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Smoothing out a bumpy ride
By Aaysha Cader
In vibrant hues, they cannot be missed as they make their way through the relentless traffic on Sri Lanka's dusty roads; Three-wheelers, trishaws, tuk-tuks, autos...whatever name you call them, these little vehicles sporting various slogans from 'God Bless You' to 'Amila Putha' or 'Rasangi Duwa' have become an indispensable mode of transportation .

It's a fact that most Lankans cannot do without this very Asian form of the 'taxi', but often it is a bumpy ride for the customer. "Three-wheel fares these days are absurdly expensive," says 27-year-old *Nalini, adding that she feels most drivers are 'cheats' because there is no set rate for the journey. "It depends on the driver's mood, and the appearance of the customer," she says, explaining that anyone who is dressed up a little is expected to pay more for the hire. The remedy, according to her, is to bargain, whatever the circumstances, "and act as if you travel that route everyday for a lesser fare."

The truth is, there is little else left to do, as there is no governing authority or body that controls or monitors three-wheeler fares in Sri Lanka. Any three-wheeler that has been properly registered and insured can run on the roads for personal travel or on hire. And unlike in other countries, there are no meters to determine the rates, so the driver has the last word. A meter would ensure a fixed rate at all times, and do away with the problem of drivers changing their rates depending on the weather, the time of the day, or on how bad the road traffic was. Sometimes, an additional Rs 10/- is demanded just because they circle the roundabout and drop the passenger on the other side of the road.

"I take a usual route for Rs.40 everyday after work," relates 21-year-old Anisha. Seeing no three-wheelers passing by one evening, she decided to walk to save time. "I had walked more than half the way, when I stopped a three-wheeler and he asked me for Rs. 40. And the best part is that he was only going to drive half the distance for which I usually get charged this amount," she says indignantly. Rs.30 was the minimum charge irrespective of the distance, he told her.

The only solution to this problem would be to fix a meter in each vehicle, and most drivers, including the President of their Welfare Association say that they would prefer such a mechanism. But it was up to the relevant government authority to lay the foundation for it, they say.

Safety is another issue. "I don't trust three-wheelers because so often you hear of them being used for crimes," says *Sanduni, who says that she never uses three-wheelers at night. The truth is that it is not only passengers that are at the receiving end of muggers, but the drivers themselves. "I don't go on night hires, because it's a bit dangerous and not worth the hassle," says *Saman, who operates mostly in and around Colombo 7. Sunil Dhanapala, an older driver echoes the sentiment.

Some other passengers regard three wheelers as unsafe, not because of their small size and relative instability (the danger of overturning), but instead due to the 'unsavoury' appearance of its driver. President of the Sri Lanka Three-Wheel Drivers Welfare Association Lalith D. Withanage says that they are aware of this problem, and have devised a plan to combat it. "When they wear earrings and are not decently attired, the public don't use three-wheelers for transportation," explains one of its members. The Association has advised all its members to wear a uniform, a light-blue shirt with Nehru collar and long sleeves.

However, both the Welfare Association as well as the registration of vehicles at the Police station (as a safety measure) fail to impress some drivers. Some claim that the association is yet another farcical trade union, and that member drivers are not at any advantage by joining it. Others say that their problems, such as the lack of space for parking their vehicles until a hire comes by, or being nabbed for parking, sometimes even in authorised places, are the ones that need to be solved.

Withanage, however is optimistic of the Association's plans. "Our ultimate objective," he says, " is to create a culture where three-wheel drivers are actually respected, so that people will not hesitate to get into their vehicles." That's one step ahead, but the problem of irregular fares still lingers, with no solution in sight.

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