Operation and Use of Motorcycle for Public Transport in Nigeria: A Case study of Agege Lagos, Nigeria. Transport School Series

Abstract

Commercial motorcycle operation has become one of the main modes of urban transportation in Nigeria. In spite of this, very little information is known about the operational pattern and characteristics. This is why this paper attempts to examine the operation of commercial motorcycle in Agege Local Government Area, Lagos. The study examined commercial motorcycle patronage level, economic viability, safety level, public acceptability and otherwise of the mode. A structured questionnaire was designed and used to collect various data relating to motorcycle operational characteristics, patronage level, socioeconomic characteristic of both the operators and the users. The data were analysed descriptively. The results show that 88% of motorcycles operators have either primary or secondary school education, 73% of them earn income higher than their counterparts with the same qualification in the public service.It was also discovered that there is a high correlation between the income generated and number of route plied by the operators with correlation co-efficient of (r) 0.995. However, the operators faced some challenges, the major one among them is the harassment from police and other law enforcement agents The paper therefore concludes that commercial motorcycle operation is a viable business in the study area but its operations should be regulated and limited to access roads so that it could serve as a complementary mode of urban transportation.