Citation

Obiri-Yeboah AA, Ribeiro JFX, Asante LA, Sarpong AA, Pappoe B. Case Stud. Transp. Policy 2021; 9(1): 324-335.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2021, World Conference on Transport Research Society, Publisher Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.cstp.2021.01.010

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Shared taxis, mini-buses, and motorcycles have been the conventional means of intra-city public transportation in most parts of Africa. In recent years, auto-rickshaws are fast becoming an alternative and preferred form of public transport in many African cities. This article adopts descriptive statistics to analyze the demographic characteristics of 429 auto-rickshaw operators in Kumasi and logistic regression analysis to understand the association between these demographic characteristics and operational attributes and challenges. The study found that auto-rickshaw operators in Kumasi possess gender, age, and educational characteristics similar to other transport operators in Ghana and elsewhere. Auto-rickshaw operators, however, differ from others in terms of their origin characteristics, as they are mostly migrant workers.

FINDINGS also revealed that the income generated by an auto-rickshaw operator is influenced by his training, union membership and type of transport activity. There is a general lack of compliance with road safety and traffic regulations irrespective of the educational level and training of auto-rickshaw operators. Nevertheless, operators who are relatively educated are more likely to maintain their auto-rickshaws than the less educated ones. The article recommends, among others, the strengthening of driver licensing and law enforcement regimes in Ghana while making formal training and education for auto-rickshaw operators mandatory.

Language: en

Keywords

Challenges; Demographic and operational characteristics; Ghana; Kumasi; Public transport; Rickshaws