Memphis Pedicab Company now operating Downtown

Pedicabs have made their return to Downtown Memphis. Pedicabs are a form of public transportation consisting of a tricycle, with a carriage seat for passengers and often a folding top, and a separate seat for drivers.

The Memphis Pedicab Company will operate in an area bounded by A.W. Willis Avenue on the north, G.E. Patterson on the south, the river on the west, and AutoZone Park/FedExForum on the east. For now, rides are free, although the cab company asks that you please tip the drivers for their time and effort.

Pedicabs operated in Downtown Memphis once before. I remember they operated during the period when I hung out mainly at the Tap Room, so that would have been 2004ish. They were very well received, but there were problems on the business end that forced the old company to shut down. Hopefully Memphis Pedicabs has the business model figured out and will be around for a while.

The pedicabs really are perfect for a neighborhood like ours. When you’re too tired to walk, when you don’t want to wait on a trolley, and when you don’t feel like paying for a cab ride, they’re an excellent intermediate solution. As someone who lives in the core, I have a feeling the cabs will increase my visits to places like Ferraro’s in the Pinch District and Max’s Sports Bar down south. Likewise, people in Uptown and South Main will find the core more accessible with these cabs. A win for everyone in our neighborhood!