Thursday, July 7, 2011
Brickyard 400
We hope to be a guest once again of the IMS to work the Brickyard 400 race. Details will be coming soon. Pedicabs are a great addition to any large event. Do some research and you will find out what a great alternative mode of transportation pedicabs are.
A Bitter Holiday for Pedicabs By J. DAVID GOODMAN
Nuriddin Shamsiev abandoned his usual spot in Central Park on Monday and pedaled his way down Fifth Avenue to search among the throngs spilling into the streets around Rockefeller Center. Despite the sun, it was shaping up to be another tough day — only one customer in four hours — in what has been a season of tough days for the city’s pedicab industry.
Mr. Shamsiev, a 24-year-old Tajik driver, summed up the situation in two words: “Very bad.”
“Last Christmas was much better,” he added. “But the business went down — you don’t make the same money.”
The economic crisis, a series of wet weekends and new regulations requiring licenses for pedicab drivers have created a perfect storm of misery in New York’s pedicab industry, which depends on the holidays to get through the slow winter months. This year, owners and drivers report, the slow season has come early, with potentially dire consequences for some operators.
“I have no drivers left — at all,” said Ari Nichols, owner of Manhattan Pedicabs. He said he had been undercut on rental rates by other operators in a fierce competition for those few licensed drivers. “There’s three bikes for each driver,” he said. Mr. Nichols is trying to sell some of his pedicabs in order to “hang on one more season,” but said it “would have to be a miracle for me” to make it to the summer.
Many owners blamed the licensing requirement, which went into effect before Thanksgiving and requires pedicab operators to obtain both a driver’s license and a special pedicab license. The regulation has put in a crimp in the number of “shotgun” riders who want to start driving right away — perhaps the intent of the regulation — and has also been a problem for many veteran drivers, said Gregg Zukowski, president of New York City Pedicab Owners Association. Some of these veterans had outstanding fines or other issues with their driver’s licenses that had to be taken care of before they could obtain a pedicab license.
A driver searches for customers on Fifth Avenue near Rockefeller Center.
“The impact of the regulation has been brutal,” said Mr. Zukowski, who is also the owner of Revolution Rickshaws and a driver himself. “We always face a dry season in the winter, but this year, we’ve lost the whole holiday season.” Normally his 18 pedicabs would all be rented during the weeks before Christmas and New Year’s. But this month, only two or three have been rented by drivers on a given day.
License plates have been issued for 889 pedicabs and 474 drivers have applied for licenses, according to the Department of Consumer Affairs. The number of licensed businesses with at least one pedicab is 172 and the department is no longer accepting new applications. There is no cap on the number of pedicab driver’s licenses.
Like others, Mr. Zukowski has lowered the rental rates, but to little effect. “The whole industry has been thrown for a curve,” he said, adding that the only way his business can survive is by refocusing on rickshaw van rentals and deliveries.
There are simply not enough licensed drivers, he said, adding, “The only people who are doing okay are the solo-owner-operators.”
But tell that to Mark Stringer, 44, a seven-year veteran driver whose pedicab is his only source of income. “Normally Christmas builds, gets busier and busier and busier,” he said. But this year it’s been less reliable.
“Me and me buddy, we go out, and one day, I’d be O.K., and he’d have $32. Another day, he’d be fine and I’d have like $27,” Mr. Stringer said. “It was almost like there’s not enough money for everybody out there.”
Mr. Shamsiev, a 24-year-old Tajik driver, summed up the situation in two words: “Very bad.”
“Last Christmas was much better,” he added. “But the business went down — you don’t make the same money.”
The economic crisis, a series of wet weekends and new regulations requiring licenses for pedicab drivers have created a perfect storm of misery in New York’s pedicab industry, which depends on the holidays to get through the slow winter months. This year, owners and drivers report, the slow season has come early, with potentially dire consequences for some operators.
“I have no drivers left — at all,” said Ari Nichols, owner of Manhattan Pedicabs. He said he had been undercut on rental rates by other operators in a fierce competition for those few licensed drivers. “There’s three bikes for each driver,” he said. Mr. Nichols is trying to sell some of his pedicabs in order to “hang on one more season,” but said it “would have to be a miracle for me” to make it to the summer.
Many owners blamed the licensing requirement, which went into effect before Thanksgiving and requires pedicab operators to obtain both a driver’s license and a special pedicab license. The regulation has put in a crimp in the number of “shotgun” riders who want to start driving right away — perhaps the intent of the regulation — and has also been a problem for many veteran drivers, said Gregg Zukowski, president of New York City Pedicab Owners Association. Some of these veterans had outstanding fines or other issues with their driver’s licenses that had to be taken care of before they could obtain a pedicab license.
A driver searches for customers on Fifth Avenue near Rockefeller Center.
“The impact of the regulation has been brutal,” said Mr. Zukowski, who is also the owner of Revolution Rickshaws and a driver himself. “We always face a dry season in the winter, but this year, we’ve lost the whole holiday season.” Normally his 18 pedicabs would all be rented during the weeks before Christmas and New Year’s. But this month, only two or three have been rented by drivers on a given day.
License plates have been issued for 889 pedicabs and 474 drivers have applied for licenses, according to the Department of Consumer Affairs. The number of licensed businesses with at least one pedicab is 172 and the department is no longer accepting new applications. There is no cap on the number of pedicab driver’s licenses.
Like others, Mr. Zukowski has lowered the rental rates, but to little effect. “The whole industry has been thrown for a curve,” he said, adding that the only way his business can survive is by refocusing on rickshaw van rentals and deliveries.
There are simply not enough licensed drivers, he said, adding, “The only people who are doing okay are the solo-owner-operators.”
But tell that to Mark Stringer, 44, a seven-year veteran driver whose pedicab is his only source of income. “Normally Christmas builds, gets busier and busier and busier,” he said. But this year it’s been less reliable.
“Me and me buddy, we go out, and one day, I’d be O.K., and he’d have $32. Another day, he’d be fine and I’d have like $27,” Mr. Stringer said. “It was almost like there’s not enough money for everybody out there.”
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Selling Bikes
We have some Broadway Pedicabs for sale. Email us through our site www.indypedicabs.com
Sunday, November 21, 2010
It felt like Friday the 13th
Last night the COLTS cab was out and we had a blast. One added benefit with this job is obviously the exercise but what I like the most is the people watching. I forgot my video camera and the camera on my phone is pretty crappy so I didn't get anything on tape but that wont' happen again. The biggest event was located at Tiki Bobs; one kid got punched and thrown in the paddy wagon, his girl came out tripped or was pushed by a cop as she ran out of the building pissed off about her bo. She didn't like that fact that the cop was pushing her away so she decided to slap him then rush him. You know what happened next; paddy wagon with bo.
The youth convention is in town and you could tell; they didn't want to ride and they were traveling in packs of 20 -30 kids. I was posted up at one of my favorite places the Marriott; and I actually had some young kids turn down a free ride, instead they wanted to walk all the way to the Noodle. I passed them several times with fairs and they were still walking. I don't get it; its cold everywhere why walk when you can ride.
Don't forget, we offer city tours and you can always make a reservation on line. www.indypedicabs.com
The youth convention is in town and you could tell; they didn't want to ride and they were traveling in packs of 20 -30 kids. I was posted up at one of my favorite places the Marriott; and I actually had some young kids turn down a free ride, instead they wanted to walk all the way to the Noodle. I passed them several times with fairs and they were still walking. I don't get it; its cold everywhere why walk when you can ride.
Don't forget, we offer city tours and you can always make a reservation on line. www.indypedicabs.com
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Whats New
As of late the weather has played a part in the lack of rides. We understand that these weather conditions are not ideal but we believe our service is useful and can benefit our neighbors and business men and women in the downtown area.
Don't forget to book a pickup for the Circle of Lights; or just flag us down. We anticipate a very busy evening. We are taking lunch reservations right now and are typically out Tue - Sat in the evening times. You can always make a reservation through the website if that is more convenient. If a lunch ride is your thing just give us a 24hr notice.
I almost forgot; IPC custom builds pedicabs; so if your interested in one for the family or possibly thinking of starting your own bike taxi biz; don't hesitate to call or email us for information.
Don't forget to book a pickup for the Circle of Lights; or just flag us down. We anticipate a very busy evening. We are taking lunch reservations right now and are typically out Tue - Sat in the evening times. You can always make a reservation through the website if that is more convenient. If a lunch ride is your thing just give us a 24hr notice.
I almost forgot; IPC custom builds pedicabs; so if your interested in one for the family or possibly thinking of starting your own bike taxi biz; don't hesitate to call or email us for information.
Saturday, October 30, 2010
Finding RIDES in INDY
Pedicabs and Indianapolis haven't always fared well. Sometime around the year 2000 someone tried starting up a pedicab biz and was only around for a few short months. This biz in Indy is a tough one; there are many factors that contribute to possibly the failure of the bike taxi biz. One is obviously the weather; one day it can be snowing the next day sunshine and 80; two the public, its been know that Indy possibly the midwest has some very fair weather fans; this is true in our sporting events and our pedicab businesses.
We need to changet the perception of pedicabs here in INdy and make sure our guests can rely on us for safe, fun, and reliable transportation. How do you find rides or get rides in Indy? That question can be asked to anyone in any state but here in Indy you have to depend on the bar scene on the weekends and hooking up with the hotels. Indy Pedicabs has started a unique thing for the outerlaying neighborhoods; we love to make house calls. We think we are more reliable and faster than any yellow cab around the city. So if you live in Fletcher Place, Fountain Square, Mass Ave district, etc.. just call us for a ride from your door to your destination.
Check out the website... http://www.indypedicabs.com/
We need to changet the perception of pedicabs here in INdy and make sure our guests can rely on us for safe, fun, and reliable transportation. How do you find rides or get rides in Indy? That question can be asked to anyone in any state but here in Indy you have to depend on the bar scene on the weekends and hooking up with the hotels. Indy Pedicabs has started a unique thing for the outerlaying neighborhoods; we love to make house calls. We think we are more reliable and faster than any yellow cab around the city. So if you live in Fletcher Place, Fountain Square, Mass Ave district, etc.. just call us for a ride from your door to your destination.
Check out the website... http://www.indypedicabs.com/
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