CNI News
30 July 2022
Trishaw operators in Thingangyum Township in Yangon Region have begun installing electric systems on their trishaws to transport passengers.
Since electric trishaws could reduce the use of physical strength and increase incomes, operators started installing electric systems on the trishaws, Ko Than Cho, a trishaw operator in Thingangyun Township told the CNI.
Ko Than Cho said, “We use electric bicycles for our trishaw because they can reduce the use of physical strength. We have to use physical strength daily. So, we are very tired and we cannot earn much. Now, we can make more money because electric trishaws reduce the use of physical strength and are three times as fast as pedal trishaws.
An electric trishaw operator and a pedal trishaw operator.
It cost MMK 300,000 to install the electric system on a trishaw previously but the cost increased to as much as MMK 470,000 recently.
Electric trishaws were introduced at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic and the number of electric trishaws has increased gradually. Now, there are at least three trishaws at a trishaw stand.
However, pedal trishaw operators who cannot afford to install the electric system see their incomes drop due to their electric rivals, said U Kyaw Myint, a pedal trishaw operator.
He said, “Whether to install the electric system or not depends on investment because it costs as much as MMK 700,000 to do so. I don’t have that much money and I have to pedal my trishaw as much as my physical strength allows me. When they have completed three trips, we can make only one trip. Passengers also want to get to their destinations faster. We are old and very slow. So, passengers prefer electric trishaws.”
A trishaw installed with the electric system.
There are more than 100 electric trishaws in Thingangyun Township, especially near Nga Moe Yeik and Sanpya Market wards.
Licenses have been issued for pedal trishaws by the Yangon City Development Committee, which haven’t issued licenses to electric trishaws.
However, action is not taken against electric trishaw operators because they follow traffic rules like their pedal counterparts.
