Improved Public Transportation in African Cities

Keywords: Public Transportation, Bus Rapid Transit (BRT), Africa, Accessibility, Informal Transportation
Session Type: Virtual Paper Abstract
Day: Saturday
Session Start / End Time: 2/26/2022 05:20 PM (Eastern Time (US & Canada)) - 2/26/2022 06:40 PM (Eastern Time (US & Canada))
Room: Virtual 21

Abstract

Increasing transportation challenges and a growing interest in inclusive development of cities at different public policy levels have prompted African cities to pursue large-scale urban transport options. This has led to recent African urban development initiatives that prioritize public transportation systems. This study examines a popular transport intervention that appeals to foreign donors, Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system. The study found that an increasing number of African cities have adopted BRT systems to address the transportation needs of people. The BRTs are modeled after the successes of Latin American countries in BRT and are strongly supported by the World Bank, one of Africa’s key development partners. The BRTs are intended to improve accessibility and formalize the existing informal transport. The paper recommends future research which will examine accessibility for the various population groups in the city, evaluate the impact on the existing informal public transportation, and identify how these outcomes coincide with the foreign donors’ interests to justify the BRT intervention.