| dc.description.abstract | A well performing transportation system is both efficient and effective and is a pre-requisite to economic growth, environmental sustainability and social growth among other things. As such, achieving transport efficiency and effectiveness is the ultimate goal of every policy maker, transport service provider and consumer of the transportation services. It is therefore axiomatic that all cities and towns must strive to achieve the required levels of transportation efficiency and effectiveness.
Efficiency in transportation means that the transport system yields more benefits than costs both to the transport service providers and the consumers. The benefits and costs are usually evaluated by assessing the financial expenditures vis a vis the returns, time consumption during travels and the externalities resulting from the system. Effectiveness is on the other hand represented by a transport system from which people derive the highest level of satisfaction. Some of the elements that are normally used to measure the level of satisfaction a transport system offers include affordability of services, traveler’s comfort, reliability of the services, safety of the system, speed of travels and environmental friendliness of the system.
It is thus arguable that if a transport system is costly and yields less satisfaction to people, then it is both inefficient and ineffective. More specifically, such a system presents problems such as less affordable travel charges, traffic congestion and jams, environmental pollution, uncomfortable modes and unsafe travels. Many scholars have argued that this situation is caused by a number of factors, some of which include lack of planning and coordination between transportation and land use systems, poor development of mass transport systems, insufficient regulation of the public transport system and inadequate provision of all transport facilities.
This study was initiated to assess the levels of transport efficiency/effectiveness in Nairobi’s CBD, which had been noted to face various problems such as traffic congestion, poor transport management, land use/transportation conflicts and inadequate transportation facilities among others. Particular emphasis was made on the roles that the on-street termini play in the whole situation.
The study was informed by the fact that Nairobi CBD plays very crucial socio-economic and administrative roles and so should not be facing such problems as those outlined above. The main purpose of the research was thus to interrogate the emerging trends of on-street termini operations within Nairobi CBD and their effects on transport efficiency/effectiveness, with a view to proposing possible planning interventions which would help to improve the situation.
The methodology designed to carry out the study was systematic. The process began by identification and delineation of the study area. The data needs were then outlined and their potential sources identified. Afterwards, the researcher identified the potential respondents, including the road users, transport service providers and the key informants. There was also the identification of the units of observation, some of which were patterns of entry and exit to and from the CBD and the termini, land use activities adjacent to termini, modes of vehicles operation in the CBD, conditions of transport infrastructure and road user behaviour.
A sample size for each set of respondents was determined and a sampling design formulated. Stratified random sampling method was used to select the termini from which the road users and vehicle operators would be interviewed. Non-probability sampling method was then used in the selection of individuals to interview. A total of 80 and 50 road users and service providers were interviewed respectively. All the key informants were also interviewed.
The data collection techniques employed included observation, measurement, traffic counts, key informant interviews, questionnaire administration and participatory travel speed evaluation. Analysis of various categories of data was then done. These included qualitative and quantitative data. The former was analyzed using narrative technique, content analysis method and use of anecdotes. Traffic circulation levels were evaluated using Level of Service and Segment Delay analysis techniques. Finally, hypothesis testing was done using the chi-square test method.
The major findings of the study were that (1) the transportation system in the study area is both ineffective and inefficient and that the on-street termini contribute to this; (2) the system is plagued with problems such as insufficient land use and transportation planning, poor traffic management, imbalance between demand and supply of basic transport infrastructure e.g. termini, unregulated public transport system, poorly developed mass transit system and lack of Intermodal integration; and (3) the on-street termini have a few advantages including convenience in accessing terminal services by members of the public, reduction of time taken to look for a PSV to board and attraction of customers to the business premises surrounding the termini.
Some of the recommendations in response to these issues included eradication of the on-street termini adoption of mass transit systems (both road and railway modes) and provision of two major PSV termini close to the CBD, restriction of the smaller PSVs within the residential areas, Park & ride and carpooling policies and policy on land use/transport integration.
The study has thus filled and important knowledge gap and made a number of proposals that can be used to improve the transportation system in Nairobi and other places facing similar problems. | en_US |
