Tuk-tuks have been a common sight in Sri Lanka for decades. Yet for a long time, the vehicles were only allowed to be driven by locals, who often combined their day jobs with a second gig at night, driving tourists around the country. The startup TukTuk Rental has given the keys of the tuk-tuks to the tourists and by doing so, they’re boosting the local economy.
The first tuk-tuks were introduced in Sri Lanka in the 1970s by the Indian Bajaj Auto Company, and since then, the vehicles have become a standard for many families. The three-wheeled scooter cars function as travelling shops, as family cars, and as taxis. At the moment, there are about 1.5 million tuk-tuks to be found throughout the country.
Since tourism took off in the country, travellers too have been fans of the mode of transport. They offer a way of travelling at a slower pace, without being isolated from the surroundings. While travelling with a tuk-tuk, one can still enjoy all the delicious smells and sounds, while soaking in all the magnificent sights Sri Lanka has to offer.
For a long time, however, renting a tuk-tuk wasn’t a possibility for foreigners. The only way they could enjoy the vehicle was by using it as a taxi, meaning their journeys were often limited to cities and their immediate surroundings. The startup TukTuk Rental has been changing that narrative since 2016.
The idea for self-driven tuk-tuks came to Thomas Cornish, an Australian civil engineer, who cycling through India. On the second day of his trip, he crashed his bike and was then offered an old tuk-tuk by a local in order to finish his journey. As he enjoyed the experience so much but found India too big to launch the self-driven tuk-tuk service, he and TukTuk Rental’s cofounders Richard McKeon and Wietse Sennema went looking for an alternative. They ended up in Sri Lanka and have raised about LKR 300 million ($1 million) for some 1,000 families in Sri Lanka since the launch of their business.
An authentic way of seeing the country
The idea behind TukTuk Rental is simple, yet unseen until TukTuk Rental’s launch. Locals can rent out their own personal tuk-tuk through the company, which can then be hired by tourists who want to experience Sri Lanka in a different way. Thanks to a collaboration with the Automobile Association of Ceylon, tourists-turned-tuk-tuk-drivers are legally covered while driving the three-wheelers.
While the initiative offers travellers an authentic and flexible way of visiting the country at a slower pace, locals too are profiting from the TukTuk Rental. Many private tuk-tuks are purchased through leases due to the relatively high purchasing prices of the vehicles, meaning locals often need to work a second job in order to pay off that lease. Thanks to the self-driven tuk-tuks, they earn an extra income without having to actually work at night to drive tourists around.
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“As a social business, we pay people above the regular rate to ensure we are giving back to the community where we can. We have a fair contract with the local tuk-tuk owners so we can help them put food on the table for their families, and we pay them up to 5 times what they would otherwise get for their vehicle,” TukTuk Rental states.
Tourists who are visiting Sri Lanka and want to rent their own tuk-tuk can do so via TukTuk Rental’s website. Tuk-tuks can be dropped off at a hotel and can be collected elsewhere for an additional charge. When hiring a tuk-tuk, the fee includes comprehensive third-party insurance, unlimited mileage and 24/7 road support. Moreover, a driving lesson is provided at the start of the rental. Travellers are asked to send a copy of their International Driving Permit before their trip, allowing TukTuk Rental to provide them with a Sri Lankan Recognition Permit for $40 before their arrival.
