Urban mass transit system

By Sam Njuguna

A 20-minute off-peak drive translates into an hour or more at peak time. At the best of times during the rush hour, we are running at 30 per cent efficiency. In traffic, vehicles are at their worst on wear and tear, considering that a motorist is braking every half-second and revving the rest of the time.

The fact that no effective productivity is taking place during road travel time means time spent in a traffic snarl up is wasted. The erratic driving patterns requisite of traffic jams contribute to heightened costs, inflation and ultimately, poverty.

Traffic pandemic

Mental fatigue and exhaustion cause moodiness and irritability as displayed on most mornings in many organisations and at homes in the evenings. Stress takes its toll on relationships hence communication breakdowns, untenable work environments, bad behaviour in public, dysfunctional families and ultimately, depression.

Combine poverty and depression and you soon realise that the combined effect of this traffic pandemic on a city can snowball into a social-economic consequence that can only be summarised in one word: Misery.

Misery has become a national pastime in Kenya. As a country, following the cause and effect patterns of the past, we must all have arrived at a point where we appreciate that the cost of fuel translates to the cost of every commodity we consume — from eggs to reinforced concrete. Every traffic gridlock you find yourself in translates into a direct loss situation at a micro-economic level and a declining Gross Domestic.

Energy is, therefore, a crucial economic determinant. As a weak economy, we need to come to a consensus that we cannot sustain a conspicuous consumption culture. It is time we learnt to collectively weave the weak strands of our resources together in order to create the strong rope of economic self-sufficiency. In a country blessed with vast renewable energy sources like Kenya, it is a surprise that we are not an energy exporter!

For instance, it has become normal in urban Kenya to have two or more cars per household — not necessarily for the practicality of the devices as much as their symbolic and aesthetic value. About 90 per cent of the cars during peak hours are singly occupied, time between which they are parked for eight hours in the sun. Their utility value is practically nil.

Personal motoring

Personal motoring will, however, continue to be the favoured mode of transportation in cities because of three main reasons: Dignity, convenience and reliability, all of which lack in our public transport.

An effective mass transit system must enhance dignity and respect to the daily commuter. It must also foster convenience. It should have a series of transit hubs such that every direction of arrival and departure is catered for. For example, a passenger arriving into Nairobi by bus from Machakos en route to Nakuru need not have to walk across the whole city to catch a connection.

Reliability in public transport would see the introduction of timetables at bus stands, proper road etiquette and a return to orderliness. Traffic that maintains a consistent flow can be ensured by the simple principle of ‘either keep moving or get out". Harsh penalties and instant fines for breaking this traffic code should be instituted. This would ensure timeliness in arrival and departures of commuter couriers.

To be effective, a mass transit system must work smoothly from beginning to end. Any investment in a mass transit system, including the expensive Nairobi rail link, will only break down because of a single glitch in the throughput. Why would a passenger opt to fly into Nairobi, get into a state of the art metro shuttle to the metropolis only to be dropped in the middle of irretrievable chaos?

The writer is a development manager.