Examining the spatial disparities of urban public transport fares in Kumasi, Ghana – Are fares consistent by route characteristics?

Gift Dumedah , Seidu Iddrisu , Gabriel Alexander Kpevu , Precious Adwoa Okyere , Patrick Azong
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Abstract

Transport fares are a critical revenue stream for any sustainable public transportation system. The literature on public transport fares in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is very limited and it is unknown the fare structures used, how they are determined, and the factors considered. Accordingly, this study investigates the spatial disparities of public transport fares in the city of Kumasi, Ghana. Using a spatial analytic approach, we examined the extent to which fares are spatially dissimilar across routes based on travel distance, travel time, mode, economic status, and population. Primary data was collected using the General Transit Feed Specification (GTFS)-like format, allowing the estimation of key performance indicators such as fare per kilometer travelled, fare per minute travelled, and average fare paid per passenger. Secondary data on economic status and population density were used. Based on 48 routes for minibus and taxis, we found that one kilometer of travel distance attracts fares between 1 Ghana Cedis (GHS) (0.08USD) and 8GHS (0.71USD), whereas one minute of travel time attracts fares between 1GHS and 6GHS. For each kilometer travelled, Taxi (i.e. saloon car) services charge 3.5 times for every GHS fare for a minibus (i.e. Trotro), whereas for each minute travelled, Taxi services charge 2.2 times for every GHS fare for Trotro. Relationships with economic status show that economically disadvantaged populations pay more fares, travel longer distances, and spend more time travelling. Essentially, economically disadvantaged populations are burdened with higher travel costs. Also, travel cost was found to be more influenced by distance than the fares charged in Kumasi. Highly populated communities were found to pay relatively higher fares, and travel longer durations and over longer distances, but are associated with lower fare rates. The findings show that fares for paratransit services are inconsistent in Kumasi and are spatially differentiated by route, distance travelled, travel time, service type, economic status, and population density. There is limited evidence that fares are deliberately inconsistent, however, fare disparities are the direct outcome of the existing systemic structural arrangement with paratransit, mostly built on underlying political economy, social injustice, labor exploitation, and lack of investment. It is recommended that transport authorities define a clear fare structure, apply it consistently, and communicate the rationale and the driving factors behind fare disparities to ensure transparency in pricing public transport services.
考察加纳库马西城市公共交通票价的空间差异——票价是否与路线特征一致?
交通票价是任何可持续公共交通系统的重要收入来源。关于撒哈拉以南非洲(SSA)公共交通票价的文献非常有限,并且不知道所使用的票价结构,它们是如何确定的,以及考虑的因素。因此,本研究调查了加纳库马西市公共交通票价的空间差异。利用空间分析方法,我们考察了基于旅行距离、旅行时间、方式、经济状况和人口的不同路线的票价空间差异程度。主要数据采用类似GTFS的格式收集,从而可以估计关键绩效指标,如每公里票价、每分钟票价和每位乘客平均支付的票价。使用了经济状况和人口密度的二手数据。基于48条小巴和出租车路线,我们发现一公里的旅行距离吸引的票价在1加纳塞迪斯(GHS)(0.08美元)到8加纳塞迪斯(0.71美元)之间,而一分钟的旅行时间吸引的票价在1加纳塞迪斯(GHS)到6加纳塞迪斯之间。的士(即小巴)每行驶一公里,收费为小巴(即小巴)的3.5倍,而的士每行驶一分钟,收费为小巴的2.2倍。与经济地位的关系表明,经济上处于不利地位的人群支付更多的票价,旅行更远的距离,并花费更多的时间旅行。基本上,经济上处于不利地位的人口负担着较高的旅行费用。此外,旅行费用受距离的影响比库马西收费的影响更大。研究发现,人口密集的社区支付的票价相对较高,旅行时间更长,距离更远,但票价较低。研究结果表明,库马西市的辅助交通服务票价不一致,且存在路线、出行距离、出行时间、服务类型、经济状况和人口密度的空间差异。有有限的证据表明票价故意不一致,然而,票价差异是现有的系统结构安排与辅助交通的直接结果,主要建立在潜在的政治经济,社会不公正,劳动剥削和缺乏投资。建议运输当局订定清晰的收费结构,并始终贯彻执行,并就收费差异背后的理据和驱动因素进行沟通,以确保公共交通服务定价的透明度。
本文章由计算机程序翻译,如有差异,请以英文原文为准。
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