The Provision of Rural Transport Services

SSATP Working Paper March 31, 1998 Rural Access & Mobility
http://www.ssatp.org/sites/ssatp/files/publications/SSATP-WorkingPapers/SSATPWP…
SSATPWP37.pdf408.8 KB
Simon D. Ellis and John L. Hine
SSATP, The World Bank
SSATP Working Paper No. 37
The Provision of Rural Transport Services
The argument presented in this report is that the relationships between improved rural road infrastructure and the provision of complementary vehicle services have not been fully understood resulting in over emphasis on infrastructure and under emphasis on the vehicle services themselves. The paper draws on evidence from cross country comparisons to conclude that there are particular problems in the rural areas of Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Rural populations in SSA suffer from very high transport costs when compared with both national transport costs and rural transport costs in other countries. They also suffer from low service frequency and unreliable services particularly in the wet season. The policy of leaving the provision of Rural Transport Services (RTS), including Intermediate Means of Transport (IMT's), to the private sector has generally been unsuccessful because the market for these services does not operate effectively. There are a number of reasons for this which include a low density of demand and the subsequent problems in matching demand and supply; poor information flows between transport operators and users; un-competitive practices and market distortions caused by the institutional framework; and a lack of emphasis by government on the promotion and strengthening of the private sector. The paper recommends ways in which effective demand can be maximized; appropriate infrastructure standards employed; better vehicle selection and promotion achieved; an enabling environment created which promotes competition; and a better understanding of the issues by all governments and agencies involved in the provision of road infrastructure.

access to vehicles Animal transport availability of transport availability of transport services basic access better transport bicycles Bus Services buses commercial vehicles cost of transport cost of transport services country comparisons Credit schemes distribution of vehicles efficient rural transport employment fares fixed costs fleet of vehicles framework freight freight transport fuel fuel taxes good transport gravel health services IMT income Intermediate means of transport interurban transport legal framework loading local governments Local transport mobility mode of transport modes of transport motorcycles motorized transport passenger passenger fares Pedestrians pickups poor road condition productivity road access road improvement road infrastructure road investment road investments Road Maintenance road networks road quality road roughness Road Users roads roughness routes rural accessibility rural areas rural development rural infrastructure Rural Road rural road infrastructure Rural Road Maintenance rural road network rural roads Rural transport Rural Transport Infrastructure Rural Transport Planning rural transport services rural transport systems Rural Travel secondary roads speed Taxis Tracks tractors traffic traffic counts traffic flows transport charges transport costs Transport management transport operators Transport planners transport planning transport policies Transport Policy transport projects Transport Research transport systems transport tariffs transport tasks Transport unions trips trucks types of vehicles Urban transport utility vehicles vehicle access vehicle diversity vehicle maintenance vehicle operating vehicle operating costs vehicle operation vehicle operators vehicle ownership vehicle registration vehicle transport Vehicles walkingRural transport services Infrastructure private sector road construction Agricultural production management transport costs institutional framework rural communities rural areas Ownership Commodity prices Industrial production Rural development communication economic development social development legal framework
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