APRIL FOOLS: HandiCar hits Orange County
HandiCar founder Timmy Burch picks up riders in Mission Viejo, California on Friday, April 1 2016. HandiCar is expanding to Orange County. (Matthew Kirkland/ Lariat) South Park
HandiCar, an alternative transportation company, plans to expand its operations into Orange County on Friday, April 1. HandiCar uses a motorized wheelchair to pull a standard wagon that users request via app.
“You just get the HandiCar app, it uses GPS to locate where you are and a HandiCar comes and picks you up,” said South Park, Colorado resident Stephen Stotch. “It is cheaper than a taxi, I’m telling you it is the future of transportation.”
The company was started by fourth grader Timmy Burch in his hometown of South Park as a way to raise money for summer camp. His idea caught on and quickly became the main transportation of the town.
“I can use the app to tip the driver,” said Suzy Carmichael, a resident of South Park. “This is so handy.”
HandiCar is convenient for riders and drivers alike. The ride sharing method of transportation allows many more cars to be available for the consumer and provides an easy way for others to make money. Other citizens are following in Burch’s wheelchair tracks and driving for the company.
“It is a great way to make some money on the side,” said Arnold Carmichael, who works for HandiCar.
The expansion comes at an opportune time for the company as riders of other alternative transportation concepts are becoming unsatisfied due to the recent rise in incidents involving their drivers. Assaults, shootings and other serious safety issues are cause for concern for the consumer and HandiCar wants to put an end to it.
“Safety is the number one concern of HandiCar and nothing matters more to us than our riders,” said company spokesperson Jimmy Balmer. “There’s no reason why we cannot be both accessible and safe.”
HandiCar has been so successful that after their expansion into Southern California they plan to increase business production to try and take on other forms of transportation including the traditional gas powered vehicle and the electric car.
“Driving your kids to and from school. Delivering both people and things,” an anonymous Tesla employee said. “They will absorb the taxi market, bringing taxi service to any part of the world. There’s no telling what they can do.”
The recent popularity of HandiCar reaches further than Colorado as the company has been covered on local and national news stations. The transportation company has even received some celebrity endorsement by actor Matthew Mconauhey.
“I was driving a HandiCar way before I got paid to drive one,” said Mconauhey. “I just like how it feels.”
What was just a small attempt to raise money for camp has turned into a nationwide craze that is changing that way we transport ourselves and things. Fellow South Park resident Nathan Mimsy believes that it is just a matter of time before Burch controls the market.
“His name is Timmy Burch and if you don’t do something quick, you are all going to be out of work for good.” Burch said about the other transportation companies.
The HandiCar App will be available for download in the app store on Friday, April 1.
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