Is there anything more fun than this?
What can possibly be more exciting than riding around the city under your own steam? By bike, skates, or scooter, they can be the most rewarding modes of transport available. Everything else just doesn’t seem to work the way it ought to. But how do you get people to use green alternatives if getting sweaty isn’t an option? Why, get someone to ride for you, of course!
Pedal On Demand
Say hello to ‘Pedal Me’. An on-demand taxi service providing a fun, fast and convenient way of travelling in the city. And best of all, it’s on a bicycle driven for you.
Let’s go somewhere – a quick look at how Pedal Me rides.
Taking on Uber
Co-founded by our very own Rob, and his partner in pedalling, Ben, these social entrepreneurs are challenging the way we view traditional transport. In an already congested city that is desperately trying to find cleaner solutions Rob and Ben believe they have found an answer with Pedal Me. So, is it ready to take on the likes of Uber, taking people and goods quickly and safely from A to B?
We asked Rob and Ben how Pedal Me stacked up against the competition. This is what we discovered:
What will it cost me and what are journey times ike?
“Our prices are comparable with UberX. We share the same base fare, minimum charge, and cancellation fees. Where we make a difference is on the average journey time, and that’s where people can get to where they need to be, usually faster, healthier, and almost guaranteed, with much more fun and style. An estimated cost and journey time of a typical two-mile journey in Central London is around £7.85 at 19 mins for a UberX, compared to £6.50 at 10 mins with Pedal Me.”
How safe are you?
“Cycling in London is, despite popular public perception, relatively safe. We ensure all of our staff are extremely well-trained. Not only to ride our bikes, but also to deal with traffic and provide outstanding customer service.
What’s availability like?
“You can pre-book a journey by downloading the Pedal Me app, which is available on the App Store and Google Play. Alternatively, you book a ride by contacting us on social media, sending us an email or phoning us on 0203 189 1612. We’re available 6 days a week and open for all occasions: school runs; weddings and birthdays. You name it, we’ve done it.”
People and cargo ready
How it works?
You can download the Pedal Me app from the App Store (iPhone) and from Google Play (Android). Once you have installed the app, you can sign up using your mobile phone number and start using the service within minutes.
Social Entrepreneurs
Both founders are accomplished cyclists. With Rob’s tech background and Ben’s transport-planning expertise, it wasn’t too long before life-changing ideas were being hatched. In just 3 months the company is already up and running, with growth in the number of passengers, riders and uses. They say their idea is not to take on the likes of Uber, but to offer a more human and environmentally sound choice for people.
Rob and Ben were recently interviewed by business correspondents of the US channel, Cheddar TV. Here they share their disruptive innovation story:
Like so many products and services, it’s the ‘why’ that people buy into. In part 2 of their interview, Rob and Ben discuss their reasons for making Pedal Me a viable business and social awareness venture:
Free to Get Going
And if their IG account is anything to go by, it looks like so much fun, we’d want to ride it again and again.
We wish the Pedal Me team the very best in their ingenious venture!
