Pedicabs, or rickshaws, are a very popular mode of transportation in India and other south-east Asian countries, but remain something of a novelty in Toronto. So, when I came to know about Little Italy BIA's free pedicab rides along College Street, I couldn't pass up the opportunity.

The ride starts at Baldwin St. and Augusta Ave. near the former Zimmerman's Fairland grocery store in Kensington Market. You can spot the blue pedicabs and their drivers in white t-shirts talking to inquisitive passersby.

There are a half dozen drivers operating six rickshaws that will take you to any location of your choice between Bathurst and Shaw Street. The rides are available from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. with boarding happening every 20 minutes.

I hopped on a pedicab with driver Ethan Webster-Holmes, a 23-year-old who has been renting a pedicab since 2019, driving people around popular hubs like the Rogers Centre and the Budweiser Stage.

It was a hot Thursday evening and the mercury had just reached the 28 degree mark. Despite this, the pedicab drivers were smiling and talking to their passengers.

Riding a rickshaw in Toronto. Etti Bali.

As the city experienced spells of heatwaves and a hotter than usual summer on one hand and extremely heavy rainfall on the other, the drivers have had to brace themselves accordingly.

Webster-Holmes says that weather can be tough, but the key is to stay hydrated.

"Tons of food, Gatorade and breaks. It's always good to take a five-minute breather [before trips]," Webster-Holmes said.

The ride is smooth and, might I add, fast. In just about five minutes, my driver dropped me off near El Mocambo on Spadina Avenue.

The city currently has 90 licensed rickshaw drivers. Vinita Kalia, community manager for the Little Italy BIA, says that they received a grant from the City and the federal government to pay for the bikes and drivers.

Toronto's Main Street Innovation Fund through the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario has funded the project.

"We've introduced over 1,500 people to the neighborhood. It's such a fun thing to do in the summer. We haven't seen anybody else do something like this in the city and we are happy with the results of the program," Kalia says.

The pedicab rides are available for free until the end of August. People are encouraged to check the website for any updates in the schedule before planning their trip.