SERVICE QUALITY STANDARDS OF PUBLIC TRANSPORT WITH THE SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA CONTEXT

The article reviews the deterioration of the quality of service and the reduction of services offered in public transport, specifically bus transit service in Sub-Saharan African cities. From a fleet of some 1,000 buses, the fleet now numbers only 400 to 500 buses; and the average waiting time is 30 minutes during peak hour. Presently, the self-employed transport sector, made up of minibuses, collective taxis, and sometimes motor taxis, commands a dominating share of the public transport market in all African cities, ranging from 60 to 100%. The use of motor taxis has developed to a remarkable extent in several cities, indicating the choices made by users as regards the different aspects of service quality. Based on the above review, it seems obvious that higher quality standards in African public transit systems must be pursued through the creation of a coordinated multimodal system composed of private and self-employed businesses; some of these have already been set up in several cities, such as Dakar, Abidjan, and Lagos. The debate remains open on the factors of progress to be adopted: should emphasis be on the creation of new enterprises or to the capability of development and concentration of the self-employment sector.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/oclc/22167353
• Corporate Authors:

  International Association of Public Transport (UITP)

  Rue Sainte Marie 6
  Brussels,   Belgium  BE-1080
• Authors:
  • GODARD, X
• Publication Date: 2002-9

Language

• English

Media Info

• Features: References;
• Pagination: p. 38-39
• Serial:
  • Public Transport International
  • Volume: 51
  • Publisher: International Association of Public Transport (UITP)
  • ISSN: 1016-796X
  • Serial URL: http://www.uitp.org/publications/public-transport-magazine.cfm

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Bus transit; Minibuses; Multimodal transportation; Private enterprise; Public transit; Quality of service; Standards; Taxi services
• Geographic Terms: Abidjan (Ivory Coast); Africa; Dakar (Senegal); Lagos (Nigeria); Sub-Saharan Africa
• Subject Areas: Operations and Traffic Management; Public Transportation; Society;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00942054
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: May 22 2003 12:00AM