Satisfaction of Commuters with Public Transport and its Implications for the Transition to Green Mobility in Ibadan

Abstract

Mobility is a basic prerequisite of life which is essential to human livelihoods and economic sustenance. Mobility accounts for about a quarter of global energy consumption and about half the carbon and pollutant emissions in cities and is a major contributor to environmental pollution, global warming and climate change. Limiting the impacts of mobility on the environment is pivoted upon the transition to green mobility which seeks greener environment-friendly and sustainable modes of commuting. This infers a shift from the traditional popular mode of mobility – private automotive transport (cars) or self-provided transportation – to sustainable alternatives with lower carbon footprint provided by public transport solutions. This study seeks to determine the perceptions and satisfaction of commuters in Ibadan with the public transport modes in the city with the aim to explore its implications for the transition to green mobility. Ibadan is a regional economic and administrative hub for south western Nigeria and one of the largest and most populous cities in West Africa. The study adopted the survey approach utilizing the questionnaire, key informant interview and traffic surveys as research instruments at three significant traffic nodes along the major traffic corridors in the city. Findings revealed four predominant public transport modes which are the tricycle (keke), taxi (micra), mini bus (danfo) and large city bus (Ajumose). The satisfaction of commuters with the public transport modes in Ibadan is low and the green index of
the public transport is also low as the predominant modes of public transport are those on the lower rungs of the green index (taxi and tricycle). There is also a strong relationship between the preferred mode and frequently used mode of public transport by commuters. The transition to green mobility in Ibadan is dependent upon increased quality of public
transport to discourage personal automotive modes and the proliferation of public transport modes with higher green index which are the Ajumose and danfo buses.