Bike Taxis Come to Downtown St. Augustine

“I remember relating St. Augustine to Charleston and decided to give the idea serious consideration,” said Josh Thompson when elaborating how his idea for a bike taxi business in downtown St. Augustine came to fruition. It’s been two years since he began research and despite laboring to become fully operational, Thompson’s hard work is beginning to pay off. Currently consisting of two employees and three bike taxis, St. Augustine Pedicab transports town-goers throughout downtown St. Augustine on bikes affixed with a small passenger seat on the back, which are also known as pedicabs. With his new venture taking off and fitting well into the local lifestyle, Thompson is excited with where his business is going.

Thompson, 23, was born and raised in York, Pa. before enlisting in the Marines at age 17. After serving overseas for approximately three years, he was honorably discharged and put on terminal leave from the Marine Corps. As Thompson put it, “I am proud of my service and think it made me a better person.” But character was not the only thing to come out of his days in the Marines. While stationed in Jacksonville, N.C., Thompson frequently visited a friend in Charleston, S.C. where bike taxis were being used for transportation. Thinking of how great an idea it was in a small city like Charleston, the idea caught his eye.

Once discharged from the Marines, Thompson began attending Flagler College in St. Augustine, Fla. That was where the idea for bike taxi’s resurfaced. “I thought St. Augustine was a great host. Its size and orientation are a happy medium for pedicabs as far as driving vs. walking goes,” said Thompson on why he applied the idea for a bike taxi business to downtown St. Augustine. He also added, “It has a lot of beauty you would miss in a car but can’t cover on foot.”

Starting the business would prove to be a difficult process. “I wanted to do it the right way and maintain business ethics in every aspect of our operation,” said Thompson, citing the numerous requirements needed to legally operate downtown. Whether it was bike registrations or purchasing liability insurance, conforming to state and local government policies was a complicated process. He also added that his dealings with the St. Augustine City Council were, “…a precarious process because most of them had not seen something like this before.” Thompson, however, did receive much needed advice from St. Augustine Beach Commissioner Edward George. “George said previous individuals had tried with rickshaws and failed due to the hot weather,” said Thompson.

Upon realizing that the bike taxi’s he had ordered online were not sufficient for commercial use, he purchased a more quality alternative in Orlando, Fla. Once inspected by the city of St. Augustine, Thompson began operating during the spring of 2009. Initially requiring only tips, he did surprisingly well and put substantial revenue back into the business. Soon two other employees and another bike taxi would come into the picture. Gordon Burt, 20, is a student at Flagler College who started working for Thompson in April of 2009. “I think the local market has been waiting for this…it’s an industry that is enjoyable, convenient and makes sense,” said Burt. When commenting on Thompson’s initiative to start the business, Burt also said, “Working with city officials to get the necessary permits to operate the business shows a lot of effort.”

Currently St. Augustine Pedicab operates using zone pricing rather than just tips. Thompson and his employees now charge $6 to move within designated city zones they have created and $12 to move between zones. Two higher quality bike taxis are also in the process of being put into commission. When questioned what his future aspirations are, Thompson said, “I just want to get established so people can count on us being out there.” He also stated he would like to, “…build strong relationships with the city, local businesses and especially Flagler College because they all provide resources, clientele and employees.” Thompson likes the direction that Flagler College has been going in recent years and believes that it will change St. Augustine. “Flagler seems to be growing and turning St. Augustine into more of a college town, said Thompson. “Businesses who recognize that will succeed.”

Although never considering himself an entrepreneur, Thompson believes starting a business has inspired him to think like one. “I could see myself continuing other business ventures in St. Augustine that cater towards tourist and college markets,” said Thompson. So far the creation of St. Augustine Pedicab has led him in a promising direction.