They have a reputation of being rude and overcharging passengers but many auto-rickshaw drivers in the capital believe this image will soon fade away as now they have reasons to do away with this habit.

The auto drivers, who generally give a host of excuses for demanding exorbitant fares, now have a sort of financial security as they were enrolled into a new pension scheme — thanks to a city-based NGO NyayaBhumi.

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Now, the auto rickshaw drivers in the city will wear badges starting December 1 and uniform from January. The decision came after a meeting held between the traffic police department, rickshaw unions and regional transport authority (RTA).

However, nothing has been decided on making uniform and badges mandatory for cab drivers in the city.

After some untoward incidents involving travelers, Manoj Patil, DCP, traffic department had called a meeting of RTA officials and rickshaw unions on October 29 where it was decided that all rickshaw drivers in the city would wear uniforms and badges from December 1.

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US tourist hitches rickshaw, weds driver in a week:

A 26-year-old American tourist travelling in India hitched a ride in a rickshaw last week and married the driver a few days later.

Whitney from Chicago met her prince charming in Jaipur in Rajasthan, a state west of the capital famous for its stately palaces, after hailing a motorised rickshaw and hiring the driver for her stay in the city, the Mail Today newspaper said.

“On the third day, he surprised me by popping the question,” Whitney told the paper. “‘I want to spend the rest of my life with you’, he told me. I fell in love.”

After meeting last Saturday they were married on Wednesday in a simple ceremony. Whitney was pictured in the paper, standing with new husband Harish Hotala, wearing a traditional sari that covered her head.

The paper said Hotala was “a cabbie with a difference,” however. “Though a school dropout, he is fluent in English and owns three autorickshaws,” it said.

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An autorickshaw driver who gives free rides to the blind, donates money to an old age home and is trying to raise funds for the treatment of a sandwich vendor.

Sandeep Bachhe is an autorickshaw driver in Mumbai. More of him later, but first let me take you through his wonder autorickshaw. It has a television set tuned to good old Doordarshan — which incidentally is celebrating 50 years of transmission in India. Then there is also a board with the day’s price of gold, silver, dollar, pound and the yen.

Behind the driver’s seat hangs another chart with phone numbers of hospitals, theatres, hotels and airlines. You can also pick up the day’s papers and a couple of magazines in the rack behind him. ‘Do not spit,’ another notice admonishes you. There are pictures of Gods from all major religions. “All are welcome,” he says with a smile.

“I have been driving an autorickshaw for ten years. Whatever money I make I first give my family. The little that can spare, I give it to an old age home. During the beginning of the academic year for schools, we try and distribute notebooks to needy students.”

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Indian tourism authorities will be holding English classes for auto-rickshaw drivers in New Delhi as the city prepares to host the Commonwealth Games in 2010.

More than 40,000 natural gas-fueled auto-rickshaws, or motorized three-wheeled taxis, run on the Indian capital’s dilapidated roads, according to the city government statistics.

The city is expected to host around 100,000 tourists during the Commonwealth Games scheduled from October 3-14 in 2010. About 9,000 athletes and officials of 52 Commonwealth countries are likely to participate.

Some 8,000 auto-rickshaw drivers will be enrolled in the training program that will involve classes in yoga, life skills, first aid, spoken English and psychometric tests, federal Tourism Secretary Sujit Banerjee announced Tuesday.

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Auto-rickshaw drivers in Chennai have a history of overcharging and behave like rash and hard, using rigged meters, and exploting foreign passengers, although they are ubiquitous and possibly the easiest form of transportation to locate. Use only for short distances (if you know exactly how far you are going). Before talking to auto person ask any local person what the actual fare should be, because if you don’t know, they might ask for up to 3 times more.

If you want to travel by the auto, stick to these rules:

• Don’t go by the meter (if they have one) – the meter is rigged to show a higher fare

• Negotiate a rate with the driver beforehand. Try to stick to the agreed price, though the driver may attempt to ask for more.

• Consult local friends beforehand to find out reasonable market prices for the distance you intend to go.

• Try to hail individual auto rickshaws in traffic which are heading in the general direction of your destination and avoid those parked in groups as they may try to gang-up on you.

On a side note – if you are fascinated by the idea of going around in an auto, think about all those foreigners, who are riding an auto from Chennai to Mumbai. A Chennai based event management company, Chennai Event Management Services, has been having these autorickshaw rallies from Chennai to Mumbai, or Kanyakumari, etc., and has developed a great fan following for the same…YES that’s us!

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