Factors Influencing Growth of Informal Transport Sector: a Case of Bodaboda Transport in Central Division, Embu West District.

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to establish the factors influencing growth of informal transport sector, with reference to bodaboda service provision in central division, Embu west district, Kenya. The objectives of the study were to establish how unemployment influences growth of informal transport sector, to access how the cost of acquisition and maintenance of bodaboda influence growth of informal transport sector in, Embu west. To establish how versatility of bodaboda influence growth of informal transport sector in Embu and to determine how ease of operation of bodaboda influence growth of informal transport sector. The study was important as it helped unearth the factors influencing the growth of informal transport sector. The findings formed basis upon which recommendation were made which may help cut down the number of bodaboda related accident and death. The findings will also help ministry of transport and traffic police on management of bodaboda operators in Embu west district. The study will be useful to future scholars as it will also add to the existing body of knowledge. The study used descriptive survey design which helped to gather information about the present existing condition. The target population was 312 comprising of 300 bodaboda operators, 10 users of bodaboda, 1 traffic base commander and 1 Manyatta sub county revenue officer. A sample size of 169 was selected using krejcies and Morgan tables (1970), user sample size was conveniently sampled through observable schedule. Purposive sampling method was used to pick traffic base commander and sub county revenue officer. Split half technique was used to establish the reliability of the research instruments. The study found that a large number of the bodaboda service providers are men at (95.1%) with females as the major clients for the bodaboda services at (60%)Most of the bodaboda operators are in age bracket of 21-30yrs and are married (61.8%)Most bodaboda service provision is viewed as the main occupation by the operators. The study also found that most operators ride their own motorcycles and the main source of the capital used to acquire them comes through their own savings and bank loans. The operators earn an average income of Ksh. 300 to Kshs. 500 per day with maintenance costs of about Kshs. 1000 to Kshs. 3000 per month. Bodaboda operations are more versatile as was found from the study that they could traverse all forms of roads; convenient at any time of the day and their charges were negotiable. Lastly, findings from the study showed that the distance per trip was short with a carriage capacity of one to two passengers or one passenger with a load. This renders the operations flexible and easy to operate, hence the high rate of investments in the business