Rickshaw start-up?

MajorPayne

Heya guys & gals,

Been looking into tri-cycles and all sorts of other cycle transport and I have to say although I knew of some of the designs and ideas for using cycles I never thought about the Rickshaws running around London until I came across some on eBay a few hours ago.

Me being me and always wanting to work for myself, out of work currently and could get a few friends involved possibly I thought of starting a small Rickshaw business here where I live in the midlands theirs absolutely no competition in the area other then road-taxis.

it's a bit of a rush thought and something I'd not have considered in the past but with the economic climate and the way things are rickshaws I'm sure would go down a treat in the town I live as cheaper and more fun rides around town for tours, taxis and transportation.

Imagine on a Friday night carting some of the nightlife between pubs and clubs, during the day offering tours around the town or even helping out with people's shopping trips and offering advice on where to buy, eat, sleep. Even ideas like driving people from the centre to local parks and picking them up later on after a picnic perhaps?

Each Rickshaw is going for under or around £200 each and I've contacted the owner to start off first contact with regard to purchasing 6 or eight of the rickshaws, I'm desperate to get myself out of the house and to start my own business and can enroll some friends with bike skills, drivers, along with maintenance tasks who I'm sure would be willing to get involved.

I was thinking of passing around the thought between friends out of work and students at the local collages and uni's [I know loads of students who love parting over the weekends who'd love to pay for a ride around town between clubs & pubs]some might be willing to invest in the idea and share the start-up costs theirs plenty of free advertisement for me if I would need it, I have some friends who own sign-making, T-Shirt, cups & printing companies, Just I'm personally only going to be able to afford the bike for myself and one Rickshaw would not be enough. I've close family who are involved in serious accounting working for large firms and I've some friends who work for the local council and a friend who writes in the local paper with regards to the towns happenings, know a good iron mongers/welders and local firms[hair-dressers, nail bars, corner shop owners] I could get advertisement from if I asked but it's the in between part.

Where by I mean no rickshaws or up-front funding means no work or advertisement and no support if I don't get the rickshaws.

Has anyone else ever done this sort of thing, start on the breadline and building up? it's weird because I've got 6-10 friends who are regular cyclists and I'm sure love the job I'm sure and theirs plenty of expansion because if your not carting people around deliveries for things like food, drink & tobacco to your home like on house party events or if they need top-ups during the night and are over the limit for going out and getting there own.

So I'd like to ask for some advice our town here does get allot of tourists and theirs a wealth of market for the idea almost all-year-round, how does it start and where could it end for an open idea, all thoughts welcome I'd love to ask if anyone would invest in the start-up and be willing to be a silent partner or backing party for a couple of months and then pay back with interest arrangements but I hardly know you guys & gals and it's probably better asking trusted friends to help share out the starting funds.

Six to eight rickshaws could very well pay for themselves in a matter of weeks at under £200 each secondhand even if I myself worked for free and a couple of friends for a month or so, best to keep the banks and money lenders out of this as their primarily the chaps who've gotten us into this economic mess. I myself am now banking with co-op as they seem more people related.

Kind regards and desperately bored and unemployed,
MajorPayne

Gavin Gilbert

They are a major pain in the balls here in London and I think now regulated by either Westminster Council or TfL. And if they aren't, they should be.

I know several operators have been forced off the road for unsafe machines. I suggest you'll probably have trouble from your local taxi and minicab firms.

Wooliferkins

Local authority will be the bugbear. I think you need a license to carry paying passengersI know Oxford turned down an application for a rickshaw service.

MajorPayne

Gavin Gilbert wrote:

They are a major pain in the balls here in London and I think now regulated by either Westminster Council or TfL. And if they aren't, they should be.

I know several operators have been forced off the road for unsafe machines. I suggest you'll probably have trouble from your local taxi and minicab firms.

Thanks for your prompt reply on the subject matey, honestly well received!

When you mean a major ball ache? Do you mean from the point of view they get in the way of the packed out traffic on londons streets? or themselves being driven about, slow and wot-not?

I guess regulation is good after all providing a good service is all about safety first and foremost, and I would say it's more then welcome from the point of view we all hate drivers running around without MOTs and Road-tax after all it's the others drivers who end up paying for the havoc they cause. So in a way I do welcome regulation on this subject and it should not be filled by any tom-dick or harry kinda cowboys!

Where I live in the midlands there all for making things so much harder for drivers of cars to even get into and around the town centre adding more and more wider walk-ways and better public transport or things like only bus and cycle lanes, their really going all out for it.

*I'm sure their slowing down the lights in and around the town centre area as when I come through on my bike your waiting ages and nothings really moving in any direction apart from the bikes and bus lanes.

I think this is a good opportunity where I live and I've plenty for time and friends who are all about making bikes safer and doing things properly nothing has to be new it just needs to be looked after and used better

Really good for you too pop by and comment as it's all very well received and taken on board.

Kind regards,
MajorPayne

MajorPayne

Wooliferkins wrote:

Local authority will be the bugbear. I think you need a license to carry paying passengersI know Oxford turned down an application for a rickshaw service.

Heya mate,

Thanks for the link, I've had a read through and they don't like to say much do they!

So I've spun them a nice email regarding the subject and looking for further advice hopefully because it's a government site I should hear a reply within 30 days or so

Again thanks for the help and advice
Kind regards,
MajorPayne