When you ask Austin Bauman what he does, the answer is not so simple. He used to answer with a concise, “‘I ride my bike for people who are stuck in offices,” but Green Fleet has grown to be much more than that. These days, Green Fleet is not only a courier service, but also a bike shop and tour company. Basically, if it involves bikes, Green Fleet is the place to go.
Bauman had always loved biking, but his real passion developed after an unbelievable adventure taken in college. In an effort to raise money for charity, Bauman and his roommate biked four thousand miles across America. As you can probably imagine, he was entirely hooked on biking after that cross-country ride. Then, in 2009 he decided to try his hand at turning his passion into a business.
Green Fleet has grown significantly since its inception. Now Bauman employs numerous people—specifically people who are perceptive and think on their own, because Bauman says those qualities are what make for a strong team. He must have known what he was doing, because Bauman’s Green Fleet has successfully become the “Three Musketeers” of bicycles (Bauman used the phrase “bikes for all, all for bikes”) by offering a unique trifecta of city tours, a courier service, and a bike shop.
We were curious about Bauman’s experiences with Green Fleet, so we had to ask which jobs have stood out to him as favorites. Of all his courier jobs, Bauman’s favorites are medical deliveries, because he knows that his service is helping to save lives. But outside of the delivery sector, Bauman enjoys leading bike tours because, “you get to pretend you’re on vacation!” We have to admit, Bauman seems to have a pretty good gig getting to do what he loves, be outdoors, and pretend he is on vacation!
Although Green Fleet’s shop, The Hub, is located in Edgehill Village right by Taco Mamacita, Bauman lives in the 12 South neighborhood. What Bauman (and the team here at Nashville on the Move) loves most about the 12 South area is how easily he can ride his bike or walk to so many local restaurants, including his favorite, PM. In a city with such great attributes, in addition to a pace and culture conducive to entrepreneurship, it doesn’t seem like Green Fleet or Bauman will be “on the move” any time soon—unless it involves riding a bicycle through Nashville.
Check out The Hub here!