A motorcycle taxi is a licensed form of transport in some countries. Typically, they will carry one passenger (but sometimes two or more), who rides as the
pillionA pillion is a secondary pad, cushion, or seat behind the main seat or saddle on a horse, motorcycle, or moped. A passenger in this seat is said to "ride pillion" or may themselves be referred to as a "pillion." The word is derived from the Gaelic for "little rug," pillean, which is itself from the...
, behind the
motorcycleA motorcycle is a single-track, two-wheeled motor vehicle. Motorcycles vary considerably depending on the task for which they are designed, such as long distance travel, navigating congested urban traffic, cruising, sport and racing, or off-road conditions.Motorcycles are the most affordable form of...
operator.
In
Phnom PenhPhnom Penh is the capital and largest city of Cambodia. It is also the capital of the Phnom Penh municipality...
and other cities in
CambodiaThe 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...
, motorcycle taxis are the primary form of public transport. Motorcycle taxi drivers are called
motodups. They form in queues outside major tourist attractions, office buildings, public markets and near the corners of residential streets.
A motorcycle taxi is a licensed form of transport in some countries. Typically, they will carry one passenger (but sometimes two or more), who rides as the
pillionA pillion is a secondary pad, cushion, or seat behind the main seat or saddle on a horse, motorcycle, or moped. A passenger in this seat is said to "ride pillion" or may themselves be referred to as a "pillion." The word is derived from the Gaelic for "little rug," pillean, which is itself from the...
, behind the
motorcycleA motorcycle is a single-track, two-wheeled motor vehicle. Motorcycles vary considerably depending on the task for which they are designed, such as long distance travel, navigating congested urban traffic, cruising, sport and racing, or off-road conditions.Motorcycles are the most affordable form of...
operator.
Cambodia
In
Phnom PenhPhnom Penh is the capital and largest city of Cambodia. It is also the capital of the Phnom Penh municipality...
and other cities in
CambodiaThe 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...
, motorcycle taxis are the primary form of public transport. Motorcycle taxi drivers are called
motodups. They form in queues outside major tourist attractions, office buildings, public markets and near the corners of residential streets. In Phnom Penh, a typical motodup ride will cost around 2,000 riel.
India
Motorcycle taxis are a licensed form of transport in Goa, India. They are much cheaper than other taxis, although the lone passenger can only carry a
backpackA bookbag is, in its simplest form, a cloth sack carried on one's back and secured with two straps that go over the shoulders, but there can be exceptions...
as
luggageLuggage is any number of bags, cases and containers which hold a traveller's articles during transit. The modern traveller can be expected to have packages containing clothing, toiletries, small possessions, trip necessities, and on the return-trip, souvenirs...
. Motorcycle taxis in Goa are driven by men called 'pilots'. By law, in some parts of the state, the rider is expected to wear a helmet, but the pillion-rider is not. These motorcycle taxis can normally be identified by their yellow-and-black coloured paint. The fare should be fixed in advance, and the rides are not metered.
Indonesia
Motorcycle taxis are a very common, but unlicensed, form of transport in
IndonesiaThe 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...
. Commonly called
ojek, they are present in most areas of the country, from the metropolitans where traffic jams prohibit other forms of transport to the backwater areas where four-wheeled vehicles cannot travel. Would-be passenger have to haggle with the driver for the fee, which generally lies at around IDR 10,000 for short trips.
Many motorcycle taxi drivers own their vehicles or are paying installments for them through credit. The availability of cheap Indonesian made motorcycles from Honda, Yamaha and Suzuki and some cheaper Chinese imports has combined with the ease with which to obtain driver's licenses and credit schemes and resulted in the significant growth of motorcycle taxis. However, in several areas, the motorcycles used are often stolen ones without any papers.
Indonesian law requires motorcycle riders to wear helmets, however, often only the driver does so. Sometimes drivers provide a helmet for the passenger, but more likely he will simply avoid the larger streets where police might catch the violation.
Nowadays, because of the traffic, "ojek" becomes the quickest transportation compare with any other form of transportation in Indonesia, especially in Jakarta. Many people choose "ojek" rather than taxi, because motorcycle can easily move ahead in the traffic.
Thailand
Motorcycle taxis are common forms for public transport in
BangkokBangkok 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 most other cities, towns and villages in
ThailandThe 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 generally used for short trips. In Bangkok, there are motorcycle taxi queues on many
soiSoi is the term used in Thailand for a side-street branching off a major street . An alley is called a Trok .Sois are usually numbered, and are referred to by the name of the major street and the number, as in "Soi Sukhumvit 4", "Sukhumvit Soi 4", or "Sukhumvit 4", all referring to the fourth soi...
s, and the queues are regulated by the city's government. Licensed motorcycle-taxi operators wear orange vests. In compliance with Thailand's
helmetA motorcycle helmet is a type of protective headgear used by motorcycle riders. The primary goal of a motorcycle helmet is motorcycle safety - to protect the rider's head during impact, thus preventing or reducing head injury or saving the rider's life. Some helmets provide additional conveniences,...
law, many (but not all) carry a spare helmet to offer to passengers.
United Kingdom
There are currently 3 firms offering a taxi bike service in London.
Passenger Bikes LtdPassenger Bikes Ltd established in 2000 is an independently owned and run motorcycle taxi service in London which offers a transport solution to those wishing to travel in and around the capital without the unpredictable journey times caused to cars by the ever present traffic congestion.The bikes...
,
Virgin LimobikeVirgin Limobike is a motorcycle taxi service in London, England designed to help people get around the city and avoid traffic. It uses a fleet of high performance sport touring Yamaha FJR1300 motorcycles to do this. All training is provided by the riders, and there is an intercom between the...
and Addison Lee Taxybike. The industry began in 1990 and has established itself as a niche market, never growing past a total of 12 bikes.
The bikes are now licensed by
Transport for LondonTransport for London is the local government body responsible for most aspects of the transport system in Greater London in England...
and the Public Carriage Office, (PCO) who also license London's black cabs.
Chauffeur Bikes taxi is a motorcycle taxi service licensed and based in Kent. The luggage rack means a cabin-sized suitcase can be taken on the back for convenient trips to local airports, especially Stansted, Gatwick and City.
Also in Stoke on Trent (Staffordshire)there is City Cabs 2000 who also run a motorcycle taxi.
All equipment is provided for the passenger along with an intercom system linking the rider and passenger.
Sweden
In 1994-1995 there were several motorcycles working as taxis working in Stockholm. One of the drivers tells about his work on his webpage
http://home.swipnet.se/~w-13757/. Obviosly there is not a long period for a motorcycle taxi to work in Stockholm, may-september at most.
Currently there is one company offering tours using two Chang jiang sidecar motorcycles.
See also
- Okada
Okada refers to commercial motorcycles in Nigeria, where motorcycle riders carry passengers for hire. It is one of the chief modes of transport in Nigeria and, by far, the most common form of informal transport system in that country....
, commercial motorcycle in Nigeria.