EVALUATION OF EFFICIENCY IN THE OPERATIONS OF PUBLIC AND PRIVATE ROAD TRANSIT SERVICES IN PORT HARCOURT REGION, NIGERIA

Abstract

Efficiency in operations of public and private road transport services is expected to be a sustainable solution for all major transport problems in Nigeria, but in most cases, they are not providing better travel options due to challenges faced in their operations. Inefficiency in the public and private road transportation system, however, escalated negative transport externalities that have an effect on both users and nonusers; and in some cases, left many travellers stranded when experiencing breakdown due to the poor rescue plan. To ascertain the level of efficiency in public and private road transit operations, data on passengers’ preferences for their operations were gathered from assessment of respondents’ responses to questions on functionalities (attributes) that determined efficiency in road transit system which include: safety, comfort, competence, availability, reliability, environmental consequences, traffic observance and technological advancement. Analysis of these attributes indicated that efficiency in the services of private road transit firms’ stand greater with an average of 52% against 48% for public road transit firms. Thus, it recommended that their facilities be standardized, efficient, safe and comfortable for users, while the various tiers of government operating commercial transport, must embrace ideologies and positive actions that could advance their operations