Transforming Paratransit Services through Mobile Technology
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Chapter 1: Understanding Paratransit in Sub-Saharan Africa
In Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), public transport often relies on shared taxis and informal minibuses. However, the government and development agencies face challenges due to a lack of comprehensive data on how these services operate. Urban transport experts usually depend on manual surveys conducted at terminals or within vehicles to gather information on travel demand and service efficiency. Unfortunately, the high costs and time involved in these surveys make them impractical for many cities in SSA. As a result, city governments can only implement reactive, small-scale measures, hindered by their limited understanding of the transportation system's features, such as service frequency, reliability, and safety.
Chapter 2: Leveraging Mobile Technology for Data Collection
The rapid advancements in mobile technology now present a unique opportunity for African cities to bridge the data gap in urban transportation. Mobile phones provide a reliable, cost-effective way to digitize and record essential data, allowing for quick adjustments in survey methodologies. Various applications have emerged to gather urban transport data, enabling cities to create detailed maps of their paratransit systems. While these initiatives have enhanced understanding of urban transit, there is still a lack of focus on the management of transit operations.
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The transport team at the World Bank, in collaboration with the Digital Development Partnership (DDP) and the Public-Private Infrastructure Advisory Facility (PPIAF), has devised a digital strategy to use mobile app-based data collection for diagnosing transport operations. They successfully executed demonstration projects in Maseru, Lesotho, and Gaborone, Botswana between 2021 and 2022, gathering critical data on the operational characteristics of paratransit networks in each city. This initiative provided a foundation for sector reform and equipped local operators with the knowledge to collect field data effectively.
Section 2.1: Key Findings from Maseru and Gaborone
The findings revealed that most paratransit users in both cities come from lower socioeconomic backgrounds. Additionally, safety concerns disproportionately affect female passengers. Work-related travel is the primary reason for using these services, followed by personal and educational trips.
Governance and Regulation Challenges
Both cities suffer from fragmented governance structures, lacking a central authority responsible for public transport management. The central government oversees budgeting and regulation of paratransit, but often grants permits for new services without assessing actual demand.
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Section 2.2: Service and Infrastructure Issues
Maseru and Gaborone face a paradox of extensive minibus networks that struggle with irregular service, limited accessibility, and constrained operating hours. Furthermore, there is a lack of clarity regarding the roles of minibuses versus shared taxis, leading to service overlaps and unhealthy competition. The average age of minibuses in Maseru and Gaborone is 18 and 16 years, respectively, well beyond their effective operational lifespan, contributing to environmental pollution and safety hazards.
Infrastructure Needs
Both cities urgently require upgrades to their supporting infrastructure, such as roads and transit hubs, to promote public transportation as a primary mode of travel. Maseru particularly suffers from inadequate road conditions, including unpaved feeder roads that significantly impact safety and operational costs.
Chapter 3: Future Directions for Paratransit
Mobile app data collection has proven to be a low-cost, efficient means of enhancing our understanding of the complex paratransit operations in these cities. The insights gained can help identify key areas for improvement, including:
- Developing clean, safe, and accessible transit infrastructure.
- Reevaluating regulations to align supply with demand.
- Implementing data technologies for real-time tracking.
- Exploring capital subsidies to facilitate fleet renewal.
Armed with these insights, the governments of Lesotho and Botswana can engage in meaningful dialogues with industry stakeholders to reform the paratransit business model cooperatively. This could involve pilot projects to demonstrate the business case for improvement. The methodologies and strategies employed by the World Bank can serve as a model for other cities across Africa and beyond.