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BBC News
22-06-2025
- Automotive
- BBC News
The self-drive tuk-tuks transforming travel in Sri Lanka
A local startup is helping travellers experience Sri Lanka like a local – and changing lives in the process. I had pictured what my journey from the highlands of Ella to the Unesco city of Kandy would look like, but this was even better. The looping mountain roads stretched out before me as I drove through palm tree-lined valleys and past reservoirs so blue they looked as if they'd been photoshopped. Purple-faced langurs with their bushy white beards sat on the roadside and looked inquisitively at me, while elephants occasionally sauntered into the street. This was a road trip that couldn't be hurried. While I could have zipped along in a hire car, I knew this the journey would be far more fun trundling along in a self-drive tuk-tuk. For the last 50 years, tuk-tuks or three wheelers have become a typical sight in Sri Lanka. Motorised versions were imported into the country by the Indian Bajaj Auto Company in the late 1970s, and by the '90s they were ubiquitous. Now there are one million of them putt-putting along Sri Lanka's highways. Serving as family saloons and taxi cabs to police vehicles and three-wheeled bakeries, these workhorses have proven they're more functional than a Swiss army knife. Holidaymakers fell for the fearless vehicles too, but while they could catch a ride in the hardworking three wheelers, they were only allowed as passengers. Then in 2016, with the launch of Katunayake-based start-up TukTuk Rental, tourists were given the keys to an adventure they would never forget. You can now hire and drive a vehicle, choose your own route through the highlands or along the palm-fringed beaches and stop for a cup of milk tea when the mood takes you. But what makes this experience extra special is that this business, which marries social good with financial goals, leases its tuk-tuks from locals. Since it started, around Rs300,000,000 (US$1m) has gone into the pockets of 1,000 families in Sri Lanka. TukTuk Rental was the brain child of Thomas Cornish, an Australian civil engineer who was working for a non-profit in India. On the second day of a cycling holiday there, Cornish crashed his bike. A local offered up an old tuk-tuk so that he could complete the journey. Cornish found the ride so enjoyable, he wanted other travellers to have the same experience. Since the distances between Indian cities can be challenging, he and his cofounders Richard McKeon and Wietse Sennema looked for another country where tuk-tuks were popular. Finally, they decided to launch TukTuk Rental in Sri Lanka. Sennema, who grew up on the island, was aware that tuk-tuk driving was a second source of income for many people. "They'll have a daytime job, then in the evenings they drive the tuk-tuk," he said. The trio started knocking on doors to see if the tuk-tuk owners would rent their three-wheeler to holidaymakers and earn an income while they stayed at home with their families. Shalitha Sankalpa from Mount Lavinia was one such owner. He worked at a hotel during the day then would drive his tuk-tuk for up to six hours in the evening. "I would earn 200 rupees a day on average," says Sankalpa. He heard about the new startup and, in 2017, decided to offer his family tuk-tuk as one of their initial 10 vehicles. Within a month, his earnings had doubled. "When I told my friends, they said, 'It's a risk. Don't give your tuk-tuk to foreigners.' Now they are asking me, 'How can I rent my tuk-tuk?'," he said. Sankalpa was living with his wife, son and in-laws in a small, rented house, but with the steady income he was able to buy a car and build his own home. The social business has continued to give him dream moments, including when South African cricketer Jonty Rhodes hired Sankalpa's tuk-tuk to drive along the coast to Ahangama. "It was a super special day for me," says Sankalpa. Letting tourists loose on the roads was fraught with potential problems, but with the help of the Automobile Association of Ceylon, TukTuk Rental was able to make sure that holidaymakers were legally covered by providing them with a Sri Lankan driving licence. The team also hired driving instructors to give each tourist a lesson before they took to the road, and employed mechanics to maintain the vehicles. Within two years, a fleet of up to 100 tuk-tuks was being driven by holidaymakers on their adventures around the island. However, the next few years would prove to be anything but a smooth road. On 21 April 2019, the Easter Sunday bombings led to lockdowns across the island, then a year later the pandemic hit. Even when Sri Lanka's airports reopened, tourism recovery was slow. In the first four months of 2021, the country saw just 9,629 arrivals compared to 507,311 for the same period the previous year. Slowly the tourists started to return. TukTuk Rental now works with 750 families across the island who rent their tuk-tuks to holidaymakers. More like this:• The 300km route shining a spotlight on Sri Lanka's tea history• A 210km drive through 'the most beautiful place on Earth'• An epic road trip over and under the Atlantic Ocean Charith Rajindra first supplied TukTuk Rental with a three-wheeler in 2022. Before the pandemic, Rajindra worked at a garment factory worker during the day and then as a baggage handler at the airport in the evening. During Covid, his hours at the factory were cut and the airport was closed for 10 months. He then heard about the start-up that was renting locals tuk-tuks to tourists. After watching their progress, Rajindra took a gamble, leased a tuk-tuk and gave the $4,500 vehicle to the start-up. Within two years he was able to pay off the lease and open a home stay. He then bought a second tuk-tuk in 2024, which he also rents out through the start-up. Rajindra says he's delighted visitors get to experience a different side of Sri Lanka. "I'm very happy that the foreigner wants to drive a tuk-tuk. [It's a] normal person's vehicle. It's not a high-end vehicle," he says. Rajindra says he can also see the impact the start-up has made: "It brings income for the locals, for the country, and everyone involved." Diana Hiptmair, a content creator from Toronto, Canada, decided to hire a tuk-tuk in April 2025 after seeing a post on Instagram. "We're always looking for opportunities to step out of our comfort zone, and renting a tuk-tuk felt like the perfect way to travel at a slower pace, connect with locals and immerse ourselves in Sri Lankan culture," she says. She and her husband rented a convertible cabriolet tuk-tuk for 26 days and travelled from Negombo to the beach town of Mirissa. "Supporting a company that gives back was important to us," says Hiptmair. "And traveling by tuk-tuk allowed us to visit small restaurants and local businesses that many tourists might otherwise miss." One of her favourite memories was a spontaneous pitstop for lunch: "The owner invited Daniel into the kitchen to help make kottu roti," says Hiptmair. Kate Dicks from Hampshire in the UK was also a huge fan of the experience. She rented a self-drive tuk-tuk with her boyfriend for a 10-day road trip in January 2025. They wanted to visit the highlands and national parks. As taxis were few and far between in these rural areas and the bus connections didn't fit their schedule, a tuk-tuk provided the perfect solution. The tuk-tuk also helped give them the David Attenborough moment they wanted. "The most memorable part of our trip was when we saw wild elephants along the road we were driving on," says Dicks. "To see an elephant that close in its natural habitat was just amazing." While the numbers of holidaymakers hiring tuk-tuks are rapidly increasing, the social business limits the amount of tuk-tuks that each owner can give them so as many people as possible can participate in the programme. Supplier manager Isuru Fernando says they don't want to support another company, they want to support the individuals. After I finished my journey and handed over the keys, I watched the tuk-tuk reassuringly wobble off along the road to begin its return journey to the highlands. I had no doubt it would get there. This plucky vehicle seemed representative of a country that even when faced with the toughest of journeys still remains strong. -- For more Travel stories from the BBC, follow us on Facebook, X and Instagram.
BBC News
20-06-2025
- BBC News
Tuk-tuk service helping people with mobility issues
Businesses in a village in Cornwall have said a new tuk-tuk shuttle service has helped people with mobility issues enjoy the service, called Tuk You There Dreckly, launched in April and takes people from Polperro car park to Polperro Pennington, who owns The Cottage Bed and Breakfast in Polperro, said it was "really handy", and helped people with less mobility to explore. She added: "This is really helping people to come back to visiting the village who have maybe stayed away because they've been worried about being able to get down and back up again." 'Makes a difference' Ms Pennington said the shuttle stopped outside her bed and breakfast."If you're fully mobile it makes no difference but lots of people aren't," she are three wheeled motorised taxis which are common in You There Dreckly owner Darren Sereika said: "Local people are loving it, kids are loving it, people waving all the time. And all with a smile on their face."He added: "It makes a difference for the entire village. "Hopefully long term it will be a huge impact and bring everything back to such a beautiful busy village that it is."On his busiest day Mr Sereika has clocked up 49km (30 miles) transporting people and can take up to six passengers at a time.A milk float and a horse and cart have been used in the past to take passengers down the hill to the harbour.
Car and Driver
23-05-2025
- Automotive
- Car and Driver
The Fiat Tris Might Be the Cutest Way From A to B on Three Wheels
Meet the Tris, a new compact three-wheeler from Fiat that measures 10.4 feet long and has a maximum driving range of 56 miles on the WMTC test. It's effectively an electric rickshaw or tuk-tuk that comes in three configurations: chassis cabin, flatbed, and pickup. Fiat says the Tris is designed for Africa and the Middle East, and it definitely won't come to the United States—with how small it is, why would it? What's the purpose of a vehicle? Is getting you and your cargo from point A to B in a safe and timely manner the most important thing? Probably. But if looking like your car (if you can call it that) could dodge its way to victory around Mario Kart's Moo Moo Meadows is your goal, Fiat has you covered with the perfect electric three-wheeler called the Tris. The Tris is effectively an electric rickshaw or tuk-tuk, and it's available in three configurations: chassis-cabin, flatbed, and pickup. According to Fiat, the pickup version is perfect for delivering fruit, sand, or furniture, while the other two configurations make great bases for upfitting. Fiat At 10.4 feet long, the Tris is even smaller than a typical kei truck. While the Tris might be perfect for last-mile deliveries, it won't take you anywhere fast. Fiat says the Tris packs a whopping 12 horsepower and 33 pound-feet of torque—enough for a top speed of 28 mph. You won't need to worry about the speed wobbles at that dizzying speed because the wide-track rear axle, enlarged wheelbase, and pint-sized tires keep the Tris stable in urban and rural environments. Charging is done via a built-in 220-volt plug that juices the 7-kWh battery pack. Getting from zero to 80 percent takes a claimed 3.5 hours. A full recharge takes nearly five hours. Fiat also claims the Tris has an estimated 56 miles of range on the WMTC (World Motorcycle Test Cycle) standard. Sure, the lack of any doors might be a bit concerning for some, but from what we gather, rickshaws without doors are about as abundant as those with them. Fiat plans to sell the Tris in Africa and the Middle East, but hinted that it could expand sales to Europe in the future. Jack Fitzgerald Associate News Editor Jack Fitzgerald's love for cars stems from his as yet unshakable addiction to Formula 1. After a brief stint as a detailer for a local dealership group in college, he knew he needed a more permanent way to drive all the new cars he couldn't afford and decided to pursue a career in auto writing. By hounding his college professors at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, he was able to travel Wisconsin seeking out stories in the auto world before landing his dream job at Car and Driver. His new goal is to delay the inevitable demise of his 2010 Volkswagen Golf. Read full bio
