Managing Road Traffic Accidents Using a Systems Approach: Case of Botswana - Empirical Review.

Road traffic accidents are a menace to human deaths and a single life lost on Botswana roads is one too many. The road traffic injuries have long been considered to be inevitable and caused by random, unpredictable events; documented success stories in road safety are needed to demonstrate that road traffic accidents need not be inevitable and unpredictable, but are avoidable. The systems approach to road traffic accidents (RTAs) acknowledges that there are three factors that contribute to road accidents and these are; road users, vehicles and road system. Specifically, the C-3 systems approach with three phases (creation, cultivation, and conduct) was adopted as a theoretical framework underpinning the study. The major findings from this study indicates that most RTAs are caused by road users through speeding, unlicensed driving, using cell phones whilst driving, alcohol and drug abuse, bad state of mind and healthy, non-use of safety belts and deliberate failure to observe road regulations amongst others. The findings also indicate that mechanically faulty vehicles, unmaintained vehicles, old vehicles, and tyre blowouts are vehicle related factors causing RTAs. Road system conditions involve potholes, stray livestock and road design attributes amongst others. The study employed the desktop research approach. The study came up with a number of recommendations which are important to reduce RTAs and these include educating the public on safe driving habits at both basic education and tertiary education levels as well as punitive policies on road users breaking road traffic laws and regulations has been identified as another recommendation. Stringent measures must be taken against livestock owners who leave stock straying in highways and public roads. In addition, regular road maintenance and vehicle maintenance were found to be of paramount importance in reducing RTAs in Botswana. Key words: Road traffic accident, Casualty, Traffic safety, Botswana, Drunken driving, Systems approach DOI: 10.7176/JESD/11-10-21 Publication date:May 31st 202

Alleviating Urban Traffic Congestion: Case of Gaborone City

Cities in the developing world have not been spared from the congestion problems due to economic growth and subsequent increase in vehicle ownership by both private and public owners. Traffic congestion is a major challenge in Gaborone, especially in the Western by pass road of the city resulting in massive delays, a decrease in productivity, an increase in environmental pollution, and an increase in travel time. The objective of this paper is to analyse urban transportation congestion, identify causes and proffer solutions through engaging road user perceptions, transport planning authorities and transport policy makers in Botswana. The study employed an exploratory design to sample 208 respondents through the administration of questionnaires. Quantitative data were used and analysed using SPSS v 21. The study revealed that there is massive influx of motor vehicles in the city, inadequate urban infrastructure, poor infrastructural planning, poor or no urban transport policy framework, and Road Traffic Incidents  were the main causes of traffic congestion. The effects of traffic congestion are higher transport costs, massive delays, pollution, decreased productivity and stress to motorists as a result of longer travelling time. The study recommends improvement of road infrastructure especially intersections with traffic circles, implementation of mass transit system in transporting public within the city, public education on effects of congestion, implementation of smart urban transportation, mobility technologies (transport intelligence systems) and implementation of non-motorised mobility. Keywords: congestion, Gaborone, urban transport, Botswana, mass transit, Main Mall, central business district. DOI: 10.7176/JESD/11-8-06 Publication date: April 30th 202

Green Fleet Management Practices in Public Service Delivery by Urban Councils: Case of Makonde District in Mashonaland West Province of Zimbabwe

The discussion of green fleet management has gathered much momentum in public sector organizations over recent decades. Green fleet management is broadly defined as a broad concept that includes different approaches by which companies work with their supplier and or customers in order to improve the environmental performance of their operations. Although knowledge base exists in Zimbabwean public sector on green fleet management, there has been no comprehensive studies on green fleet management which has been conducted. The government of Zimbabwe as a controller of public sector organization needs to find new ways, with limited resources, to achieve maximum efficiency in fleet management by managing available resources and related risks. The value of the research is a holistic approach to the analysis of fleet management which has never been undertaken by the public sector. The research employed a descriptive research design which comprised administering of questionnaires to the respondents. The sample was selected using non-probability technique and 80 respondents were selected from the entire District of Makonde. Findings show that there is an association between methods of practicing green fleet management and company performance as measured by sales revenue per year. Therefore, it is benefitting business wise to practice green fleet management operational principles in public service urban councils. The aim being to make sure that the fleet maximises fuel efficiency, minimise vehicle costs whilst improving the safety, welfare of employees and reducing exposure to environmental damage.  Key words: green fleet, public sector, fleet management, urban councils DOI: 10.7176/JESD/11-10-20 Publication date:May 31st 202

Sustainability of Informal Shuttle Transport in the City of Harare

This study sought to investigate the sustainability of informal shuttle transport in the city of Harare. Traditionally, the provision of public transport is considered to be government's responsibility. Due to lack of economic growth, rapid rise in urban population, and declining standards of living, government-provided public transport is often inadequate; it is the privately operated public transport modes that cater to the mobility needs of the population. Informal shuttle transport refers to small illegal vehicles that play part of taxes ferrying passengers within the city. These small vehicles do not follow most road traffic regulations but are always there when city people need transport and are a faster mode of urban transport. This informal shuttle passenger transport sector, however, is not sufficiently acknowledged due to a number of reasons including lack of proper passenger transport regulation, lack of road safety, highly polluting and a cause of traffic congestion. This paper unpacks challenges posed with informal public transport particularly those providing shuttle services within the central business district (CBD) of Harare. The paper then examines and recommends various strategies that can make such operators contribute to achieving sustainable urban transport system. Data was collected through unstructured interviews from key stakeholders in both private and public sector basically examining the relationship between the increase in informal shuttle transport and transport sustainability. Stakeholders agreed on the need to improve transport in Harare and proffered solutions which included mass transit, crafting of a policy framework to formalise informal shuttle transport operators, need for infrastructure improvements, institutional capacity and good governance among others. Key words: informal shuttle transport, congestion, sustainability, central business district, Harare, economic growth DOI: 10.7176/JESD/11-8-14 Publication date: April 30th 2020

Determinants of Passenger Transport Modal Choice- A Case of Harare to Gaborone Route

The study sought to find out what determines passenger choice of transport in cross boarder mobility looking specifically at socio-economic and travel characteristics. This was achieved with the use of methodological triangulation approach not only involving qualitative and quantitative methodology but other sources of data collection such as questionnaire administration and in-depth interviews. A sample of 30 respondents travelling from Harare to Gaborone were considered and selected from buses, private vehicles, train and air transport in Harare. The analysis began with the socio-economic and travel characteristics of respondents as to indicate which of these socio-economic and travel characteristics predominates in the study area. More so, the results of socio-economic, travel characteristics and reasons were cross tabulated with modal choice on the route. The significant relationship between respondents’ socio-economic, travel characteristics and reasons with modal choice was ascertained by using Pearson’s chi-square test. The results of the study revealed that there are three modes of transport available for passengers from Harare to Gaborone route which are road, rail and air. The most preferred mode of transport amongst them is road, followed by rail and then air. Major determinants of modal choice are, speed, cost, travel time, comfort, safety, reliability and the customer service given by the operator. Keywords: modal choice, cross border, passengers, route choice, Harare, Gaborone, transportation mode DOI: 10.7176/JESD/11-12-01 Publication date:June 30th 202

In Search of a New Paradigm for Educational Theory and Practice in Zimbabwe

No Abstract Available Zimbabwe Journal of Educational Research Vol.16(2) 2004: 150-16