Bike delivery service rolls into high gear amid coronavirus pandemic

LOS ANGELES -- While most of us have been staying at home opting for delivery, messengers at Maritime Bicycle Courier are riding the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic.

"That's our core intention as a bicycle courier business," said Langdon Taguiped, co-owner of Maritime Bicycle Courier. "We service the community. Whether it's food, there are some people that have us go get their dry cleaning or we deliver flowers."

Taguiped and his business partner, Bud Abille, are both former competitive cyclists. The duo launched the Long Beach, CA delivery service in 2014, but it wasn't long before they said corporate delivery services drove away business.

"The big corporate car delivery services, they came in with huge marketing legs and basically snuffed us out," Taguiped said.

Despite the stiff competition, Taguiped and his business pedaled on.

Maritime Bicycle Courier partners with nearly 30 restaurants and businesses across the city.

"It's very important to us as a Long Beach-based business that we keep our money in Long Beach," said Ryan Hughes, co-owner of The 4th Horseman.

The 4th Horseman exclusively uses Maritime Bicycle Courier for deliveries. Hughes said that during the coronavirus pandemic, 70% of orders placed at The 4th Horseman consist of deliveries."I mean without them we would I don't know where we would be," Hughes said. "They've been so important to us."Since the coronavirus outbreak, the local courier service has increased its workforce by 33%.

"I'm grateful," Taguiped said. "It's a weird blessing that the community basically has brought us back up and shown us support."

If you want to keep it local in Long Beach, visit the Maritime Bicycle Courier website.

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