A review on the socio-economic impacts of informal transportation and its complementarity to address equity and achieve sustainable development goals

Abstract

Sub-Saharan suffers from a poor transport system failing to address equity and sustainability. The system can be affected by several factors; however, this study explores how African historical transport infrastructure development and socio-economic changes affect institutional changes and preferences of available transport modes. We used recently published systematic reviews, case studies, analytical cross-sectional studies, policy review papers, and available relevant studies reports and some grey literature to understand the impacts of these factors. Our analysis shows that the transport demand is affected by local socio-economic contexts shaped by historical pretexts, socio-technical changes, economic transitions, and related value systems. These is essential to understand the operational characteristics of the formal and informal transport modalities, their roles and contribution to meet the mobility needs of the people and designing of an effective management system. This paper can provide insights to policy-makers, urban transport planners and researchers in the field on the complementary modalities involving formal and informal transportation.

Efficient self-organization of informal public transport networks

“…Moreover, while drivers typically offer their service with some regularity (e.g. when demand and expected profits are high in the morning), service is not guaranteed, waiting times may be long, or stops may be skipped by drivers, resulting in low reliability and potentially low personal safety compared to formal services 20 , 22 , 23 . Despite these limitations, informal services are often the primary mode of transport for the majority of the population in developing regions and help establish social equality by providing mobility to all.…”

“…The observed efficient self-organization of informal route structures may, in part, originate from the dynamic interactions among many drivers and customers in contrast to static services in the Global North. For example, competition between drivers and operators for quality-sensitive customers has been suggested to directly promote efficient, more direct routes 20 . Our global comparative analysis confirms the potential of self-organized transport to form highly efficient services.…”

Transporte urbano-sustentável em cidades globais inteligentes: o caso de Milão

“…O transporte urbano é desenvolvido a partir dos contextos socioeconômicos locais baseados na história da cidade, mudanças sociotécnicas, transições econômicas e sistemas de valores (Tucho, 2022). A noção de transporte urbano-sustentável pode variar de sociedade para sociedade, conforme sua cultura, contexto político e histórico, bem como suas características econômicas em distintas escalas geográficas.…”

“…O acesso aos transportes modernos envolve o desenvolvimento socioeconômico e, além disso, o desenvolvimento sustentável (Tucho, 2022), conforme consta nos Objetivos do Desenvolvimento Sustentável -ODS 7 (ACNUR, 2022). Desta forma, desenvolvimento socioeconômico, desenvolvimento sustentável e ODS estão interligados, não permitindo que um seja pensado sem o outro.…”

Perceived Workplace Harassment of Informal Public Transport Operators in Two African Cities

“…Informal public transport modes are road vehicles that operate as flexible passenger transportation services and do not follow fixed schedules or routes (Cervero and Golob, 2017;Tucho, 2022). The vehicles are old, low performing, cost effective, time efficient, fuel efficient and effective for short-distance travel (Tucho, 2022).…”