Is informal transport flexible?

Abstract

Informal transport is often described as flexible, reactive, demand responsive, niche-filling, and in-tune with passenger needs. This paper proposes expanded definitions of flexibility in the operations of informal transport networks and presents a theoretical framing for understanding the growth and change in the locations of routes and terminals. Based on surveys and interviews of transport workers and regulators in four African cities, it argues that individually competing vehicles encounter coordination failures that limit their incentives for searching out niche services. Meanwhile, in cities with localized, route-based associations, organizations of multiple vehicles are able to take on the initiative and risk of developing new service locations and responding to passenger demand. This is done through a complex, gradual process that includes temporary subsidies to drivers and operators, testing and measuring potential demand, and advertising the new route. The key mechanism is in competition not between individual drivers, who manage internal competition carefully with a variety of mechanisms to distribute income opportunities fairly, but between firms and associations over territorial coverage. This not only opens potential for engaging transport associations in planning and policymaking, but also reveals limitations to the coverage and equity of access offered by existing networks and incentive structures.

Efficient self-organization of informal public transport networks

“…While the routes of informal services are not fixed, they are usually restricted to corridors with some regular major stops (e.g., major exchanges or hubs) 24 , 25 . The corridors of the routes are often agreed upon between competing drivers or groups of service providers, and drivers of informal services typically adhere to these corridors to avoid conflict with competitors or fines from traffic police 25 , 31 .…”

“…The corridors of the routes are often agreed upon between competing drivers or groups of service providers, and drivers of informal services typically adhere to these corridors to avoid conflict with competitors or fines from traffic police 25 , 31 . However, even when exact routes are specified in operating licenses, drivers in practice often adjust their route and stop locations dynamically, for example, to find more customers, circumvent traffic, or avoid police checkpoints when they receive relevant information from passing drivers 21 , 23 , 24 . In this way, new routes may emerge and grow organically and will often be licensed a-posteriori as demand increases and drivers begin serving the route directly when it becomes profitable 21 , 24 , 25 , 30 .…”

“…However, even when exact routes are specified in operating licenses, drivers in practice often adjust their route and stop locations dynamically, for example, to find more customers, circumvent traffic, or avoid police checkpoints when they receive relevant information from passing drivers 21 , 23 , 24 . In this way, new routes may emerge and grow organically and will often be licensed a-posteriori as demand increases and drivers begin serving the route directly when it becomes profitable 21 , 24 , 25 , 30 . The overall route networks of informal services thus self-organize largely without central planning.…”

“…Centrally organized public transport is often not available at all or remains prohibitively expensive for the majority of the population. Instead, a collection of informal, privately operated services provides demand-driven transportation, typically by (mini)buses 21 – 24 .…”

“…However, their informal nature has traditionally hindered access to these systems and their operational data such that research so far was limited to small scales, either being focused on individual case studies, limited to specific regions, or both 24 – 27 . In particular, how such informal systems organize their routes and how efficient they may be, especially compared to formal public transport in the Global North, is not well understood to date.…”