Travel behaviour in Dar es Salaam city

Travel in the city of Dar es Salaam is a challenge despite of several interventions by the Government. The aim of this study was to characterise the current travel behaviour and to identify the factors affecting it as a foundation for identifying interventions for the city’s current transport challenges. The study involved interviewing 7,867 members of 2008 households aged five years and above at their residences. A qualitative survey of 64 road users was carried out at varied locations to identify the factors affecting travel and what the residents perceived as possible solutions to the current transport challenges. The trip rates per person per day for low, medium and high income groups were 2.06, 2.10 and 2.05, respectively. NMT mode share was 85.4 percent with cycling contributing less than one percent. Public transport share was 74 percent of the trips made using motorised vehicles. It was apparent that travel behaviour was influenced by city plan, household income level, and quality of road transport infrastructure, quality and safety of public transport services, social relations and economic activities. The study identified effective planning of land use, provision of road infrastructure for both motorised and NMT and involvement of community in giving opinions during transport planning processes among others as potential interventions that may contribute to reduce the current transport challenges. The study recommends the use of qualitative information to supplement transport demand forecasting to enhance devising of reliable transport measures for improving travel in the City. It proposes for further studies to explore relevant interventions to promote pedal cycling since it is quite low in the City