auto – Rickshaw Challenge

Rise of the Rickshaw

admin — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 10:43:17 +0000

Recognizing the role that auto-rickshaws play in sustainable urban transport and meeting daily commute needs in India will go a long way in improving conditions for drivers, as well as passengers, and will result in social and environmental benefits for Indian cities, as a whole.
‘The population of Indian cities, already more than 340 million, is projected to reach nearly 600 million by 2030. By then daily passenger trips among 87 of the country’s major cities will have doubled to roughly 482 million a day. In other words, embracing sustainable urban transport will quickly become an urgent need, and a key to doing so, according to a new report by EMBARQ India, may rest not in an emerging travel mode but an old reliable one: the rickshaw.
Private vehicle ownership in India is on the rise — climbing 85 percent during the 2000s to 110 million cars and motorcycles by the end of the decade. Meanwhile public transit ridership has fallen over that same period, in part because it hasn’t kept up with demand. Bicycle riding is down too, as the length of trips grows longer with urban sprawl. In an extremely crowded country, that’s a transportation recipe for high emissions, poor public safety, and massive congestion, among other social problems.
It’s also where the three-wheeled, auto rickshaw comes into play. The declining quality of transit has led a growing number of commuters to travel by rickshaw, according to EMBARQ’s report. Since 2004 production and domestic sales of auto rickshaws are way up, and the travel mode now serves “between 10 and 20 percent of daily person trips made on motorized road transport modes,” depending on the city.’

Via the Atlantic Cities

Eco Friendly Auto Rickshaw

admin — Fri, 27 May 2011 12:54:26 +0000

Students at Luleå University of Technology in Sweden have undertaken a project to develop an eco-friendly auto rickshaw for the Indian transport market.

The aim of the project is to produce an eco-friendly substitute to the existing auto rickshaw in India. The project will also take care of the existing flaws in the safety design such as tip over and produce it to match the Indian traffic conditions.

The project is carried out from the production site of the company Gestamp HardTech located in Luleå, north of Sweden. The students involved in the project may travel to India to understand the prevailing traffic conditions in the country.

Via: AZoCleantech

Dial A Rickshaw

admin — Thu, 19 May 2011 05:44:40 +0000

IndiaCommutes – a communication channel connecting commuters and auto-rickshaw drivers.

‘IndiaCommutes (InCom) is focussed on solving commute related issues in urban India by using community & location intelligence. Currently doing a pilot in Pune, InCom is offerering Dial-a-Rickshaw service over the phone. In the future same service will be extended over Web and SMS.’

The program has the following benefits to its customers/drivers: convenience, cost-effectiveness, safe commute and fuel saving (since auto drivers don’t need to roam around looking for customers.), helping passengers and drivers plan trips in an optimized way.

Via: IndiaCommutes, YourStory.in

Tuk Tuk: Short Film

admin — Tue, 19 Apr 2011 07:07:16 +0000

Watch an animated short film about an auto rickshaw taxi driver whose livelihood goes downhill.

Rickshaw Jam

admin — Wed, 30 Mar 2011 07:07:39 +0000

A rickshaw parking and puzzle game.

The object of the game is to move the vehicles horizontally or vertically to make way for the rickshaw out of the jammed parking lot. Each stage awards 200 points after completion and it will be added to your score.

Steering: click and drag the vehicles that you want to move.

Super Power

admin — Mon, 28 Mar 2011 08:05:08 +0000

‘Super Power’, is an attempt to go beyond long held stereotypes of India and to touch on the personal readings of four Artists from the US, who have spent months interacting with India through the lens of culture.

Carrie Fonder from Detroit, Rebecca Layton from Austin, Jenny Mullins from Washington and Lily Stockman from Los Angeles, each have a unique approach to the subject. Their visual narratives are filled with a different set of images: autorickshaws, godowns, mobile phone towers and electrical transformers.

The ‘Super Power’ exhibition is on view from April 1-16 at Threshold Art Gallery in New Delhi.

Via: Times of India

MeterDown – Mumbai Auto

admin — Wed, 23 Mar 2011 10:12:35 +0000

MeterDown – a must have iPhone app while commuting in Mumbai (Bombay).

Just open MeterDown, select your meter reading to see the exact corresponding fare, which reflect both regular and midnight rides.

Your very own app to calculate auto rickshaw fare in the Mumbai Suburban Area. Mumbai Auto is compatible with iPhone/iPod touch running iOS 3.0 or later.

MeterDown for Android is coming soon.

Via: MeterDownApp

Super Auto Rickshaw Driver

admin — Tue, 22 Mar 2011 07:41:46 +0000

Delhi may be considered unsafe for women, but that hasn’t stopped Sunita from taking up as odd a job as an autorickshaw driver.

Thirty two-year-old Sunita, the national capital’s first female driver, transcends all barriers, living and playing by the rules in a profession dominated by men.

“I drive an auto because I enjoy it. People should do what they enjoy,” she said.

Via: NDTV

Toto the Auto

admin — Mon, 21 Mar 2011 07:34:09 +0000

The Adventures of Toto the Auto: A series of books published by FUNOKPLEASE, a Mumbai based publisher of contemporary Indian content for chlidren.

Ride with Toto, the autorickshaw and his driver Pattu as they go about solving problems, helping others and having loads of fun along the way. It’s a Rickshaw Challenge for kids.

Via: FUNOKPLEASE

Auto tales across cities

admin — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 11:50:26 +0000

Mumbai autorickshaws are called `ricksha’ by the local commuters.
Chennai rests easy with the name `auto’.
You can hop into a Mumbai autorickshaw in the dead of the night. He will drop you home and give you back the exact change.
You can hop into any autorickshaw whose owner agrees to ply you at night in Chennai, except that you will flag a 100 autos before you get one.
Full article here