Towards effective urban transportation system in Lagos, Nigeria: Commuters’ opinions and experiences

Abstract

The economic and financial sustainability of cities is inextricably linked with the viability of the city’s transportation system. The viability of the system can be enhanced through an understanding of commuters’ opinions and experiences. Using Lagos, Nigeria, as a case study, the purpose of this study therefore is to investigate commuters’ opinions and experiences about several elements of the city’s transportation system.The results of the survey indicate that commercial vehicles represent the dominant mode of transportation in the city while the most-frequently mentioned causes and locations of traffic congestion are “law and order” issues such as motorists who pick up and drop off passengers on the roadway, informal economic entrepreneurs who occupy bus stops, and police and traffic warden checkpoints. Most of the respondents reported experiencing “road rage” during their daily commute, and the reported reasons are mostly “law and order” issues.Most of the respondents indicate that they at least “sometimes” stay late at work in order to avoid evening time traffic congestion, and virtually all the respondents support the provision of information about traffic situation either as electronic messaging or on radio stations. The study offers suggestions that can be used to reduce traffic congestion, and improve the quality of commuters’ transportation experiences.