CITY FOCUS:Local business driven by employees’ peddle power

For Faith Beyer, $100 tips for ferrying passengers in a pedicab is one of several great things about her job.

“I get to watch the sunset every night I work,” said Beyer, 28. She is one of several riders who works for Tony Saccareccia’s Blue Water Pedicab company based in Huntington Beach.

And it helps her bad knees, too, she said.

Beyer picks up most of her customers outside hotels along Pacific Coast highway in Huntington Beach and Ruby’s restaurant on the pier.

“It’s too long of a walk and too short of a ride in a taxi,” Saccareccia said.

Guests at hotels such as the Hyatt Regency Huntington Beach Resort & Spa frequently hire pedicabs to visit the pier and go to Ruby’s or Chimayo’s, Beyer said.

That’s a big part of why the Hyatt is supporting Saccareccia and allows him to store his cabs in its parking structure.

Saccareccia has plans to add another four bikes to his fleet of eight to make sure he has one available for a Hyatt guest when they need one. Although it’s too soon to say how the new services will go, Cheryl Phelps, general manager of the local Hyatt, said she is excited about offering the new service to guests.

“This allows him to pick up guests from the Hyatt at the pedestrian bridge and give them an opportunity to enjoy more of Huntington Beach,” Phelps said.

Saccareccia was inspired to start his own pedicab business on Main Street after he saw the bikes becoming popular in San Diego, New York, Seattle, Denver and Florida. His dream is to expand the network to Newport Beach and Long Beach.

A carpenter by profession, he started the business with one bike six years ago — and he hasn’t looked back since.

Local restaurants and surf shops such as Duke’s, Chimayo’s, Huntington Surf & Sport, Aloha’s Grill, Lugatti’s and Tuna Town buy advertising space on the bikes.

The pedicabs are available six days a week during summer, from May to October, but business slows down in winter.

“With gas prices the way they are and fear of getting a DUI, pedicabs would be a great way to get around for hotel guests and residents,” he said.

Pedicab drivers give more than 40 rides in one shift during summers, working only on tips. Beyer said she rakes in anywhere from $200 to $300 per shift.

Saccareccia believes once the Pacific City and Strand projects are finished, there will be more people hailing down a pedicab on Main Street.

“It’s a viable type of transportation, and just as much of a novelty as riding in a horse buggy or an amusement ride,” he said.

Convincing locals to use a pedicab to get to Main Street would help rev up the business during winter time, Saccareccia said.

Ideally, he wishes he could quit his regular job and run this business full-time, but he’s not there yet, he said with a laugh.

To call a pedicab, call (714) 724-TAXI.