- All-Island Three-Wheeler Drivers’ Union President Lalith Dharmasekera notes lack of State intervention to regulate and provide professional recognition to sector as affecting access to services/resources
The three-wheeler driver was a professional that had the ability to support himself/herself without any external support, and was quite active socially, economically, culturally, and politically. However, with the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, the lack of recognition for the three-wheeler sector, which has remained a much talked about but unresolved issue, became more visible, as that lack of recognition affected the three-wheeler drivers’ ability to recover from the impacts of the pandemic. This informal sector was further affected during the economic downturn, again largely due to the same reason.
To create an environment for this sector to revive, it is necessary to rid it of its “informal” status through providing the necessary legal and policy recognition. If Sri Lanka is to protect this sector as well as many of the country’s affairs including businesses that depend on this sector to fulfil transportation needs, this situation should be addressed urgently. According to the All-Island Three-Wheeler Drivers’ Union President Lalith Dharmasekera, the proper regulation and formalisation of this sector will play a significant role in the country’s development in a context where the economic recovery requires the contribution of all sectors.
He made these remarks during an interview with The Daily Morning where he and members of the Association spoke extensively of the issues and needs of the three-wheeler sector.
Below are excerpts of the interview:
Various reports point out how the three-wheeler sector was affected by the Covid-19 pandemic and the economic crisis. Can you shed light on the adverse impacts of these crises on the sector?
These events affected the sector significantly, and it is mostly due to it remaining as an informal sector. Not only were many three-wheeler drivers not eligible to certain reliefs provided by the Government during the Covid-19 pandemic, they, especially the three-wheeler drivers not associated with taxi companies, were also neglected when the country started returning to normalcy. This was despite the fact that three-wheelers provided an immense service amidst the spread of Covid-19 while taking the necessary precautions. When last year’s (2022) big crisis broke out resulting in a fuel crisis, the Government, in a very despicable manner, created a notion, which spread throughout the country, that it was because of three-wheeler drivers selling fuel in the black market that the fuel crisis continued. But, that is not the true story. At that time, certain amounts of fuel had been allocated for various vehicles, and that is what the people received. However, rumours were spread that it was because of three-wheelers that other vehicles did not receive adequate fuel.
The amount of fuel that was allocated for three-wheelers under the quota was not adequate at all, and it crippled this sector as they could not continue their job. Even though the informal status of our sector kept us at home during the Covid-19 pandemic, we recovered quickly. However, during the economic crisis, the fuel allocation for us was limited to four litres, which resulted in a severe decline. We requested that the fuel allocation be increased for three-wheelers that operate as taxis. Although the Government agreed, there is no way to identify such three-wheelers. In fact, there are no statistics about the number of three-wheelers that operate as taxis out of around 1.2 million registered three-wheelers in the country. Above all, the prices of spare parts and maintenance services for three-wheelers have risen exponentially, making it extremely difficult for this sector to survive.
The need to regulate this sector is a discussion that has been going on for years. In that discussion, many demand that steps be taken to ensure that all three-wheelers charge their fares based on a meter. However, its practicality is yet to be discussed. What is your opinion about this?
We have been asking for this sector to be regulated for around 20 years, and thereby initiate the formalisation of this sector. However, that has not happened, and grievances such as three-wheelers charging various amounts due to the lack of regulation are quite common. In this informal nature of three-wheeler charges, exploiters have thrived, oppressing both three-wheeler drivers who charge fairly and in a professional manner, and also consumers. This needs to be addressed through regulation.
In addition to fare-related concerns, which is a concern raised mostly by passengers, what other areas of the sector do you think should be addressed via regulation, especially when it comes to three-wheeler drivers’ wellbeing?
Giving professional recognition to three-wheeler drivers is the number one need when it comes to regulating this sector. I have been working as a professional three-wheeler driver for over three decades. But, to this date, I don’t have anything to prove that I am a professional three-wheeler driver. Three-wheeler drivers who provide taxi services do so with a court case in their hands. Three-wheeler drivers have no control over what sort of passengers they have to provide services to, or where the passenger wants to go. However, if a person who is transporting something illegal such as drugs or weapons using a hired three-wheeler gets caught by the Police, the Police can charge the three-wheeler driver for transporting the said illegal goods. This is because today, a lot of professional three-wheeler drivers cannot prove that they are such. Three-wheeler drivers associated with taxi companies can confirm it through the app or the company, and drivers who use a meter have at least a meter to show. But, there is no way that other drivers can prove that they are professional drivers.
Therefore, by giving the recognition of a professional driver to three-wheel drivers, as in the case of private buses which are registered and regulated on many levels, the danger of drivers having to pay for passengers’ offences can be averted. Another major concern is the difficulties in providing a proper insurance scheme for three-wheeler drivers. One issue that emerges in this discussion, as pointed out by insurance companies, is the fact that there is no entity that recognises and is responsible for professional three-wheeler drivers. Various discussions have been held in this regard, and similar small-scale insurance projects have been in operation for years albeit at the sectoral level. However, the process of gaining professional recognition for this sector has stalled, and therefore, even when three-wheeler drivers can afford to pay for an insurance scheme, plans pertaining to a national-level insurance scheme for three-wheeler drivers have not materialised. Had the proposed scheme been implemented, it would have covered health and safety, and even a pension for three-wheeler drivers. Due to the lack of State intervention to regulate and give much-needed professional recognition to this sector, three-wheeler drivers have been rendered unable to access a lot of services and resources.
There is a popular notion that three-wheeler drivers are responsible for a considerable share of road accidents. Many say that a lack of discipline among three-wheeler drivers is one reason for this situation. There are also reports of three-wheelers, especially those operated by young and inexperienced drivers, engaging in illegal and dangerous races on public roads. What do you think about this situation, especially the discipline related aspect of the sector?
I am not going to deny what society says outright. However, if society looks at issues in an informed and transparent manner, many problems get resolved. But, what the people do is just look at the outside view. I would call this notion a half-truth. Many in Sri Lanka see three-wheelers as a group, and fail to see the difference between three-wheelers that are used as taxis and those that are used for other purposes. It is difficult to discern one from the other because there is no regulation which provides recognition for each type of three-wheeler. We can take some responsibility only with regard to the former type operated by professional three-wheeler drivers. Even prisoners are treated as humans regardless of their offence. But, when it comes to three-wheeler drivers behaving irresponsibly, three-wheelers and drivers are generalised in an unfair manner and the entire group is blamed for the actions of some who may not even be professional three-wheeler drivers. There are many professional and disciplined three-wheeler drivers, especially those engaged in this profession full-time. I refuse these blanket allegations. Allegations should be based on statistics as to how many accidents have actually occurred.
Do you think that any legal and policy changes are necessary to uplift this sector? If so, what would those be?
The number one issue here is the non-implementation of structural changes. The National Transport Commission (NTC) Act, No. 37 of 1991 provides authority only to regulate private buses. Sri Lanka currently has various forms of transportation including school buses, office transport services and taxis. However, only private buses are regulated. The NTC has been trying for over four years to amend their Act to include these modes of transportation. The relevant process is stalled at the Attorney General’s Department level. In addition, to take actions at the Provincial Councils (PC)-level, in 2003, the Western Provincial Council passed a draft resolution. They would say that various steps are in progress in this regard. However, this situation has remained for 20 years. It was in 2013 that the Transport Ministry issued a gazette with regard to regulating three-wheelers. It was amended twice in 2017. We went to the court in 2015 seeking the implementation of this gazette. We don’t know for whose needs, but, during the amendments, the Central Government’s powers to review fares had been removed from the gazette. You ask us about three-wheeler fares. But, the Central Government has given up its powers to decide on three-wheeler fares.