By Daniel Luscombe

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.

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Tags: benedict, bicycle, bicycles, Cabs, community, congestion, Environmentally, johnny ramone, mode of transportation, passenger, Pedicab, Pedicab News, pedicabs, taxis, Transport, tricycle

By ARIEL KAMINER, New York Times

The bride stood out against the backdrop of Central Park: The temperature was in the 50s, yet she had nothing more on her torso than a lace bustier. Below, her dress was as voluminous as an inflated parachute, dragging as she hobbled along the path. I was gliding along comfortably in the back of a pedicab, with plenty of room next to me on the seat. So I offered her a lift.

The look she gave me was not gratitude. After a few more friendly entreaties, the groom caught up to us. “She doesn’t want to,” he said. With that, they turned off the path and she hobbled onward, juggling various hems.

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Tags: bicycle, bikes, broadway, Cabs, central park, congestion, downtown, fun, Manhattan, mode of transportation, NEW YORK, passenger, Pedicab, pedicab driver, Pedicab Videos, pedicabs, rickshaw, ride, three wheels, times square, traffic, Transport, tricycle

By STEPHANIE SIMON

DENVER — Owners of bicycle rickshaws, already a popular way of getting about downtown Denver, are seizing on the Democratic National Convention as a chance to showcase their human-powered taxis as more than just a novelty.

Steve Meyer, owner of one of Denver’s largest fleets of pedicabs and a manufacturer of the vehicles, wants the convention’s national audience to see bike taxis as a dynamic part of the urban fabric and the ultimate in green transportation.

“People see pedicabs as like a horse-drawn carriage, sitting there on the curb for our amusement. We want people to see them in a new light, as a fundamental mode of transportation,” said Mr. Meyer, whose Mile High Pedicabs boasts a 40-vehicle fleet.

Bike-pedaled rickshaws took off in the U.S. scene in the early 1990s, in large part due to Mr. Meyer’s promotion. He got them recognized early on as part of the mix in revitalizing Denver’s downtown pedestrian mall.

Mr. Meyer makes bike taxis in his Broomfield, Colo., factory, selling 3,000 in the last 15 years to buyers across the country. The biggest markets include New York, San Diego, Austin, Texas, and Miami. Mr. Meyer says he hopes greater exposure during the convention will translate to bigger business.

Pedicabs, which weigh about 200 pounds empty, can take passengers as far as several miles, but most runs are two to 10 blocks — often too short for a conventional cab, and for pedestrians encumbered by packages, ill health or alcohol, too long to walk. Most rickshaw buggies seat two, though sometimes four or five passengers squeeze in.

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Tags: democratic national convention, downtown denver, fleets, independent contractors, mode of transportation, national audience, pedestrian mall, Pedicab News, pedicabs, rickshaw, steve meyer, vehicle fleet

The scene was vintage New York as 32 pedicabs chauffeured patrons from the Essex Hotel to the Metropolitan Museum of Art during a prearranged ride. The organizer Lisa said “Thank you so much for Saturday. Our ride up to the Met was the highlight of the weekend, everyone is still talking about it and will be for a long time to come I am sure!! Please thank all the riders, they were amazing. And tell them that you guys were the most reliable, professional and fun mode of transportation we used all weekend. I think you’ll have some new customers in the future. Thanks again and all the best.”

Tags: future, metropolitan museum of art, mode of transportation, Museum, NEW YORK, patrons, pedicabs, Press Releases, scene, weekend