Assessment of Commuter Preferences of 14-Seater Public Service Vehicles versus Alternative Modes of Public Service Transport in Nairobi City

Year 2014, Volume: 3 Issue: 1, 115 - 132, 01.03.2014

İsaac Koimur , Lawrence K. Kangogo, Rich Nyaoga

Abstract

In the year 2010, the Kenya government announced that 14-seater vans, commonly referred to as “matatus”, were to be phased out so as to reduce traffic congestion on the roads and also to ensure efficient commuter movement. Travelers on Kenyan roads have not experienced public transport system without 14-seater PSVs. Little is known about the perception of commuters concerning the relative efficiency of 14-seater vehicles in the city of Nairobi over the alternative PSV modes. It is therefore needful to establish whether or not the phasing out of 14-seater PSVs would lead to the realization of the intended objective of decongesting motorized traffic in the city’s roads. The population was low-cadre employees at the headquarters of government ministries in Nairobi and random sampling method was used to select the ministries. Departments in the ministries were also identified through random sampling. Desired data was collected through the administration of a questionnaire. The data was analyzed using χ-test, linear regression model with respect to time and fare charged and analysis of variance. The study established that: travel time from house to workplace; the existence of alternative routes, and; fare charged, influenced choice of 14-seater PSV over the other alternative PSV modes. It is recommended that a comparative policy analysis should be undertaken to come up with a hybrid PSV policy that can serve the Kenyan commuter. Also, the government should not phase out 14-seater PSVs by force but increase taxes and levies on 14-seater PSVs which would by extension make fare high and hence make commuters shy away from the 14-seater PSVs. This refers to the mode of public passenger travel that is liked by a high number of commuters. Employees of the Government of Kenya earning salaries that are less than thirty thousand shillings per month. Refers to a means of public passenger transport vehicle which ferries passengers who randomly board it at the bus stops on the route it operates. The passengers disembark at their various destinations after paying a fee to the conductor. Such vehicles are of different passenger capacities ranging from 7 – 26-seater PSV. This refers to the capacity of vehicle used by commuters. They are in six categories namely; one passenger motorized two-wheelers, 2-3 motorized three-wheelers, 4-7-seater taxis, 8-14 seaters,14-seater, 15-32-seaters and 33-seater and above. This refers to public passenger vehicles which are licensed to carry pay-to-board passengers on Kenya’s roads. They carry a minimum of one passenger. Year: 2014 Volume: 3 Issue: 1

Keywords

Commuter preference, Low-cadre employees, Matatu, Mode of transport, PSVs.

References

•  Abane A. (2002); Mode choice for the journey to work among formal sector employees in Accra, Ghana, Journal of Transport Geography Volume 1, Issue 4 , pp. 219-229.
•  Agunloye, O. O. (2011); Analysis of the travels of public transport passengers (road) in Ikorodu, Lagos, Nigeria, Journal of Geography and Regional Planning Vol. 4(7), pp. 443-448. Retrieved February 20, 2012, from http://www.academicjournals.org/JGRP .
•  Alexander, C.; E. Sclar and J. Touber (2007); Rethinking Privatization: The Case of Urban Transportation in Nairobi, Kenya. The Center for Sustainable Urban Development.The Earth Institute, Columbia University,New York. Retrieved on March 1, 2011, from http://csud.ei.columbia.edu/sitefiles/file/RethinkingPrivatization_WorkingPaper_ ACSP_Conference.pdf
•  Belwal, R. & S. Belwal (2010); Public Transportation Services in Oman: A Study of Public Perceptions, Journal of Public Transportation, Vol. 13, No. 4, 2010.
• Retrieved on February 20, 2012, from http://www.nctr.usf.edu/jpt/pdf/JPT134Belwal.pdf
•  Chitere, O. P. & T. N. Kibua (2004); Efforts to improve Road Safety in Kenya: Achievements and Limitations of Reforms in the Matatu Industry; Institute of Policy Analysis and Research, Nairobi, Kenya. Retrieved on February 20, 2012, from ttp://www4.worldbank.org/afr/ssatp/Resources/CountryDocuments/RoadSafety-Kenya-IPAR.pdf
•  Dato, S. O. & T. K. (2010); GTP Roadmap, Government of Malaysia, Malaysia. Retrieved on March 1, 2011, from http://klnportal.kln.gov.my/klnvideo/2010/transformasi/video/documents/GTP% 20Roadmap/GTP%20Roadmap_Chapter11.pdf
•  FHWA-Office of Policy (1999) Comprehensive Truck, Size and Weight Study; Government of the United States of America, United States of America. Retrieved on March 3, 2011 from http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/reports/tswstudy/Vol3Chapter9.pdf
•  Fitzpatrick Associates (2004); Transportation and the Effects on the Consumers. Retrieved on September 6, 2011, from http://www.nca.ie/eng/Research_Zone/Reports/transport_and_consumers.pdf  Friman, M. & M. Fellesson (2009); Service Supply and Customer Satisfaction in Public Transportation: The Quality Paradox; Journal of Public Transportation, Vol. 12, No. 4, 2009; Karlstad University, Sweden. Retrieved on February 20, 2012, from http://www.nctr.usf.edu/jpt/pdf/JPT12-4.pdf
•  G.o.K.(2010); New Road Transport Management Strategy. Ministry of Transport, Nairobi, Kenya.
•  Graeff, J. (2009); The Organization and future of the Matatu Industry in Nairobi, Kenya; Center for Sustainable Urban Development – Earth Institute Columbia University, New York
•  Hensher, A. D. (1976); The value of commuter travel time savings, Journal of Transport Economics and Policy, May 1976. Retrieved on April 11, 2011, from http://www.bath.ac.uk/e-journals/jtep/pdf/Vol. X, No. 2 pp. 167-176.pdf
•  Joewono, T. B. & H. Kubota (2007); User satisfaction with paratransit in competition with motorization in indonesia: anticipation of future implications, March 2007, Vol. 34, No. 3, pp 337-354.Retrieved on August 30, 2011, from http://www.springerlink.com/content/v52w53401755xj22/fulltext.pdf .
• Kenya Confidential (2010); Transport World Journal, Vol. 1 no. 2, Oscar Publicity, Nairobi. Retrieved on March 17, 2012, from http://www.kenyac onfidential.com/wpcontent/themes/transport%202/files/transport%20world%20 journal%20issue%20no%201.pdf.
•  Mugenda, O.M & A.G. Mugenda (1999); Research Methods: Quantitative and Qualitative Approaches, African Centre for Technology Services Press, Nairobi, Kenya.
•  Mutongi, K. (2006); Thugs or Entrepreneurs? Perceptions of Matatu Operations in Nairobi 1970 to the Present, Nairobi, Kenya 76 (4) pp. 549 -568.
•  Oster, C. V., JR.; J. C. Randolph & Graduate Student Authors (2011); The Future of Intercity Passenger Transportation, School of Public and Environmental Affairs, V600 Capstone Course, May 2011, Indiana University. Retrieved on September 6, 2011 from http://www.indiana.edu/~cree/pdf/Future%20of%20Intercity%20Passenger%20T ransport%20Report.pdf.
•  Örn, H.(2005); Chapter 5. Urban public transport in an international perspective. In Jönson, G., and E. Tengström (eds.) Urban transport development: A complex issue , pp. 45-64. Berlin: Springer.
•  Panayotis, C.; H. Ignacio & S. Antonio (2003); Dynamics of the Introduction of New Passenger Car technologies: The IPTS Transport technologies Model, European Commission Joint Research Centre. Retrieved on September 6, 2011, from http://ftp.jrc.es/EURdoc/eur20762en.pdf.
•  Sclar, E. (2008); Engaging Complexity: A Prologue to Creating Effective Urban Transport and Land Use Planning for Metropolitan Nairobi. Center for Sustainable Urban Development – Earth Institute, Columbia University, New York. Retrieved on March 1, 2011, at http://www.vref.se/download/18.1166db0f120540fe049800011002/Sclar++Engaging+complexity.pdf
•  Vuchic, V. R. (1999), Transportation for Livable Cities. New Brunswick, NJ: CUPR; Rutgers University. Retrieved on March 1, 2011, from http://www.eng.wayne.edu/user_files/155/urban_pub_tr_sys_Vuchic.pdf
•  World Book, Inc. (2001), World Book Encyclopedia, Vol. 11, p. 302; Vol. 14, p. 5, Scott Fetzer Company, Chicago, United States of America.
•  www.kenyalaw.org . Retrieved on June 3, 2011. www.matatu.co.ke . Memorandum of Complaint on the 14-Seaters PSV Phase out and Restriction from operating in the CBD (Nairobi) effective from January 2011, Matatu Welfare Association, Nairobi, Kenya. Retrieved on June 13, 2011