Gears & Grease
Here’s a tip: Try three wheels
Manpower replaces horsepower at new pedicab business09:31 PM CST on Saturday, January 9, 2010
By Candace Carlisle / Staff WriterThe rickshaw-like device followed Nathan Wieters’ every move as he pedaled around the traffic cones, turning in a tight radius.
The bicycle course tests are pass/fail, as determined by Laurent Prouvost, president of Denton Pedicab LLC, which opened business in Denton on Friday.
If the hopeful cyclist passes his test, he will join about 20 other pedicab drivers who can rent one of three bright yellow, newly purchased pedicabs from the company and make a little extra money.
DRC/Al KeyLaurent Prouvost, right, president of Denton Pedicab, and Nathan Wieters, a Denton resident, drive pedicabs down Malone Street on Thursday.And how much will pedicab drivers charge for a ride?
Nothing.
Prouvost’s business won’t rely on charging customers for rides, but passengers will hopefully tip drivers, he said, and advertising on the back and sides of the pedicabs will help pay for capital costs.
The pedicab drivers will lease the pedicabs from the company for between $2 and $4 an hour, depending on weekly shift times, he said.
“People will ride for free and tip their drivers,” Prouvost said. “A certain percentage of the advertising profit will go back into the community, helping the economy to grow and sustain the project.”
The pedicab business will operate in Denton with major roads as boundaries — University Drive on the north, Bonnie Brae Street on the west, Interstate 35E on the south and Woodrow Lane/Audra Lane on the east, said Prouvost, a new member of the Denton business community.
The flatness of Denton, the short distance from the University of North Texas and Texas Woman’s University to the downtown Square, and the city’s profile and attitude are appealing to Prouvost, he said.
DRC/Al KeyLaurent Prouvost, left, trains Nathan Wieters to drive a pedicab Thursday in Denton.While horse-drawn carriages have made appearances on the Square, Denton’s first pedicab company will be an interesting endeavor, said Julie Glover, a city economic development administrator overseeing downtown.
“We’re in unchartered territory at this point, but this is ideal for Denton,” Glover said. “This will give the downtown area a little more cool way to get around and see more of the city.”
Other cities, such as Austin and Arlington, have pedicab companies and ordinances governing them, she said, and Denton could have similar ordinances in the near future.
Until regulations are set for pedicabs, the company will need to self-regulate its business, Glover said.
Along with carrying a company insurance policy that covers the passengers, Prouvost is having drivers fill out information forms he can use for background checks when city ordinances are issued, he said.
There are turn signals and brakes on the 21-speed pedicabs to help with safety, Prouvost said.
There’s only one other cab company in Denton — AA Taxi and Shuttle — which does have city ordinances to follow.
The taxi business in Denton is regulated by the city, which requires background checks for drivers and permits for cab companies, said Robert McDonald, operational manager of AA Taxi and Shuttle. Rates charged to passengers are governed by the City Council, he said.
However, the pedicabs shouldn’t interfere with business at AA Taxi and Shuttle, he said.
“It won’t cut into business. People want convenience and to ride in comfort, not out in the open where they are more open to the elements,” McDonald said. “They [pedicabs] won’t really compete with us.”
But most of the pedicab drivers aren’t really looking to compete and aren’t in it for the money, said Michael Little, a company cyclist.
“This isn’t about making a profit; it’s about helping the community,” Little said, adding that most of his friends are going to drive pedicabs.
Prouvost has several ideas on how to grow his business, but the details are still under wraps, he said.
Some of the immediate plans include offering an alternative way for intoxicated individuals to get home, transporting residents short distances and becoming an active member of the community.
“These pedicabs are community pedicabs,” he said. “We are here for the community.”
For more information, call Denton Pedicab at 940-312-8298 or visit www.dentonpedicab.com.
CANDACE CARLISLE can be reached at 940-566-6889. Her e-mail address is ccarlisle@dentonrc.com.
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Comments (1)Posted by 8THGenTexan | 1 week agoWow Denton has a cutting edge for finally addressing the need to get drunk kids back home safe.That a Boy! This is something that the whole county should be proud of. But will this cut into the Police income and how are they going to feel about it? I hope this does not start harassment of these guy's.
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