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.

“About $99 million, almost $100 million, was basically injected back into the Austin economy over that nine-day festival period,” he said.

Lofstgaarden says this year’s visitors might spend a bit less, because of the tough economy. But the money is not just going toward tickets. There’s a kind of underground economy that has grown up around the festival: food vendors, merchandisers, knickknack sellers, cab drivers.

Well, maybe not exactly cab drivers. For the SXSW crowd, pedicabs, or bike taxis, are all the rage.

“The attenders for SXSW are much more likely to take a pedicab versus a cab,” said Amy Waller, a pedicab driver who moved to Austin from Baltimore. “It’s just cooler. It’s trendier — that’s why we’re making money.”

Waller says she hopes to make some pretty good money shuttling conference attendees to and fro. “Maybe like a month’s pay at my day job, my 9-to-5,” she said.

If that happens, Waller already knows how she’ll spend the loot.

“Everyone kind of plans what they’re going to do with their money,” she said. “My plan is to try to buy a motorcycle, so I can get rid of my car. That’s what I’m banking on, that’s my goal.”

During the festival, there’s no shortage of food. Marc Stimak owns Texas Picnic Company Barbecue and Char Pit, a mobile food trailer.

“We do chopped beef, Carolina pulled pork and Alabama chicken,” Stimak said. “Comes with a white barbecue sauce, 12 ingredients. It’s killer good.”

And in a nod to Tex-Mex tradition, you can get it all in a tortilla. Every year, mobile food vendors take up strategic positions all over downtown Austin. In a good SXSW year, Stimak will make almost four to six times what he would in a normal week.

“It’s kind of like our Christmas, if you will. This is the Christmas season,” he said.

Even so, Stimak says people are spending a bit less. Patrons who used to buy his two-for-one taco special just for themselves are now splitting it with friends.

But because almost all of the vendors are local, most of the money spent on things like food and transportation goes back into Austin’s economy.
Mike Shea, SXSW executive director, says Austin is the perfect partner for the festival, especially compared with other — colder — cities.

“Every time it freezes in New York, we get another hundred registrations in Austin,” he said.

And with every one of those new registrants, Austin prepares a little more food and a few more cabs.

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.”

LONDRES.-  Con Boris Johnson los londinenses han cogido el gusto por los pedales. Pero fueron otros los que encontraron mucho antes el potencial a ir sobre ruedas en el ajetreado asfalto de la capital británica. Son muchos los que conocen los ‘rickshaws’, pero muy pocos los que saben verdaderamente los secretos de estos populares triciclos que trabajan como bici taxis. Visitamos ‘Shone Lane’, el gran garaje donde duermen los pedicabs más famosos de toda Europa.

Para entrar hay que marcar una clave en la puerta que sólo conocen los conductores de estos vehículos. “Entran y salen cuando quieren. Ellos se ponen sus propios horarios”, cuenta Vanessa Celosse, que trabaja en Bugbugs, el primer operador que en 1998 sacó a la calle una flota de 18 ciclocarros. En principio, el proyecto estaba destinado para dar “trabajo verde” a los desempleados, pero hoy en día muy pocos viven exclusivamente de dar al pedal. La mayoría de los conductores son jóvenes que vienen a aprender inglés o estudiantes que quieren sacarse el dinero para pagar el alquiler mientras acaban sus clases.

El sistema funciona de modo que estos jóvenes alquilan un rickshaw por unas libras a la semana (entre 40 y 85, según el tipo de vehículo), y como media, frente al manillar se pueden llevar entre 100 y 250 libras semanales, según las horas que trabajen (consulta esta oferta de empleo). Muchos de estos conductores proceden de Latinoamérica (30%), Europa del Este (30%) y Turquía (30%). ¿Españoles? “Alguno que otro también hay —dice Vanessa— pero normalmente vienen sólo por tres meses”.

Si bien lo más solicitado en estos momentos son los alquileres de estos vehículos para bodas y despedidas de soltero y de soltera, Vanessa aún recuerda cuando llamaron a la compañía preguntando si también ofrecían servicios funerarios. “Fue hace poco. Se murió una mujer que siempre había defendido el medio ambiente. Preparamos un carro especial para llevar el féretro y todo el mundo acudió al entierro subido a una bicicleta, fue algo muy especial”, explica.

Pese a estas excepciones, los responsables de los operadores ya no sacan tantas ganancias como antes. Carlos, de Colombia, recuerda el gran negocio que supuso el inicio de los triciclos. “Era una novedad. Los turistas y los mismos ingleses lo veían como algo exótico. Por aquel entonces sí que había trabajo. Te podías sacar alrededor de 700 libras a la semana”, dice. Aunque durante dos años se pasó desde las doce de la mañana hasta las doce de la noche llevando gente de un lado a otro, ahora ha decidido “pasarse al otro lado” del negocio. Hace un mes se compró diez de estas bicicletas de tres ruedas. “Me costaron 700 libras cada una —me cuenta mientras las limpia con esmero— pero quiero vender dos para comprarme una mejor”.

Aunque las de aluminio son las más deseadas, hay un pedicab en concreto que se ha convertido en la “estrella” del garaje. Tiene altavoces de alta definición e incluso hasta televisor. “Se la compró un chico hace tiempo y poco a poco ha ido transformando el vehículo. Ahora es increíble”, dice Vanessa. Aunque el garaje es utilizado por los operadores, también hay particulares que pueden alquilar una plaza individual. Carlos, por ejemplo, paga por su apartado 500 libras al mes. “A los chicos les pides entre 60 y 70 libras a la semana por utilizar la bicicleta. El resto es para ellos. Antes en verano pedían más, pero ahora con la crisis, la cosa está muy mal”, matiza. Aunque hay noches que los conductores se van a casa sólo con 10 libras, Carlos ha enseñado a sus chicos los “trucos” que realmente dan dinero. La jugada maestra son los stripties. “Los turistas siempre te preguntan dónde están. Si tú los llevas, el club te tiene que dar 20 libras. Hay algunos que incluso más”, dice. Los novatos no saben donde están “los puntos estratégicos”, pero los veteranos siempre les ayudan.

Uno de los consejos que también dan a los principiantes es que tengan cuidado con los ‘black cab’, los famosos taxis negros. La batalla que existe entre los dos medios de transporte empezó el mismo día que los triciclos salieron a la calle. “No nos aguantan. Nos cierran el paso e incluso nos tiran monedas de peniques cuando pasan a nuestro lado. Obviamente no todos, pero algunos sí se portan muy mal”, dice Carlos. Por su parte, la Asociación de Conductores de Taxi con Licencia (LTDA) subraya en su página web que “aunque parezca mentira, en el Londres del siglo XXI existe un gran problema con los rickshaws; mientras el Tercer Mundo hace todo lo posible para acabar con el último de esos degradantes artilugios impulsados por pedales, operadores sin escrúpulos obstruyen las calles de la Metrópolis con esas mismas lentas bicis que frenan el tráfico”.

Un episodio que marcó un antes y después en esta guerra fue el pasado mes de diciembre, cuando un peatón se salvó de milagro de un atropello por un ciclocarro descontrolado que colisionó con un restaurante en Soho. La Policía descubrió que el carro tenía batería y los taxistas aprovecharon para pedir que se prohibieran. “Es cierto que algunos utilizaron baterías, pero ahora estamos pendientes de una regulación y nadie se quiere arriesgar a perder el negocio. La pelota lleva años entre el ayuntamiento y la Policía. Aún no sabemos nada, pero puede llegar en cualquier momento, por eso es mejor tener todo perfecto”, matiza Carlos.

Y es que el peso de alguno de los pedicabs hace la jornada insoportable para los conductores. David, de 28 años, empezó hace tan sólo un mes a pedalear y ya no sabe qué pantalones ponerse de todo el peso que ha perdido. “Mis amigos no me reconocen”, me dice mientras me muestra el último agujero del cinturón. Toca el contrabajo y estudia negocios musicales. “En cuanto pueda lo dejo. Hoy por lo menos tengo que sacar 15 libras para pagar el teléfono”. Saca el triciclo que han asignado y me monto en el asiento para irme con él hasta el centro. David asegura que muchas veces, más que el dinero, merece la pena toda la gente interesante que conoce en los trayectos. “Me gusta hablar con ellos”. Y la verdad es que él tiene grandes historias que contar. A los 17 años se fue de casa y desde entonces ha estado viviendo en Canadá, París, Barcelona, Londres… una auténtica caja de sorpresas.

Me deja en mi destino. En Piccadilly me cojo otro ciclocarro para ir hasta China Town. Aunque la mayoría operan en el centro, nada les prohíbe llevar a sus clientes hasta el rincón más perdido de Londres. Mi interlocutor ahora se llama Marek. Es polaco y tiene 22 años. Lleva un año pedaleando. “En cuanto termine los estudios lo dejo”. Aunque la mayoría de sus clientes no le ha dado problemas, también me cuenta que hay muchos borrachos por la noche que se bajan corriendo antes de llegar al destino para no pagar”. Le pregunto por qué apenas hay chicas metidas a “conductoras”. En el momento en el que me deja subirme a la bicicleta lo entiendo todo. Aquello pesaba horrores. El trayecto apenas dura siete minutos. El precio que hemos pactado es de 5 libras. Aunque en su día fueron los más exóticos, hoy los pedicabs se caracterizan por ser el medio de transporte más caro de la capital británica.

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.”

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.

The pedicabs are free to ride, but the lively individuals, such as Weisheit, who power them work for tips.

The 46-year-old prefers to call the pedal-powered people-mover a rickshaw.

“It kind of gives it that foreign influence,” said Weisheit, who works most weekends on Fourth Avenue starting about midnight.

He’s pedaled people during pub crawls, UA football games and some basketball games.

And, of course, there’s St. Patrick’s Day. “That’s the best,” said Weisheit, whose usually starts around 3 p.m. on that day.

Riders include anyone from students to bar-goers to senior citizens, depending on the time and where they’re riding.

You often can spot a pedicab along Fourth Avenue or Downtown on weekends from midnight to about 3 a.m.

A pedicab usually is a bench seat on wheels enclosed by arm- and backrests. A bicycle — and its operator — serve as the “engine.”

Larger cities such as Phoenix and tourist towns like Key West, Fla., have an abundance of pedicabs in their downtowns. Tucson has just a few.

Weisheit first worked for Sean Dile, who bought his $4,000 pedicab in November 2007 from Colorado-based Main Street Pedicabs. The two met in December 2007, and Weisheit worked for him for about five months before branching out with his own Main Street pedicab in May. His model is tricked out with a $5,000 Bose stereo and gas-charged Volkswagen shock absorbers.

“The reason I came up with the idea is because I live by The Shanty and I wanted to go to Congress and not have to walk,” said Dile, who works at New Empire Food Market on West Ninth Street and commissions out his pedicab.

Weisheit said he’s logged about 1,500 miles on his rickshaw and probably carried 2,500 passengers.

“I think they do have a place here,” said Matt Zoll, bicycle and pedestrian program manager for the Pima County Department of Transportation. “It would be nice to see a successful one here — they have tremendous capabilities.”

Thom Devrie has hitched rides on a pedicab along Fourth Avenue. He said he likes the convenience of it when he’s on a date.

“Sometimes she’s wearing high heels and it’s hard for her to walk very far,” said the 22-year-old, who has tipped about $5 each time he’s used one. “It gets us to the next place faster and easier.”

Though Dile and Weisheit agree that it would be nice to operate the pedicabs during the day, they said demand tends to be low.

“People are on the Avenue in the daytime, but they tend to be sober and don’t ride,” Weisheit said.

As to how far they’ll ride people around, well, that depends.

“Far is relative to how many people you’ve got,” Weisheit said.

He has crammed six “small” students in his cab, which comfortably seats three to four. He said he’s carried about 800 pounds before, and he estimated that his cab alone weighs 170 pounds.

Weisheit said the average tip runs about $10. Of course, some riders don’t tip. To velvet-tongued pedicab drivers like Weisheit, non-tippers are few and far between. He usually persuades riders to give him something, even if it’s pizza or beer.

The real money is in the advertising on the cab. Dile’s rickshaw has had up to eight ads on it, from Nova Home Loans to Bison Witches Bar and Deli.

Weisheit mainly sticks to area advertisers like Brooklyn Pizza Co. and Ordinary Bike Shop. Depending on the placement of the ad — the back is the best spot — revenue varies, but the ads bring in hundreds a month.

David Tang, the 27-year-old owner of Ordinary Bike Shop, is pleased with the attention his ad brings.

“It’s great — it gives us lots of local exposure,” Tang said. “When members of the community are involved, it’s always great. It does a lot of local outreach.”
Erik Ryberg, self-described Tucson Bike Lawyer, thinks pedicabs are a great idea.

“I had some friends come into town to take the bar exam,” he said. “I wanted to show them old parts of Tucson and El Presidio, so they rode in the back of (Weisheit’s) pedicab.
“It was a great way of showing a couple of friends from Maryland what Tucson is like.”

Pedicabs are also beginning to tote tourists in downtown Portland, OR, Denver and Ft. Lauderdale, as well as in Spain, Denmark, England, Israel and Canada. Most carry two people, but there’s a four-passenger pedicab being operated in Phoenix. They’re even emblazoned with advertising, like taxis and buses.

Main Street Pedicabs is promoting their vehicles as being the greenest alternative: no emissions, no fuel to buy, no oil changes…Their pedicabs cost under $4,000, with $1,200 for an electrical assist unit.

I always secretly admired the daredevil bicycle messengers who zipped through city streets in San Francisco when I worked in the Financial District. But now they have another option: they can slow down a bit, bone up on local lore and take tourists on tours around Fisherman’s Wharf.

Maybe one day we’ll see pedicabs in cities like Mazatlan, Iztapa, La Paz…anywhere cruise ships land regularly. Instead of taking a taxi, the cruiser could climb into a pedicab and get a pleasant ride down the malecon where all the shops and restaurants are. Mexicans are ingenious at converting bikes to load-bearing vehicles with everything from refrigerated boxes for ice cream to little trailers attached to them. Why not cabs? A couple of foam seats, a canopy to keep off the sun, and off you go! (NOTE: None of the examples I saw had seatbelts, but I think they’re a must.)

Among the experiences that make one go “Eek!,” tooling around Manhattan in a rickshaw ranks high, falling somewhere between a cab ride during rush hour and walking through Times Square after the theaters let out. Some of the bike-drawn buggies come equipped with seat belts; others don’t. You decide your threshold of thrill.

“There’s a real rush going through traffic,” said Jacob Press, a tour guide with the Manhattan Rickshaw Co., the longest continuously operating pedicab outfit in New York City. “We can always find a way through.”

I have explored the City That Never Stops by foot, bus and bike. But on a recent trip, I wanted to sightsee in a vehicle that was intimate with the urban landscape but didn’t require any energy expenditure. So I called Manhattan Rickshaw a few days before my visit and booked Press and his quads.

Rickshaws are pervasive in Asia, where the economical bicycles with big back seats jostle for space among mopeds, cars, beasts of burden and swarms of pedestrians. In the United States, they’re more of a novelty than a necessity but are a rousing ride nonetheless. Though passengers are not as vulnerable as the biker, they’re still thrust into the chaotic street scene.

“It’s a combination of entertainment and transportation,” said Manhattan Rickshaw owner Peter Meitzler, who was instrumental in bringing pedicabs to New York. “It’s fun and environmental and fills a niche.”

In 1994, he and a group of entrepreneurs brought a dozen pedicabs to Manhattan, a nervy experiment in a city so dependent on taxis. To drum up interest, the rides were free. Today, a number of companies send nearly 500 pedicabs onto the streets. The taxi alternatives, which can be hailed on nearly every busy corner, charge $15 to $40 for a 10- to 30-minute ride.

In Central Park, where I met my driver, pedicabs congregate alongside horse-drawn carriages, vying for passengers with a romantic streak. Some operators also employ licensed guides capable of pedaling, pointing and narrating without crashing.

“We cover a lot of ground,” Press told me as I climbed into the 150-pound contraption, stashing my bags in a small compartment. “In the pedicab, you can see the landscape change and are close enough to see New Yorkers in their daily life.” (Press and I vaguely discussed price and route beforehand. My only request for the 90-minute tour was to cruise through Times Square during rush hour; he balked, then conceded.)

Currently a full-time law school student, the 29-year-old New Yorker also has a master’s degree in urban planning and was keen to share his advanced-degree education. “You see layers of the city,” he said while pedaling away, his steady voice cutting through the street noise. “It’s looking forward and backward.”

In my case, I was hoping Press would spend more time glancing forward, at the oncoming traffic, than back, at me. We started with a breezy spin through Central Park, where he singled out the “Ghostbusters” building and Sheep Meadow, named for the lawnmowers of yore. As we exited the park and joined the stream of traffic, staying to the far left, Press described the passing structures, his eyes ping-ponging between me, the sites under discussion (e.g., the Plaza, St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Trump Tower) and the surrounding bedlam. “We’re faster than traffic,” he said, swooshing around a double-parked minivan, then seamlessly returning to the bike lane.

Seated on a padded bench protected by elbow-high sides and a convertible canopy, I felt as if I was nestled in a cocoon and was at ease enough to give Press 90 percent of my attention. (The remaining 10 percent was busy being a back-seat driver: “Parked car on left!” “Pothole ahead!” “New Jersey plates coming at you!”)

“We’ve had fender benders, but no fatalities,” he said. Well, that was comforting.

From the Central Park area, Press cruised through Midtown and cut through the heart of Times Square. At 45th Street, he removed the top, and with clear skies over my head, I watched the giant faces of billboard models float by like clouds. At a red light, I eavesdropped on sidewalk life, listening to a couple discuss their theater options. I wanted to grab their newspaper and circle “Xanadu,” but the light turned green.

Onward we coasted, through a living documentary of landmark structures (the Chrysler Building, the New York Public Library, the Flatiron Building), complete with narrative. Press never gasped for breath or faltered for topics. He explained such architectural designs as art deco detailing and cornices. (“They make you feel so cozy and warm.”) Then he riffed on ill-behaved drivers. “I’ve given up on out-of-town cars,” he said, referring to a sedan from Maryland that cut us off. After a Jersey driver gave us the middle-finger salute, I asked him about vehicular abuse. “I’ve had coffee thrown on me,” he said, “and almost got doored.”

When we reached Greenwich Village, about 50 blocks from Central Park, Press steered us onto narrow streets girdled by centuries-old buildings. We stopped briefly to peer through the nondescript door of a former speakeasy, then hopped back into our respective seats for a spin through SoHo and Little Italy, where Press’s description of the clam pies at Lombardi’s (America’s first pizzeria) made me wonder if he was carb deficient.

Evening was now approaching, and Press started heading uptown. As we crawled through Chinatown, the smells of dinner scenting the air, Press pointed out one final attraction: the spot where he almost got smacked by a car door.

SPEAKER: Steve Meyer – Founder and CEO Mainstreet Pedicab
DATE: August 20 & 22, 2007
TOPIC: Peddling Your Way to Success – The Mainstreet Pedicab Story

Pedicabs are human-powered taxis seen in many of the major cities around the world. They work well for not only transporting people, but also for the delivery of food and merchandise.

In a world that is becoming overwhelmed with too many cars, pedicabs offer a green and sometimes romantic alternative. While they work best over short distances ranging from 2 to 10 blocks, they are fully capable of traversing much greater distances.

Steve Meyer didn’t invent the pedicab, but he is in the process of perfecting the marketplace for it. With multiple income streams and a loyal following, the pedicab industry is breaking into new territory.

Here is what it took for Steve Meyer to become one of the leading figures in the pedicab industry, and how Donald Trump had a hand in his success.

Speaker: Steve Meyer is the Founder and CEO of Mainstreet Pedicab in Broomfield and has worked most of his professional life self-employed, interspersed with periods of employment.

He attended the University of Colorado from 1972 trough 1979 getting both a BA in Environmental Biology and an MA in Economics. He spent more than a year of this time traveling in S. America, Asia, Europe and Africa.

For many years, Meyer worked in the real estate industry doing economic and market research for real estate developers. His interest in the redevelopment of downtown areas and his experiences in Asia were key factors in his development of Main Street Pedicabs. Main Street was founded in 1992 and is the largest manufacturer of this type of vehicle in N. America.

BROOMFIELD – Main Street Pedicabs has grown in fits and starts since Steve Meyer founded the company 14 years ago.

Based in this northern suburb of Denver, the company has turned out about 1,000 of its pedal-powered taxis throughout the years. But the rickshawlike contraptions have become a familiar sight in more and more downtown areas around the globe – most recently in Manhattan’s bustling, traffic-clogged Times Square.

Meyer, 52, hadn’t intended to start a business when he first bought a pedicab from an acquaintance in Aspen. But when he had trouble getting replacement parts for his hobby vehicle, he soon found himself trying to build a better one from scratch.

“I always kind of had a vision they could be used in America, but I didn’t know I was going to be the guy to do it,” said Meyer, who spent the early part of his career doing market research and planning for developers.

Initially, New Yorkers seemed reluctant to be seen in pedicabs. Like self-conscious teenagers, some requested they be dropped a block away from their destinations.

A spate of publicity has helped to spur acceptance.

A bright-yellow model is featured prominently on the cover of the Fodor’s New York City 2006, a guide to the city.

Contestants pedaled them a few months ago on NBC’s weight-loss show, The Biggest Loser. An appearance on The Apprentice two years ago helped to fuel interest.

But Main Street Pedicabs has grown in a number of directions from its manufacturing roots. Selling advertising space on the back of the taxis has become a significant part of the business. And Meyer is a co-owner of several pedicab-operating companies around the country, including Mile High Pedicabs in Denver.

“I make more money operating a pedicab than making one,” he said.

“The business works for us because we’re involved in so many facets of it,” Meyer said Tuesday in his newly expanded office, which still smelled strongly of a fresh coat of green paint.

Meyer gets help from his wife, Ruth Vanderkooi, when she’s not tending to her family medical practice. Otherwise, he has just a few full-time employees who assemble the pedicabs one at a time in space above the company’s offices.

As Meyer sits at his computer, he sees a call coming in from Tel Aviv, Israel, where he has been talking to someone who wants to buy a couple of the pedicabs for his own personal use.

Individuals increasingly have been buying the pedicabs to use in town or to get around islands where parking is scarce.

The pedicabs start at $2,900 but can cost as much $5,000 with all the options. They are built like mountain bikes, with 21 speeds, and have a cushioned carriage in the rear for toting passengers.

Meyer, who grew up in Boulder, said he is often questioned about whether he pursued pedicabs because of environmental concerns. But he insists his main motivation is “improving the quality of life” in cities. “I’d rather promote something than list all the things I’m against,” he said.

In Denver, pedicabs tend to operate on nights and weekends, during ballgames and other events that require people to walk several blocks from parking areas or light-rail stops.

“They add a real vitality to downtown,” said Tami Door, president of the Downtown Denver Partnership. “People like it because it’s fun. Downtowns should be fun.”

Ed Oliver, who is Meyer’s partner in the Denver pedicab operation, said he often drives a pedicab around the Pepsi Center parking lot, offering free rides during events. In most cases, passengers wind up tipping him at least $5 a ride.

“People hate walking across parking lots,” Meyer said.

With a new St. Louis Cardinals ballpark set to open in April, a budding pedicab operator awaits her order from Main Street Pedicabs.

“We want to get a business started just to and fro,” said St. Louis resident Jill Saettele, an avid cyclist who found Main Street Pedicabs on the Internet. “The parking (at the new stadium) is very limited, so they’re doing shuttles. This is the most fantastic opportunity.”

The pedicabs have caught on most in urban environments, but have also captured the attention of an array of communities with a shortage of downtown parking.

Meyer initially thought Aspen might be a good market. “But nobody who would drive one could afford to live in Aspen,” he said.

A new customer from Crested Butte picked one up Monday, with hopes of building a following in the ski town.

Long Beach, Calif., is about to get a fleet of pedicabs for its downtown.

“It’s part of the overall eclectic experience we’re trying to create,” said Kraig Kojian, president of Downtown Long Beach Associates, the improvement district for the oceanfront community. “We don’t have seasons, so people can enjoy the experience throughout the year.”

Main Street Pedicabs

• Home base: Broomfield

• Founded: 1992

• Products: Bicycle-powered taxis selling for between $2,900 and $5,000, with all the options

• Markets: Urban areas such as New York City, Denver, London, Paris and others