Hitch a Ride Trivia Quiz

Answer: Venice, Italy

As is well known, Venice is connected by waterways rather than regular roads for the most part. A vaporetto is a water taxi that is commonly used for transport in this city. The vaporettos are also used to travel from Venice to other nearby islands like Burano and Murano. Most locals however use the water buses as they are a cheaper form of transport.

Answer: Philippines

Jeepneys are ubiquitous in the Philippines. They were originally made from the jeeps left behind by the United States military after World War II. They were modified to accommodate more people and turned into a type of shared taxi. The jeepneys are often brightly coloured and well decorated adding their own charm to the country's already crowded and colourful roads.

Answer: Guatemala

Chicken buses are common not only in Guatemala, but other parts of Latin America as well. They have been so named as they also transport animals along with regular passengers and it wouldn't be out of place to find a real chicken hitching a ride on one of these. Like the jeepneys of Philippines, the chicken buses are also brightly coloured and decorated. Most of them were originally school buses used in the United States, before they were remodelled and used as a type of shared taxi in Guatemala.

Answer: Thailand

Tuk-tuks are small auto rickshaws that are extremely convenient for getting around in crowded Bangkok. These brightly coloured vehicles have three wheels - one in the front and two behind and generally carry three passengers, though it isn't rare for more to squeeze in.

While such auto rickshaws are commonly found in other parts of Asia as well, most notably various Indian cities, the name tuk-tuk is used mostly in Thailand. While tourists may refer to them as tuk-tuks in India, locals never would.

Answer: Bangladesh

As indicated by the name, a cycle rickshaw is a rickshaw attached to a bicycle. The passenger's seat at the back may have an awning over it to protect from rain and sun. The vehicle is powered by the person cycling it. While cycle rickshaws are common in many parts of the Indian subcontinent, the sheer number of these vehicles in Dhaka, Bangladesh have led to the city being nicknamed the "Rickshaw Capital of the World".

Answer: Kenya

The matatu is a privately owned mini bus or small truck that operates as a share taxi in Kenya. They are brightly decorated and sometimes have catchy slogans painted on the bodies. There are various theories on the origin of the name with some sources claiming matatu is derived from the Swahili term for three pennies which was the original fare.

Answer: Mexico

Peseros are mini buses that ply as share taxis in Mexico City. The fare was originally one peso per passenger for a ride leading to the name pesero. Some of the peseros do not have any fixed stops but operate along a particular route and stop where ever hailed by passengers along the way.

Answer: Japan

The Shinkansen is a high speed railway network in Japan. The trains are commonly called bullet trains owing to the speed at which they run. The first line originally connected the two main cities of Tokyo and Osaka. While mainly used for travel between cities, there are also services that cater to commuters working in the city centre while living on the outskirts or distant suburbs.

Answer: Vietnam

Cyclos are a type of rickshaw that are common in Vietnam. However, unlike rickshaws, in a cyclos the driver sits behind the passengers. While a rickshaw has one wheel in the front and two behind, in a cyclos this arrangement is reversed. The cyclos thus has a double seat facing outwards in the front for the passengers to sit on, while the driver pedals from behind.

In the case of cyclos in Ho Chi Minh City, the driver's seat is considerably above the passengers to allow him a clear view of the road and other traffic.

Answer: Turkey

A dolmus is a share taxi service common in Turkey. The word dolmus means filled and refers to the fact that the vehicle only starts off on its journey once most of the seats have been occupied. While passengers can get off anywhere along the route, the fare is fixed and covers the entire distance.