Photo Credit: Navette Gratuite

Paris will have free Pedicabs on its streets by the end of February.

Daisy Bell’s famous song, “A Bicycle Built for Two” may need revision. That is if Paris has anything to do with it. “Navette Gratuite”, (English for Free Shuttle) is offering services around the French capital and at no cost. The venture is financed by advertising space and in true French style drinks and pastries will be sold on board.

“We won’t be in competition with traditional taxi services” assures Kheir Mazri, head of the new service.  These taxis will in fact just be travelling along existing bus lines, and so passengers will not be able to choose their destination. 

Navette gratuite is still in being tested, yet Mazri wants his pedicabs to travel along 12 bus lines, 7 days a week from 7am until 10pm with a service coming every 10 minutes. He’s hoping to have a fleet of 24 up and running by the end of February.

Credit: Navette Gratuite

The Rickshaw Renaissance.

Pedicabs are not unheard of in Paris with several companies already making the most of pedal powered demand. Companies such as Cyclobulle, Urban Cab, Cyclopolitain are but some names already in business. 

Dublin, Helsinki, Melbourne and New York are also part of a growing list of cities which see pedal powered taxis on their roads.  At the same time, the historic home of the rickshaw, China and even India, are taking measures to ban such vehicles from the streets.

Time will tell if the Pedicab will move out of its niche market position and experience the same success seen by bike share systems in recent years.

In any case, with a growing demand for greener transport, prospects are looking good. 

About the Author

 Julian Ferguson is the Communications Officer for the European Cyclists’ Federation. Originally hailing from Australia and a keen bicycle advocate, he plans one day to ride his bicycle from Brussels to Melbourne