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Auto rickshaw

Auto rickshaw

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An auto rickshaw or three-wheeler (tuk-tuk, trishaw, auto, rick, autorick, or rickshaw in popular parlance) is a motor vehicle
Motor vehicle
A motor vehicle is a wheeled vehicle whose propulsion is provided by an engine or motor . The internal combustion engine is the most common motor choice, although electric motors or other types are sometimes used. Motor vehicles or road vehicles typically run on public roads...

 and a mode of transport
Mode of transport
Mode of transport is a general term for the different kinds of transport facilities that are often used to transport people or cargo....

 for private use and as a vehicle for hire
Vehicle for hire
thumb|190px|[[Taxicabs]] in [[New York City]]thumb|190px|right|[[Cycle rickshaw|Velotaxi]] in [[New York City]]A vehicle for hire is a vehicle providing shared transportation, which transports one or more passengers between locations of the passengers' choice .Vehicles for hire can be distinguished...

. It is a motorized version of the traditional rickshaw
Rickshaw
Rickshaws are a mode of human-powered transport: a runner draws a two-wheeled cart which seats one or two persons. The word rickshaw came from Asia where they were mainly used as means of transportation for the social elite. However, in more recent times rickshaws have been outlawed in many...

 or velotaxi, a small three-wheeled cart operated by a single individual, and is related to the cabin cycle
Cabin cycle
A cabin cycle is a form of land vehicle with a hull that wraps around the basic bicycle or motorcycle design. Unlike traditional designs, the chassis can be moulded to reduce drag when travelling at high speeds. Some 3-wheeled variants are commonly known as auto rickshaws or tuk-tuks. In eastern...

. Auto rickshaws can be found in many Asian countries such as Bangladesh
Bangladesh
, officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a country in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south...

, Cambodia
Cambodia
The Kingdom of Cambodia , formerly known as Kampuchea , is a country in South East Asia with a population of over 14 million people. The kingdom's capital and largest city is Phnom Penh...

, India
India
India, officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the south, the Arabian Sea on the west, and the Bay of Bengal...

, Laos
Laos
Laos , officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic, is the only landlocked country in Southeast Asia, bordered by Burma and People's Republic of China to the northwest, Vietnam to the east, Cambodia to the south and Thailand to the west...

, Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country located at the crossroads of South Asia, the Middle East, and Central Asia...

, Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka , officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka , is an island country in South Asia, located about off the southern coast of India...

 and Thailand
Thailand
The Kingdom of Thailand is an independent country that lies in the heart of Southeast Asia.It is bordered to the north by Laos and Burma, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the west by the Andaman Sea and Burma...

 as well as some African countries such as Ethiopia
Ethiopia
Ethiopia , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a landlocked country situated in the Horn of Africa. Ethiopia is bordered by Eritrea to the north, Sudan to the west, Kenya to the south, Somalia to the east and Djibouti to the northeast. Its size is 1,100,000 km² with an...

.

Design


An auto rickshaw is generally characterized by a sheet-metal body or open frame resting on three wheels, a canvas roof with drop-down sides, a small cabin in the front of the vehicle for the driver (sometimes called an auto-wallah), and seating space for up to three passengers in the rear. They are generally fitted with an air-cooled scooter
Scooter (motorcycle)
A scooter is a motorcycle with step-through architecture and either a platform for the operator's feet or footrests integral with the bodywork. Elements of scooter design have been noted in some of the earliest motorcycles, and motorcycles identifiable as scooters have been made from 1914 or earlier...

 version of a two-stroke engine
Two-stroke cycle
A two-stroke engine is a combustion engine that completes the thermodynamic cycle in two movements of the piston compared to twice that number for a four-stroke engine. This increased efficiency is accomplished by using the beginning of the compression stroke and the end of the combustion stroke to...

, with handlebar
Handlebar
Handlebars usually refer to the steering mechanism for bicycles, motorcycles, ATVs, snowmobiles and personal watercraft; the equivalent of a steering wheel. Besides acting as a steering mechanism, handlebars also may support a portion of the rider's weight, depending on his or her riding position....

 controls instead of a steering wheel
Steering wheel
A steering wheel is a type of steering control in vehicles and vessels ....

. Auto rickshaws are light duty vehicles.

Hiring


Hiring an auto rickshaw sometimes involves negotiating a fee with the driver. In the major cities of India, such as Chennai
Chennai
Chennai , formerly known as , is the capital city of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Chennai is the fourth most populous metropolitan area and the fifth most populous city in India. Located on the Coromandel Coast of the Bay of Bengal, Chennai city had a population of 4.34 million in the 2001...

, Ahmedabad
Ahmedabad
Ahmedabad is a city in India, which is the largest city in the state of Gujarat, with a population of approximately 52 lakhs . Located on the banks of the River Sabarmati, the city is the administrative centre of Ahmedabad district and was the capital of Gujarat from 1960 to 1970; the capital...

, Thiruvananthapuram
Thiruvananthapuram
, also known as Trivandrum, is the capital of the Indian state of Kerala and the headquarters of the Thiruvananthapuram District. It is located on the west coast of India near the extreme south of the mainland. Referred to by Mahatma Gandhi as the "Evergreen city of India", the city is...

, Bangalore
Bangalore
Bangalore , also known as Bengaḷūru , is the capital of the Indian state of Karnataka. Located on the Deccan Plateau in the south-eastern part of Karnataka, Bangalore is India's third most populous city and fifth-most populous urban agglomeration.Though historical references to the city predate 900...

 and Delhi
Delhi
Delhi, known locally as Dilli , and also by the official name National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest metropolis by population in India...

, drivers are required to install fare meter
Taximeter
A taximeter is a mechanical or electronic device installed in taxicabs and auto rickshaws that calculates passenger fares based on a combination of distance travelled and waiting time...

s in their auto rickshaws. These meters are calibrated according to the city guidelines. In addition, traffic-regulating authorities have implemented a schedule of predetermined fares. For example, in Chennai in 2006, the predetermined fare within the central city was approximately Rs. 50.

India


Many major nationalized banks in India offer loans to self employed individuals who want to buy an auto rickshaw. Auto rickshaw manufacturers in India include Bajaj Auto
Bajaj Auto
Bajaj Auto is a major Indian automobile manufacturer. It is India's largest and the world's 4th largest two- and three-wheeler maker. It is based in Pune, Maharashtra, with plants in Akurdi and Chakan ,Waluj and Pantnagar in Uttaranchal...

 and Force Motors (previously Bajaj Tempo). TVS Motors
TVS Motors
TV Sundaram Iyengar and Sons Limited is the holding company for the TVS Group of companies engaged in the manufacturing of almost all kinds of automotive components, best two wheelers and a few other industrial products. They are also into the financial services sector. The turnover of the entire...

, has announced it will enter the auto rickshaw market in early 2006. Auto rickshaws are found in cities, villages and in the countryside.

There is an initial charge at the beginning of a ride then the price normally increases in proportion to the distance. It is mandatory that the initial charge be set at a value given by the government. In Mumbai currently, the initial charge is 9 Rupee
Rupee
The rupee is the common name for the currencies used in India, Sri Lanka, Burma, Nepal, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Mauritius, and Seychelles; in Indonesia the unit of currency is known as the rupiah and in the Maldives the rufiyah, which are cognate words of Hindi rupiya...

s for up to 1 kilometre
Kilometre
The kilometre , symbol km is a unit of length in the metric system, equal to one thousand metres and is therefore exactly equal to the distance travelled by light in free space in of a second....

 and thereafter proportional charges at a rate of Rs. 9 per kilometre. In Bangalore, the initial charge is 14 Rupee
Rupee
The rupee is the common name for the currencies used in India, Sri Lanka, Burma, Nepal, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Mauritius, and Seychelles; in Indonesia the unit of currency is known as the rupiah and in the Maldives the rufiyah, which are cognate words of Hindi rupiya...

s up to 2 kilometres and 6 Rupees per kilometre thereafter. There is also a practice of charging "One and a half" or 1.5 times the normal fare or even double, usually after 2200 Hrs, especially in Bangalore.

Known locally as Rickshah or autos, and used mainly by the lower-middle-class, auto rickshaws are a popular mode of transport for short routes within cities in Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country located at the crossroads of South Asia, the Middle East, and Central Asia...

. One of the major brands of auto rickshaws is Vespa
Vespa
Vespa is an Italian line of scooters manufactured by Piaggio.The Vespa has evolved from a single model motor scooter manufactured in 1946 by Piaggio & Co. S.p.A...

 (an Italian Company). Environment Canada
Environment Canada
Environment Canada , legally incorporated as the Department of the Environment under the Department of the Environment Act Environment Canada (EC), legally incorporated as the Department of the Environment under the Department of the Environment Act Environment Canada (EC), legally incorporated as...

 is implementing pilot projects in Lahore
Lahore
Lahore is the capital of the Pakistani province of Punjab and the second largest city in Pakistan after Karachi. Historically the main city of the undivided Punjab, it is often called the Garden of Mughals because of its rich Mughal heritage...

, Karachi
Karachi
is the largest city, main seaport and the financial capital of Pakistan, and the capital of the province of Sindh. It is the 3rd largest city in the world by population and 20th largest city of the world, in terms of metropolitan population. It is Pakistan's premier centre of banking, industry, and...

 and Quetta
Quetta
) is the largest city and the provincial capital of the Balochistan Province of Pakistan. It is known as the "Fruit Garden of Pakistan", due to its diversity in plant and animals wildlife. The city has been a major stronghold along the western frontier of the country. It is situated at an average...

 with engine technology developed in Mississauga, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province located in east-central Canada, the largest by population and second largest, after Quebec, in total area. Ontario is bordered by the Canadian provinces of Manitoba to the west and Quebec to the east, and 5 U.S...

, Canada
Canada
Canada is a country occupying most of northern North America, extending from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west and northward into the Arctic Ocean...

 that uses compressed natural gas
Compressed natural gas
Compressed Natural Gas is a fossil fuel substitute for gasoline , diesel, or propane fuel. Although its combustion does produce greenhouse gases, it is a more environmentally clean alternative to those fuels, and it is much safer than other fuels in the event of a spill .CNG is made by compressing...

 (CNG) instead of petrol in the two-stroke engines, in an effort to combat environmental pollution.

Pakistan


In many cities in Pakistan, there are also motor cycle rickshaws, usually called chand gari (moon car) or qingqi (after the Chinese company who first introduced this rickshaw to the market).

In addition to ferrying people around, an innovative use of auto rickshaws in public life was the demonstration in Peshawar
Peshawar
' onMouseout='HidePop("33809")' href="http://www.absoluteastronomy.com/topics/Sri_Lanka">Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka , officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka , is an island country in South Asia, located about off the southern coast of India...

 from the curvy roads through the hill country to the congested roads of Colombo
Colombo
Colombo is the largest city and commercial capital of Sri Lanka. It is located on the west coast of the island and adjacent to Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte, the capital city of Sri Lanka. Colombo is a busy and vibrant city with a mixture of modern life and colonial buildings and ruins and a city...

 transporting locals, foreigners, or freight about. Sri Lankan tuk-tuks are of the style of the light Phnom Penh type. Most tuk-tuks in Sri Lanka are a slightly modified Indian Bajaj model, imported from India though there are few manufactured locally and increasingly imports from other countries in the region and other brands of three wheelers such as Piaggio. In 2007 January the Sri Lankan government imposed an ban on all 2 stroke three wheelers and therefore the ones imported to the island now are only with a four stroke engine. Most three wheelers are available as hiring vehicles with few being used to haul goods and as private vehicles. Bajaj enjoys a virtual monopoly in the island with its agent being David Pieries Motor Co Ltdhttp://www.indiacar.net/news/n49068.htm. A few three wheelers in Sri Lanka have distance meters, but the vast majority of charges are negotiated between the passenger and driver.

Auto rickshaws are very popular & are common transport in Bangladesh
Bangladesh
, officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a country in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south...

. In Dhaka
Dhaka
Dhaka , is the capital of Bangladesh and the principal city of Dhaka District. Dhaka is a megacity and one of the major cities of South Asia...

, they are called "CNGs" lovingly by the residents. These "CNGs" are painted green to signify that the vehicles are eco-friendly. In Khulna
Khulna
Khulna is the third largest city in Bangladesh. It is located on the banks of the Rupsha and Bhairab rivers in Khulna District. It is the divisional headquarters of Khulna Division and a major industrial and commercial center. It has a seaport named Mongla on its outskirts, 38 km from Khulna...

, they are called "Baby Taxi" or "Baby". Auto rickshaws are visible in other Bangladeshi cities including Chittagong
Chittagong
Chittagong is Bangladesh's main seaport and its second-largest city. The capital of the eponymous district and division, it is situated in the southeastern portion of the country, and was built on the banks of the Karnaphuli River, which ends nearby, in the Bay of Bengal. The city has a...

, Rajshahi
Rajshahi
Rajshahi is the divisional headquarter of Rajshahi division and one of the six metropolitan cities of Bangladesh. Often nicknamed The Silk City and The Education City, Rajshahi is located at the North-Western zone of the country, has an estimated population of around 475,000 people and spans over...

. Auto rickshaws are available in most of the towns and rural areas. In rural areas, they are known as "Tempo", "Nosimon" or "VotVoti".

Southeast Asia


Referred to as bajaj in Indonesia
Indonesia
The Republic of Indonesia is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia comprises 17,508 islands. With an estimated population of around 237 million people, it is the world's fourth most populous country, with the world's largest population of Muslims.Indonesia is a republic, with an...

, are common throughout the country's capital Jakarta
Jakarta
Jakarta is the capital and largest city of Indonesia. It also has a greater population than any other city in Southeast Asia. It was formerly known as Sunda Kelapa , Jayakarta , Batavia , and Djakarta . Located on the northwest coast of Java, it has an area of and a population of 8,489,910...

. Bajaj
Bajaj Auto
Bajaj Auto is a major Indian automobile manufacturer. It is India's largest and the world's 4th largest two- and three-wheeler maker. It is based in Pune, Maharashtra, with plants in Akurdi and Chakan ,Waluj and Pantnagar in Uttaranchal...

 is India's main Auto-Rickshaw manufacturer.

The auto rickshaw, called tuk-tuk in Thailand
Thailand
The Kingdom of Thailand is an independent country that lies in the heart of Southeast Asia.It is bordered to the north by Laos and Burma, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the west by the Andaman Sea and Burma...

, is a widely used form of urban transport in Bangkok
Bangkok
Bangkok is the capital, largest urban area and primary city of Thailand. Known in Thai as Krung Thep Mahanakhon , or กรุงเทพฯ Krung Thep for short, it was a small trading post at the mouth of the Chao Phraya River during the Ayutthaya Kingdom. It came to the forefront of Siam when it was given the...

 and other Thai cities, as well as other major Southeast Asian and South Asian cities. It is particularly popular where traffic congestion is a major problem, such as in Bangkok and Nakhon Ratchasima
Nakhon Ratchasima
Nakhon Ratchasima is a city in the north-east of Thailand and gateway to Isan. It is the capital of the Nakhon Ratchasima Province and Nakhon Ratchasima district...

.

In Cambodia
Cambodia
The Kingdom of Cambodia , formerly known as Kampuchea , is a country in South East Asia with a population of over 14 million people. The kingdom's capital and largest city is Phnom Penh...

, the term tuk-tuk is used to refer to a motorcycle with a cabin attached to the rear. Cambodian cities have a much lower volume of automobile traffic than Thai cities, and tuk-tuks are still the most common form of urban transport.

At the temple complex of Angkor
Angkor
Angkor is a region of Cambodia that served as the seat of the Khmer empire, which flourished from approximately the ninth century to the thirteenth century...

, tuk-tuks provide a convenient form of transport around the complex for tourists. One can hire a tuk-tuk and driver by the day.

Siem Reap
Siem Reap
Siem Reap City is the capital of Siem Reap Province, Cambodia.Siem Reap has colonial and Chinese-style architecture in the Old French Quarter, and around the Old Market. In town, there are Apsara dance performances, craft shops, silk farms, rice-paddy countryside, fishing villages and a bird...

 tuk-tuks are generally of the style of motorcycle and trailer. Phnom Penh
Phnom Penh
Phnom Penh is the capital and largest city of Cambodia. It is also the capital of the Phnom Penh municipality...

 tuk-tuks are by contrast one piece. They are the front end of a motorcycle comprising of steering, tank and engine/gearbox with a covered tray mounted at the back. The power is transferred by chain to an axle mounted to the modified rear fork which drives the two rear wheels. Suspended upon the rear fork is an open cabin with an in-line seat on each side. This arrangement can carry 6 people at ease, with their luggage in the leg space. It is not unusual to see these vehicles greatly overloaded, especially in outer suburbs and around markets.

Lao
Laos
Laos , officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic, is the only landlocked country in Southeast Asia, bordered by Burma and People's Republic of China to the northwest, Vietnam to the east, Cambodia to the south and Thailand to the west...

 tuk-tuks are generally of the Phnom Penh style. They come as tuk-tuks or jumbo tuk-tuks. Jumbos have a larger 3 or 4 cylinder 4 stroke engine, many are powered by Daihatsu engines. While the smaller tuk-tuks carry similar loads to Cambodian tuk-tuks, and are geared similarly, jumbos' larger engine and cabin size allow for greater loads, up to 12 seated people at a squeeze, and higher top speeds. Jumbos are almost without exception only found in Vientiane
Vientiane
Vientiane is the capital city of Laos, situated in the Mekong Valley. It is also Laos's largest city. The estimated population of the city is 200,000 while the number of people living in the Vientiane metropolitan area is believed to be over 730,000...

. A few Thai tuk-tuks, which have fully enclosed cabins, have also made their way to Vientiane.

There are comparatively few Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam , is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea to the east...

ese tuk-tuks on the road. Most are in the two largest cities, Ho Chi Minh City
Ho Chi Minh City
Ho Chi Minh City Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) (Vietnamese: Thành phố Hồ Chí Minh is the largest city in Vietnam. It was known as Prey Nokor before being annexed by the Vietnamese in the 17th century. Under the name Saigon (Vietnamese: Sài Gòn; ), it was the capital of...

 or Hanoi
Hanoi
Hanoi , estimated population 6.232.940 , is the capital and second-largest city of Vietnam. From 1010 until 1802, with a few brief interruptions, it was the political centre of an independent Vietnam. It was eclipsed by Huế during the Nguyen Dynasty as the capital of Vietnam, but Hanoi served as...

 as well as a few in other major tourist centres. Ho Chi Minh tuk-tuks generally comprise the motorcycle and trailer style of Siem Reap while Hanoi and Hoi An
Hoi An
Hội An is a small city on the coast of the South China Sea in the South Central Coast of Vietnam. It is located in Quảng Nam province and is home to approximately 120,000 inhabitants....

 tuk-tuks are of the style of the light Phnom Penh type.
Auto rickshaws are an especially popular form of public transportation in the Philippines
Transportation in the Philippines
- Land transportation :* Light Rail Transit , from Monumento, Caloocan City to Baclaran, Parañaque City. The LRT-1 plans to extend up to North Avenue, Quezon City. The extension project is currently underconstruction along EDSA...

, where they are referred to as tricycles (Filipino
Filipino language
Filipino is the national language of the Philippines and, along with English, is an official language; designated in the 1987 Philippine Constitution. Filipino is an Austronesian language that is based on various existing native languages in the Philippines, with a significant number of Spanish...

: traysikel; Cebuano
Cebuano language
Cebuano is an Austronesian language spoken in the Philippines by about 20 million people. It is the most widely spoken member of the Visayan languages. Its name comes from the island of Cebu, the site of the second-largest metropolitan area in the country...

: traysikol). As opposed to other types of auto rickshaws, tricycles are motorcycles fitted with a two-seater implement at the side to allow transportation. They usually carry 5 passengers, rarely more, although one can opt for a 'special' ride, albeit with an increase in price.

Central and South America


The mototaxi or moto is the Central America
Central America
Managua
Guatemala City
San Salvador
San Pedro Sula
Panama City
San José, Costa Rica
Santa Ana, El Salvador
León
San Miguel|-|}...

n and Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean.Peruvian territory was home to the Norte Chico...

vian incarnation of the auto rickshaw. These are most commonly made from the front end and engine of a motorcycle attached to a two-wheeled passenger area in back. Commercially produced models, such as the Indian Bajaj brand, are also employed. In Guatemala the commercial vehicles are referred to as tuk-tuks.

Tuk-tuks operate, both as taxis and private vehicles, in Guatemala City
Guatemala City
Guatemala City is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Guatemala...

, Guatemala
Guatemala
Guatemala is a country in Central America bordered by Mexico to the north and west, the Pacific Ocean to the southwest, Belize to the northeast, the Caribbean to the east, and Honduras and El Salvador to the southeast. Its size is just under 110,000 km² with an estimated population...

, around the island town of Flores
Flores
Flores is one of the Lesser Sunda Islands, an island arc with an estimated area of 14,300 km² extending east from the Java island of Indonesia. The population is estimated to be around 1.5 million , and the largest town is Maumere....

, Peten
Petén (department)
Petén is a department of the nation of Guatemala. It is geographically the northernmost department of Guatemala, as well as the largest in size — at 12,960 square miles it accounts for about one third of Guatemala's area. The capital is Flores...

, in the mountain city of Antigua Guatemala
Antigua Guatemala
La Antigua Guatemala is a city in the central highlands of Guatemala famous for its well-preserved Spanish Mudéjar-influenced Baroque architecture as well as a number of spectacular ruins of colonial churches...

, and in many small towns in the mountains. In 2005 the tuk-tuks prevalent in the Lago de Atitlán
Lago de Atitlán
Lake Atitlán is a large endorheic lake in the Guatemalan Highlands. While Atitlan is recognized to be the deepest lake in Central America, its bottom has not been completely sounded. Estimates of its maximum depth range up to 340 meters...

 towns of Panajachel
Panajachel
Panajachel is a town in the southwestern Guatemalan Highlands, in the department of Sololá. It serves as the administrative centre for the surrounding municipality of the same name. The altitude is...

 and Santiago Atitlán
Santiago Atitlán
Santiago Atitlán is a municipality in the Sololá department of Guatemala. The town is situated on Lago de Atitlán, which has an elevation of . The town sits on a bay of Lago Atitlan between two volcanos. Volcan San Pedro rises to west of town; Volcan Toliman rises to southeast of town. Volcan...

 all appeared to be from India (Bajaj Auto
Bajaj Auto
Bajaj Auto is a major Indian automobile manufacturer. It is India's largest and the world's 4th largest two- and three-wheeler maker. It is based in Pune, Maharashtra, with plants in Akurdi and Chakan ,Waluj and Pantnagar in Uttaranchal...

).

Three-wheeled Coco taxis, resembling a coconut, are used in Havana, Cuba.

Africa


There are tuk-tuks in several Kenya
Kenya
The Republic of Kenya is a country in East Africa. Lying along the Indian Ocean, at the equator, Kenya is bordered by Ethiopia , Somalia , Tanzania , Uganda plus Lake Victoria , and Sudan . The capital city is Nairobi. Kenya spans an area about 85% the size of France or Texas...

n towns. Using them is somewhat cheaper than ordinary taxis.
However, tuk-tuks cannot operate in mountainous towns, which are common in Kenya. Fierce competition with Boda-boda
Boda-boda
Boda-boda - originally a bicycle taxi in East Africa . The bicycle rider can also be called boda-boda.-Origin:...

s (bicycle taxis) and Matatus (minibuses) hinders popularity of Tuk-tuks, especially within the interior of Kenya. While they may not be as commonly found in Kenya, one does come across quite a number of them in the coastal regions, which are less mountainous. For example, in the town of Malindi they offer a less expensive and easy mode of transportation. Tuk-tuks are also common in Ethiopia
Ethiopia
Ethiopia , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a landlocked country situated in the Horn of Africa. Ethiopia is bordered by Eritrea to the north, Sudan to the west, Kenya to the south, Somalia to the east and Djibouti to the northeast. Its size is 1,100,000 km² with an...

, and is becoming common in Tanzania
Tanzania
The United Republic of Tanzania is a country in central East Africa bordered by Kenya and Uganda to the north, Rwanda, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west, and Zambia, Malawi and Mozambique to the south. The country's eastern borders lie on the Indian Ocean.The United...

, particularly in the outer areas of Dar es Salaam
Dar es Salaam
Dar es Salaam , formerly Mzizima, is the largest city in Tanzania. It is also the country's richest city and a regionally important economic centre...

, as well as, from 2009, in Maputo
Maputo
Maputo, formerly Lourenço Marques/Lourenzo Marques, is the capital and largest city of Mozambique. A port on the Indian Ocean, its economy is centered around the harbour. It has an official population of approximately 1,244,227 , but the actual population is estimated to be much higher because of...

, Mozambique
Mozambique
Mozambique, officially the Republic of Mozambique , is a country in southeastern Africa bordered by the Indian Ocean to the east, Tanzania to the north, Malawi and Zambia to the northwest, Zimbabwe to the west and Swaziland and South Africa to the southwest. It was explored by Vasco da Gama in 1498...

. In Tanzania and Ethiopia they are known as Bajajis, called after the Bajaj Auto
Bajaj Auto
Bajaj Auto is a major Indian automobile manufacturer. It is India's largest and the world's 4th largest two- and three-wheeler maker. It is based in Pune, Maharashtra, with plants in Akurdi and Chakan ,Waluj and Pantnagar in Uttaranchal...

 company which manufactures many of them.

United Kingdom


The first Tuk Tuks to enter service in the United Kingdom were supplied and built by MMW Imports under the brand name MMW Tuk Tuks, The very first Private Hire license was issued to an MMW Tuk Tuk for tours of Bath in the '90s. MMW also gained full Hackney license in Weston Super Mare. MMW also now export Tuk Tuks from Thailand to New Zealand and Australia.

Tukshop of Southampton started the commercial importing of Bajaj rickshaws in 2003. Tukshop failed to gain an operator license for London after a number of media appearances in 2004.

A Bajaj
Bajaj Auto
Bajaj Auto is a major Indian automobile manufacturer. It is India's largest and the world's 4th largest two- and three-wheeler maker. It is based in Pune, Maharashtra, with plants in Akurdi and Chakan ,Waluj and Pantnagar in Uttaranchal...

 tuk tuk is currently operated by Bangwallop of Salcombe
Salcombe
There is another town named Salcombe, also known as Salcombe Regis, near Sidmouth in east Devon.Salcombe is a town in the South Hams district of Devon, south west England....

, South Devon
South Devon
The South Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty covers 337 square Kilometres, including much of the South Hams area of Devon and the rugged coastline from Jennycliff to Elberry Cove near Brixham....

. Taking just two passengers at a time, the tuk tuk has an operator's license issued by VOSA and trips can be booked in advance.

Auto rickshaws were introduced to the city of Brighton & Hove
Brighton & Hove
Brighton and Hove is a unitary authority area and city on the south coast of England. It is England's most populous seaside resort....

 on 10 July 2006 by entrepreneur Dominic Ponniah's company Tuctuc Ltd
Tuctuc Ltd
Tuctuc Ltd was an auto rickshaw operator in Brighton, England.-History:green conversions limited, now own the name tuctuc and also bought the company name tuctuc limited, this is not related to tuctuc in brighton. it was a different company...

, who had the idea after seeing the vehicles used in India and Sri Lanka. They were CNG
Compressed natural gas
Compressed Natural Gas is a fossil fuel substitute for gasoline , diesel, or propane fuel. Although its combustion does produce greenhouse gases, it is a more environmentally clean alternative to those fuels, and it is much safer than other fuels in the event of a spill .CNG is made by compressing...

-powered, using a four-speed (plus reverse) 175 cc engine. Under the terms of their license, the Bajas ran on a fixed single route, and stopped only at designated stops. They are of the same design as traditional auto rickshaws in other countries.

An investigation was launched into Tuctuc Ltd's operation of the service after complaints were raised that routes, stopping points and timetables were not being adhered, primarily by the city's taxi drivers. In November 2006, the company was fined £16,500 - the maximum penalty possible - by the South East Traffic Commissioner. After amendments were made to the timetable to reduce delays and improve reliability, the Commissioner allowed the company to keep its operating licence. However, the company announced in January 2008 that it was ceasing operations, citing "archaic legislation" as the reason.

Netherlands


Since 2007, tuk-tuks have been active in The Netherlands, starting with Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the capital and largest city of the Netherlands, located in the province of North Holland in the west of the country...

. They now operate in Amsterdam, The Hague
The Hague
The Hague is the third largest city in the Netherlands after Amsterdam and Rotterdam, with a population of 485,818 and an area of approximately 100 km²...

, Zandvoort
Zandvoort
Zandvoort is a municipality and a town in the Netherlands, in the province of North Holland.Zandvoort is one of the major beach resorts of the Netherlands; it has a long sandy beach, bordered by coastal dunes...

, Bergen op Zoom, the popular beach resort Renesse and Rotterdam
Rotterdam
Rotterdam ; city and municipality in the Dutch province of South Holland, situated in the west of the Netherlands. The municipality is the second largest in the country, with a population of 584,046 as of January 2007...

. All of the tuk-tuks in The Netherlands are imported from Thailand
Thailand
The Kingdom of Thailand is an independent country that lies in the heart of Southeast Asia.It is bordered to the north by Laos and Burma, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the west by the Andaman Sea and Burma...

. They are fitted with CNG engines and have passed the EURO-4 rules.

Fuel efficiency and pollution


In July 1998, the Supreme Court of India
Supreme Court of India
The Supreme Court of India is the highest court of the land as established by Part V, Chapter IV of the Constitution of India. According to the Constitution of India, the role of the Supreme Court is that of a federal court, guardian of the Constitution and the highest court of appeal.Articles 124...

 ordered the Delhi
Delhi
Delhi, known locally as Dilli , and also by the official name National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest metropolis by population in India...

 government to implement CNG
Compressed natural gas
Compressed Natural Gas is a fossil fuel substitute for gasoline , diesel, or propane fuel. Although its combustion does produce greenhouse gases, it is a more environmentally clean alternative to those fuels, and it is much safer than other fuels in the event of a spill .CNG is made by compressing...

 or LPG
Liquified petroleum gas
Liquefied petroleum gas is a mixture of hydrocarbon gases used as a fuel in heating appliances and vehicles, and increasingly replacing chlorofluorocarbons as an aerosol propellant and a refrigerant to reduce damage to the ozone layer, inferring that it is flammable.Varieties of LPG bought and...

 (Autogas
Autogas
Autogas is the common name for liquefied petroleum gas when it is used as a fuel in internal combustion engines in vehicles. The same equipment is also used for similar engines in stationary applications such as generators....

) fuel
Fuel
Fuel is any material that is burned or altered to obtain energy and to heat or to move object. Fuel releases its energy either through a chemical reaction means, such as combustion, or nuclear means, such as nuclear fission or nuclear fusion...

 for all autos and for the entire bus fleet in and around the city. Delhi's air quality has improved with the switch to CNG, important in a city where people commonly wear masks for protection against smog. Initially, auto rickshaw drivers in Delhi had to wait in long queues for CNG cylinders refilling, but the situation has improved with the rise of stations selling CNG. Certain other local governments are also pushing for four-stroke engine
Four-stroke cycle
Today, internal combustion engines in cars, trucks, motorcycles, aircraft, construction machinery and many others, most commonly use a four-stroke cycle...

s instead of the current two-stroke versions. Typical mileage for an Indian-made auto rickshaw is around 35 kilometres per litre of petrol (about 2.9 L per 100 km, or 82 miles per gallon). Pakistan has passed a similar law prohibiting auto rickshaws in certain areas. CNG Rickshaws have started to appear in huge numbers in many Pakistani cities.

In January 2007 the Sri Lankan government also banned two-stroke trishaws to reduce air pollution. In the Philippines there are projects to convert carburated two-stroke engines to direct-injected via Envirofit technology. Research has shown LPG or CNG gas direct-injection to be retrofit-able to existing engines in similar fashion to the Envirofit system. Direct injection is standard equipment on new machines in India.

Traffic issues



Auto rickshaws have a top-speed of around 50 km/h (about 31 mph) and a cruising speed of around 35 km/h (22 mph). Traffic authorities in big cities try to implement mechanisms to reduce the resulting traffic slowing; however, none of these have really proven effective.

The MMW Tuk Tuk has a top speed of around 70mph and with the introduction of the new turbo will have much improved 0-60 start times, to allow for the increased speeds these Tuk Tuks have anti-roll bars and are fitted with disc brakes all round. The owner of MMW Tuk Tuks, Mr Michael Williams has over the years made huge strides forward in Tuk Tuk design.

The triangular form of the auto also makes maneuvering easy, with the front single wheel negotiating the available gap, and the rear two wheels forcing a larger space.

Racing


Due to their relatively low top-speed, auto rickshaws have never lent themselves to conventional road
Road racing
Road racing is a form of motor racing held on paved, purpose-built race tracks , though racing done on airport runways and temporarily closed-off public roads is often included in the definition....

 or street racing
Street racing
Street racing is a form of unsanctioned and illegal motor racing which takes place on public roads. Street racing can either be spontaneous or well-planned and coordinated...

. However, their modest speed, simple construction and impressive fuel economy has endeared them to the international amateur adventuring community, most notably with the Indian Autorickshaw Challenge
Indian Autorickshaw Challenge
The Indian Autorickshaw Challenge is an international autorickshaw rally self-styled as ‘an amazing race for the clinically insane’. The entrants use the ubiquitous Autorickshaw or Tuk-Tuk, workhorse of the urban east, to cross large portions of the Indian sub-continent in a matter of days...

 and more recently the Rickshaw Run
Rickshaw Run
The Rickshaw Run is an event where teams drive Auto Rickshaws across various routes across India. The first route in December 2006 was from Cochin in the southern state of Kerala to Darjeeling. In its inaugural run, thirty-four teams started the event, and thirty-one of those finished...

.

Portrayal in media


Auto rickshaws are often portrayed in Indian films (Auto Shankar
Auto Shankar
Auto Shankar is the nickname of an Indian serial killer.- Murders :Shankar and his gang were found guilty of six murders, committed over a period of two years in 1988–1989. They were tried for the murders of Lalitha, Sudalai, Sampath, Mohan, Govindaraj and Ravi...

, Basha
Basha (film)
Baasha is a Tamil movie starring Rajinikanth, with Nagma and Raghuvaran. It was directed by Suresh Krishna, and features music by Deva. Released in 1995, it was Rajinikanth's most commercially successful film with Suresh Krishna, with whom Rajinikanth had previously filmed the hits Annamalai and...

, Aye Auto
Aye Auto
Aye Auto is an Indian film in malayalam language by Venu Nagavalli starring Mohanlal and Rekha.-Cast:-Plot:Sudhi is a poor auto-rickshaw driver who meets Meenakshi, granddaughter of a well to do family...

, Oram Po) as well as some Hollywood and foreign productions such as the James Bond
James Bond
James Bond 007 is a fictional character created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve novels and two short story collections. The character has also been used in the longest running and most financially successful English language film franchise to date, starting in 1962 with Dr...

 film Octopussy
Octopussy
Octopussy is the thirteenth spy film in the James Bond series, and the sixth to star Roger Moore as the fictional MI6 agent James Bond. The film's title is taken from Ian Fleming's 1966 short story "Octopussy". However, the film's story is original and the short story is narrated as a flashback by...

, the Canada-India film Amal
Amal (film)
Amal , 2007, is a Canadian drama film directed and written by Richie Mehta. Set in modern-day New Delhi, India, it tells the story of a poor autorickshaw driver, Amal Kumar....

and the Indonesian movie Pembalasan Rambu. Auto rickshaws are also prominent in the fuel-poor London of 2027 A.D. depicted in Children of Men
Children of Men
Children of Men is a British dystopian science fiction film co-written and directed by Alfonso Cuarón. The Strike Entertainment production was loosely adapted from P. D. James's 1992 novel of the same name by Cuarón and Timothy J. Sexton with help from David Arata, Mark Fergus and Hawk Ostby...

. A memorable tuk-tuk chase features in the Thai
Thailand
The Kingdom of Thailand is an independent country that lies in the heart of Southeast Asia.It is bordered to the north by Laos and Burma, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the west by the Andaman Sea and Burma...

 film Ong-Bak: Muay Thai Warrior
Ong-Bak: Muay Thai Warrior
Ong-Bak: Muay Thai Warrior , also known in the United States as Ong-Bak: The Thai Warrior is a 2003 Thai action film. It was directed by Prachya Pinkaew, featured stunt choreography by Panna Rittikrai and starred Tony Jaa. Ong-Bak proved to be Jaa's breakout film, with the actor hailed...

, climaxing with many of them driving off the edge of an unfinished elevated expressway.
James Bond (Pierce Brosnan) rides in a tuk-tuk in a Visa Card commercial.

See also

  • Cycle rickshaw
    Cycle rickshaw
    The cycle rickshaw is a small-scale local means of transport; it is also known by a variety of other names such as pedicab, bikecab, cyclo, or trishaw. The term Rickshaw is used more broadly, and also refers to auto rickshaws, and the, now uncommon, rickshaws pulled by a person on foot...

  • Three wheeler
    Three wheeler
    A three wheeler is a vehicle with three wheels, either "human or people-powered vehicles" or motorized vehicles in the form of a motorcycle, ATV or automobile. Other names for three-wheelers include Trikes, Tricars and Cyclecars...

  • Tricycle
    Tricycle
    A tricycle is a three-wheeled vehicle. While tricycles are often associated with the small three-wheeled vehicles used by pre-school age children, they are also used by adults for a variety of purposes. In the...

  • Envirofit

External links