Tricycle
If the mini-bus is a convenient means of transportation for long distance travel, tricycles, which are abundant in towns and some parts of the cities, are convenient for travelling hard-to-reach places. Residents need to walk a few kilometres to their houses; instead they choose to ride a tricycle for faster travel time. Tricycles make it easy for residents to go home earlier and conserve energy.
The Philippine tricycle is a three-wheeled vehicle composed of one motorbike and a side car with one wheel, with an engine between 50cc to 125cc. This is a small vehicle which is very powerful and can carry up to 6 to 8 people, depending on the driver. However, there are some drivers who overload their tricycles, especially if it is peak time and many passengers want to get home. Usually in the mountainous towns of Cebu, this is the primary mode of transport, along with some occasional run-down jeepneys. The tricycles have different designs, depending on the owners’ preference. Some like it simple, in basic colours, while others like it to have additional aesthetics, like too much headlights and so forth.
Overloaded tricycle
The tricycle is a very versatile means of reaching your destinations since it can go to places where jeepneys and buses cannot go. Also, it can also stop anywhere to pick up passengers. Hence, if you have additional cargos, you can always put these on the roof or at the back end. The possibilities of a tricycle are endless, so if you do not like to walk long distance, then this ride can help you get there easily.
Some related sites for added information:
- http://www.adb.org/Media/Articles/2006/9697-Philippines-noise-pollution/default.asp – an article that presents ways in reducing the noise that the tricycle emits.
- http://www.philippinesinsider.com/transport/the-versatile-philippine-tricycle – another good website that explains the uses and importance of a tricycle.
- http://www.memagazine.org/pemar04/2strokes/2strokes.html – another good site that offers hints on how to minimize pollution caused by the engines in tricycles.
Pictures of Tricycles: