Gothenburg's bicycle taxi

Another Swedish startup had double the success when it started attracting a new clientele this summer. 

• 

  Matilda Landelius is ready to take some tourists for a spin in central Gothenburg. Photo plingtransport.se

• In recent years, Sweden has built a strong startup culture through its developments in new technology, sustainability, connectivity and reliable networks — not to mention talent. Stockholm is one of the world’s most prolific tech hubs, and its startup scene has exploded in the past few years. With the likes of Skype, Spotify, Klarna and more, Sweden’s startup community is thriving as it continues to produce more innovative technologies and companies.

• Now a bicycle taxi is taking eager riders for a spin. Pling Transport, a bike taxi startup that’s been in Gothenburg since 2102, says their new mode of transportation is turning heads. This environmentally friendly service started as a way to deliver packages to businesses in the city, but this summer it turned into a human cargo delivery method, too. As people saw the six-wheeled bicycles pedaling around the city, requests started coming in for rides.

• The bike taxi consists of a six-wheel bike equipped with an extra large cargo space that seats two passengers, with a maximum weight of about 200 kilos (440 pounds). For SEK 125 ($15), you can go anywhere within the zone in central Gothenburg (see the map at www.plingtransport.se/tjanster) for 15 minutes.

• "It is mostly tourists who want to go for a tour of the city,” says driver Matilda Landelius. “And it will be slow,” adds Stina Johansson of Pling Transport. “But we always drive in the bike lanes, so you don’t get stuck in car lanes. And considering all the redevelopment in town, this is a smooth alternative.”