Driving Behavior and Customer Handling of Urban Public Transportation Drivers and Operators Before and After the COVID-19 Outbreak in Ethiopia, 2022

Globally, COVID-19 pandemic has had an impact on human life, every aspect of social and economic sectors including transportation system and operations. This study examined the driving and customer handling behavior of public transportation operators before and during the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic in Ethiopia. Mixed research, pre-/post-study design, protection motivation theory, and binary logistic regression models were used to guide the development, quantification, and analysis of the causal relationships of pandemic-related constructs on driving and customer handling behaviors. Driving behaviors were examined in terms of harsh speeding and braking concerning the time period before and during the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak in both Hawassa and Addis Ababa city. The level of friendly handling and care of public transportation operators to customers could operationalize and measure customer handling. Data were collected through surveys and interviews with various modes of public transportation operators. Accordingly, it is found that factors related to new COVID-19 pandemic and response measure mainly infection risk fear; transport restrictions were the most significant factors impacting driving behavior during the pandemic. During the pandemic, driving frequencies and intentions, as well as driving decisions, were significantly influenced and reduced, compared to pre-pandemic scenario. Harsh driving behaviors such as harsh speeding, harsh braking, and wrong-side driving became more frequent but customer handling behaviors were also predominantly unfriendly. The performance of protection motivation theory was relevant to inform, guide the study, and understand the actual impacts. Thus, policymakers must learn from the harsh lessons of COVID-19 pandemic and make bold investments in preparedness, prevention, and response, including adaptive and pandemic-sensitive strategies and customer-oriented strategies.

• Record URL:
  • https://doi.org/10.1007/s40890-023-00190-x
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/21999287
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Copyright © Springer International Publishing AG 2023.
• Authors:
  • Tareke, Kassa Moges
  • 0000-0002-8597-698X
• Publication Date: 2024-6

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Web
• Features: References;
• Pagination: 3
• Serial:
  • Transportation in Developing Economies
  • Volume: 10
  • Issue Number: 1
  • Publisher: Springer International Publishing
  • ISSN: 2199-9287
  • Serial URL: http://link.springer.com/journal/40890

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: City planning; COVID-19; Driving behavior; Passenger handling; Public transit; Transit operators
• Geographic Terms: Ethiopia
• Subject Areas: Planning and Forecasting; Public Transportation; Security and Emergencies;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01902748
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Dec 20 2023 3:43PM