Socio-Economic Importance of Bus Rapid Transit: A Panacea to Sustainable Transport Development in Nigeria

Abstract

Transport plays a crucial role in urban development by providing access to people for education, markets, employment, recreation, health care and other key services. Especially in cities of the developing world, enhanced mobility for the poor and vulnerable groups is one of the most important preconditions for achieving sustainable development. The study therefore aims at determining the perceived socio-economic benefits of bus rapid transit (BRT) for the patrons of public bus system and addressed transportation challenges in order to create a functional, lively and sustainable city in Nigeria. The study adopted an empirical research design to investigate BRT services in Lagos State. The study was based on the data drawn from a target population which is Lagos BRT communities. The sampling unit was based on pilot study using the number of BRT fleets in operation and their capacities, where a total number of 539 BRT users form the sample size. The data for the study were obtained from primary sources through administration of questionnaires. The F-test statistics revealed interactive effect of benefits derived from BRT on its challenges to the commuters. It was found that the F-cal (1029.943) was greater than Table value (2.600) at 0.05 level of significant. This led to the rejection of the hypothesis stated and thus, the perceived socio-economic benefits of BRT are significantly higher than its challenges to commuters in Lagos metropolis. The study recommends the use of BRT as a good alternative to other public/ private transportation to enhance sustainable living in the cities.