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Transport Report: Bikecabs Coming to Philly

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Beginning this Saturday, bikecabs (also known as pedicabs) will be wheeling across Philly. The Philadelphia Bikecab Allliance and Councilwoman Blondell Reynolds-Brown held a ribbon cutting ceremony launching bikecab service yesterday. Sorry drivers, you’re going to have to yield to this breed of bikers.

So far, there are two bikecab operators — Velo-Park and Chariots of Philly — and they will only be cycling through the Center City, Northern Liberties, Rittenhouse and Parkway areas. The sports complex, Old City, much of the historic area and busy streets like Broad, Walnut, Chestnut, Market, South and Vine will not be so lucky. Nighttime service has not yet been approved either.

The picture to the left is an example of a Velo-Park-style cab (enclosed, sideways raindrop). The Chariots of Philly cabs look more like, well, chariots (riders must wear a helmet). Cost of a ride will be $1 per person, per block, with a $5 minumum.

The City Council is excited about the jobs (green jobs) that will come from bikecabs. As Philebrity puts it, “With the new green light on pedicabs, we can only assume that you will be seeing your friends employed, sweating and hauling businessmen and tourists around our city.” Ain’t that the truth.

4 Comments

  1. This won’t fly! I give it less than a year at best. The reasons being: No protection for passengers who can easily be tossed from "vehicle" ; It’s width is greater than a bicycle’s and as it moves at a slower speed than passing traffic, collisions are likely; few Americans wish to sit behind a sweating driver, few Americans will feel comfortable being carted about by another’s obvious physical exertion. In short the idea is a product of a group without any business sense!

  2. Safety issues aside…a buck per block?! I get it, manpower should make more money. But what average person is going to take a pedicab instead of walking/biking themselves/taking a real cab?

    This seems like it’ll be a rich-person/tourist driven thing. And only in warm weather.

    I’d like it to succeed, but…doubt it will.

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