This form of transport the two wheeler pulled rickshaw operated by human leg power first came into effect in the 1860's in Japan they could seat one or two passengers sitting on a wooden plank by the 19th century this form of transport the rickshaw pulling became an inexpensive, popular mode of transportation across Asia and even made it over to America and Canada.
When these rickshaws where first built in the 1860's they were not the most comfortable form of transport the passengers rode on iron-shod wooden wheels and they sat on hard flat wooden seat but as time when on in the the late 19th century and early 20th century they became more modernized having rubber or pneumatic rubber tires, spring cushions, and backrests which improved the passenger's comfort and became a trend and inexpensive form of transport where as they were able to traverse through winding and narrow city streets and passengers were been dropped of at there front door where buses and trams couldn't go.
Today in Japan and in other Asia countries also across the Western and European countries you will still see some human-powered rickshaws but it only done as a tourist attraction on short distances the rickshaw is still popular and trendy till this day but they have come a long why with there modernizations and colorful designs and in today's world most pulled rickshaws have been replaced mainly by cycle rickshaw and electric auto rickshaws.
