“Hey, Rickshaw Willie,” someone calls out as Tim Wilhelm drives his Pedicab down Main Street in Akron, Ohio. It’s a common occurrence these days, as Wilhelm, aka “Rickshaw Willie,” has become somewhat of a local celebrity.

“Everybody has to have their picture taken with Rickshaw Willie,” Wilhelm says. “People are hugging me all the time, and kids will run out to the edge of the curb to high-five me as I drive down the road. Even some local business owners came up to me while I was eating dinner and told my wife that I had become a downtown Akron icon.”

But it was only about a year ago when the 54-year-old Wilhelm found himself depressed and at a crossroads in his life. A truck driver for 31 years, Wilhelm became the victim of a sagging economy when the trucking company he works for merged with another and then decided to take him out of his truck and onto the loading dock.

“It was about the lowest point I had ever been in my life,” he says. “I didn’t know if I’d pull out of the depression, but I’m not a quitter, so I kept thinking about what I could do.”

Not one to just sit around, Wilhelm went online looking for a new opportunity and came across Main Street Pedicabs, a manufacturer of Pedicabs in Broomfield, Colorado.

“I watched some of their videos and I thought that this was something I could do,” he says. “But people kept telling me that I was crazy and too old to do it.”

One of those skeptics was his wife of 30 years, Lori.

“When Tim first spoke of a rickshaw last winter, I thought it was just a way to pass the time while he was laid off,” she says. “No way would a rickshaw work in Akron.”

But Wilhelm defied the naysayers and purchased the Pedicab anyway. Ten months later, he has had encounters with celebrities, has endeared himself to the community and has become stronger, both mentally and physically.

“As soon as I got the Pedicab and started riding it, I realized that I wasn’t too old, and I was actually getting younger as I was riding it,” he says. “I felt younger in my mind, but my body was definitely getting stronger, too.”

Wilhelm’s first official day out with his new Pedicab was during Akron’s St. Patrick’s Day parade. When some of the parade organizers saw him dressed for the occasion on his decorated Pedicab, they asked Wilhelm if he would drive Akron’s beauty queen through the parade route.

“It was a big hit and everyone enjoyed it, so I knew I was onto something,” he says. “I knew with this Pedicab that I had something special and unique in its own way, so I started volunteering for the Kids Bike Rodeo and other events.”

One of those events was a charity pub crawl to raise money for cancer research in Barberton, Ohio. Wilhelm volunteered to drive people from one bar to the next. He kept people from drinking and driving, but he also learned that he had gained a key ally.

“At about midnight that night, a Barberton policeman pulled up beside me in his cruiser, gave me a thumbs-up and told me I had done a real good job,” he says.

Wilhelm also has volunteered for events with the Copley Police Department, and even let Chief of Police Michael Mier drive him around in the Pedicab.

“Rickshaw Willie has become a regular visitor to our special events,” Chief Mier says.  “His colorful outfits and special bicycle attract a lot of attention.  Children and parents alike enjoy the ride.  Rickshaw Willie has helped make these events special and fun for the children of our community.  We have found that children have so much fun at community events that they can’t wait to return the following year.  Rickshaw Willie has been a big addition and one of the highlights.”

Although Wilhelm admits the police “looked at him a little funny” when he first got started, he says they quickly realized that he and his Pedicab were an asset to the community.

“I think they can see that the Pedicab is a safe and unique way to get around town without tying up traffic,” he says. “About a month ago, one of the Akron policemen pulled me aside and said, ‘Rickshaw Willie, if you ever need any help down here, you let us know and we’ll come from all directions.’ When the police tell you something like that, you know you are doing something right.”

Wilhelm certainly gained support from the local police, but he soon realized that others were taking notice, as well.

While driving his Pedicab around a bike rally in downtown Akron, legendary rocker Chrissie Hynde, of the Pretenders, asked to speak with him. An Akron resident, Hynde noticed Wilhelm from the patio of her vegan restaurant.

“She has been interested in bringing Pedicabs to the area, and has even brought it up to people, but no one has ever followed up on it,” he says. “So, she was surprised and excited to see there was actually one in town, and talked to me about expanding the business in downtown Akron. It was something that caught me off guard, but to meet Chrissie Hynde was real exciting for me.”

“But I also started to realize that I was becoming my own celebrity,” he continued. “When the big celebrities start to notice you, it means you’re catching somebody’s eye.”

And he was right. Wilhelm caught the eye of another celebrity when he took his Pedicab to the LeBron James Bike-a-Thon. That’s where Mo Williams of the Cleveland Cavaliers asked Wilhelm to drive him through the course in his Pedicab.

“It was pretty exciting and I was more than happy to do it,” Wilhelm says. “We pulled over near the crowd at one point and we were swarmed by people who wanted to see Mo Williams. I turned to him and said, ‘Mo do you want me to get you out of here,’ and he said ‘go, go go,’ so it was exciting to bust out of the crowd like I had Elvis Presley in the back.”

In addition to meeting many interesting people, Wilhelm says his Pedicab business has improved both his health and morale.

“I’ve gotten a lot stronger,” he says. “In fact, I just got back from the doctor and they were impressed with my heart rate and blood pressure, especially for someone my age. I ride with the Stark County Bicycle Club out of Canton, and they’ve really noticed how much stronger I’ve gotten. It has made me a stronger person, and I think I can attribute a lot of that to the Pedicab.”

And it’s not only Wilhem’s physical strength that has improved.

“A guy I work with told me that he noticed a big change in me not long after I got my Pedicab,” he says. “He could see the improvement in my attitude and that I was smiling again. He could see that I was a much different, much happier person.”

Wilhelm still works on the loading dock, however, and he’s still not happy about it. But instead of letting it get him down, he now focuses on brighter things.

“Instead of worrying about that job, I think about all the opportunities with my Pedicab business,” he says. “It took my mind off of the negative things and put me on a different direction.”

And Wilhelm likes the new direction his life is headed and takes pride in the courage he had to invest in a new business, and himself.

“Just knowing that I took a business where everyone told me I was too old to do it, and I actually did it makes me feel good,” he says. “It’s getting bigger for me everyday and it’s just as exciting for me today as it was the first day I started driving my Pedicab.”

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.

FREE PRESS BUSINESS WRITER

Visiting San Francisco once, Michael Rosemond took a ride in a pedicab along that city’s famed waterfront. The pedicab — a small carriage attached to a bicycle operated by a driver — made him an instant fan.

“I talked to one of the owners. He said, ‘Man, you’ve got to start these up in Detroit. People love them,’ ” Rosemond said last week.

That bit of advice led to Rickshaw Detroit, part of a small but growing pedicab trade in and around downtown Detroit. Rosemond operates Rickshaw Detroit with his business partner, Terry Walker, and they say that the growing number of clubs, restaurants, and special events downtown and up through the Midtown district prove ideal for the pedicab trade.

The business requires a lot of pedaling each partner rides perhaps 20 miles a day on summer weekends at the height of their season. But business has been brisk enough that Rickshaw Detroit no longer charges fares but gets by on tips.

“You can actually get more when you just ask for tips,” Walker said. “People love them so much.”

Rosemond added, “Once they get in, they don’t want to get out.”

The partners operate a lot along Detroit’s RiverWalk, carrying passengers along the waterfront promenade or to downtown restaurants. They also hire out to special events like weddings or the annual open house sponsored by Crain’s Detroit Business.

Both men live in Detroit and have other jobs. Walker, 50, is a safety officer with the Detroit Public Schools and a master sergeant in the U.S. Army Reserve. He has served two combat tours in Iraq. Rosemond, 59, is a receptionist at the Detroit Institute of Art.

The partners met at a Detroit City Council meeting where both were lobbying for approval of a pedicab business. “We said, ‘Why don’t we get together? Two heads are better than one,’ ” Rosemond said.

The up-front investment remains modest. Each of the pedicabs, purchased from a Denver manufacturer, costs from $3,200 to $4,200, depending if you buy frills like a canopy. Then there’s insurance and a variety of other out-of-pocket expenses. Operators must obtain a rickshaw license from the City of Detroit.

The partners own three of the pedicabs, operating two themselves while they look for a third driver.

“It’s one of those businesses that you can start right out of the box,” Walker said. “You have the potential to recoup your investment really fast.”

Pedicabs offer the potential for advertising tie-ins and various partnerships. Walker said he also has benefitted from entrepreneurial training offered by TechTown, the business incubator operating on Wayne State University’s campus.

Chicago – The city is contemplating a new set of rules that one entrepreneurial duo says would wreak havoc on its fledgling pedicab business.

For one thing, the proposed ordinance would forbid pedicabs from displaying advertising, “the largest form of income I have available,” argues Julia Samuels, 24, who operates Chicago Rickshaw LLC with partner Rob Tipton.

Chicago Rickshaw owns 20 pedicabs, which it rents to drivers. Those pedicabs now can display ads at a rate of about $150 per day, per vehicle — “real money I can count on,” Ms. Samuels says. “The legislation they have proposed can easily put us out of business in a matter of months.”The proposed ad ban is about public safety, says Norma Reyes, commissioner of the city’s Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection. The city ordinance would require pedicabs to display a rate card, license number and the pedicab company’s name and phone number. “I don’t think there’s space there that will accommodate all the things that are going to be required,” Ms. Reyes says.

Ms. Samuels isn’t buying it. “I’ve got 40 square feet of brandable space” on each pedicab, she says.

Mr. Tipton, 32, also is confused by the proposed ad ban. Aside from Chicago Rickshaw, he also co-owns a pedicab company in New York, Mr. Rickshaw LLC. He says New York doesn’t prohibit pedicab ads.

Another aspect of the proposed ordinance that concerns him: a ban on pedicabs downtown before 7 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Mr. Tipton says Chicago seemed like a perfect fit for the business — with flat terrain, traffic problems that pedicabs could help alleviate and a mayor with a bicycle-friendly reputation. He says Chicago Rickshaw has a waiting list for drivers: “People need these jobs.”

But those jobs may not be around for long. “We’re just getting started here in Chicago, but (the proposed ordinance) would definitely force us to close our doors,” he says. “We’re probably going to have to take the fleet to a different city and try again.”

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.”

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

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

“It’s a great way for people to get where they want to go while enjoying the fresh air,” said Angie Brusky, co-owner of Peninsula Pedicabs LLC in Fish Creek.Brusky and her boyfriend, Josiah Lent, recently returned to Door County, where they were both born and raised, to start their pedicab business. Brusky is the daughter of Bill and Jackie Brusky of Sturgeon Bay, and Lent is the son of Craig and Lauren Lent of Fish Creek.

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

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

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

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

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

“It’s a cab service, but it’s more about the experience,” McCarthy said.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Peninsula Pedicab started offering services last week, generally from 5 to 10 p.m. The business’ grand opening is scheduled for the beginning of June.

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

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

“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.”

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.”

A: Many people contact us to inquire about starting a Pedicab business. Go to our Operators page for some tips on how to get started, or contact us for more in-depth information.

Q: How do I order parts?

A: Go to www.wheelgoods.com. If what you need is not listed or you need the shipment expedited or if you have any questions, call us at 303-295-3822.

Q: How long is production time?

A: Main Street Pedicabs are custom made to your specifications. Lead times are often 1-3 weeks, though they can be longer during the spring and summer season.

Q: Are Main Street Pedicabs shipped assembled?

A: Yes, our Pedicabs are shipped fully assembled and ready to roll.

Q: Can I request customizations?

A: Yes, because you’re dealing directly with the manufacturer, customers can order a variety of custom colors and designs. We’ll also build your Pedicab with different components if you prefer something you’re more comfortable with rather than our standard components.

Q: Should I hire a Pedicab Consultant?

A: People often ask us if they should spend the money to hire a Pedicab consultant. One of the great things about starting and operating a Pedicab business is how easy it is to do. We at Main Street have a wealth of resources and have walked dozens of people through the process of getting a Pedicab business off the ground. With these things in mind, we feel it’s an unnecessary expenditure to hire a Pedicab consultant.

Q: What sort of maintenance is required on a Main Street Pedicab?

A: Maintenance for a Main Street Pedicab shouldn’t be an overwhelming, time-consuming task, but should be practiced regularly for a well running Pedicab. By following a systematic maintenance schedule, the Pedicabs will not only run better, but will also be more enjoyable for both the driver and the passengers. For more on how to properly maintain a Main Street, check out our New Pedicab Rider Instructions and our Main Street Pedicab Manual.

In the old fishing villages on the southeast coast of Spain, the streets are narrow, the parking is atrocious and the tourists are plentiful.

But for tourists who are too tired and sweaty to take another step under the hot Spanish sun, there is relief, thanks to a little Broomfield company that is bridging the walker-automobile transportation gap with something called a “pedicab.”

On a recent morning in March, a dozen or so yellow pedicabs lay ready for shipment to Spain in the small warehouse of Main Street Pedicabs Inc., a company that has championed pedicabs for more than a decade under the leadership of its owner and CEO, Steve Meyer. “We’re not only building pedicabs, we’re building a pedicab industry,” Meyer said.

Meyer said he stuck with pedicabs while others might have given up because he and his wife, Ruth Vanderkooi, simply love the business. And that’s even though they make less than they would if they were fully employed somewhere else, he said.

Meyer has a background in urban planning, and sees himself as sort of a champion of an alternative form of transportation that can add excitement and utility to boring cities dominated by automobiles.

So, thanks in part to supplemental income earned by his wife and to real estate development projects on the side, Meyer has persevered in the pedicab business and figures he’s easily the biggest pedicab manufacturer in the United States.

That may seem a strange claim for a business that has only two full-time employees and another 10 people or so that it uses on a part-time basis. But Meyer said he outsources most of the production and does only the assembly in-house. For instance, he uses a machine shop in Broomfield, a fiberglass company in Greeley, a tube-cutting company in Golden and a welder in Denver.

Pedicabs are three-wheeled vehicles that are similar to the Asian rickshaw, with a pedaler up front and a seat that can hold two adults in back. Main Street’s pedicabs have a base price of $3,400 and a fiberglass cab, 21-speed drivetrain and differential that allows the driver to turn on a dime.

Main Street sells them to operating pedicab businesses, a few of which it partly owns, including two companies with 20 pedicabs apiece in New York and Denver.

Main Street has produced about 500 pedicabs since its inception, and its production volume has been flat in the last four years, but Meyer sees a new day dawning for the business, and here’s why:

* The weaker dollar has made his price competitive in Europe, and he believes he has the best product. By 2005, he foresees half of his business coming from Europe.
* He is looking at setting up distributorships in New Jersey, the Southeast United States and Spain, which would increase the efficiency of his manufacturing operation.
* He is pushing the marketing of a cargo-hauling tricycle with a 24-volt battery system to supplement the pedaler’s power. He sees that being used in amusement parks, college campuses and business campuses. (He also has an Pedal-Electric Pedicab, which was the type ordered from Spain.)
* Manhattan Rickshaw Co., the New York operating company in which Meyer has a half-interest, was featured March 11 on “The Apprentice,” the television show featuring Donald Trump. Teams in the show competed against each other by operating pedicab services, and Meyer sees the exposure as another step forward in getting pedicabs accepted as mainstream transportation.

Revenue from ads, drivers

Pedicab operators make money partly from leasing their pedicabs to drivers and partly from advertising on the pedicabs.

Lease rates to drivers can depend on the location and event. For instance, in a Las Vegas mall, drivers lease pedicabs from the operator for $20 a shift and don’t charge their riders; they make money solely on tips.

At the Super Bowl in Houston, pedicab operators were charging drivers $100 per shift.

In Denver, the driver pays up to $50 for an eight-hour shift, and is restricted by the Denver operating company to charging the riding customers no more than $2 per block. The city licenses both the driver and operator.

Advertising also can provide important revenue. Indeed, in the Denver operating company that Meyer half owns, roughly half the revenue comes from advertising, and about half comes from leasing the pedicabs to drivers. Bud Light has signed up for advertising four straight years in Denver.

Jason Longsdorf, a planner with the city of Denver, said the pedicabs are a “great option” and “a good civic feature.”

“They filled a very small niche that’s grown with the LoDo and baseball crowd,” he said.

And Longsdorf foresees more growth opportunity for the pedicabs in Denver as hotel density increases downtown and the convention center expands.

Longsdorf said the licensing is necessary to ensure a certain level of safety, and Meyer likes the idea of minimum standards to maintain the industry’s image.

He’s getting calls from cities that are interested in revitalizing downtowns, and he’s seeing pedicabs move from novelty-item status into a practical alternative for people who can’t walk, or don’t want to walk, a number of blocks.

“Now, I think they’re going to become part of the transportation fabric,” Meyer said.