We live in the 21st century, an age when so many things are automated. Yet, people of our modern age still enjoy simple pleasures, like having spry college students tote them around Downtown Raleigh.
For most college students, driving a rickshaw provides a source of income for a collegiate schedule, according to Nyssa Collins, a former student and rickshaw driver.
Chris Daugherty, a non-degree seeking student and rickshaw driver, said, “[Rickshaw driving is] fun, it’s a late night job and it’s cash.”
However, it does not have to be a late night job. One of the most appealing things about driving a rickshaw is that drivers can work as long as there are people out and about in Downtown Raleigh, according to Daugherty. Collins enjoyed working on the sunny, summer days when she lived in Raleigh. This is actually part of what enticed her to the job.
“I was working downtown at the farmer’s market, and the rickshaw drivers were having so much fun, so I asked someone how I could get that job since it allowed you to move around. I hate jobs where you have to sit down,” Daugherty said.
While rickshaw driving may seem like all fun and games, it still requires some hard work. First off, there is the physical labor that comes with driving people around. According to Collins, the first few weeks are the toughest because people don’t usually have the right muscles in their legs built up for rickshaw driving. Because of this intense muscle-building period, the body requires more food than usual.
”You go home and eat everything in your fridge because you’re so hungry,” Collins said.
For this reason, the rickshaw business usually attracts people who already bike in one way or another.
“Most people have a lot of experience with cycling,” Daugherty said. “Either with racing or commuting and know how to fix bikes.”
The other main challenge rickshaw drivers face is convincing people to get in the rickshaw. According to Collins, saying something funny or witty is usually a good trick. According to Mitchell Adams, a civil engineering graduate, it’s convincing people riding in a rickshaw is faster and more fun than walking.
One challenge Daugherty noticed when he first started driving was the rickshaw is not as nimble as a normal bike. The rickshaw has three wheels and is heavy and hard to control, according to Daugherty, making it much more difficult to handle than your average bicycle.
Working late at night, driving a rickshaw usually provides riders with some interesting stories. According to Daugherty, he once put seven women in his rickshaw and rode down the spiral parking deck in the Clarion Hotel downtown at 1 a.m . A common theme Daugherty noticed with middle-aged, female passengers is they will often try to slap his butt, especially if they are a little under the influence. If passengers are drunk, it can be difficult to keep them in the rickshaw, according to both Adams and Daugherty.
“You have to worry about their safety,” Adams said. “You just gotta tell them the rules and make sure they follow them.”
These drivers aren’t employees of their respectable rickshaw brands, but rather contractors. Drivers are paid only in tips and must pay to rent out the rickshaw from the contract company.
“People pay what they think the ride was worth to them,” Adams said. According to Adams, there are some nights when drivers just break even with the rent. It all depends on weather, the mood of the driver and if people are outside.
Collins, Daugherty and Adams said they all enjoy rickshaw driving for roughly the same reasons: being outside and meeting people. So, if rickshaw driving sounds like the job for you, pursue it—just make sure your fridge is well stocked for the first few weeks.
Biking around Raleigh with some customers, Rickshaw driver Chris Daugherty, 2008 graduate, show them the city. "I like to roll around and say 'hi' to everyone," Daugherty said.
