Bike business entrepreneur launches "Pedalivery" service
Posted by Jonathan Maus (Publisher/Editor) on March 18th, 2010 at 11:53 am
(Photo: Evan Ross)
Evan Ross, owner of Portland Bicycle Tours, has added yet another bike-based business to his repertoire -- Pedalivery.
Ross already offers bike tours, rentals, bike-share, service and repair from a shop space in Old Town (that he shares with Portland Pedicabs and Icicle Tricycles). Now he's got a delivery service too. Ross says he launched Pedalivery back in December when his other businesses slowed down in the off-season. "Tours and rentals were slow and I had enough random inquiries and interest in deliveries, so I decided to build a website and roll with this idea."
Evan Ross.
(Photo © J. Maus)e
Ross says response has been great so far and he's getting work delivering everything from freight to food cart orders on his various cargo bikes. He's got a flatbed trailer, a "pick-up truck" trailer, and several converted kid trailers (that he also rents out).
The cost is $10 per delivery in central downtown (an additional $3 to cross the river to the eastside). "I was worried at first that I needed to charge more," says Ross, "but people seem to tip well because they understand that I'm human-powered and they like the idea... That's made the difference, people's generosity and tips."
Ross has an intern starting later this month and he plans to keep the delivery service going, even as his other businesses ramp up in spring and summer. "It's been a real positive response."
Check out Pedalivery.com for more info.
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Awesome! I like the idea of being able to rent bike trailers, too. Kind of like, Zipcar, but, for bikes!
RecommendedEvan is easily one of the nicest, most professional bike business owners in the city. He goes out of his way to make sure people are happy with his services. Next time you're in Chinatown, ya'll should stop by pedalworks and say hello!
Recommendedup to 300 lbs for $5 downtown? THANKS for undercutting the preexisting cargo bike messenger service in town.
while im stoked to have more people doing deliveries on bikes, and especially stoked to see more people doing cargo, it royally SUCKS when people are coming into the market cheaper than an industry thats already too inexpensive for its workers to earn real money.
i dont like seeming bitter and resentful, but what else am i supposed to feel when people who ostensibly are part of my community enter my trade and undercut my business?
joel metz
Recommended(partner in, but not speaking for)
magpie messenger collective
Oh, thanks for jumping on that Joel, cause that's pretty much my comment...
$10 flat rate for downtown? what's the timeline on that? How do you make money?
RecommendedEvan is such a great guy- and I love Portland Bicycle Tours.
Oh- and he is the chair of the Bicycle Business League too.
Great luck in all your endeavors, Evan!
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