Street Vendors and Push Cart Vendors play a vital role in our society and economy. They have been providing fast and easy access to a vast range of affordable products for centuries, serving as a distribution channel for life’s essentials. Street vendors offer everything from fruits and vegetables to prepared food, garments to décor, toys to stationery, flowers to books, and so much more.
In spite of this, they are perceived as a nuisance and have to face harassment, societal neglect, and a constant threat of eviction. The pandemic is only adding to the push cart vendors’ problems. Millions of lives have been impacted, and street vendors have had to exhaust their essential savings, borrow high-interest loans, sell their belongings, and even beg for survival.
Today, many street vendors are looking to regain their livelihoods. If we want to collectively recover as a nation, helping push cart vendors get back on their feet is extremely crucial.
The Need for Mobility Solutions for Push Cart Vendors
Take a close look at the pushcart trolley that your local street vendors have. Many of them continue to use worn-down, dilapidated carts. The broken wheels leave them immobile and stop them from expanding their area of business. Some vendors use ropes to keep their cart standing upright. A lot of them resort to using makeshift shades to deal with the extreme weather. No provision of lighting means they have to shut down by evening. The list of pushcart vendors’ problems just keeps growing. Navigating the cart and pushing it on inclined roads also requires extreme physical effort. That is especially challenging for women and the elderly who are dependent on street vending for livelihood. In many cases, women do not even have a cart and sit down on a plastic sheet with their goods. Today, there is a dire need for all-inclusive and innovative mobility solutions for pushcart vendors. Tigoona’s new carts are designed to help them tackle the challenges posed by a changing environment.
Tigoona Addresses Push Cart Vendors’ Problems with Innovation
Already making a meagre sum, the push cart vendors also have to spend a part of their income daily on the rent of the carts. For many, owning a new pushcart is an unattainable and unaffordable dream.
At Tigoona, we have created an energy-efficient and user-friendly push trike [1] cart that can address the problems street vendors face today.
What makes Tigoona Push Trike Carts a Game-Changer for Street Vendors?
Tigoona Carts feature a human-centric push cart design that caters to the specific functional requirements of street vendors in areas of comfort, usability, storage, lighting, shelter, mobility, and safety.
Greater Mobility:
The three-wheeled push cart can be used as a cycle, allowing for greater mobility and more freedom to travel, helping push cart vendors expand their business to other markets and localities.
Comfortable & Easy to Use:
The Tigoona pushcart is designed like a tricycle, and is easy and comfortable to ride. There is no need for steady balancing, and the compact yet robust design makes it a user-friendly solution for push cart vendors.
High Payload:
The Tigoona pushcart has a total loading capacity of 100 kg or 180 litres in volume. There is also an additional carrier on the rear side. This is ample for most vendors. Adjustable & Adaptable: The Tigoona push cart trolley is easily customizable and adaptable to requirements. The three baskets, offering adjustable heights, can be used for separately displaying the goods. These baskets can also be removed.
Protective Folding Umbrella:
The folding umbrella provided with the Tigoona cart can be used as protection from heat as well as the rain. This not only makes it easier for the vendor but also prevents spoilage.
Energy Efficient:
The push cart trolley is quite eco-friendly and energy-efficient. The Solar-powered LED Bulb provided with the Tigoona Cart is a money-saver and allows the push cart vendors to continue operating after sunset.
Easily Repairable:
The Tigoona Cart has a modular design and made using parts and materials that are commonly used for regular bicycles. A vendor can easily go to any cycle service shop and get it repaired.
Inclusive & Empowering:
With easy-to-use and comfortable carts, Tigoona is empowering and encouraging women, the elderly and the physically weak vendors to become financially independent. The push cart design is made with gender, age, and cultural inclusivity in mind and is compatible with traditional attires. A Tigoona Cart can be life-changing for the push cart vendors who are struggling to recover from the losses faced during the pandemic. Through our ‘Drive the Change’ campaign, we’re dedicated to helping push cart vendors regain their space in society with confidence. And we are inviting you to join us in our efforts!
Check the related article on helping street vendors in India