CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background to the Study In view of the fact that transportation is an important factor in socio-economic development of any country, Nigeria has been giving considerable attention to the development of transportation as a prelude to rapid development. It is in this same vein that the state and most local governments have been investing in transport and transportation facilities and businesses to enhance movement and promote interaction. Transport is an important element in development and it affords the social, economic and political interaction that most people take for granted (Button and Hensher, 2001). The provision of transport infrastructure has grown extensively across the globe through a range of networks of modes which have undergone technological improvements cutting across the locomotive power, the trucks and the means that serve as compartment for passengers and goods. Personal mobility is one of democracy’s most valued freedoms and it is, therefore, not surprising that a high proportion of man’s income is devoted to the movement of the goods and transactions. The importance to the socio economic, political and cultural development of any nation is underscored by Munby’s (2008) statement that “there is no escape from transportâ€ÂÂ. Public transport operation in many developing countries is poorly organised and provides inefficient service to the largely captive users in these countries. This partly explains the reason why different para-transit modes operate in these places, and make worse the already bad transport situation rather than improve it (Sietchiping et al., 2012). However, these para-transit modes provide an indispensable service in these places (Júnior and Filho, 2002). One of these para-transit modes is the commercial motorcycle. Commercial motorcycle transport, though a para-transit mode, has some peculiar characteristics which often makes it a favoured transport mode both for operators (drivers) and users for relatively short distances. These include its reliability, ability to navigate more easily through congested roads/roads impassable for other vehicle types, provision of door to door service, avoidance of waiting time and many more for the user. It is also a source of employment for drivers many of who might otherwise have no alternative reliable means of livelihood. In spite of these benefits, this transport is plagued by some problems. Some of these problems include accident, criminality, pollution, and congestion, amidst others. (Konings, 2006b; Konings, 2006a; Menzel, 2011). Accident occurrence, for instance, is a widely reported problem. This is more so as motorcycle safety is an issue the world over.  For example, motorcyclists‟ fatality accounts for about 15% share of total traffic fatality in the United State (Oster and Strong, 2013). It is however worse in developing countries, particularly where they are used for both private and commercial purposes. Thus, they are described as “the most hazardous mode in Taiwan, Malaysia and Vietnam†(Tien-Pen et al., 2003, p.40). This paradox in commercial motorcycle transport has come to make its study topical in transport research particularly in some part of Africa where it is the most common informal transport mode (Sietchiping et al., 2012). It is in this group of countries that Nigeria belongs. In Nigeria, studies on commercial motorcycles cover: income (Arosanyin et al., 2011; Ogunrinola, 2011; Yakubu, 2012; Fasakin, 2002); accident predisposition (Oluwadiya et al., 2009; Solagberu et al., 2006; Iribhogbe and Odai, 2009; Morenikeji and Umaru, 2012); socio-economic characteristics of drivers (Olvera et al., 2012; Mahlstein, 2009; Beekers, 2009) and many other themes. An important feature of this transport mode is the fact that the operating characteristics are similar across many cities and towns where it operates with only small variations. Olawole et al. (2010) show this in their comparison of commercial motorcycle risk perception across three administrative states in Nigeria. Policy direction across various locations in Nigeria also attest to this feature. For example, the ban of commercial motorcycle in Abuja (central Nigeria) was premised on safety and criminality associated with the mode. Similar reasons were given in Imo State, Rivers State and Cross Rivers State (south-eastern part of Nigeria). The attempt to curtail their operation in Lagos is premised on the same reasons. In Ekiti State, legislation on commercial motorcycle operation was undertaken with similar concern. With respect to safety, Morenikeji and Umaru (2012) in a north-western city and Ogunrinola (2011) in a south-western city observe that as many as 54.2% and 56% respectively of drivers had previously been involved in accident. Similarly, Solagberu et al. (2006) in a north central city in Nigeria finds the share of motorcycle accident to be 27% while Arosanyin et al. (2011) find the national average between year 2000 and 2009 to be 26%. These similarities across many regions and cities in Nigeria show that commercial motorcycle operating characteristics are fairly similar across Nigeria as reported in the various studies.