Strengthening Bicycle and Rickshaw Industries

In developing countries, good-quality, modern bicycles and bicycle rickshaws are often not available. Despite a demand for better vehicles, technological innovation is stalled because investors do not see potential for sufficient profit. ITDP fills this gap by working closely with private industry partners in the US, Asia and Africa to improve vehicle designs and make them accessible to the public.

ITDP implements projects in partnership with established and emerging bicycle and rickshaw industries to:

• engineer, manufacture and market more appropriate, efficient vehicles
• establish vibrant, indigenous businesses in underserved areas
• overcome barriers to individual ownership through credit and training
• advocate for bike- and rickshaw-friendly trade and development policies

ITDP’s rickshaw modernization project in India developed design innovations that led to the creation of a bicycle rickshaw that is lighter, more comfortable, and easier to handle. These improvements increased demand for travel in the modernized rickshaw, reducing air pollution in many of India’s most populated cities. Today, over 300,000 modernized bicycle rickshaws are operating in nine major cities.

Through a unique partnership with US bicycle companies, ITDP’s California Bike Project works to increase access to good-quality bicycles in major African cities. Over 5,000 high-quality California Bikes, designed specifically to address the basic mobility needs of lower-income communities, have been distributed by our coalition of independent African bicycle dealers.