by Sam Sanders

The South by Southwest music festival bills itself as “the premier destination for discovery.” It’s also the destination for truckloads of cash, as music and art fans flock to Austin, Texas, each March. Last year’s event brought nearly $100 million to the city, according to one analyst.

The more than 200,000 “creative class” types — musicians, media gurus, filmmakers — who come to South by Southwest (often known merely as SXSW) spend money not only at the official event, but also in Austin’s rich underground economy.

The annual festival has become a cash cow for the city, says Ben Loftsgaarden, an economic analyst with Greyhill Advisors who studied the economic impact of last year’s event.

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Tags: Austin, Cabs, cash cow, cool, downtown, Drivers, Pedicab, pedicab driver, Pedicab News, pedicabs, south by southwest music festival, southwest music festival, taxis, Transport, transportation, underground economy

By Rachel Kipp, The News Journal

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.

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Tags: dan werner, downtown, Environmentally, Main Street, Main Street Pedicabs, manufacturer, nightlife, Pedicab, pedicab business, pedicab driver, pedicab drivers, Pedicab News, pedicab service, pedicabs, street pedicabs, taxi cab, 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

NAPERVILLE, IL – Bus drivers have the wave. Pedi-cab drivers have the bell.

Every time Brett and Matt Dingeldein pass each other while operating one of their pedi-cabs, they salute each other by ringing the bell.

“We’ve got both hands on the handlebars when we’re pedaling,” Brett said. “The bell is right there by your thumb, so it’s a good way to say ‘Hi.’ And we ring the bell at everybody downtown.”

Since Memorial Day, the father and son have operated Green Street Pedicabs, which offers pedi-cab service around downtown Naperville. Brett, 57, got the idea for the business two years ago. While working out, he was listening to Marketplace on National Public Radio. As host Kai Ryssdal talked about being in the Far East and using pedi-cabs as a method of transportation, inspiration struck. (more…)

Tags: bicycle, bicycles, Chicago, downtown, Drivers, Main Street, naperville il, passenger, pedi cab, Pedicab, pedicab driver, pedicab drivers, Pedicab News, pedicabs, rickshaw, street pedicabs, traffic, transportation

By BRITTANY LYTE

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. (more…)

Tags: advertising, bicycle, Environmentally, martha's vineyard, Pedicab, pedicab driver, Pedicab News, pedicabs, taxis, tourists, vineyard, wheels

Entrepreneur powers his one-man horseless carriage during the wee hours Downtown

Wes Weisheit vigorously pedaled his bike along North Fourth Avenue, pulling a reporter in the “cab” behind. The gentle bumps during the ride seemed to echo the pulsating beats from the Bose stereo attached to his bike.

This open-air taxi burns no gasoline and provides a leisurely ride to your destination.

Otherwise known as pedicabs, rickshaws or bike taxis, you’ve probably seen them cruising the streets during University of Arizona football games or late night on Fourth Avenue.

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Tags: advertising, bicycle, Cabs, downtown, downtowns, Drivers, Main Street, Main Street Pedicabs, operator, passenger, Pedicab, pedicab driver, pedicab drivers, Pedicab News, pedicabs, pub crawls, rickshaw, rickshaws, street pedicabs, taxis, transportation, weekend, wheels