This archive report was first published on 16 September 2019.
Published on September 16, 2019, the Egyptian government has unveiled a three-year plan to phase out over three million three-wheeled vehicles, including tuk-tuks, and replace them with gas-powered microbuses.
The move aims to enhance safety in the transport sector, with Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouli stating that tuk-tuks are unsafe and unlicensed.
According to the plan, the replacement programme will be monitored by the Ministry of Finance in cooperation with other concerned parties.
Madbouli also claimed that the new programme will create thousands of jobs.
However, tuk-tuk owners and drivers are worried about the potential impact of the move on their livelihoods.
Reda al-Bahrawi, a 57-year-old tuk-tuk owner, expressed concerns about the affordability of the new microbuses, which cost at least 90,000 Egyptian pounds (Sh571,763) compared to the 34,000 Egyptian pounds (Sh215,999) for new tuk-tuks.
Drivers are being asked to make up the difference in the form of soft loans from the Central Bank of Egypt.
Despite the challenges, Bahrawi sees some merits in the government directive, noting that the microbuses will be more comfortable for passengers and will use less fuel if operated on natural gas.
He also believes that the licensed microbuses will reduce the risk of getting in trouble with the traffic police.
According to the state-owned Central Agency for Public Mobilisation and Statistics, only 99,000 tuk-tuks are registered in Egypt while over three million continue to operate unregistered between 2014 and 2016.
Mohamed Ibrahim, 23, who owns a tuk-tuk, praised the government's decision but wondered how it will be implemented.
