During a night on the town, the short jaunt from one side of downtown Grand Rapids to the other hardly warrants the time and cash it takes to call a traditional taxi. Nor does it justify the hassle of fetching the car from a ramp and finding a new parking spot. Walking is always an option, but then there’s the friend who is too tired, or the one who wore stilettos.
For those weary soles, there is a new option in town: enter the pedicab. The wheeled phenomenon, modeled after the ancient Chinese rickshaw, runs on human power. The bicycle-tethered cabs can haul up to three passengers and are the newest transit option for city-goers, thanks to recent passage of an ordinance allowing them to share the streets in downtown GR.
Nathan Mabie of Grand Rapids recently hitched a ride from an art show on Division Avenue to catch a band playing near the Van Andel Arena.
“It was fun and it was really, really cheap,” says Mabie, who paid $2 for the trip. “It was the first time I had seen a pedicab in GR.”
Opportunity Knocks
“Everywhere you go, there’s always a group of people who approach and say, ‘Wow – I’ve never seen anything like that before,’” says Daren Galinis who, along with brother-in-law Randy McCullough, started Elite Pedicabs.
They intend to change that. The concept is anything but new to Galinis. He got an inside view of the business while stationed with the military in San Diego, where he operated a pedicab for extra income. Bringing the industry to West Michigan was an idea that had been percolating for some time, he said. A 2001 bid to allow pedicabs downtown got the cold shoulder from City officials. Recent attempts, however, met success.
A resurgence of downtown activity, demand for new ways to get around, and an economy that demands inexpensive ways for people to get their kicks made this a good time to launch the new transportation venture. Last October, job struggles for both Galinis and McCullough provided the extra impetus to launch Elite Pedicabs.
Their first gig capitalized on the holiday shopping season at RiverTown Crossings Mall in Grandville. They hauled mall-goers to and from their vehicles and offered low-cost joyrides in an attempt to drum up business. After that, Muskegon, Lansing, and Grand Rapids made provisions for pedicabs.
After their day jobs and some time with family, Galinis and McCullough head from their base in Wyoming to the streets, where they haul everyone from curious families to the late-night bar crowd. Every Friday and Saturday night, and during occasions like Wednesday night’s Blues on the Mall, they are stationed in downtown Grand Rapids.
Gaining Speed
Galinis and McCullough operate the cabs along with a handful of sub-contractors. They look for hot spots to pick up passengers and charge at their discretion.
“Right now,” says Galinis, “we’re really just trying to put the business out there.”
McCullough believes that it will catch on once people realize how inexpensive and fun it can be. The entire cost of a ride, he says, can be comparable to setting foot into a taxicab. Galinis adds that the current economy isn’t conducive to splurging on extra entertainment, but thinks that people will embrace the pedicabs once they realize they’re here and they’re affordable.
Costs typically start at $2 a ride. Drivers hand out business cards to their passengers, who can call them up for a ride when the cabs are running.
“I think it’s very possible it will catch on here,” says Mabie, who plans to ride in one again. “It’s kind of like restaurants that have late night food: they figured out a certain niche and they need to appeal to the entertainment crowd in the city, because it’s a novelty.”
Road Rules
Drivers are trained on how to share the road with downtown traffic. If someone is in the rear cab, it is then considered a vehicle and has the same rights as someone driving a car.
So far, say Elite owners, they’ve not encountered problems from automobiles and are adhering closely to the rules outlined by the municipalities in which they operate.
“The minute we become a nuisance,” says Galinis, “it’s a problem.”
For safety purposes, Elite Pedicab operators work between Division Avenue and U.S. 131 from east to west, and from Michigan Street to Oakes Street from north to south.
Passengers must buckle up, too, or face a $50 fine. Despite some rules there is an overarching sense of fun. Drivers often haul big groups caravan style, and are prone to impromptu races when the urge strikes.
“As hard as it is,” said Galinis, “drivers are always looking for more passengers. The atmosphere is so uplifting. It’s just a lot of fun.”
Bridie Kent, a freelance writer, has lived in Grand Rapids since graduating from Aquinas College in ‘03. She also works for the Kent County Health Department.
Photos:
Randy McCullough is co-owner of Elite PedicabsTaking a couple for a ride after a concert at Van Andel ArenaThree Elite Pedicabs in front of Van Andel ArenaRandy McCulloughPhotographs by Brian Kelly - All Rights Reserved