Transportation Challenges and Workers Comfortability, Punctuality and Cost

Abstract

Public transport (PT) in urban areas has gained greater attention in recent years for improving sustainability and the quality of urban life. Mobility level of residents of a city can be improved by providing a well-organized transportation system. BRT (Bus Rapid Transport) system new mode of transport in Tanzania; it has been observed to be an effective and viable solution for urban mobility challenges. The DART (for Dar Rapid Transit) system was proposed by the Government in order to improve the infrastructure in the city and alleviate the traffic jam problems. Despite its operation. The BRT system has been faced by a number of challenges including delays, overloading among others. Therefore, this study was done on daily commuters’ to investigate the challenges of urban transport t(BRT) on mobility comfortability, punctuality, and cost of workers using UDART service on route starting Mbezi to Morocco/Gerezani/Kivukoni. By using both quantitative research methodologies with a longitudinal design, the study met its intention. The study was conducted in Dar es salaam with a sample size of 400 respondents selected by simple random techniques. Data were collected by the use of questionnaire, interview, observations and documentary review and were analysed descriptively by the use of SPSS. The study found that the phase I of BRT system has numerous evident gains in terms of alleviating the urban mobility challenges in the city. Nevertheless, it also has the shortcomings that are something worth to investigate. The study noted that the transport problem is the overall contribution of all players; namely, the transport owners, commuters, drivers, conductors and other stakeholders. The study concludes that poor management and low investment on buses are the major constrains that bring transportation challenges especially in the cost, comfortability and punctuality of workers to workplace. Nothing can be achieved to turnaround the present transport challenges in Dar es Salaam without the active involvement of the government.