Contribution of management practices towards the quality of public transport service in Uganda: A study of selected private bus operators

Abstract

Public Transport is provide mobility to people who do not have access to private cars, or provide an alternative option to private car mobility. In developing countries like Uganda, public transport service, especially bus transport, is getting prominence because of the passenger volumes lifted. The quality of the services provided to the passengers is synonymous with a wide range of characteristics of the public transport systems, such as safety, on-time performance, accessibility, efficiency, and many others. Notwithstanding the huge investment and interest in the sector by public transport operators, the critical issue remains whether the public is getting the service quality deserved. This therefore prompted the researcher to undertake a study, using a case study research design, to establish the extent to which the management practices of the bus operators contribute to the quality of public transport bus service. A questionnaire survey on public bus passengers in some selected 20 bus operators was conducted to get their views on the quality of service provided. Interviews were also conducted with bus managers and the sector regulators at Transport Licensing Board (TLB). The study findings revealed that unit increases in planning, organizing and controlling lead to 0.345, 0. 679 and 0.470 respectively increase in quality of the bus services. The findings of this study will help the bus operators appreciate the critical importance of their management practices to the quality of the service that they render to the public. The study recommended that before anyone is licensed as a public bus operator, he or she should be first vetted for managerial competences and relevant experience in the field. For those operators and their managers who are already in service, they should undergo some basic training in management skills customer care. These trainings should be made pre-conditions for licence renewal. Also the findings of this study can be adopted by Government to make relevant policy changes in the public transport sector.