Abstract
The informal transport sector in disadvantaged areas, like KwaDabeka township in Durban, is heavily impacted by road accidents, causing several deaths annually and ranking among the top six causes of disability according to the World Health Organization. This thesis aims to enhance transport service quality in these areas by examining the factors influencing user satisfaction and driver behaviour, both critical to road safety. The first contribution of this thesis is the development of a new method for identifying the key factors influencing commuter satisfaction. An agent-based modelling and simulation approach is adopted to understand how changes in the provided service can impact commuter satisfaction, marking the first use of this methodological approach for this research question. The second contribution involves analysing public transportation drivers from the commuters’ perspective, using a factor analysis approach to identify the factors influencing drivers’ behaviour. Both contributions were carried out using questionnaires from a sample of commuters. Then, using location and speed data collected with a smartphone, and factor analysis, the third contribution compares public transportation drivers’ behaviour in controlled (visible law enforcement) and uncontrolled environments. As results, the study identified speed, infrastructure quality, waiting time, accessibility, and safety as key factors for commuter satisfaction. Commuters perceive driver behavior as dependent on skills and personality, with minibus taxi drivers’ skills generally seen as low. The data showed that minibus taxi drivers exhibit more aggressive driving in controlled environments and exceed speed limits more frequently in uncontrolled environments. Finally, recommendations are provided, highlighting the need to shift from general cost-effectiveness practices to more aggressive approaches for improving the quality of public transportation services. These approaches include seminars, campaigns, and workshops, as well as high visibility of law enforcement officers, more speed humps, roundabouts, and increased investments in road safety transportation technological solutions.
Keywords: Satisfaction, captive users, disadvantaged areas, driver behaviour, public transportation.