About Tuk Tuk (Auto Rickshaw)
An auto rickshaw (also known as an auto, baby taxi, bajaj, chand gari, lapa, tuk-tuk, 3wheel or tukxi in various countries)is a motorized development of the traditional pulled rickshaw or cycle rickshaw. Most have three wheels and do not tilt.
The auto rickshaw is a common form of urban transport, both as a vehicle for hire and for private use, in many countries around the world, especially those with tropical or subtropical climates, including many developing countries. As of 2019, Bajaj Auto of Pune, India is the world’s largest auto rickshaw manufacturer, selling 780,000 during the fiscal year.
In India most cities offer auto rickshaw service, although cycle rickshaws are also common and even hand-pulled rickshaws exist in certain areas such as Kolkata. In 2013 in Ranchi, the government launched an alternative rickshaw called the Pink Rickshaws to protect women against sexual assaults and rapes.
Auto rickshaws are used in cities and towns for short distances; they are less suited to long distances because they are slow and the carriages are open to air pollution. Auto rickshaws (often called “autos”) provide cheap and efficient transportation. Modern auto rickshaws run on compressed natural gas (CNG) and liquified petroleum gas (LPG) due to government regulations and are environmentally friendly compared to full-sized cars.
It is also not uncommon in many parts of Indian metropolitan areas to see primary school children crammed into auto rickshaws, transporting them between home and school, equivalent to the ‘school run’ performed by many parents in the West using their own cars.
To augment speedy movement of traffic, auto rickshaws are not allowed in the southern part of Mumbai.
India is the location of the annual Rickshaw Run.
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