An investigation into the role of transport operator associations in shaping Transport Services in Africa’s rural areas TRANSAID January 2014 CONTRACT REF NO. AFCAP/GEN/127/A Photograph of Informal Boda Boda Association: Bagamoyo, Tanzania British Expertise International Awards 2013: Outstanding International Collaboration An investigation into the role of transport operator associations in shaping Transport Services in / Africa’s rural areas Crown Agents This project was funded by the Africa Community Access Programme (AFCAP) which promotes safe and sustainable access to markets, healthcare, education, employment and social and political networks for rural communities in Africa. Launched in June 2008 and managed by Crown Agents, the five year-long, UK government (DFID) funded project, supports research and knowledge sharing between participating countries to enhance the uptake of low cost, proven solutions for rural access that maximise the use of local resources. The programme is currently active in Ethiopia, Kenya, Ghana, Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania, Zambia, South Africa, Democratic Republic of Congo and South Sudan and is developing relationships with a number of other countries and regional organisations across Africa. This material has been funded by UKaid from the Department for International Development, however the views expressed do not necessarily reflect the department’s or the managing agent’s official policies. For further information visit https://www.afcap.org Report summary This final report contains the overall findings of the literature review, interviews and field research undertaken in order to investigate the role of transport operator associations in shaping transport services in rural areas of Sub-Saharan Africa. This AFCAP-funded study explored the role of both public and private transport operator associations in influencing issues such as routing, scheduling and fare setting. The research also explored the role the associations play in shaping rural access as well as the influence they have regarding road safety issues and interaction with police, authorities and other relevant actors. It builds on AFCAP’s review of rural transport services. The literature review revealed that there is very little knowledge of how transport operator associations actually work in rural areas and what positive and negative effects they have on the operation of commercially viable rural transport services. The literature review and small field research study enabled some promising practices to be identified that show potential for replication/scale up, including strengthening associations, supporting the creation of new associations, promoting cooperation between authorities and associations, mentoring schemes for small operators and capacity building opportunities. A number of specific future research areas and opportunities for demonstration projects have also been identified. Research Team: Jeff Turner – Visiting Lecturer Leeds University, UK and Transaid Trustee Eli Mgonja – Independent Consultant, formally National Institute of Transport, Tanzania Caroline Barber - Head of Programmes, Transaid Hollie Brader - Programmes Assistant and Knowledge Management Officer, Transaid i An investigation into the role of transport operator associations in shaping Transport Services in / Africa’s rural areas Crown Agents Table of Contents List of Abbreviations (iii) List of Tables (iv) Abstract (iii) Page 1. Introduction 2 2. Literature Review 3 2.1 Literature review 3 2.2 Methodology 3 2.3 Findings of the Review 5 2.4 Summary and Conclusions from the literature review 9 3. Interviews 9 3.1 General Landscape/current operating environment 9 3.2 Urban focus 10 3.3 Routes/fares 11 3.4 Road safety 12 3.5 The role of associations as a ‘safety net’ to operators and the public 12 3.6 Operator Associations and the authorities 14 3.7 Examples of associations providing solutions for improved access to health care and markets 14 3.8 Solutions and recommendations from the interviews 15 4. Tanzania Stakeholder Workshop 16 5. Conclusions and Recommendations 17 6. Future dissemination activities 18 7. References 19 1. APPENDIX A: PROJECT PROPOSAL 22 2. APPENDIX B: LITERATURE REVIEW SEARCHES 27 3. APPENDIX C: GREY LITERATURE RESEARCH DOCUMENTS 83 4. APPENDIX D: INTERVIEW GUIDES (ENGLISH, FRENCH AND MALAGASY) 90 5. APPENDIX E: SUMMARY OF INTERVIEWS CONDUCTED 97 6. APPENDIX F: INTERVIEW TRANSCRIPTS 99 7. APPENDIX H: TANZANIA STAKEHOLDER WORKSHOP REPORT 157 ii An investigation into the role of transport operator associations in shaping Transport Services in / Africa’s rural areas Crown Agents Appendices Page Appendices/ 21 APPENDIX A: PROJECT PROPOSAL 22 APPENDIX B: LITERATURE REVIEW 27 APPENDIX C: GREY LITERATURE RESEARCH DOCUMENTS 83 APPENDIX D: INTERVIEW GUIDES (ENGLISH, FRENCH AND MALAGASY) 90 APPENDIX E: SUMMARY OF INTERVIEWS CONDUCTED 97 APPENDIX F: INTERVIEW TRANSCRIPTS 99 APPENDIX H: TANZANIA STAKEHOLDER WORKSHOP REPORT 157 List of Abbreviations AFCAP Africa Community Access Programme CCC Consumers Consultative Commission ETS Emergency Transport Scheme FESARTA Federation of East and Southern Africa Road Transport Associations MOHA Ministry of Home Affairs MoT Ministry of Transport MoW Ministry of Works NGO Non-Government Organisation NIT National Institute of Transport NURTW National Union of Road Transport Workers PMO-RALG Prime Minister’s Office – Regional Administration and Local Government Q&A Question and Answer RFB Roads Fund Board RF Road Fund SUMATRA Surface and Marine Transport Regulatory Authority TABOA Tanzania Bus Owners Association TANROADS Tanzania National Roads Agency TASAF Tanzania Social Action Fund TATOA Tanzania Truck Owners Association iii An investigation into the role of transport operator associations in shaping Transport Services in / Africa’s rural areas Crown Agents TAZ Trucker’s Association of Zambia TFG Tanzania Forum Group TOA Transport Operator Association TZ Tanzania UBDAA Uganda Bus Drivers and Allied Association UWAPITE Umoja Waendesha Pikipiki Temeke (Union of motorcycle drivers in Temeke District, Tanzania) List of Tables Table 1: Database search terms and results iv An investigation into the role of transport operator associations in shaping Transport Services in / Africa’s rural areas Crown Agents Abstract/ Transport operator associations are a key feature of urban, inter-urban and rural transport services in Africa. Transport services are essential to allow men, women and children to access vital services such as healthcare, markets and education. However, the role they have in shaping Transport Services in Africa’s rural areas is under- researched. This AFCAP-funded study addressed this knowledge gap by exploring the role of both public and private transport operator associations in influencing issues such as routing, scheduling and fare setting. The research also explored the role the associations play in shaping rural access as well as the influence they have regarding road safety issues and interaction with police, authorities and other relevant actors. It builds on AFCAP’s review of rural transport services. The literature review revealed that indeed there is very little knowledge of how transport operator associations actually work in rural areas and what positive and negative effects they have on the operation of commercially viable rural transport services. This is even more the case for rural freight operations, though obviously freight and passengers are frequently not differentiated in many rural contexts. The literature review and a small field research study enabled some promising practices to be identified that show potential for replication/scale up, including strengthening associations, supporting the creation of new associations, promoting cooperation between authorities and associations, mentoring schemes for small operators, capacity building opportunities. A number of specific future research areas have also been identified and opportunities for demonstration projects. 1 An investigation into the role of transport operator associations in shaping Transport Services in / Africa’s rural areas Crown Agents 1. Introduction Transaid is an international development charity based in the UK that works to identify, champion, implement and share local transport solutions to improve access to basic services for people in Africa. Transaid was awarded a contract by Crown Agents to conduct research into the role of transport operator associations in shaping transport services in rural Africa between October 2013 and January 2014.The project proposal is set out in Appendix A. This is one of a series of research, dissemination and knowledge sharing assignments commissioned by AFCAP with the overall aim of promoting safe and sustainable rural access in Africa. Transport services are essential to allow men, women and children to access vital services such as healthcare, markets and education. Transport operator associations are a key feature of urban, inter-urban and rural transport services in Africa. However, the role they have in shaping Transport Services in Africa’s rural areas is under-researched. This study addresses this knowledge gap by exploring the role of both public and private transport operator associations in influencing issues such as routing, scheduling and fare setting. The research also explores the role that associations play on shaping rural access as well as the influence they have regarding road safety issues and interaction with police, authorities and other relevant