Mobility: BAJAJ — Ang Bagong Biyahe

Words by Arnel Doria

We have come a long way since the calesa — the first mass transportation introduced by the Spaniards. These were replaced after the Second World War with the ingenious jeepneys, upcycled from abandoned Willy’s military jeeps. There are still about 250,000 of them according to official registration data from the Land Transportation Office (LTO).

The arrival of mass-produced motorcycles from Japan in the late ‘50s / early ‘60s did not escape the ingenuity of the Filipinos. In no time, backyard fabrication of sidecars that were attached to the motorcycles started, and the era of tricycles begun. They came in designs that vary from province to province. Later, the motorela that looked like a tiny jeepney appeared in northern Mindanao.

Nowadays, we see a different design of a three-wheeler, referred to as tuk-tuk, distinctly different from the tricycle. While the latter is built around a 2-wheeled motorcycle pulling a sidecar, the tuk-tuks are built as three-wheelers from the start. Hence, tuk-tuks are more balanced and sturdier.

Bajaj is currently the leading three-wheeler brand, continually expanding its market base from the present 50,000 units concentrated in Tagaytay, Mati, and Siargao. Bajaj’s 3-wheeler models offer transport solutions for passengers and commercial goods. As such, they’re the most affordable vehicles for personal mobility and business transport, while also being safer.

During the last 16 months of the pandemic, more than one million local MSMEs faced the challenge of surviving amidst the strict health regulations. Most of them took advantage of online platforms, sans physical stores and displays, and resorted to delivering goods directly to customers’ locations.

With the latest release of Bajaj three-wheelers, many entrepreneurs started customizing them for their business needs, as did courier brands and online marketplaces, for their last-mile deliveries.

These three-wheelers, previously classified as Motorcycle-Tricycle or Non-Conventional Motorcycle by LTO, are now recognized as Three-wheeled Vehicle (L5) in the newest vehicle classification released by the agency in 2020. In addition, these vehicles may be allowed to pass through secondary national highways if no alternate routes are designated by the local government units (LGUs) provided that they use the outermost lane of the road.

This is the rationale behind the Bagong Biyahe for every Filipino program.

THE Bajaj RE is powered by a 200cc, fuel-injected (EFI) gasoline engine with more than enough muscle to climb inclines while carrying a full load. It is 66% more fuel-efficient than a typical tricycle. It features a reinforced chassis to carry a higher load capacity. It is rear-driven with a 4-speed transmission and has a reverse gear. The hand brake comes in handy for inclined parking.

The Bajaj Maxima Z and Bajaj Maxima Cargo are both powered by a more powerful 240cc FI gasoline engine for heavier loads. The Bajaj Maxima Z is multi-purpose to cater to both transportation and delivery needs. The Bajaj Maxima Cargo, on the other hand, provides optimum delivery capacity for more efficient business operations.