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<font size=4>Dear Friends,<br>
<br>
Sorry for not joining the discussion earlier as I was travelling. I give
you below some things based on the practical experiences of ITDG,
which may be useful.<br>
<br>
<b><u>Rural Transport Services<br>
<br>
</b>Best Practices<br>
<br>
</u>I would rather call this as ‘best examples’ than ‘best practices’.
For a project or a proposed action plan to be a success should be based
on ‘experience & failures’ or the constraints & problems faced by
project implementers. Therefore, I would like to contribute with examples
& experiences extracted from different countries based on projects
with ITDG involvement.<br>
<br>
<b><u>IMT Services<br>
<br>
</b></u>The problem of introducing new IMTs to rural areas in the
developing countries is a challenge. One cannot simply replicate a
successful model of one country to another. This depends on several key
factors. <br>
</font><font face="Times New Roman, Times" size=4><b><u>
<dl>
<dl>
<dd>1.<x-tab> </x-tab></font> The
need<br>
<br>
</b></u>
</dl>
<dd>There should be a clearly identified need for the introduction of
IMTs. Ultimately the wider dissemination is
dependent on the acceptance of the technology by the
people.<font face="Times New Roman, Times" size=4><b><u>
<dl>
<dd>2.<x-tab> </x-tab></font> Social
attitude of the community<br>
<br>
</b></u>
</dl>
<dd>The IMTs to be introduced should be socially accepted and should have
no cultural barriers including the social factors concerning
women.<font face="Times New Roman, Times" size=4><b><u>
<dl>
<dd>3.<x-tab> </x-tab></font>Better
Awareness<br>
<br>
</b></u>
</dl>
<dd>Before the implementation, all stakeholders should be well aware of
the benefits including politicians, government officials, local authority
and communities. The media people (both print & electronic) should be
made aware of this first and involve them in the process. Social and
economic benefits shall be calculated on the basis of utilizing the saved
time for productive activities, opportunities and new market exposures
resulting from the use of
IMT.<font face="Times New Roman, Times" size=4><b><u>
<dl>
<dd>4.<x-tab> </x-tab></font>Affordability<br>
<br>
</b></u>
</dl>
<dd>Affordability is important in terms of purchase & maintenance.
Appropriate methods such as credit facilities (through conventional &
other means) capacity building of workshop etc. should be made
available.<font face="Times New Roman, Times" size=4><b><u>
<dl>
<dd>5.<x-tab> </x-tab></font>Regulations<br>
<br>
</b></u>
</dl>
<dd>If the existing traffic regulations do not permit the use of IMTs
(especially motorised), appropriate changes should be recommended and
worked out with relevant authorities<br>
<br>
<dd>Finally, the systematic disciplined operation of IMT services should
be ensured by building the capacities to service providers & users.
If not, the service provided by the operators will not operate to the
satisfaction of the poor users.<br>
<br>
<b><u>
</dl>Examples <br>
<br>
Sri Lanka<br>
</b>The “Bajaj” three wheeled auto taxi<br>
<br>
</u>The local agents for this cheaper mode of taxi (Ms. David Pieris
Motor Company, Colombo, Sri Lanka) faced a big challenge & also stiff
opposition from conventional Taxi cars, in the late 1970’s, when they
started selling the Bajaj, imported from India. In the first year
the company sold only two units and about 10 in the second. How ever, the
users preferred these taxis to the conventional one because of the much
lower fares. The drivers faced stiff resistance & threats from
conventional taxi drivers and even faced physical assaults. The time
passed by and the importers started investing more on promotional
campaigns and as more users were looking for cheaper taxis. Ultimately
the conventional taxi drivers too bought three wheelers and every corner
of the country including rural areas are now flooded with more than
300,000 three wheelers. It took nearly two decades for the importers to
come to this stage.<br>
<br>
<u>Two wheel Tractor Trailer<br>
<br>
</u>It is more or less the same as the Bajaj, the use of a trailer
coupled to a Tractor tiller. These two wheeled tractors were imported to
Sri Lanka as a substitute to the four-wheeled tractor and for
agricultural use. Most rural areas of the country in Sri Lanka are
agriculture dominated and the introduction of the trailer served them two
purposes, one for agriculture work and the second to meet their travel
needs. Once this was called the Mercedes of the poor. Because of the
simple technology involved in this, the trailer is now adopted and made
at village level small-scale workshops.<br>
<br>
<b><u>Kenya<br>
</b>Bicycles taxi (Boda_Boda) Groups<br>
<br>
</u>Use of bicycles as Taxis in East Africa is very common. ITDG
experience in this sector in West Kenya is that how these drivers were
formed in to groups and ensure a better service for the poor users. The
capacity building of their Bicycle Taxi Groups, enabled them to overcome
certain problems they had with local authorities & police. They could
provide a satisfactory disciplined service to their customers. Such as no
liqueur consumption whilst in duty, fixed charges, provide spare parts
& repair services etc. This enabled them to build a good image and
more customers started to come to them & more taxis were needed. The
result was more employment for youth & reduced crime rates in the
areas. The groups acted as pressure Groups to win their rights with
authorities and were able to provide a friendly service to their
customers.<br>
<br>
<b><u>Policy Advocacy<br>
</b>Sri Lanka<br>
<br>
</u>For ITDG the Sri Lanka, Transport programme is the only one, which
has been able to influence the government to adopt policies in favour of
rural Transport through the Lanka Forum on Rural Transport Development
(LFRTD).<br>
Through the influence of the representative of the Transport Planning of
the Treasury managed to allocate Rs. 10 million (US $ 143,000
approximately) for the promotion of IMTs in 10 districts of Sri Lanka.
When this gentleman retired from the Government Service, there was no one
representing the Treasury in the LFRTD and the present person is against
promoting the IMTs as he is not aware at all of the nature of this
programme and it’s objectives. Similarly as the Commissioner of Motor
Traffic (member of LFRTD) was suddenly replaced by another, who was also
against IMTs (Later, LFRTD has been able in convince him). There are no
journalists or media personal in the LFRTD. The media here always give a
wrong picture and create a negative public awareness. The media should be
made totally aware of the benefits of IMTs and finally the
politicians.<br>
<br>
The opinions of the government officers & journalists and the public
can always change the attitude & policies of the politicians. <br>
<br>
<b><u>Local authorities and decentralization<br>
<br>
</b></u>Under decentralized systems in the developing countries, it will
be easy to introduce transport interventions at the local level. The main
reason behind this is the lack of resources to develop transport &
transport interventions at rural levels. They always look for alternative
methods to overcome this. Technical assistance & appropriate
applicable approaches with people’s participation, have been welcomed by
local authorities in Sri Lanka & Kenya.<br>
<br>
<u>Governments<br>
<br>
</u>The World Bank, Asian Development Bank etc. have to influence the
governments to implement appropriate approaches but has to be well aware
of the consequence mentioned above.<br>
<br>
They could lay down condition such as community participation, provide
Transport Services in rural areas through non conventional means (where
conventional means are not possible) and provide access to main market
routes with appropriate transport means & infrastructure to the rural
producers.<br>
<br>
For instance a rural roads program could be funded through utilizing
labour based & all stake holders participated in the programmes at
local levels.<br>
<br>
Regards.<br>
<br>
Ranjith<br>
<br>
<div>Ranjith de Silva</div>
<div>Senior Specialist - Transport</div>
<div>International Transport Programme</div>
<div>Intermediate Technology Development Group</div>
<div>South Asia Regional Office</div>
<div>No.5 Lionel Edirisinghe Mawatha</div>
<div>Kirulapone</div>
<div>Colombo 5</div>
<div>Sri Lanka</div>
<br>
<div>Telephone: (++ 94 1) 852149, 829412 - 5, (++ 94 74) 510238</div>
<div>Fax:<x-tab> </x-tab>(++ 94 1) 856188</div>
<div>Email:<x-tab> </x-tab>ranjith@itdg.lanka.net</div>
<div>Alternatives:</div>
<div>ranjith_itdg@hotmail.com</div>
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