Non-motorized transport: an option for low-income earners in tanzania’s urban areas

This dissertation seeks to know the transport cost that the low-income earner in both public and private organizations incur when traveling to work and their children to school. It also seeks to know the likelibood of the low-income earners to cycle to work as an alternative mode of transport. The dissertation is divided into five chapters. Chapter one covers among others, the background information of the research that has reflected on the problems of public transport in Dar es Salaam justifying a need for an alternative transport mode that is cheaper and more convenient. Chapter two covers the literature review that has shown the importance of transport in economic development. It also reflects the world’s dependence on motorized transport ignoring the important role of Non-Motorized Transport in developing countries. Chapter three discusses the research methodology that shows the study area, population sampling, research methods, and data analysis techniques. Chapter four analyses and discusses the data collected from the research field. It points out that although most of the respondents admitted that cost of public transport was too high they did not ride to work due to, among other reasons, inability to purchase bicycles, and living too far from work places. Majority of them were willing to bicycles to work should the obstacles be removed. The respondents suggested a number of measures to be taken to remove the obstacles so as to promote bicycling. The chapter also reflects on the National Transport Policy and various strategies in pipeline that give direction on the accommodation of Non-Motorized Transport (NMT) in urban transport systems. Chapter five gives the summary of the research findings, conclusions, recommendations and areas for further research.