Tony Benedict, right, pedals four pedestrians home from a night of partying Friday from Albert Avenue.

Wearing a black leather jacket reminiscent of Johnny Ramone, well-manicured facial hair and a big grin, Tony Benedict, owner of Pure Power Pedicab, is East Lansing’s one and only bicycle taxi.

Benedict, an East Lansing resident and former paramedic, has been serving the East Lansing community since November 2008 with his human-powered mode of transportation.

“I go completely on tips, and I do that because I don’t want to set a set rate,” Benedict said. “Some people just want a ride and they really don’t have a lot of money. I figure everyone should have a ride if they just want to go home and they don’t live too far away.”

On average, Benedict said he is tipped $5-$6 for rides that average about a quarter mile, although a particularly generous customer once gave him $100.

Benedict operates his taxi Thursday through Saturday, starting around midnight. On any given night, he’ll give 20-40 rides with two or three people riding in his cab at a time.

Aimee Ryder, an interdisciplinary studies in social science and human resources and society senior, rode in the pedicab for the first time this winter.

“It was something I always wanted to do before I graduated,” she said, “We had left from the bar, Rick’s (American Café). We were going to our house.”

Ryder said the blanket Benedict includes in the cab to keep passengers warm and his willingness to take photos of her and her friends made the ride that much better.

Benedict’s relationship with bicycles began when his truck was destroyed and he began using a bicycle as a primary mode of transportation. This, he said, was when he realized the power of bicycles.

For Benedict, his pedicab is more than a job — it also is a way to demonstrate his desire to reduce dependence on automobiles and congestion.

“I am doing it kind of for the money, but not really,” Benedict said. “It’s just very enjoyable, meeting new people and if they enjoy the ride and if these things can grow, that’s what I’m looking for — like something where I can contribute to East Lansing a little bit.”

Benedict’s pedicab weighs in at 185 pounds. The giant tricycle can hold three passengers, has 21 gears, disc breaks, turning signals and brake lights. Brandished on the back of the pedicab’s chassis is a painting of a tiger, a symbol that Benedict chose, he said, because “it gives it strength.”

Benedict sees the future of pedicabs and that of the East Lansing and MSU communities as intertwined. Aside from being environmentally friendly, to Benedict, bicycle taxis could contribute to the area’s “flavor.”

“I do know MSU and East Lansing are definitely looking for new ways to stimulate the city as well,” Benedict said. “This would just be something to help stimulate a little of it. Give it something new, something different.”

NEWARK, Del. — Downtowns, particularly college towns, make room — and rules — for new pedicabs.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Speeding up safeguards

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

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

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

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

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

“What we’re looking at is … do we need to become involved in regulating it with regard to public safety?” Bennett said.

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

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

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

Hailed for filling a void

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

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

Pedicab passenger

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

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

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

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

What’s yellow, on wheels, and found carting paying (and non-paying) passengers all over Oak Bluffs? The answer is a new, open-air way to tour the Island’s pastel-painted town or bar hop along Circuit avenue: Vineyard Pedicab.

If a bicycle got together with a taxi, the pair would birth a pedicab. These school-bus-yellow carts fused to 21-gear bikes hit the streets of Oak Bluffs more than six weeks ago. For a pay-at-what-you-will price, a cheery man or woman with killer calf muscles and a bell will cart you to your in-town destination — from the ferry dock to your bed and breakfast, from your harborside parked car to a taco platter at Sharky’s Cantina, or for a whirl around Cottage City. The only rule is to sit back, relax and enjoy the ride.

Strolling along Circuit avenue, I keep my eyes peeled for a yellow cart-on-wheels. Before long, I spy a vacant pedicab parked outside the public restroom on Kennebec avenue (I later learn that a pedicab is nearly always parked beside the information booth at the foot of Circuit avenue). After three minutes of patient waiting and peering into the women’s — and men’s — bathroom stalls for a girl or guy who looks like they can handle a honking 175-pound bike-cart, Vinnie Padalino appears from the General Store with a freshly-filled coffee mug. I tell him I’d like a ride. “Hop in,” he says.

As I climb aboard and seat myself in the cart for my first-ever Vineyard Pedicab ride, the sun-warmed leather seat stings the hind-side of my thighs. When settled, I look into 35-year-old Mr. Padalino’s face for the last time of the excursion and instruct him to take me on his most popular route.

Mr. Padalino straps his feet to the pedals and steers the carriage toward Ocean Park. Through the refreshing sea breeze, we cruise along the gravel divide that separates the Atlantic from the quaint Victorian mansions. When we approach people, friends or strangers to Mr. Padalino, my driver tinks the bell and calls out a cool “Hello.” Between greetings and bell-rings, Mr. Padalino educates me on the history of Oak Bluffs and many of the mansions punctuating the skyline. The largest corner home, he tells me, belongs to Peter Norton, developer of Norton Antivirus software. A fire blazed the mansion to the ground in 2001, he says, adding with a chuckle, “They should have installed a firewall.”

Staffed with 16 peddlers, Vineyard Pedicab is a not-for-profit company. The volunteer drivers keep 70 per cent of each tip as a wage. The remaining money gets funneled toward maintenance of the four pedicabs and in support of the Pan-Mass Challenge, a bike-a-thon across Massachusetts that raises money for cancer research and treatment at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. All profits incurred from advertising deals with Island businesses are also pooled to this joint cause.

There’s a green side to the yellow Pedicabs, too. Aside from the non-existent carbon footprint of the pedal-powered carts, all of the company’s advertisers adhere to environmentally friendly standards or support eco-healthy practices.

The founders of the business settled on a pay-as-you-please policy for Vineyard Pedicab in part because they simply liked the notion. The goal of the company is to provide an earth-friendly transportation substitute to buses, taxis and cars, and to raise money for cancer treatment and research. The do-good quality of the company often encourages customers to pay a good price. Twenty dollars is considered a top-notch exchange for a 15-minute cruise; five dollar tips, Mr. Padalino says, are more common.

First and foremost, co-owner John Pasquina, 26, later tells me, Vineyard Pedicab is a public service. “There are kids who wouldn’t be able to pay a going rate,” he explains. “We’re just fine to give them a ride for $1 or $2 — or nothing at all. It evens out with other customers who pay more.”

Pedicab driver Jed Reisser has experienced the buck-tip stiff. “On non-busy days [local] kids who know how we work just jump in for a ride home and give you a dollar,” he says.

Giving free rides — and they are infrequent — has been the only hurdle to business so far. “We don’t mind [giving a free] ride or two, but after that, it’s just like, this is our bread and butter!” Mr. Pasquina explains.

Pedaling from Ocean Drive to Narraganset avenue, Mr. Padalino tells me he has been stiffed once, but, adds, “most people get it.”

Dollars aren’t the only currency traded to the bikers in exchange for a lift. The pedal-power of 28-year-old co-owner Will Pasquina (John’s brother) once earned him a handful of blackberries and a broken bracelet. “It’s because he wears these strange hats, so it encourages people to treat him strangely,” John jests.

Continuing onto the more bustling and sunlit Circuit avenue, Mr. Padalino shares with me his own list of odd tips. He tells me his peddling once earned him an apple fritter and a bottle of milk. And after a long, late-night ride to their home in East Chop, a couple donated $25 and a can of Bud Light to Mr. Padalino’s collection bucket.

Pulling off the right shoulder of the street to allow a taxi and two cars to pass, Mr. Padalino explains another Vineyard Pedicab staple: a kind-and-courteous driving style. “We don’t really want to [annoy anyone] because we’re just starting off,” he says, adding, “The only negative response we got was right away with the cab drivers who didn’t want us parking in their spots, but I think they pretty much realized that we’re a different beast than them. It’s not really competition. We’re not taking their fares. In fact, we are helping them out, in a way, because we take their smaller fares that they aren’t going to make much money off of anyway.”

Equipped with safety features like headlights, blinker lights and a seatbelt, Pedicabs are treated as cars on Vineyard roads. “On a major street we’ll go typically with the flow of traffic, pulling over to the right every now and then to let drivers pass,” Mr. Padalino says. “Typically the passengers aren’t in any rush to go from point A to point B. They are more on a tour.”

What do the peddlers do when it rains? “Get wet,” Mr. Padalino says. A black “Vineyard Pedicab”-embroidered canopy raises from behind the cart to keep raindrops from soaking passengers. During a downpour, however, the drivers temporarily seek shelter. Few business opportunities are missed during storms because few customers are on the streets. John succinctly explains the general rule: “If there are people out, we are out.”

“We’re always encouraging our drivers to pray for sunny weather,” he adds. “And on days with lots of tourists, the sky is the limit.”

A famous hidden gem of Oak Bluffs, and one of the most popular Pedicab destinations, follows along the narrow passages of the gingerbread house-lined campground known as Cottage City. Mr. Padalino momentarily backpedals with his sun-bronzed legs before maneuvering the pedicab toward this last leg of our route.

“A lot of tours come [to Oak Bluffs] and they never find their way off Circuit avenue,” John later tells me. “We kind of pull them into the periphery and take them off the beaten path.”

As we meander through the Camp Ground, I learn that Mr. Padalino is a Pedicab driver with many tricks. When he’s not zooming passengers around town, he’s selecting the playlist on a free-form WVVY radio show, baking pizzas at Offshore Ale Co., laying stone as a mason or scraping the washboard with Island band Ballywho. And as a pedicab driver, too, he’s donned hats other than that of the tour guide-transporter. Two parents, frustrated with the naughty behavior of their children during dinner at Coop de Ville, slid Mr. Padalino a $10 bill to babysit their young son and two daughters. Once buckled in the cart (equipped to hold 600-pounds of passengers and goods), the kids were treated to a guided ride along the boat-filled harbor and into town to see the Flying Horses Carousel.

When my ride is finished, I hand Mr. Padalino a $10 bill. He will get to keep $7 of this tip; the other $3 will fund bicycle maintenance and support the Pan-Mass Challenge.

John later tells me that $10 is a very satisfactory tip. And after spending a quarter of an hour aboard a personalized Vineyard Pedicab tour-ride, many passengers, he says, slap their driver a double-digit tip in tune with mine.

Regardless of any monetary incentive, the Pasquina brothers say that their incentive for bringing pedicabs to the Vineyard stems from a commitment to public service, green energy and charity fundraising. Mostly, pedicabbing passengers on a quirky cart through Oak Bluffs is a pleasurable way for drivers to boost their income. Like a proud parent, John bubbles about his infant business venture: “It’s just the most jolly vehicle I’ve ever seen!”

Coastal Bike Cabs, a new pedicab service, begins operations here in
early June. Pedicabs are bicycle-driven pedestrian taxis that offer an
environmentally friendly alternative to short-distance travel.

“It’s a great way to see our island and visit restaurants and shops
while enjoying the fresh air,” says Betsy Palmer, owner of Coastal
Bike Cabs.

The decision to start a pedicab business stemmed from a love of the
outdoors and fitness, which is a definite requirement for drivers to
haul between 400 and 600 pounds of weight around the island at a pace
of 12 mph.

“It is great exercise for me and our other drivers and a fun
experience for our passengers,” says Palmer.  “Our colorful bikes and
friendly service add tremendously to the Ocean Isle Beach vacation
experience.  We aim to enhance the amenities and businesses on our
island with this cab service.”

Tourists in San Diego, Charleston, and Key West ride from restaurants,
bars, and hot spots in pedicabs and appreciate being able to avoid
crowded parking lots, drinking and driving, and noise.

“Although pedicabs are a new concept on Ocean Isle Beach, they have
actually been around in larger U.S. cities for many years,” said Dan
Werner, director of sales and marketing for Main Street Pedicabs, the
largest manufacturer of pedicabs in the United States.  Main Street is
the maker of the equipment used by Coastal Bike Cabs.

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

But pedicabs can be more than just a novel way for visitors to tour
communities.  Property Owners enjoy the convenience of a bicycle taxi
and the friendliness of the drivers.

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

“More than that,” Palmer says, “pedicabs operators will serve as
ambassadors to Ocean Isle Beach and will help promote restaurants,
stores, and services in the area.  We want to promote the community
and let visitors know about our history.”

Palmer envisions taking a lot of people to the Museum of Coastal
Carolina for the exhibits and for the free concerts on Fridays and
back and forth from bars and restaurants and to public beach access
areas.

“Our bike cabs will stay on the island,” she said. “I want people to
enjoy their stay here at Ocean Isle Beach and not worry about getting
picked up for driving under the influence.  They can just eat, drink,
and be merry.”

Coastal Bike Cabs will be available at island events, parades, and
festivals, as well as maintain a regular presence around Ocean Isle
Beach.  Passengers can hail a Bike Cab or call or email for a
reservation.

Palmer intends to operate both day and night throughout the summer
season and on weekends, holidays, and special events after Labor Day.
Coastal Bike Cabs starts offering services this week, generally from
9:00am to 3:00am daily.  The business’ grand opening is scheduled for
late June.

“I am really happy to hear that there is more bicycle-based
transportation at OIB,” resident and property owner Effie Vandoros
comments.  “It’s really a unique way to experience the community, and
I think it adds to the ambiance of our island.”

Groundskeeper Mike Griffith is among the one-quarter of Davis campus employees who bicycle to work. But Griffith takes it a step farther. Actually, he keeps on pedaling — after switching from his commute bike to his work bike.

Not just any old bike, but a professional-grade three-wheeler with heavy suspension, 21 gears and hydraulically operated rear disk brakes — and a custom-made cargo bed to haul his work gear, or loads of dirt and mulch.

“This is UC Davis-friendly,” said Griffith, whose 20-year career with Buildings and Grounds puts him smack-dab in the middle of a sea of bicycles every day as he rakes and prunes and sprays.

In switching to the work bike, Griffith voluntarily gave up his gas-powered cart — the ultimate in environmentally friendly gestures.“This is in line with the campus philosophy,” Griffith said. In fact, the campus sustainability committee awarded a $2,145 grant to help buy what Griffith calls a “human powered utility vehicle.”

Buildings and Grounds, Transportation and Parking Services, and Fleet Services also contributed to the purchase price. The total cost (not counting lock, brake lights and a bell, courtesy of the Bike Barn): $3,432, compared with $5,000 to $7,000 for a new power cart.

It was all Griffith’s idea. The UC Davis graduate — he earned a bachelor’s degree in managerial economics while going to school part-time and holding down his grounds keeping job — co-wrote the grant application, researched and test-drove the various work bikes on the market, and made the purchase.

“Mike is incredibly motivated about this,” said Cary Avery, grounds superintendent with Buildings and Grounds. “We are very proud of him.”

The bike arrived on March 4, and, so far, so good, Griffith said. “This bike will do all of the work that the other carts will do,” he said. The bike fits around all the bollards and gates that keep cars and trucks off various paths around campus, and the cargo bed can carry 600 pounds.

The bed is built on the same chassis that the Broomfield, Colo., manufacturer uses for its pedicabs. For the UC Davis bike, Main Street Pedicabs painted the bike and bed in Aggie blue, and affixed the Buildings and Grounds logo on both sides of the bed.

At Griffith’s request, the manufacturer cut down the sides of the bed to 16 inches, providing easier access. The bed also features a drop-down gate.

Griffith spoke with Dateline one afternoon last week while transferring a load of mulch from the cargo bed to a planter outside the west entry garage.

His duties also include trash pickup in the six-story garage — and that means pedaling up the ramps. “It’s a little more effort, but it’s not that bad,” he said. “This keeps me in shape for basketball.”

The work bike is also easy on his ears. “That’s the first thing I noticed — no noise,” he said.

“Also notable is the reduction in air pollution and natural resource consumption,” he wrote in a follow-up letter to the sustainability committee. “Additionally, the purchase cost was less than our gas-run work vehicles, the maintenance cost will be reduced considerably, and fuel cost will be zero.”

Griffith recalled that when he started with the grounds division in 1988, he used a handcart to haul his work gear, and some of his colleagues used wheelbarrows. The gas-powered and electric carts came later.

“Some people might think this is a step back,” he said. “But once you get on this, it’s not that hard.”

Griffith said he is getting a lot of positive comments from his co-workers — “a lot of thumbs-up” — and he hopes other departments take notice and consider acquiring work bikes if appropriate.

“It’s absolutely a step forward,” he said. “It’s not just about what it’s doing for the environment, but what it’s doing for my department’s budget.”

And maybe for the campus budget as a whole. Indeed, Griffith said, as he made progress on turning his work bike idea into reality, what began as an individual effort turned into a campus community project, “because of the number of people who freely offered their expertise and support to make this happen.”

“They deserve credit as well. I truly appreciate their help.”

“I had seen pedicabs all over New York City and when one of my friends started riding in my hometown of DC, it just clicked,” Brizendine said of the creation of Ocean City, MD based Coastal CruZn, LLC. “Saurabh and I are both passionate about doing our part to contribute to the environment, so the progression into creating a pedicab business just came naturally.”

The co-owners have proved their commitment to environmental awareness through a number of different aspects. Coastal CruZn has a component in its employee handbook that mandates employees come into work with at least three recyclable items. What do they do with these recyclables? Why donate it to an affiliate company, Atayne, which makes athletic gear completely out of recyclables of course.

The two entities, Atayne and Coastal CruZn, are also teaming up to organize an environmental fundraiser in Ocean City, MD the first week of August. Atayne is focused primarily around the running world and Coastal around biking, so the entities thought a hybrid bike and foot race would prove to attract a diverse crowd.

“It’s all for a good cause and we are both so pumped to get started,” Brizendine said.

Coastal CruZn, LLC anticipates launching its venture on Memorial Day in Ocean City, MD, with high hopes in a market that has never gotten the privilege of experiencing pedicabs. Local Ocean City businessman Nick Campagnoli commented, “What these young guys are doing is absolutely incredible. They’re providing jobs, doing their part to contribute to the overall cleanliness and adding to the majesty of Ocean City by offering a new experience.”

There are many pedicab businesses all over the world but the owners maintain that what differentiates them is their utmost commitment to entertaining their “pedicabees” (which is Coastal’s nickname for their base of loyal consumers). They emphasize that extensive knowledge of the area and unique personalities of the drivers are the leading forces to keeping their pedicabees coming back for more.

“We feel that anyone can start a pedicab business, but we want to make sure that everyone involved in our organization is passionate about impacting the environment and people’s lives,” co-owner Saurabh Chawla said. “We carefully choose Coastal CruZn employees that exhibit how proud they are of their organization. We also like our guys to get to know their pedicabees on a first name basis and form the kind of relationship that people can look back at after their vacation is over and just smile.”

Like many students on St. Patrick’s Day, senior Brendan Blume was up all night splitting time between Brown Street and the student neighborhoods. But unlike anyone else, instead of walking it, he was flagging pedestrians down asking if they wanted to ride on the back of his bike.

As a co-owner of Blume Brothers Pedicab, based in Chicago and less than a year old, Blume brought the pedicab to campus in March. He works Thursdays to Saturdays from 9 p.m. to 3 a.m., when he’s not on duty as an RA in Stuart. It’s just him and a 21-gear bicycle with a carriage-like seat attached.

“When (passengers) get on it they think they’re kings of the world,” Blume said. Entire parties turn and cheer when they see his bike and passengers go by. “It’s like chariots of fire.”Blume, 21, started the business with his 24-year-old brother last summer because neither had a job. Instead of continuing their job search, they looked into buying a pedicab bicycle, of which there are only about 50 in Chicago.

“It was a turning point in my life,” Blume said. “We said, ‘Let’s do something new, something clean’.”

They were attracted to the idea because it could fill transportation needs in an environmentally friendly way. They also liked the idea of being their own boss.

“We started a snow shoveling business when we were young, we’ve always been entrepreneurs,” Blume said. “We were both home schooled so we have the drive inside of us. We don’t need to have a teacher telling us what to do.”

On the suggestion of their father, also an entrepreneur, the brothers signed a notarized agreement about the business. They bought insurance and a bike with operating break lights and turn signals in the dark.

Their goal was to make the 81 home games for the Chicago Cubs and hit as many Chicago White Sox games as they could. Both being water polo players and feeling fit, the Blumes weren’t ready for what pulling around the weight of two or three people does to a person’s body.

“The first week it was so hard because it is a strain on your body, no matter how in shape you are,” Blume said. They decided not to stick to their original plan of riding every day.

The brothers did work enough to increase their business by three bikes and hired more riders in Chicago. Their goal for this summer is to double their business. Though they do not have set ride prices, it’s usually never more than $10 for all riders combined.

They work when most students would be out with friends, like New Year’s Eve, but Blume said as he pedals he forgets he’s working.

“You won’t look at it as a job. You’re riding and you’re having a conversation with the passengers.”

While the partners do face some problems with the economy, like having difficulty obtaining loans, Blume said he brought the business to Dayton hoping to help students’ economic troubles improve.

“With the state the economy is in, we want to create jobs,” Blume said. “We can give students rides while creating jobs for them.”

Blume will be riding around campus until next December, when he plans to graduate with an accounting degree. He’s looking for employees for the business so it can continue when he moves back to Chicago.

“I’m going to ride full-time until I stop having fun, which won’t happen.”

Jennie Szink

News Editor

Matt and Natasha Elliott will do the legwork for your next night on the town.

The Modesto couple have started a pedicab business, pulling customers in a small, open-air coach attached to a bicycle.

The business, Downtown Peddlers, is believed to be the first of its type in the city. It started in November and could add a second vehicle next week.

“We always wanted to do something that would be environmentally good, and we also get to work out,” Natasha Elliott said.

The pedicab mainly ferries people among nightspots in downtown Modesto. It also serves the neighborhoods near Graceada Park and the Modesto Junior College East Campus.

The 21-gear vehicle was made by Colorado-based Main Street Pedicabs. It has a detachable top that can be used when it’s wet. The pedicab holds three adult passengers or two adults and two small children.

The lowest fare is $5 per trip between any two destinations in the downtown core. For $20, passengers can ride from a restaurant to the Gallo Center for the Arts, then to their car after the show.

The most popular package is the four-hour “pub crawl,” costing $155. The pedicab also can be hired for weddings in Stanislaus County — $420 for four hours of service — and for customized events.

The Elliotts run the business in addition to holding down their day jobs with AT&T. Matt, 34, is a lineman, and Natasha, 33, is an engineer who hires contractors for the company.

They have a son, 5-year-old Beau, and a daughter, 3-year-old Piper.

On a typical night, Natasha Elliott operates the pedicab from 6 to 10 p.m. Her husband, a former semipro bicyclist, takes over from 10 p.m. until 2 a.m.

The pedicab weighs about 200 pounds without people on board, but the flat Modesto terrain makes the going fairly easy.

“You’re very invigorated when you’re done,” said Natasha Elliott, who had bicycled for leisure before operating the pedicab.

Pedicabs are in use in many cities, including San Francisco and Sacramento. They provide pollution-free transportation while helping keep drinkers from driving.

The Elliotts did not need a special license for the pedicab because it is not a motor vehicle, but they did get safety advice from the Modesto Police Department.

Tresetti’s World Caffe on 11th Street is among the restaurants that have spread the word about the service.

“It’s kind of like the feel of riding the (horse-drawn) carriages in Central Park, on a much smaller scale,” restaurant co-owner Mitch Maisetti said. “If they can make people happy and cruise them around in this weather, imagine what they can do when it’s summer.”

The service area could expand in the future if the business catches on, Natasha Elliott said.

“The downtown clientele, the evening crowd, has been amazing,” she said. “They’ve been glad to see us out and about.”

“Environmentally friendly, well-equipped state-of-the-art rickshaw bicycles are a new way of getting around Seven Mile Beach and George Town,” said owner and operator Brian Barnes.

“I have no set route, and go wherever the passenger wants to go. They are well-equipped with signals, break lights, headlights, even seatbelts.”

Mr Barnes thought of the idea two years ago, and made his first application in September 2005 to import the rickshaw bicycles.

“The first two are here, and there are more on the way,” he said.

They can also be used for special events, such as weddings, private parties, parades, etc and they are also available for advertising and branding,” he added.

Mr Barnes also said businesses can advertise on the cabs, by ‘branding’ them with companies’ or products’ logos.

“It’s something new to Cayman and people use them right now in big cities such as Denver, New York, Florida, Las Vegas and Victoria in British Columbia, which is where I first fell in love with them and rode them to earn spare money, when I was going to school there,” said Mr Barnes.

People will be able to locate the cabs in and around the Seven Mile Beach and George Town locations.

For contact information people can phone 947-2222 or visit the company’s website at www.CaymanPediCab.com or email christopher@caymannetnews.com.

Content provided courtesy caymannetnews.com.

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