Dating back to French Indochina, the three-wheeled bicycle taxi has been a mode of transportation in the Kingdom for the past 80 years since 1936.
Over the last two decades, however, the iconic cyclo has been on the verge of extinction, faced with the emergence of faster modes of transport like motorbikes and tuk-tuks, and the decline in ridership.
These faster moving options coupled with the convenience of ride-sharing apps have largely shuttered the cyclo industry.
At Local4local, we are trying to revive the cyclo, an essential part of the Phnom Penh culture, and save it before it becomes completely extinct.
Now that the borders are closed due to COVID-19 and tourism has ground to a halt, the few remaining cyclo drivers are struggling desperately to make ends meet and put food on their table.
We have an opportunity to save this part of Cambodian culture from becoming eradicated, so let’s save the cyclo and together, let’s make cyclo cool again.
