Trishaw (known as side car in Myanmar) is one of the oldest mode of transportations in Myanmar but it is still popular in some of the cities. There were so many Trishaw around the country. But now, you can see the trishaw culture only in two main cities, Yangon and Mawlamyaing. Because the motorcycle taxis are replacing the trishaw culture during these year. One of the main facts about still using the trishaws in Yangon is because the motorcycles are not allowed in the downtown area to ride expect some government officials. There are thousands of Trishaw-drivers who still depend by the respective families from low class. Myanmar Trishaw is one on the Burmese own invention and which was introduced around 1930 in Mandalay (the second largest city of Myanmar). The introduction was successful and it became very popular all over the country but no one knows who invented the trishaw. All the trishaws have to license at YCDC (Yangon City Development Committee). There are some restricted areas for the trishaw and the trishaw will be seized and 15,000 Kyats will be fined if the trishaw drivers enter that area.

Trishaw drivers

The trishaw drivers don’t need to finish any degree or diploma or schools. All he need is strong leg muscles to take the passengers to the place where they want to go. Of course! The experience to avoid the dangers on the roads is needed to be a good trishaw driver. A typical trishaw driver in Myanmar gets between 10000 Kyats to 15000 Kyats as a daily income. That varies upon the location and their effort. Some of the trishaw divers possess their own trishaws and drive their own but some bought the trishaws as business investment and rent out to the people who want to drive. The trishaw owners get the rental payments from the trishaw drivers as daily basic with reasonable fees around 1,200 Kyats. In some township like Hlaing Thar Yar, the trishaw drivers have to pay their owner around 1,000 Kyats as a daily rental fees. Nowadays, the price of new Trishaw is between 850,000 Kyats to 1,000,000 Kyats. When the trishaws are needed to maintain, the trishaw driver and the trishaw owner have to pay half by half for the costs. There are two kinds of trishaw drivers. The first one has a freedom. He drives around on the streets and find the passengers. The second one works together in the groups at the trishaw gate. When the passengers come to the trishaw gate, the trishaw drivers take the customer in order.

Trishaw gates

(Source: wikimedia)
There are more than 10 trishaw gates in each township in Yangon. It will depend on the population of the townships and the customer needs. If the designated place is far from the bus stop, train station or main road, people usually ride the trishaw. You can ride the trishaw at the gates or catch a trishaw driver on the street when you don’t want to walk so far in a hot or rainy day or have something to carry heavy or don’t want to waste the energy and time. This will definitely cheaper than the taxi and you can experience the local lifestyle of the city. Normally you have to say where you are going and ask for the price to the trishaw driver before you hop on. You can negotiate the price if you think it is expensive but mostly they offer the reasonable price.

Trishaw Design

The design of the trishaw in Myanmar is a 3 wheels vehicle but slightly different from other South East Asian countries such as Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam. In those countries, the passenger seats are right behind or in front of the driver seat. But in Myanmar, the trishaw is basically a bicycle and the two passenger seats, placing back to back, are attached at the right side of the trishaw driver. There is one extra passenger seat right behind the driver seat and sometimes the driver take 3 passengers at once depend on the situation but that seat is normally use to place the baggage or things. The trishaw is very compact, can travel through the narrow streets and can also avoid the traffic jam.

If you are kind of person who love the nature and care the environment, I advice you to choose Myanmar trishaw as short distance transportation in Yangon. Not only for this reason, you can also experience the local people lifestyle and support the local trishaw drivers income in some way. If you are into the tour packages, there is also some trishaw tour package offering in some tour company such as “Yangon City Trishaw Tour", “Yangon Trishaw Food Tour" and so on. I am sure you will enjoy the trishaw ride and gain one of the unforgettable experiences in your life.