ASSESSMENT OF THE IMPACT OF THE BAN OF MOTORCYCLE OPERATIONS IN ABUJA CENTRAL AREA,NIGERIA

Abstract

The significant of mobility to both developed and developing countries has prompted a great amount of study into various forms of urban transit in which commercial motorcycle operations is not an exception. With motorcycle operations being associated with an exponential rise in crime rate in major cities in Nigeria resulting to it ban in some Nigeria cities. This study assessed the impact of the ban of commercial motorcycle operations in four selected sampled areas in Abuja central area (i.e. Nyanya, Wuse, Garki, Asokoro, Maitama). A survey research approached was adopted in which systematic random sampling technique was used to administered questionnaires to one out of every twenty operators and users of commercial motorcycles. An aggregate of 413 questionnaire were administered to operators and users with 394 returned valid from the selected sampled areas. Finding reveal that 70% of respondents sampled were male with 40.1% between ages of 30-40 years. The simple linear regression used to assess the effects of number of trips on average profit shows that the coefficient of determination R2 = 0.85 (85%), ANOVA = 657.363, P< 0.000 at 0.05 alpha. Results also indicates that traffic violation accounted for 42.8% of total variance of factors causing the ban while, 77.6% of users opined that the ban has led to delay and difficulties in accessing their destination. It is therefore recommended that an alternative and efficient mode of transportation should be made available by government within the city centre to ease mobility.