AFRICA'S PUBLIC TRANSIT RENAISSANCE

Informal minibus paratransit vehicles have become the most common form of urban transport in many African cities. However, the paratransit vehicles are unregulated, environmentally harmful, unsafe and unpredictable. This article discusses efforts in Accra, Ghana, and Dakar, Senegal, to modernize their transit systems. Accra is planning to develop the first bus rapid transit (BRT) system in Africa and has recently established a new transport authority, but is facing opposition from private operators. Senegal also is considering a BRT system. A partially privatized transit corporation has been formed in Dakar, and new full-size buses have been purchased. An effort is also being made to modernize the current paratransit vehicles using a World Bank loan and to regulate the allocation of routes. In order for any of these projects or related efforts to succeed, a strong leadership presence by the government is essential.

• Record URL:
  https://go.itdp.org/pages/viewpage.action?pageId=54888220
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/oclc/31056686
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Page range: pp 8-10, 12.
• Corporate Authors:

  Institute for Transportation and Development Policy

  115 W 30th Street, Suite 1205
  New York, NY  United States  10001
• Authors:
  • White, P S
  • Hook, W
• Publication Date: 2002

Language

• English

Media Info

• Features: Photos;
• Pagination: 4 p.
• Serial:
  • Sustainable Transport
  • Issue Number: 14
  • Publisher: Institute for Transportation and Development Policy
  • ISSN: 1536-2523
  • Serial URL: http://www.itdp.org/ST/index.html

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Bus rapid transit; Developing countries; Financing; Governments; Minibuses; Modernization; Paratransit services; Private enterprise; Public transit; Regulation; Routes; Transit authorities; Urban transportation
• Identifier Terms: World Bank
• Geographic Terms: Accra (Ghana); Dakar (Senegal)
• Subject Areas: Planning and Forecasting; Public Transportation;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00935762
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Dec 18 2003 12:00AM