Eco-taxi appears in Minsk (Belarus)

Yakov Buta reports: Egor is the first driver of a bike taxi in Belarus. He has been driving Minskers along parks for two weeks.
(Egor Ivashkov, tricycle’s driver: “We have two routes – Victory Park and Gorky Park or at Nemiga along the Svisloch River.”)
(Egor Ivashkov, tricycle’s driver)
Despite the fact that a tricycle’s weight is 400 kg, and it is over 500 kg together with passengers, the main engine is treadles. A small electric motor is installed on a front wheel to ease the work of a driver.
This mode of transport is very topical now. There is no fuel, just treadles and an electric motor, which is enough for at least 30 km.
This transport is called ecocab in Europe. It was decided to call it eco-taxi in Belarus – transportation of people via public roads.
Each vehicle costs USD 5,000. Despite numerous risks, it was decided to buy four at once.
(Olga Borodina, Director of the private unitary enterprise Eco-taxi: “Risks are weather conditions, a human factor and etc.”)
One eco-trip, which is 10 minutes, or 2 km, costs Br. 15,000. Expenses will pay off only in two years. That’s why businessmen decided to earn from advertising.

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Source: http://www.tvr.by/eng/society.asp?id=51202