ABSTRACT

Intra-Urban transportation is common in most busy streets and towns. Regardless of the vital role that intra urban transportation play in any urban area, their services are frequently insufficient to meet passengers demand and services for their daily commuting. This study investigated passengers’ perceptions on intra urban transportation services with a case study of Bamenda Bambili road. More specifically, the study looked at the factors structuring passengers’ sensitivity to intra urban travel, passengers’ feelings and believes in relation to the services provided by taxis. The study adopted a descriptive research Design with a sample size of 100 respondents. Data was collected using a structured questionnaires and observations. From the findings, the study found that the factors structuring passengers choice of transportation include; mode of transportation which was found to taxis i; passengers distance from home to work place or school and the access were the factors noted to be sensible to passengers’ perceptions. Equally, passengers feel tired and stressed while traveling along this road due to several reasons like the nature of the road. However, the passengers get to make themselves confortable as they listen to music and discuss with other commuters. Passengers therefore belief to have a safe journey despite the ups and downs. As a measure of this, they prefer responsible drivers or personal drivers to limit casualties. It is recommended that the services rendered by intra-urban transportation services notably taxis and bikes should be improved upon. Further studies should investigate drivers perceptions and feelings on intra urban transportation in Bamenda and beyond.

Key words: Intra-Urban transportation, passengers’ sensitivity, passengers feeling, Passengers’ beliefs, Bamenda, Bambili.

CHAPTER ONE

GENERAL INTRODUCTION

• Introduction

In Cameroon, urban  transport was formerly  a  monopoly of township  taxis  painted  in  yellow.  A  decline  in  organized public  transport  systems and quality  has  led  to  rapid  growth  in  non-conventional means of public transport, initially provided by minibuses  and  shared  taxi/vans,  and  more  recently  by commercial  motorbikes and taxis.  With  the  absence  of  communal transport facilities and the poor urban transport systems, more adaptive modes of urban transport like the use of bikes and taxis became  common  in  Bamenda  town. Commercial  transportation services, particularly bikes and taxis  came  up  as  a  transport  system  in Bamenda  around the  1990s  when  there  was  civil  unrest  in most  towns  of  the  country.  The use  of  these services have gained grounds in most cities and towns all over Cameroon. There exist different perceptions about transportation services both positive and negative which therefore ignites this study. Chapter one includes the background to the study, statement of the problem, research objectives, questions and hypothesis, significance of the study, operational definition of terms, justification of the study, delimination and conclusion.

1.1 Background to the Study    

Historically, commercial motorbikes and taxi came up as a means of intra city transportation in Bamenda around the 1990s when there was civil unrest in most towns of the country. The use of taxi and bike for intra city transportation ignited and later gained grounds just like in other parts of the country, Cameroon. There is a need to attempt an understanding of the evolutionary stages of the activities in Bamenda urban area, the efforts carried out by the central and local governments in an attempt to regularize the sector, the challenges as well as the impact of the activities in the municipality.

In such a political era, transportation performs a vital role in the way they operate and function. The administrations and local governments of an area should have the capability to send and receive facts, figures and information as to well as regarding its people. The government ensures that the roads to be in good shape to stand distinct above her political rivals.

In economic terms, intra urban transportation services in Cameroon is inadequate both quantitative and qualitative terms considering the rate of population growth and the economic activities being carried out (Okechukwu, 2013. Most of the rapid urbanization changes are taking place in cities of developing world where in a stable growth in population is as a result of the combination of both natural growth and rural urban migration. Intra urban transportation are influenced by the economic activities like trading, farming, etc. the contributions of transportation services to the economy amounts to less that the contributions of the goods and services produced by other sectors but however, all producers rely on transportation to acquire the raw materials needed for production and equally to deliver their products to the market.

Furthermore, the nature of transportation services is equally determined by the geographical factors of the environment. Intra urban transportation becomes very easy in low lying areas while being difficult hilly areas. These factors however gives reasons for the nature of the road. Roads or areas that are easily accessible have advantages of quality transportation, good and tarred roads, making intra urban transportation to be much more easier. Also, the nature of settlement determines transportation services. In areas where settlement is well planned by the governments, road network can be very possible rather than in situations where settlement is not controlled.

Moreover, intra city transportation plays a vital role as far as education is concerned. Transportation polices have indirect effects on students through the limitations they often place on school start time. Without effective intra city transportation, students and even teachers/lecturers would hardly catch up with time for classes.

In context to this study, the nature of intra urban transportation services gives different perceptions to passengers and road users wherein a lot of factors structures passengers’ sensitivity, passengers feelings and beliefs on the intra urban transportation services on the Bamenda- Bambili road.

This chapter is structured into the background of the study, statement of the research problem, research objectives, scope of study and the importance of this study.

For many years, public transport has been viewed as an inevitable need in several parts of the world (Cervero & Golub, 2007). Illes (2005) stated that immobility leads to poverty which implies that the movement of people and goods affects the daily endeavors of human beings, particularly in the economic aspect. A good transport system cannot be attained if there are no effective and efficient services that enhance people’s living standards and gives them satisfaction through features such as affordability, efficiency, availability and economic importance for development.

Transport is very necessary for the survival of modern society and without it there would be no life in the city (Onokala, 2011). As an essential service in cities, transport enables people, firms and other organizations to carry out their activities at sites selected for these purposes in separate locations in the cities. Transport provides a key to the understanding and operation of many other systems at many different scales and is an embodiment of the complex relationships between social and political activities and the level of economic development (Hoyle & Smith, 1992).

According to the World Bank Report, transportation is the movement of people and goods from one location to another. Mode of transport includes air, water, rail and road. In Cameroon, over the past years, urban centers have been increasing at a rapid rate. This trend leads to urban explosion. The penalty for this agglomeration however, is not only that the transport requirements are concentrated in a small area where land becomes highly sought after and densely occupied by the activities which generate the transport requirements, but also greater demand for transportation facilities(Ogbazi, 1992). Okpala (1992) Asserted that “a city is said to be only as big as its transportation facilities enable the people to go about their business, move and distribute their goods.” This therefore brings forth different view or perceptions as far as public transportation is concerned especially by the road users.

The intra-urban transport means movements of freights and passengers within an urban area precisely the movement within Bamenda and Bambili. The transport system in Bamenda caters for about a million people and it faces numerous challenges, efforts of the government to improve the system notwithstanding. The complex and heterogeneous traffic pool, largely dominated by private vehicles, most of which are poorly maintained and inadequate enforcement of traffic rules creates serious and unbearable congestion and heavy pollution of the city environment (Chung, 2010). Recently, transportation services within this study scope has increased rapidly due to the numerious activities that transpires between Bamenda and Bambili. More specifically, majority of those plying this road are young people for the sake of school, business people, lecturers and other minor groups and individuals. However, the transportation services are more placed in the hands of individual which we can say in other words that transportation within this study scope operates under the private sector. Hardly does this sector follow guideline, modalities and other necessities to the use of the public transport which brings different perceptions to the passengers about these transportation services. This service is an integral part of the economy.

This study is aimed at exploring users’ perceptions of intra urban transportation services with a case study of Bamenda/Bambili road with a view to looking at how lucrative the services are, how organized, the quality and the importance to the society. 

1.2    Statement of Problem

Over the past years, Bamenda city has been experiencing rapid population growth and expansion of its environment due to influx of migrants from rural to urban areas for various purposes. The high cost of car purchasing and maintenance in Cameroon have also created residential-to-work transportation problem in Bamenda City as a result of inefficient mass transit systems, especially taxis and motorbikes. In the view of these problems in this region, government agencies as well as independent entrepreneurs have been involved in the provision of intra-city public passenger transportation services to meet the ever-growing demand of mobility in the city. In the consequence, Bamenda and Bambili at large have witnessed increased number of private cars and became notorious for its chaotic traffic. Though many of the bikes and taxis are not registered, it is observed that over 420 bikes and 94 taxis are recorded (Divisional Delegation of Transport Bamenda, 2019). Intra urban transportation services have become an integral part of the economy whose utility cannot be minimized. All these and more leave different perceptions to passengers which therefore ignite the study on the passengers’ perception of intra urban transportation services between Bamenda and Bambili.

• Research Question

Research questions of this study were divided into the main research question and the specific research questions.

• Main research Question

What are Passengers’ Perception of intra urban transportation services along Bamenda/Bambili road?

 This was divided into specific research questions.

• Specific Research Questions

The specific research questions were as follows

1. What factors structure passengers’ sensitivity to intra urban transportation services on Bamenda-Bambili road?
2. What are passengers’ feelings on intra-urban transportation services between Bamenda and Bambili?
3. What are passengers’ Beliefs on intra-urban transportation services on the Bamenda-Bambili road?
   • Objective of the Study

The research objective of this study was divided into the main research Objective and the specific research Objectives.

• Main Research Objective of the Study

The main research objective of this study consisted to explore Passengers’ Perception of intra urban transportation services along Bamenda-Bambili road

This was guided investigated using the following research objectives.

• Specific Research Objectives

1. To find out the factors structuring passengers sensitivity to intra urban transportation along the Bamenda-Bambili road
2. To examine the feelings of passengers on intra urban transportation along the Bamenda-Bambili road
3. To determine the beliefs of passengers on intra urban transportation along the Bamenda-Bambili road