Hail, Yes!

They may be slower than taxis, but Boston's pedicab operators have their appeal—youthful good looks, charisma, and, crucially, the willingness to work up a sweat. Their pay, after all, hinges entirely on customer satisfaction, since they toil for tips alone. "We like to think of it as transportainment," says Ben Morris, owner of Boston Pedicab.

This summer, as pedicabs flood the streets, there's more reason to hop on board: For the first time, the city has given them an official license to thrill. The 21 new permits (17 of which were snatched up by Morris) finally make the little rickshaws a legitimate, sanctioned form of transit after years of wary glances from authorities. That means passengers can now rest easy while being pedaled around by guys who, for some tastes at least, are more striking than your average cabbie, and who certainly earn every dollar they get.