When musician Travis had had enough of his job, he decided to go into business — as a pedicab driver. «It’s better than the bartending jobs that lots of creative people do to make money, » says the 24-year-old. A _____ — including being soaked by a coffee thrown from a Mercedes — Travis loves it because of the freedom. Drivers rent pedicabs from a fleet and only worry about covering the rental fee rather than maintenance and insurance.
Melissa agrees. She was fired from her job В_____, and promptly saw her next career passing by. «А pedicab went by me, » she says. «And I knew I had to drive one. » She soon hit the streets C_____.
And while backseats of pedicabs are popular with tourists, celebrities are sitting in them too. «Some of my drivers have driven Leonardo DiCaprio, Martin Scorsese, Jean Reno and many others, » says George, the man D_____. There is no way to know how many pedicabs are on the road. «Е_____, there were about 40 or 50 drivers, but I think there are about 1,000 now, » estimates Rob Tilton of NY Rickshaw, which owns one of the largest fleets.
Melissa, who usually makes about $200 a day but can earn up to $450 F_____ , says pedicabs are about to hit high season: «Our busiest time is from Thanksgiving to New Year’s. Riders get a blanket and it’s just more magical. »
- who started the industry here with two bikes in 1995
- when it’s really busy
- while he’s had his fair share of abuse on the bike
- as a personal assistant in 2005
- when I started in 2001
- what you earn is up to your ability
- as one of the few female pedicabbies in this enterprise
| A | B | C | D | E | F |
