Pedicab/bicycle rickshaw companies

[nathant]

Hi all,

I've stumbled on an opportunity to start-up a pedicab operator service. Has anyone had any experience with running a business of this type? Any potential problems etc?

Thanks

[akula]

as a consumer, i think this is an absolutely moronic business
as a founder, i'd like to note that pedicabs have (thankfully) failed in sydney

[nathant]

as a consumer, i think this is an absolutely moronic business
as a founder, i'd like to note that pedicabs have (thankfully) failed in sydney

Any particular reason for seeing it as a moronic business?

I have heard that pedicabs failed in Sydney, but they do seem to be thriving in a lot of the West Cost cities in the US, as well as London & Edinburgh in the UK.

[akula]

awww i dunno..
maybe a couple of things
- the idea of paying someone so they can cycle for you when there are mechanised forms of transport feels demeaning to the driver
- not a valuable form of transport - for the amount of money i have to pay someone to cycle me across town, I can catch a cab and get there quicker
- they seem like a traffic nuisance
but hey..that's just how i feel about it..

in a bigger scheme of things, this sort of rubbish is neither an effective solution for alternative energy or transport problems
if someone wanted to make a business out of offering an environmentally friendly form of transport, the better opportunity is to fit solar panels on ferries or do a bunch of things with electric/biofuel vehicles

like...imagine how much money companies/governments can save if they put solar panels on their passenger/freight trains etc..not to mention PR, carbon footprint benefits

those sort of solutions are interesting...rikshaws are just gimmiky

think bigger

[nathant]

awww i dunno..
maybe a couple of things
- the idea of paying someone so they can cycle for you when there are mechanised forms of transport feels demeaning to the driver
- not a valuable form of transport - for the amount of money i have to pay someone to cycle me across town, I can catch a cab and get there quicker
- they seem like a traffic nuisance
but hey..that's just how i feel about it..

in a bigger scheme of things, this sort of rubbish is neither an effective solution for alternative energy or transport problems
if someone wanted to make a business out of offering an environmentally friendly form of transport, the better opportunity is to fit solar panels on ferries or do a bunch of things with electric/biofuel vehicles

like...imagine how much money companies/governments can save if they put solar panels on their passenger/freight trains etc..not to mention PR, carbon footprint benefits

those sort of solutions are interesting...rikshaws are just gimmiky

think bigger

From what ive been told, the rickshaws are sold as an experience, not so much as a solution to transport or green travel problems. Take for example horse and carriage rides in NY. The other side of the business is the advertising space on the rickshaw which is hired out - apparently this is where the bulk of income is generated - using the rickshaw for transportation is only to guarantee that it is constantly on the move increasing visabilty to the ads.

As for fitting solar PV modules to trains etc. When you look at the cost per module, the lifespan of the product, the additional weight added to the vehicle, the installation cost, the fact that the module is only beneficial at night if battaries are installed alongside ( take into account the extra costs involved with these in terms of installation, purchase, and the fact that battaries are very weighty) all reduce the viability of this possibility.

Solar PV panels, in the UK at least, have only become a real business proposition in the recent year through the introduction on the Generation Tariff (April 2010) which offers a 41.3 pence per kWh payment for all power generated by the system. But even with this - the real benefits only arrive when you take the income from the system, and minus the ever increasing cost of fuel you would have alternatively used - but still, the payback period on most of the buildings i have personally surveyed has averaged 7 years.

It just doesnt become a real opportunity financially for a train etc.

[akula]

yea...so there you go
at the end of the day, you're a serious guy doing serious things..and I can't imagine that selling gimmiky joyrides is something that you'll find meaningful
i think you should stick with solar and find an opportunity there

[generationy]

WOW, interesting question bro. I guess one of the first questions I have to ask is which city you are planning on starting this. Second, have you done any market research? Are there businesses already there? I know New York City has those all over the city (especially mid town). What sort of things do you need? Insurance (for the people working, vehicles etc.). Make sure you do a thorough analysis before jumping in. It is after all largely dependent on tourist traffic around the location of your business (unlike an internet business where traffic can come from all over the world). Good luck!

[Amazin]

I was a rickshaw rider for 2 weeks. Some of them are making good money. There was a time when rickshaw riders were making 2000 pound a week. The guy who I used to rent rickshaw from is now trying to set one up in Amstardam. In London, you can't have it electric but you can in Amstardam.