New Orleans Uber & Lyft Drivers: Own a Pedicab, Keep the Fare

Xion Motors · For New Orleans Rideshare Drivers

Stop Giving Uber a Cut in New Orleans

Trade the app for your own electric pedicab. Keep the full fare, work the busiest zones in New Orleans, and turn weekend crowds into real revenue.

Get the New Orleans Playbook Pedicab vs. Uber Calculator

The opportunity: In New Orleans, one electric pedicab in the right zone has $30,000-$35,000 in annual revenue potential per cab — and you keep every dollar of the fare instead of handing a cut to a rideshare app. Add vinyl-wrap ad revenue on top, and a single cab becomes a real business.

Revenue figures are gross revenue potential per pedicab, before driver pay and operating costs, based on one operator's results (EZ Pedicabs, Kansas City). They are not a guarantee or a typical result. How we calculate this.

What drivers see in New Orleans

$30,000-$35,000/yr per cab Annual gross revenue potential per cab, before driver pay and costs

Sweet spots: Year-round festivals, conventions, nightlife, tourism

Best operating zones in New Orleans

French Quarter Bourbon Street Frenchmen Street Bywater Garden District Convention Center Canal Street

Why electric pedicabs make sense here

  • These zones are full of pedestrians, not cars — perfect for pedicabs.
  • Tourists and locals pay for short, fun rides instead of walking or waiting for an Uber.
  • Event nights usually bring more riders than a normal night.
  • You can also sell ad space on the cab to local bars, hotels, or event sponsors.

The math vs. driving for an app

Uber drivers in New Orleans often gross $15-$25/hr on weekends after waiting, gas, and platform cuts. An electric pedicab charges per passenger instead: EZ Pedicabs in Kansas City charges $15 per passenger per 15 minutes, and hourly takings depend on demand. You keep the full fare.

Built for advertising too

Xion pedicabs are designed for vinyl wraps — weekend rides plus weekday ad revenue. In a city like New Orleans, local businesses will pay to be seen in your operating zones.

How to start

  1. Confirm your operating zone.
  2. Check New Orleans pedicab / business licensing rules (usually simple).
  3. Get insurance quotes.
  4. Order your electric pedicab.
  5. Line up 3-5 venues or hotels that will send you riders.
  6. Work your first weekend and adjust from there.

Why Xion

23 years ago our founder was a pedicab driver. Xion built a 130+ cab electric fleet in San Diego — part of a 1,000+ pedicab national network — was featured on CNN with Mike Rowe, and now manufactures pedicabs for operators. Built for commercial work, not weekend toys.

If you're serious about New Orleans, let's talk.

Get the New Orleans Playbook See New Orleans pedicab business details