As of yesterday, Buffalo has a new pedicab business called Allentown Pedicab Company (APCO). Owner/operator Landon Chaffee has put his first peddle powered transportation vehicle on the road, and hopes to have a small fleet of the cabs by next year. “On April 8 of this year, I went with a friend to NYC for a bizarre 48 hour excursion,” Landon told me. “And while we were there we took a pedicab from Central Park to Rockefeller Center. It was then that I began to think about what it would take to launch a similar business in Buffalo – a business that is both green and practical. The more I thought about how tight-knit Buffalo was, the more I thought that this was a good idea. In NYC pedicabs are very expensive. In Buffalo I’m keeping the rates affordable – $1 a minute or a negotiable flat rate (“make us an offer sort of thing”), or express rates – established destinations where your fare will never go over $10 (mainly for special events).”
Landon is fully equipped to offer riders an efficient, fun and comfortable ride. In the trunk he packs a stereo system and a parasol (perfect for these hot days). He’s grooving on the idea of being a freewheeling company, where he sets his own hours and is in a social environment where he thrives. “During the winter I work at my technology studio (Chaffee Design),” said Landon. “I’ve biked my whole life and feel great when I’m out on the road offering this service to others. Normally I’m riding around picking up customers on the fly, but later this evening the pedicab has been reserved by a bride and groom who need to get from the Albright-Knox to Downtown Buffalo.”
Soon Landon’s custom pedicab (built in his studio) will be outfitted with LED lights for night riding. Plus he already has an investor who is willing to match dollar-for-dollar every investment that he puts into the company to purchase new pedicabs. “I moved back to Buffalo two years ago,” Landon pointed out. “Now I’m helping others to explore this city, whether it’s Allentown, Elmwood, Chippewa, Downtown or the waterfront. It feels good to be on the road and social – it’s not like being tied down to a job. I’m happy and relaxed, jut like the pedicab driver in NYC that opened my eyes to this lifestyle. But instead of doing it in NYC, I’m doing it in Buffalo, NY”
Photos: Amanda and Megan take a spin in Allentown