pedicabs; some drivers have been accused of being reckless. Pedicabbies would have to carry proof of insurance, and their vehicles could be impounded if the operators lack a valid California driver's license.

Pedicabs also would be prohibited from being parked in metered spaces. Downtown businesses have complained that pedicabs take up spaces meant for patrons. Zones where pedicabs can pick up and drop off passengers would be created instead.

Brad Jacobsen, a city associate traffic engineer, said pedicabs have reached a saturation point.

“There are some problems with sheer numbers. You do reach a threshold where it ceases to be a street ambience, where it starts to become a little bit of a nuisance,” Jacobsen said.

“We want to strike that balance. We think by putting a little bit more restriction on this and by bringing the numbers down a little bit, it will really benefit the businesses.”

Police estimate there are more than 400 pedicabs in the city. Some already post their fares. Drivers typically lease their vehicles from companies. How much they make depends on their ability to lure passengers.

At peak times, such as the summer or during major conventions, the ranks of pedicab drivers swell. Many come in from out of town and some arrive from out of the country.

“It gets really bad when everybody comes in from Russia, Poland, Turkey and Brazil,” said Holmes Walton, a local who has been driving a pedicab on and off for three years. “The market just gets flooded.”

Joao Ferreira of Brazil, who has been driving a pedicab for about three months, agrees that there are sometimes too many pedicabs, creating an environment that is “bad for business, bad for sidewalks and bad for traffic.”

Jacobsen said the city hasn't decided on a method to distribute the decals.

“We are trying to do this in an equitable manner so nobody corners the market,” he said.

The proposed ordinance is being floated around different communities for input and is expected to go before the City Council in the fall.

Jimmy Parker, executive director of the Gaslamp Quarter Association, which represents more than 400 businesses, welcomes better regulation.

Parker has heard anecdotal complaints about unfair charges for rides, so he is pleased with the proposed requirement to post fares. Most of the complaints he has heard are about pedicabs being on sidewalks, driving recklessly and taking up parking spots.

While the proposed regulations have drawn favorable reactions downtown, the La Jolla Traffic & Transportation Board has expressed skepticism.

Board member Joe LaCava is concerned that pedicabs would disperse from downtown to places like La Jolla, where they may not be wanted.

“If you've got a problem downtown, fix the problem downtown,” LaCava said. “Don't do anything that might push the problem elsewhere.”

Jacobsen said the reason why zones are being considered outside of downtown is to address the potential problem of pedicabs migrating outward.

Downtown motor Officer Scott Thompson believes once the stricter rules are in place, fly-by-night operations – and some of the problems – would disappear. Thompson stressed that pedicabs provide a valuable service for tourists and he wants to see them stay.

“We are just trying to make the industry more viable rather than tear the industry down,” he said.

[Thanks to my big brother for the heads up on this news.]

Love to have you with us in Raleigh

To anyone who is considering starting a pedicab business, or who wants to take an existing business to the next level:

I would strongly suggest that you attend this seminar. You are really going to need the fundamental information in the seminar to have a chance at a successful business.

I am in no way profiting at all from this seminar. My benefit is having successful Pedicab company owners representing the industry at a level which will advance us all to the next level, while shedding the misconceptions this business has acquired due to lack of leadership and consistency in owners.

This seminar, the only one of its kind, is for the first time going to be on the east coast and better yet, in Raleigh. I traveled to Denver, where it is normally held, to attend and it was worth the stretch in budget to do so. I credit the knowledge I gained to not just my company's success, but my company's overwhelming success.

The cost of it is peanuts compared to this risk of the overall investment to your company. It's worth spending your money on fewer cabs and getting quality training. Then buy more cabs and build your fleet as your business grows.

Check out the latest Raleigh Rickshaw media coverage in the Raleigh Downtowner. We are blazing a path to the gold Standard of Rickshaw/ Pedicab Companies and would love to have you with us !!!!!!!!!!

Donald Mertrud
Owner
Raleigh Rickshaw

Q: Owners and Operators, what is your biggest challenge?

Every pedicab operation is different. However, they all have things in common: drivers, rent, insurance, regulations, maintenance, seasonal changes, cash flow, storage, advertising, etc.

In your experience, what is the biggest challenge facing your business? How have you tried to overcome this challenge, and how has it worked? How can others reading the blog help you?

This question is mainly for owners and operators, although anyone is welcome to answer.

Pedicab transport service built on $60 000 investment

"PEDICAB INTERNATIONAL INC., a new business targeting cruise tourists arriving at the Bridgetown Port, is gearing up to give customers a ride to remember.

The company plans to use its four three-wheel pedal cycles, which were tested on the roads last year, to transport passengers into the central business district.

An offshoot of Container Services Ltd located in Fontabelle, St Michael, Pedicab is on course to start operating by month-end, 22-year-old manager Dustin Marshall told BARBADOS BUSINESS AUTHORITY last week."

Read the rest of the story at The Nation 02/17/08: Pedicab transport service built on $60 000 investment

PDX Pedicab power pushes people around Pearl

Tuesday, July 31, 2007
By JOE SMITH, Special to kgw.com

View the video of this story.

Portland is a city of transportation alternatives.

Always trying eco-friendly ways to get people from here to there. Add a new one. The Pedicab, it's gearing up to create a chain reaction through the streets of the Pearl District and beyond using pure pedal power.

"I thought a rickshaw would be cool", said Jonathan Magnus.

He got the idea for PDX Pedicab after spending a night downtown with his wife. He knew there had to be a fun way to get around downtown.

His idea is serving two purposes. Take people for a ride and help the environment at the same time.

"It's a form of transportation with no carbon footprint" said Magnus from outside his small garage in Northwest Portland. The cabs are three-wheeled bikes with a passenger seat bench.

The bikes are turn signals and brake lights. The bikes are made in Colorado and cost $5,000 each. They come equipped with a canopy for those rainy Portland days.

Just nine weeks ago, he started his company with two cabs. It wasn't long before he added four more. Magnus plans to have a total of 20 by years end.

"I've seen them around, like New York and stuff", said Amanda Crane. She and her brother are in Portland visiting from Sandy, Oregon. She was happy to get her first ride in a Pedicab.

"Just get on this thing and float down the street", she said.

Some companies in the Pearl are happy to have the Pedicabs. Hoyt Realty Group will use the cabs to take prospective condo buyers on upclose personal tours during this month's First Thursday.

PDX Pedicabs travel around Pearl District to downtown, to Portland State University. Owner Magnus says they will be happy to hike the West Hills, but for a price.

The Pedicabs are leased to the drivers. They set the fees. Most of the 20 drivers count on the goodness of strangers to give them a fair price for their hard work.

"People have been very generous,and they appreciate what I'm doing for them. So it's working out", said Anthony King. He's been on the job for just about nine days and loves it. He says he's making money and is enjoying being outside. And for some of the customers they're getting an interesting view from the passengers seat.

"I had some lady say I had nice drum sticks. I didn't know what that meant. She said 'legs.' I imagine so, " said King with a laugh.

Great news from our students

This week we got great news from two of our newest students who were in our Weekend Intensive last weekend. The City Council in Kansas City, Missouri approved the ordinance and will allow pedicabs to operate. And the City Council in Newport, Rhode Island has approved the first pedicab business license. One of the issues we discussed at length was how to work with municipalities, so we were really happy to get the news. Congratulations!

"Andrew here. The city of Newport has granted me permission to operate my pedicab business! I am ECSTATIC! I have lots to do now! I want to thank you both again for the knowledge and the confidence Big Tree has given me! I'm sure I will be in touch on a regular basis to let you know of all the great changes I am about to experience, and of course to ask some questions and seek your guidance. Thanks So Much!"

We'll be looking forward to getting updates from everyone -- press and pictures!

specialized sub-blog

With all the pedicab blogs out there, some are focused on national issues, some seem to be localized. ALL GOOD! The pedicab yahoo group comes out of the southwest. This blog comes out of Denver. Austin TX has one. New York city has one. Florida has one. I have started one for the Northern Midwest. It is meant for operators/operations north of "the line", not out east,west, or south. Please give a visit, sign up, and keep the good vibe going. Us "up nort" have different challenges than the more climate friendly locations. Ride on...for profit.

MIBiz: Ped-i-cure for the rush hour blues?

By Karen Gentry | MiBiz
kgentry@mibiz.com

GRAND RAPIDS – Like many major U.S. cities, Grand Rapids may soon have pedicabs on the streets of its downtown district. City officials drafted proposed rules for the human-powered vehicles and will hold a public hearing on the proposal January 29. Pedicabs are human-powered three-wheeled vehicles with a seat, pedals and handlebars in front for the operator and a hooded cab in back for passengers.

Grand Rapids Downtown Development Authority Director Jay Fowler said the city doesn’t yet know what the demand will be for the one or two-seated pedicabs, however three companies have expressed interest in operating in downtown Grand Raids.“It’s something that’s popped up in a lot of other cities. I guess it’s a profitable business. All three recognized that this is an opportunity in Grand Rapids,” Fowler told MiBiz.

One of the interested parties is Barton Chatman, who has undergone intense training in Denver, Colorado with a company specializing in pedicab training, marketing and repair. Chatman has formed Grand Rapids Pedicab Company, a business that is already licensed and registered. Chatman believes the timing is right for pedicabs in Grand Rapids with the new JW Marriott and more people taking part in conventions and attending events at the Van Andel Arena. As Grand Rapids grows with more development, parking has become a challenge, and taxis aren’t easily accessible for quick trips.

“People need an efficient way of navigating their way downtown to take advantage of some of the restaurants. It’s nice to do it in an environmentally friendly and family friendly way,” Chatman told MiBiz.

He noted pedicabs can also be mobile billboards, a very effective form of advertising to keep brands and logos top-of-mind.

Chatman plans to buy 10-15 pedicabs from Denver-based Main Street Pedicabs. The vehicles will be leased to independent drivers. Mark Hendershot also plans to purchase pedicabs from the Denver company. He formed Grand Rapids Green Machines and plans to operate one pedicab himself and lease a second pedicab. Hendershot, a professional cyclist who races mountain bikes, believes pedicabs will benefit the city.

“It’s a fun alternative to motorized traffic and seems like kind of a fun venture. I want to bike around and help people out,” Hendershot told MiBiz.

He welcomes competition.

“The more the merrier as long as there’s a corner for each one of the cabs,” Hendershot said.

Fowler said other cities line up 10 pedicabs and shuttle people back and forth.

Proposed rules and regulations

A written document lists the basic requirements of being in the business of operating pedicabs in the downtown area. City representatives from the city clerk’s office, traffic safety and engineers met and concluded that pedicabs are an appropriate use of public right-of-way and recommended that an ordinance be adopted that established rules for pedicab operators.

“An important rule is the fare must be agreed upon at the beginning of the trip,” Fowler said.

This eliminates confusion about price, although some operators may rely a lot on tips.

The proposed rules call for operators to be over the age of 18 with a valid Michigan driver’s license. Pedicabs must be maintained and in safe condition. All pedicab drivers are subject to all applicable traffic safety laws and city and state rules and regulations. Other rules cover situations where pedicabs can park on public property, a rule against operating under the influence while operating a pedicab, and parking that doesn’t impede pedestrian or vehicular traffic. Regulations call for each pedicab to be properly equipped, in safe operating condition with turn signals, head and taillights, proper brakes and a bell or horn.

Liability insurance will also be required. All pedicab owners must file a business information card with the Office of Special Events prior to operation and drivers must wear an identification badge.

COPYRIGHT 2007. MIBIZ.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

This article appeared in the Monday, January 07, 2008 issue of MiBiz, read by upper management executives in West and Southwest Michigan. Print subscriptions are free to qualified individuals who are employed in West and Southwest Michigan. For further information about MiBiz, visit www.mibiz.com. (A link to MiBiz's Web site is required).

Pedal Pusher: Amesbury teen runs Newburyport Pedicab for charity

I meant to post this a long time ago. Blake Harris and Kevin Murphy consulted with us at length by phone and email before they got their operation up and running in Newburyport, MA. We were happy to see this great article online.

Pedal Pusher: Amesbury teen runs Newburyport Pedicab for charity - Amesbury, MA - Amesbury News

Harris is at the desk, fielding calls and talking via radio to the company’s drivers out in the field — he is responsible for the day-to-day operation of the fledgling business. Blake Harris is a 17-year-old prep school student. Read more...

Just goes to show you that age and maturity have little, if anything, to do with one another.

Wake up and Repent!

In Denver, as in most cities, sporting events provide great opportunities for pedicab drivers to make money. With 7 or so pro teams in our downtown area, plus concerts and other events, these sports venues are important arenas for our drivers and the other pedicab operations in the city.

Now, one of our most popular venues is threatening to ban pedicabs altogether. There have been little incidents each season for the past couple of years. Until now, we've been able to convince the management that pedicabs are a good thing for their patrons and should be allowed to ride on the property. Not any more.

Unfortunately, there are those in our industry who think the world somehow owes them something. The rules don't apply to them because they don't much care what they leave behind -- good or bad. They just do whatever they want and the hell with all the rest. They won't be around to clean up the mess. If pedicabs are banned, they'll just do something else (although I'm not sure what they could do that would be better). As one indy driver told us last year, "I don't care. I'll just deliver groceries in my pedicab."

After incidents of rudeness to patrons, downright nastiness to staff, blatantly ignoring the rules and requests of the venue, reckless and/or drunk driving, etc. the venue management was upset. Finally, after a staffer carrying her 2-year-old was knocked down in the snow by a pedicab last week, management said ENOUGH! As the largest and best-known pedicab company in Denver, we got the call. No more pedicabs on the property.

We know who the trouble-makers are -- the ones who say "F*** YOU!" anytime someone says something to them, and the ones who nod in agreement until your back is turned and they give you the finger. They know who they are. These I-don't-give-a-shit-about-anyone-but-myself punks may have cost all the pedicab drivers in the city a valuable opportunity to make money.

We tried to warn them. After an angry call from the management last year and threats to ban pedicabs then, we told them this could happen if everyone didn't behave and follow the rules. We got the same response we got before... "F*** YOU! I don't have to do what you say! You're not the boss of me!"

Can't we all just get along?

I'm so sick of that! Obviously... NO! we can't!

It would be nice. In a perfect world, a utopia, we'd all get along, appreciate each other and the opportunities we have. We'd all treat one another with respect. It would be nice, if everyone followed the rules, cared about safety and service. It would be nice if everyone had a valid pedal cab license, business license, insurance, lights, brakes -- all those niceties that make a business legit.

Alas, Pedicabdom isn't a perfect world. Along with most of our drivers, we just hoped the hooligans would just go away. We all know who causes the most problems, and exchange complaints about them all the time. But what to do? Break their legs? Flatten their tires? Steal their shoes? Slap their wrists? (Is there anyplace that still uses stocks?) I'm not one to advocate violence, but... DAMN! ENOUGH is ENOUGH!

WAKE UP PEOPLE! Repent! Get it together! This is your wake-up call.

One More Time

This post appeared on the Pedicab Yahoo Group. Very well written observations by Billy O in Phoenix. We have and still are experiencing some of the same issues in Denver, for now on a smaller scale. We hear about similar situations from other operators across the country.

All of us are judged by each of us.

The whole industry was given yet another black eye over the last couple days in Scottsdale during the Super Bowl parties.

Raiders from San Diego showed up.

I know that not all San Diego riders are like the ones who were most visible out there last night. And I know we have riders here in Phoenix who are just like the San Diego people who so completely and thoughtlessly came in to rape and run at this event.

They say "we just charge what the market will bear". Except the effects of their charging 20 and 40 bucks a head plus tip will linger long after they have left here. And the ripples of gouging go outward from here to affect the entire industry, all cross the country.

They say they have the right to charge 80 bucks for a ride because it cost them so much to get here, and they have to eat, and pay for hotel rooms and gas on top of lease. So its okay to gouge the people attending a major event, because, you know, the people are here to spend money anyway.

Its okay because even after being told that nobody gets to run in Glendale because the City has decided to protect itself from predatory pedicab practices, its okay to go to a nearby city and give yet another city a reason to ban human powered ransportation.

Its okay to crowd the doorways of events, to jam as many rigs as possible as close as possible to the security checkpoints because the cops let it happen.

Its okay to cut in front of lines that have been formed by the people who got there first because the well mannered people with an eye to the future will refuse to start fist fights at the event as a way to enforce fair operational practices.

Its okay to do hit and runs in parking lots and in grid locked traffic cuz you'll be gone in a day and theres no way to get caught when the cops are so busy.

Its okay to do whatever you can get away with because tomorrow never comes.

I know that not all San Diego pedicabbers are like this. Not all of them act like they were trained by the old bike man limo company. And I know that we have people here in the Valley who act like that too. The worst of human nature is not confined to any one geographical area.

All of us are judged by each of us. The true soul riders, the professionals, will be invisible when seen next to the raiders who think the whole world is their own private toilet.

The single biggest threat to the human powered transportation industry is some of the all too human people doing it.

with huge regret and great sadness

sincerely,

Billy O

If you're not already a member of the Yahoo Group, sign up and read the comments. Just go to yahoo.com and search for "pedicab" under groups. Very interesting.

A follow up comment:

the Police and the Property Owners find it much easier to just ban all of us rather than try to take the time to find out who is professional and who is predatory.

Brickshaw Buggy Promo Video

Rocky Chavez from Brickshaw Buggy in Oklahoma City was one of our first students. We had a chance to catch up with him again when he visited Denver a few weeks ago. They've got this great little promo video at OklaTravelNet.com. Snaps for Rocky!

Another Successful Student Adds Tours

Check out the blog post (at Bike Portland) about one of our students operating in Portland, OR.

Pedicab company now offers city tours

Pedicab entrepreneur Jonathan Magnus has expanded his offerings. In addition to regular service downtown, his company, PDX Pedicab, now offers special tours.

Here’s the menu:

Portland City Tour (1 hour $55)
Tour Portland as Portland should be seen, from the seat of a pedal powered pedicab.

Portland Pub Pedal (Includes drink specials $195)
Visit some of the countrys best brewerys and hippest bars, on a Portland Pub Pedal 2 1/2 hour Tour to three of Portland’s finest.

Gallery Tour (2 hours $95)
Art is the only way to run away without leaving home, view Portland’s best galleries on a two hour tour.

Sounds like the perfect plan for Valentine’s Day….

Be sure to read the post about their start-up operation from June 2007: New pedicab business hopes to offer taxi alternative.

Way to go Jonathan!

Q: Does your pedicab company close for the winter?

Believe it or not, in Denver, Colorado, land of snow and cold, pedicabs operate year-round. In fact, this is a very, very busy time for us. Denver is such a hot sports town that the snowiest weather can't cool us off for long. We just finished up with baseball with our own Colorado Rockies making their first appearance in the World Series. We continue with Bronco football, Avalanche hockey and Nuggets basketball along with several other sports teams and events in the area. Pedicabbing slows down at the beginning of the year, but with the exception of the huge holiday blizzards last winter, never completely shuts down.

What about pedicabs in your area? Will they continue to operate all year? If so, what issues does that create and how do you handle them? If not, why not?

A head start for your pedicab business!

Don't miss Big Tree Pedicab Management's next weekend training session. The Pedicab Operators Weekend Intensive is scheduled for September 14-16 in Denver, Colorado, USA. We've added an extra day exclusively for maintenance. Visit the web site at www.bigtreepedicab.com for more information. We'd love to see you there!

Check out our new facilities! We've moved into a new and larger building! With access to over 5000 square feet, there's plenty of room for storing pedicabs and maintenance. We've even got a lounge for drivers, offices, a conference room and kitchen.

We will discuss issues around business structure, limiting liability and risk, tax concerns, working with municipalities and venues, managing and tracking assets, potential income streams, recruiting and training successful drivers, negotiating with advertisers, and promoting and marketing your business. We also have great sample documents in the binder you receive!

If you want to know more about running a successful pedicab operation, you want to talk to the team from Big Tree Pedicab Management, managers of Mile High Pedicabs. We bring experience in business, cycling, coaching and training to the second oldest continually operating pedicab fleet in the United States.

Comments from previous Weekend Intensives:

"We had a plan before we came to the seminar, but getting your advice greatly expanded what we can do with the business. You probably saved us a year of mistakes learning these lessons the hard way."

"This seminar is a must for anyone serious about getting into pedicabs at any level. It was great and very worth it!"

"I can't imagine doing this without attending your class first!"