IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/jotrge/v88y2020ics0966692317306312.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Measuring individuals' travel behaviour by use of a GPS-based smartphone application in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

Author

Listed:
  • Joseph, Lucy
  • Neven, An
  • Martens, Karel
  • Kweka, Opportuna
  • Wets, Geert
  • Janssens, Davy

Abstract

A range of mega-cities in the Global South have started to invest in Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) systems, as a complement or replacement for informal paratransit services, in an effort to improve the mobility and accessibility in the city. Yet, few studies have tried to analyse the impact of such systems on the mobility patterns of cities' residents, in part because traditional travel diary surveys are often too expensive to conduct and unsuitable to capture spatial mobility patterns in fast growing cities with a high level of informality in spatial development. In this study, we analyse the applicability of a new method of data collection, i.e. a GPS-based smartphone application, to capture individuals travel behaviour in fast growing mega-cities in the Global South. Our case study is the city of Dar es Salaam (DES) in Tanzania, where the first BRT line is currently being implemented. In our study, the GPS-based app was used by individuals in DES to record distances, departure times and destinations of their trips. Socio-demographic data of respondents were recorded in short questionnaires. The spatial distribution of the trip patterns shows the mobility demand in both high and less connected areas. The results reveal a variation in departure times, travel destinations and trip distances that are one the one hand spatially limited within neighbourhoods and away from the planned BRT, and on the other hand along major roads connecting to the Central Business District (CBD). The short average distances of the trips (<3 km) reveal the characteristics of paratransit modes. The GPS-based smartphone application provides an opportunity to policy makers to engage deeply with the spatial reality of local communities, as a basis for transport investments and policy improvements as steps towards an integrated public transport system.

Suggested Citation

  • Joseph, Lucy & Neven, An & Martens, Karel & Kweka, Opportuna & Wets, Geert & Janssens, Davy, 2020. "Measuring individuals' travel behaviour by use of a GPS-based smartphone application in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 88(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jotrge:v:88:y:2020:i:c:s0966692317306312
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jtrangeo.2019.102477
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0966692317306312
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.jtrangeo.2019.102477?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Nour, Akram & Hellinga, Bruce & Casello, Jeffrey, 2016. "Classification of automobile and transit trips from Smartphone data: Enhancing accuracy using spatial statistics and GIS," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 51(C), pages 36-44.
    2. Rafael La Porta & Andrei Shleifer, 2014. "Informality and Development," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 28(3), pages 109-126, Summer.
    3. Matteo Rizzo & Blandina Kilama & Marc Wuyts, 2015. "The Invisibility of Wage Employment in Statistics on the Informal Economy in Africa: Causes and Consequences," Journal of Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 51(2), pages 149-161, February.
    4. Chen, Jie & Shaw, Shih-Lung & Yu, Hongbo & Lu, Feng & Chai, Yanwei & Jia, Qinglei, 2011. "Exploratory data analysis of activity diary data: a space–time GIS approach," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 19(3), pages 394-404.
    5. Ding, Yu & Lu, Huapu, 2016. "Activity participation as a mediating variable to analyze the effect of land use on travel behavior: A structural equation modeling approach," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 52(C), pages 23-28.
    6. Guillen, Marie Danielle & Ishida, Haruo & Okamoto, Naohisa, 2013. "Is the use of informal public transport modes in developing countries habitual? An empirical study in Davao City, Philippines," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 26(C), pages 31-42.
    7. Ciscal-Terry, Wilner & Dell'Amico, Mauro & Hadjidimitriou, Natalia Selini & Iori, Manuel, 2016. "An analysis of drivers route choice behaviour using GPS data and optimal alternatives," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 51(C), pages 119-129.
    8. Muhammad Adeel & Anthony Gar-On Yeh & Feng Zhang, 2016. "Transportation disadvantage and activity participation in the cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad, Pakistan," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 65025, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    9. Adeel, Muhammad & Yeh, Anthony Gar-On & Zhang, Feng, 2016. "Transportation disadvantage and activity participation in the cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad, Pakistan," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 47(C), pages 1-12.
    10. Yosef Jabareen, 2014. ""Do it yourself" as an informal mode of space production: conceptualizing informality," Journal of Urbanism: International Research on Placemaking and Urban Sustainability, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 7(4), pages 414-428, December.
    11. Liu, Xi & Gong, Li & Gong, Yongxi & Liu, Yu, 2015. "Revealing travel patterns and city structure with taxi trip data," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 43(C), pages 78-90.
    12. Diaz Olvera, Lourdes & Plat, Didier & Pochet, Pascal, 2013. "The puzzle of mobility and access to the city in Sub-Saharan Africa," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 32(C), pages 56-64.
    13. Oviedo Hernandez, Daniel & Titheridge, Helena, 2016. "Mobilities of the periphery: Informality, access and social exclusion in the urban fringe in Colombia," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 55(C), pages 152-164.
    14. Fox, Sean, 2014. "The Political Economy of Slums: Theory and Evidence from Sub-Saharan Africa," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 54(C), pages 191-203.
    15. Lourdes Diaz Olvera & Didier Plat & Pascal Pochet, 2013. "The puzzle of mobility and access to the city in Sub-Saharan Africa," Post-Print halshs-00861105, HAL.
    16. Md. Kamruzzaman & Tan Yigitcanlar & Jay Yang & Mohd Afzan Mohamed, 2016. "Measures of Transport-Related Social Exclusion: A Critical Review of the Literature," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 8(7), pages 1-30, July.
    17. Daniel E. Agbiboa, 2016. "‘No Condition IS Permanent': Informal Transport Workers and Labour Precarity in Africa's Largest City," International Journal of Urban and Regional Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 40(5), pages 936-957, September.
    18. Behrens, Roger & McCormick, Dorothy & Orero, Risper & Ommeh, Marilyn, 2017. "Improving paratransit service: Lessons from inter-city matatu cooperatives in Kenya," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 53(C), pages 79-88.
    19. Ka'bange, Abdi & Mfinanga, David & Hema, Edwin, 2014. "Paradoxes of establishing mass rapid transit systems in african cities – A case of Dar es Salaam Rapid Transit (DART) system, Tanzania," Research in Transportation Economics, Elsevier, vol. 48(C), pages 176-183.
    20. Nkurunziza, Alphonse & Zuidgeest, Mark & Brussel, Mark & Van den Bosch, Frans, 2012. "Spatial variation of transit service quality preferences in Dar-es-Salaam," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 24(C), pages 12-21.
    21. Casas, Irene & Delmelle, Elizabeth C., 2014. "Identifying dimensions of exclusion from a BRT system in a developing country: a content analysis approach," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 39(C), pages 228-237.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Cheng, Long & Cai, Xinmei & Liu, Zhuo & Huang, Zhiren & Chen, Wendong & Witlox, Frank, 2024. "Characterising travel behaviour patterns of transport hub station area users using mobile phone data," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 116(C).

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Andreasen, Manja Hoppe & Møller-Jensen, Lasse, 2017. "Access to the city: Mobility patterns, transport and accessibility in peripheral settlements of Dar es Salaam," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 62(C), pages 20-29.
    2. Foley, Louise & Brugulat-Panés, Anna & Woodcock, James & Govia, Ishtar & Hambleton, Ian & Turner-Moss, Eleanor & Mogo, Ebele R.I. & Awinja, Alice Charity & Dambisya, Philip M. & Matina, Sostina Spiwe , 2022. "Socioeconomic and gendered inequities in travel behaviour in Africa: Mixed-method systematic review and meta-ethnography," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 292(C).
    3. Gaele Lesteven & Dramane Cissokho & Pascal Pochet & Momar Diongue & Pape Sakho, 2022. "Daily Mobility in Urban Peripheries: The Role of Clandestine Taxis in Dakar, Senegal," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(11), pages 1-15, June.
    4. Lourdes Diaz Olvera & Didier Plat & Pascal Pochet, 2016. "Changes in daily mobility patterns in Dakar (Senegal)," Post-Print halshs-01346869, HAL.
    5. Ofentse Mokwena, 2016. "Paratransit Mesoeconomy: Control Measures From The Supply Side?," Proceedings of Economics and Finance Conferences 3205591, International Institute of Social and Economic Sciences.
    6. Luz, Gregorio & da Silva Portugal, Licinio, 2021. "Understanding Transport-Related Social Exclusion Through the Lens of Capabilities Approach," OSF Preprints 4d3uy, Center for Open Science.
    7. Valenzuela-Levi, Nicolás, 2021. "The rich and mobility: A new look into the impacts of income inequality on household transport expenditures," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 100(C), pages 161-171.
    8. Lourdes Diaz Olvera & Didier Plat & Pascal Pochet, 2015. "Assessment of mobility inequalities and income data collection. Methodological issues and a case study (Douala, Cameroon) [Evaluation des inégalités de mobilité et recueil des revenus. Questions mé," Post-Print halshs-01235185, HAL.
    9. Farhan Haider & Zia ur Rehman & Ammad Hassan Khan & Maryam Ilyas & Inamullah Khan, 2021. "Performance Evaluation of BRT Standard in Decision Support System for Integrated Transportation Policy," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(4), pages 1-19, February.
    10. Zhang, Shanqi & Yang, Yu & Zhen, Feng & Lobsang, Tashi & Li, Zhixuan, 2021. "Understanding the travel behaviors and activity patterns of the vulnerable population using smart card data: An activity space-based approach," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 90(C).
    11. Chalermpong, Saksith & Ratanawaraha, Apiwat & Anuchitchanchai, Ornicha, 2023. "Motorcycle taxis' varying degrees of complementarity and substitution with public transit in Bangkok," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 108(C).
    12. Lourdes Diaz Olvera & Lestruhaut Pierre & Didier Plat & Pascal Pochet, 2016. "Linking inequalities in daily mobility and transport expenditure in a Latin-American metropolis," Post-Print halshs-01346875, HAL.
    13. Aiman Musina & Aigul Abduldayeva & Bulat Suleimenov & Zharas Sembaev & Roza Suleimenova & Marzhan Myrzakhanova & Saltanat Urazova & Dana Assambayeva & Nazim Galimgozhina & Vsevolod Osipov & Kulzhami O, 2022. "The psychophysiological status of rail traffic operators and modern approaches to its correction," Public Transport, Springer, vol. 14(3), pages 635-653, October.
    14. Mendiate, Classio Joao & Nkurunziza, Alphonse & Machanguana, Constancio Augusto & Bernardo, Roberto, 2022. "Pedestrian travel behaviour and urban form: Comparing two small Mozambican cities," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 98(C).
    15. Mateo-Babiano, Iderlina & Recio, Redento B. & Ashmore, David P. & Guillen, Marie Danielle & Gaspay, Sandy Mae, 2020. "Formalising the jeepney industry in the Philippines – A confirmatory thematic analysis of key transitionary issues," Research in Transportation Economics, Elsevier, vol. 83(C).
    16. Louis G. Alcorn & Alex Karner, 2021. "Integrating formal and informal transit into one hybrid passenger transport system in Lagos, Nigeria," Transportation, Springer, vol. 48(3), pages 1361-1377, June.
    17. Tao, Sui & He, Sylvia Y. & Kwan, Mei-Po & Luo, Shuli, 2020. "Does low income translate into lower mobility? An investigation of activity space in Hong Kong between 2002 and 2011," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 82(C).
    18. Muhammad Adeel & Anthony G. O. Yeh & Feng Zhang, 2017. "Gender inequality in mobility and mode choice in Pakistan," Transportation, Springer, vol. 44(6), pages 1519-1534, November.
    19. Hernandez, Diego & Rossel, Cecilia, 2015. "Inequality and access to social services in Latin America: space–time constraints of child health checkups and prenatal care in Montevideo," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 44(C), pages 24-32.
    20. Murad Mohammed & Sanjaya Senadheera, 2022. "Public Transport Affordability Evaluation for Addis Ababa City," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(11), pages 1-18, June.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:jotrge:v:88:y:2020:i:c:s0966692317306312. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.journals.elsevier.com/journal-of-transport-geography .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.