Survey on the Benefits and Disbenefits of Motorcycles and Motorised Three-wheelers: Freight Owners’ Questionnaire

This tool can be used to better understand the benefits and disbenefits of motorcycles taxis and three-wheelers in rural areas in sub-Saharan Africa.  The tool has five parts which target different groups including motorcycle and three-wheeler riders, passengers, taxi owners and owners of freight, as well as members of the community who do not use these modes of transport. This tool was designed to gather data to inform research on two- and three-wheeler taxi use and training, to influence the development of policy and legislation. The surveys are available in English and French.

This tool was initially designed for and used during the project ‘Enhancing understanding on safe motorcycle and three-wheeler use for rural transport and the implications for appropriate training and regulatory frameworks’ in DRC, Ghana, Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda between December 2017 and August 2019. The project was funded by the UK’s Department for International Development (DfID) as part of the Research for Community Access Partnership (ReCAP), and was carried out by a consortium which included Transaid, Amend and TRL.

Survey on the Benefits and Disbenefits of Motorcycles and Motorised Three-wheelers: Non-users of Motorcycle Taxis (not three-wheelers)

This tool can be used to better understand the benefits and disbenefits of motorcycles taxis and three-wheelers in rural areas in sub-Saharan Africa.  The tool has five parts which target different groups including motorcycle and three-wheeler riders, passengers, taxi owners and owners of freight, as well as members of the community who do not use these modes of transport. This tool was designed to gather data to inform research on two- and three-wheeler taxi use and training, to influence the development of policy and legislation. The surveys are available in English and French.

This tool was initially designed for and used during the project ‘Enhancing understanding on safe motorcycle and three-wheeler use for rural transport and the implications for appropriate training and regulatory frameworks’ in DRC, Ghana, Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda between December 2017 and August 2019. The project was funded by the UK’s Department for International Development (DfID) as part of the Research for Community Access Partnership (ReCAP), and was carried out by a consortium which included Transaid, Amend and TRL.

Surveys for the ReCAP project: Enhancing understanding on safe motorcycle and three-wheeler use for rural transport and the implications for appropriate training and regulatory frameworks.

This tool can be used to better understand the benefits and disbenefits of motorcycles taxis and three-wheelers in rural areas in sub-Saharan Africa.  The tool has five parts which target different groups including motorcycle and three-wheeler riders, passengers, taxi owners and owners of freight, as well as members of the community who do not use these modes of transport. This tool was designed to gather data to inform research on two- and three-wheeler taxi use and training, to influence the development of policy and legislation. The surveys are available in English and French.

This tool was initially designed for and used during the project ‘Enhancing understanding on safe motorcycle and three-wheeler use for rural transport and the implications for appropriate training and regulatory frameworks’ in DRC, Ghana, Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda between December 2017 and August 2019. The project was funded by the UK’s Department for International Development (DfID) as part of the Research for Community Access Partnership (ReCAP), and was carried out by a consortium which included Transaid, Amend and TRL.

Developing innovative approaches to increase rural access to commodities for the case management of severe malaria in Zambia: Final Project Report (August 2018)

This final report presents the key results from the MAMaZ Against Malaria (MAM) project which was established in July 2017.

MAMaZ against Malaria is a one year pilot project, funded by the Geneva-based foundation, Medicines for Malaria Venture (MMV). The project aims to devise an evidence-based and sustainable strategy to improve the access of hard-to-reach communities to effective treatment for severe malaria (SM) in a high malaria burden setting.

The project is being implemented by a consortium led by Transaid in partnership with Health Partners Zambia, Development Data and Disacare. The consortium is working in partnership with the Ministry of Health in Zambia, specifically the National Malaria Elimination Centre, and the District Health Management Team for Serenje District.

To read this report, please click below.

Enhancing Understanding on Safe Motorcycle and Three-Wheeler Use for Rural Transport. Final Country Report: Uganda

This Uganda Country Report presents the Uganda-specific findings of the project ‘Enhancing understanding on safe motorcycle and three-wheeler use for rural transport and the implications for appropriate training and regulatory frameworks’.

This project was carried out in Ghana, Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda between September 2017 and January 2019. The study has revealed that motorcycle taxis are very important for rural travel, and are very popular among rural communities. As well as the many benefits that motorcycle taxis provide, riders and passengers also suffer from crashes, crime, abuse and health issues, and they create safety risks for other road users. The results of the study can be used by the Ugandan government and others to better understand the issues related to motorcycle taxis in rural areas and to develop policy and practice to maximise their benefits and minimise the disbenefits.

Click below to read the full report.

Enhancing understanding on safe motorcycle and three-wheeler use for rural transport. Final Country Report: Kenya

This Kenya Country Report presents the Kenya-specific findings of the project ‘Enhancing understanding on safe motorcycle and three-wheeler use for rural transport and the implications for appropriate training and regulatory frameworks’.

This project was carried out in Ghana, Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda between September 2017 and January 2019. The study has revealed that motorcycle taxis are very important for rural travel, and are very popular among rural communities. While the study has revealed that in comparison to the other three countries, Kenya appears to be leading in the management of the motorcycle taxi sector, there are many areas in which improvements are needed. The results of the study can be used by the Kenyan government and others to better understand the issues related to motorcycle taxis in rural areas and to develop policy and practice to maximise their benefits and minimise the disbenefits.

Click below to read the full report.

Enhancing understanding on safe motorcycle and three-wheeler use for rural transport. Final Country Report: Ghana

This Ghana Country Report presents the Ghana-specific findings of the project ‘Enhancing understanding on safe motorcycle and three-wheeler use for rural transport and the implications for appropriate training and regulatory frameworks’.

This project was carried out in Ghana, Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda between September 2017 and January 2019. The study has revealed that, despite the use of motorcycles and three-wheelers as taxis being illegal, they are very important for rural travel, and are popular among rural communities. The results of the study can be used by the Ghanaian government and others to better understand the issues related to motorcycle taxis in rural areas and to develop policy and practice to maximise their benefits and minimise the disbenefits.

Click below to read the full report.

Enhancing understanding on safe motorcycle and three-wheeler use for rural transport. Final Country Report: Tanzania

This Tanzania Country Report presents the Tanzania-specific findings of the project ‘Enhancing understanding on safe motorcycle and three-wheeler use for rural transport and the implications for appropriate training and regulatory frameworks’.

This project was carried out in Ghana, Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda between September 2017 and January 2019. The study has revealed that motorcycle taxis are very important for rural travel, and are very popular among rural communities. As well as the many benefits that motorcycle taxis provide, riders and passengers also suffer from crashes, crime, abuse and health issues, and they create safety risks for other road users. The results of the study can be used by the Tanzanian government and others to better understand the issues related to motorcycle taxis in rural areas and to develop policy and practice to maximise their benefits and minimise the disbenefits.

Click below to read the full report.

Enhancing understanding on safe motorcycle and three-wheeler use for rural transport – Final Report

Throughout 2018, a project entitled ‘Enhancing understanding on safe motorcycle and three-wheeler use for rural transport and the implications for appropriate training and regulatory frameworks’ has been carried out in Ghana, Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. The project was funded by the UK’s Department for International Development (DfID) as part of the Research for Community Access Partnership (ReCAP), and was carried out by a consortium of Transaid, Amend and TRL.

The use of motorcycles has increased greatly in Africa in recent years and they are often used as taxis; with riders charging a fare to carry passengers or goods. In rural areas, motorcycle taxis play a crucial role in connecting people to services and farms to markets, and in many countries motorcycles are the most commonly found vehicle on rural roads.

Over 1,140 people in 32 settlements across the four countries took part in a survey looking at the benefits and disbenefits of motorcycle and three-wheeler taxis in rural areas. Riders, owners, passengers and other users, as well as people who do not use such vehicles, answered questions on topics including economics and finance, access and mobility, injuries, health issues, crime and personal security, access to services and protective equipment, and overall opinions.

The findings showed that motorcycle taxis are very important to rural communities: in many situations they are either the only existing, or the only affordable, mode of transport. In the survey locations, motorcycle taxis accounted for an average of 83% of all motorised trips, being used for business activities as well as personal transport. They are particularly important for emergency transport. For riders they are an important source of income.

As well as the many benefits of motorcycle taxis, the results of the survey also shed light on a number of disbenefits. Forty-one percent of riders reported that while riding a motorcycle taxi in a rural area they had suffered an injury that resulted in them either losing money or requiring medical attention, or affecting their family life. Incidents that caused injuries tended to be single vehicle crashes or falls that occurred when the rider was alone, and were caused by rider error. The vast majority of riders had never received training and had no driving licence. Some riders and passengers were worried about their personal security.  Riders also reported health issues that they attribute to riding a motorcycle, including respiratory problems, eye infection, stiffness and numbness.

But while motorcycle taxi riders and passengers face the risk of injury, personal security threats and health problems, this does not stop people from using motorcycle taxis – either as a means of earning money, or as a mode of transport.

Motorised three-wheeler taxis were also included in the study, but they were found to be very uncommon in the surveyed areas of Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. In Ghana, motorised three-wheeler taxis were found to be used for both freight and passenger transport, although they are less common than motorcycle taxis.

The project has identified potential opportunities for improving road safety and personal safety, and for addressing health issues. These opportunities include effective training, licensing and enforcement of laws. Motorcycle taxi associations have the potential to play an important role in realising many of these opportunities.

Click below to read the full final report.