While some might entertain the idea that bike messengers are something of a new, feigned cultural interest pulled from the current obsession with all things vintage, Oakland’s Pedal Express has been around since 1994.

Bike courier services such as Pedal Express are able to deliver quickly and cheaply by use of bicycles and are generally unaffected by the high gasoline prices like California is currently experiencing. Delivery services range from bank deposits, mail pickup and delivery, business-to-business transactions and even lunchtime food orders for events or meetings.

Pedal Express is committed to promoting environmentally-sustainable modes of document transportation that routinely serves a large chunk of the East Bay - as north as Albany, down through Oakland and into Glenview and alongside the Oakland and Berkeley hills. While traffic remains congested within this large swath of urban landscape, Pedal Express is able to sidestep the grind by use of its bikes and trailers. Not only does this mean less cars on the road, but also less smog and pollutants for the East Bay, in general.

What’s more interesting is that Pedal Express is, in fact, a workers collective comprised of three individuals: Foresta, Nancy and Dominic. Workers collectives are new types of enterprises that seek to democratize the functions of everyday business by making each worker also part owner. Such measures allow for better wage equality throughout the organization, along with non-hierarchical decision making on behalf of the business as a whole. Pedal Express uses a consensus model, so that all parties within the company can agree on common practices, as opposed to the traditional top-down model typical of most private businesses.

If you’re looking to get documents or other objects locally delivered in a timing fashion, Pedal Express is an invaluable option. Their rates are fair and in fact cheap in comparison with normal delivery services.


Pedal Express

Available: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, rain or shine

Phone: (510) 843-7339

Email: PedalExpress@PedalExpress.com

URL: pedalexpress.com