By Josh Wolfe
You see them scattered throughout town. From Park Lane to Bay Street, MLK Boulevard to East Broad Street, they are waiting within their domain for the next weary traveler seeking transportation. “Trips for tips” is their motto. They are the employees of the Savannah Pedicab Company.
The Savannah Pedicab Company has been in business for 16 years and continues to provide excellent service for anyone needing a ride. Savannah has several businesses that offer tours of the city with knowledgeable staff ready to pour out its rich history; however, the Savannah Pedicab Company is not one of them. This doesn’t mean that one of the 30-plus drivers won’t be more than happy to answer any questions to oblige their patrons.
“You really get to know the town in a way that most people who live here never will,” said Danny Bradley of Washington, D.C., who has recently earned his degree from SCAD in film and television.
For the drivers, working for the Savannah Pedicab Company is a great way to make connections. “I’ve met many people in the film industry including actors, directors and producers,” said Bradley. Aside from making those connections, Bradley said, “The job has everything you would want without the bulls***: working with friends, bonding with strangers, and a cool boss.”
When the drivers aren’t hauling somebody around, they can usually be seen hanging out in a shady spot sharing laughs with each other. If they don’t feel like waiting on the universe to bring the next potential customer, they go “ghosting”: riding around town looking for someone to pick up. They claim to be more like family than mere coworkers. From the outside looking in, it is hard to disagree. While pedicab drivers in cities around the country compete with each other for business, the Savannah drivers encourage and help each other as much as possible.
“We’re like a co-ed fraternity,” claimed Ethan Waterman, the longest tenured employee among active drivers. Waterman, of Atlanta, graduated from SCAD two years ago with a graphic design degree, but does not plan on leaving Savannah, or the company, until a “real” job pulls him away.
“I love the camaraderie. This is a job where, when it’s good, it’s good. And even when business it’s bad, it’s still good.”
Just like waiting tables, their guests rely on them for quality service. Tips rendered from that service are how the drivers make money.
According to Mother Earth, the pedicab is a healthy way to travel the town. Unlike regular taxis, this mode of transportation is engineless and considerate of the environment. Patrons of the pedicab service ride in an open-air, two-person cart, not a stuffy vehicle. What better way to travel than with fresh air to breathe and a breeze blowing in your face?
“It is a unique way to travel the town,” said Bradley. “Unlike the trolleys or horse-drawn carriages, we don’t have a set route. We are free to roam.” Like Waterman, Bradley continues to be a loyal employee of the Savannah Pedicab Company as he patiently awaits the next chapter of his life.
Like Bradley and Waterman, the pedicab drivers of Savannah all seem to have a laidback, easgoing disposition. It is no question as to how they have stayed in business so long. They say the first impression is the one that counts and these young men and women are apt to put you at ease with a friendly smile and a simple gesture to let you know they are happy to work their tireless legs so that you can rest yours.
So remember to tip well these faithful workers who are doing the job that you probably want to do. Don’t exert yourself when the heat becomes unbearable and the humidity suffocating. Instead, show your appreciation for this green, unique business by hailing a pedicab as they continue to ride on, making the town spin ‘round.