Service And Market Oriented Public Transportation Tourism Essay Example

service rights to operators on specific routes based on public demand. In return for these rights, operators must meet public expectations and consider health and safety aspects. An example of this strategy is seen in Punjab where hundreds of new coaches now operate on intra-urban routes nationwide. This paper employs a literature review approach to analyze Pakistan's on-route public transit system.

The text discusses the survey country, which is the state of Punjab. It focuses on the chances and restraints related to various aspects such as denationalization and franchising of public transit.

Introduction & Background

This paper explores different aspects based on the literature and theoretical model presented during the talks. It primarily examines public transit systems from a variety of perspectives, with a specific focus on Pakistan's public transit system. Additionally, it provides a historical overview of Pakistan's public transportation system to give a general understanding of the subject.

For over 60 years, Pakistan's public transportation policymakers have implemented various policies to develop the country's public transportation. These policies seem impractical given the extensive suburban rail infrastructure and high population density in urban areas.

The Study's Objective

This paper reviews existing literature and historical information on public transportation in Pakistan and explores its development. The information included in this paper has been primarily gathered from scholarly articles. The paper concludes with a discussion on the current advancements in Pakistan's public transportation system.

Public Transportation

In developing countries, public transportation is crucial for the welfare of urban residents who cannot afford private vehicles. It provides mobility to millions and plays a key role in their access to employment opportunities, healthcare facilities, and other vital services. Despite the growing number of cars on

the road, the urban poor heavily depend on public transportation for their motorized trips. Therefore, having reliable, affordable, and efficient public transportation options becomes essential.

(USLegag, n.d.)

Public Transportation in Pakistan

In developing countries like Pakistan, government investment in urban public transport has declined over the past few decades. Consequently, private companies have stepped in to provide public transport services that were previously funded by the government. However, privately-owned and operated public transport in these countries lacks safety, efficiency, and quality (Haider and Badami, 2006). Recently, provincial governments in Pakistan have introduced bus-franchising strategies that give exclusive operating rights to private transport operators on certain routes.

The conveyance operators assure a certain level of service in exchange. The bus-franchising strategy has resulted in the introduction of numerous new coaches operating on urban routes in cities in Sindh and Punjab state.

Literature Review and Study

Since the late seventies, numerous studies have focused on urban transportation in developing countries (Bryne et al., 1979; Courtney, 1979; Farahmand-Razavi, 1994; Hirten & Echenique, 1979). Interestingly, while the implementation and advancement of integrated land use-transport models is still in the early stages in developed countries, such models were already being utilized in some developing countries twenty-five years ago (Hirten & Echenique, 1979).

International donors, including the World Bank, have a considerable stake in transportation and mobility in developing nations. In Pakistan specifically, these donors have made significant investments to enhance intercity transportation for both passengers and cargo. However, the scale of investments in urban transit is comparatively smaller. The World Bank has released three strategy documents focused on urban transportation.

The previous two scheme documents focused on economic and fiscal viability, capacity direction, and sustainability. The latest document

in the series focuses on poverty and conveyance (Gwilliam, 2001). This latest scheme paper on conveyance was released after the World Bank's scheme paper on urban development, which emphasized the livability of cities and quality of life (Kessides, 2000). A comprehensive study on coach transit was commissioned by the World Bank in the late eighties (Armstrong-Wright & Thiriez, 1987). The study found that in certain cases, private ownership of public transit provided cheaper service in developing countries when state-operated transit operators experienced a decline in service. Armstrong-Wright and Thiriez (1987) argue that public transit in the underdeveloped world functions best with minimal government intervention.

According to recent studies, publicly operated theodolite services had running ratios of less than 1, while privately owned/operated theodolite showed running ratios of greater than 1. Rapid urbanization in developing countries has also been extensively studied, with recent research indicating that the rate of motorization in these countries surpasses the population growth rate (Jraiw, 2003).

Pakistan Public Transportation System/Policies Historical Overview

This section provides a summarized overview of Pakistan's public transit system and policy based on Muhammad Imran's (2009) paper. Imran's paper extensively discusses the development of public transportation in Pakistan, beginning with the establishment of the Indian railway system during British India.

In 1853, the first rider train started from Howrah to Hoogly ( presently in India ) ( Indian Railway Fan Club ). The part that would subsequently go Pakistan was connected by railroad in 1861 by constructing the subdivision between Karachi and Kotri. Until 1865, the important cities of present-day Pakistan were linked by the railroad to the rest of the country. The railroad network in Pakistan was extended to the Afghanistan

boundary line in 1878 and to Zahidan, Iran, in 1918. Overall, British India had an extensive network of railroads of 41,000 miles in 1944; out of this total, 8,070 miles were located in the area of Pakistan ( Vakil 1944 ). Additionally, besides intercity railroad development and operation, the British government introduced urban public transportation services ( Qadeer 1983 ).

The Karachi Tramways Act was enacted in 1884, and the first steam ropeway was operationalized in 1885 alongside the horse-drawn ropeway. Following this, these ropeways were converted to petrol engine ropeways in 1908. Despite this advancement, the Tonga (horse-drawn passenger cars) remained the sole means of public transportation in Pakistani cities until the late 19th century (Stalley, 1972). In 1947, the railways constituted the most valuable asset of the nation and were the only intercity public transportation mode (Hasan, 1998). During that period, Pakistan Railway (North Western Railway) transported the highest number of passengers in Pakistan (Government of Pakistan, National Planning Board, 1957).

The First Five Year Plan (1955-60) emphasized the importance of the broad-gauge railroad system as the main transportation network in West Pakistan. This system consisted of main lines in five parallel river valleys that were interconnected and stretched from the coast to the borders of Afghanistan and India (Govt. of Pakistan, National Planning Board 1957: 485). The Second Five Year Plan (1960-65) marked a shift in priorities, as more financial resources were allocated to the roads sector than to railroads (Govt. of Pakistan, Planning Commission 1960).

The program stated that road conveyance is well-suited for the conditions and needs of Pakistan. It is more adaptable than railroads to changing grades of tra hundred strength,

allowing for greater velocity and efficiency in short-distance travel. There is a close relationship between the volume of conveyance and the degree of economic activity, as each depends on the other. In the early 1970s, public conveyance was deregulated, allowing private sector competition with public-owned coach services. However, public-owned coach services were given priority in path allocation. In 1977, the Punjab Road Transport Corporations (PRTC) and Punjab Urban Transport Corporation (PUTC) were established in Punjab. In 1991, Nawaz Sharf's government initiated the Prime Minister's Incentives Scheme to Revamp the Public Transport Scheme.

The Ministry of Communication of Pakistan implemented a policy in 1991 aimed at improving the public transportation system. This policy offered incentives such as duty-free imports of taxis, coaches, and mini-buses, loan agreements from banks with a 15% annual interest rate, and special registration numbers for new public transportation vehicles. As a result of this policy, the public transportation fleet was upgraded. Unfortunately, the policy was altered after the Nawaz government ended.

During the 1990s, two cities in Punjab state (Faisalabad and Lahore) carried out an innovative experiment to improve public transportation services. They established partnerships between NGOs and local private operators (Anjum and Russell 1997; LDA 1997). In 1996, a mass transit project was launched in Rawalpindi and Islamabad as part of Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto's Development Programme for large cities. This project included both rail and road transportation, with an urban rail link connecting Rawalpindi and Islamabad. In Islamabad, mini coaches called feeder coasters were also used to support this system. The main objectives of this service were to ease congestion during peak hours, reduce air pollution, and utilize existing railway

infrastructure (Govt.).

The National Transport Research Centre of Pakistan stated that the Transport Sector Development Initiative (TSDI) in 1999 was influenced by the belief that privatization and deregulation of public transportation would result in more efficient and cost-effective transportation. The TSDI involved collaboration between the Government of Pakistan, international development organizations (particularly the World Bank), and the private sector with the aim of developing a comprehensive transit policy. In addition, during the 2000s, the federal Planning Commission internally drafted a Transportation Policy proposing a bus-based public transportation system as a solution for metropolitan cities in Pakistan.

From 2000 to 2009, a number of policies were defined and approved by officials and policy makers but were largely left on paper rather than being properly implemented. This review of history reveals that policy documents were generated at the national, provincial, and local levels to address public transportation in Pakistan, either directly or indirectly. These documents consistently emphasized the need for public transportation development. However, despite efforts to coordinate these policies, there were numerous flaws in the transit system and policies including: overestimating the role of the private sector in public transport, lack of capacity among public transport organizations, negligence in developing high-capacity public transport, and failure to utilize high-density mixed land use patterns.

Deregulation and Franchising of Public Transport in Punjab Province

Recently, some provincial governments in Pakistan have implemented bus franchising strategies in major cities.

The franchising strategies have provided franchisers with a monopoly over certain routes. They have replaced unequal transportation vehicles with big coaches and committed to a minimum standard of transportation service provision. According to Haider and Badami (2006), the following list highlights the deficiencies of non-franchised transportation

in northern and capital parts of Pakistan:
- Public transportation did not adhere to schedules. Effective service was only provided during peak periods.
- Overloading was common during peak periods. Commuters were often forced to hang from the outside of vehicles or even sit on the rooftops.
- Transportation vehicles were not properly maintained due to intense competition and low profit margins. These vehicles frequently broke down, causing traffic congestion and increasing the likelihood of accidents. Additionally, poorly maintained vehicles contributed to higher levels of pollution.
- Competition among transportation vehicles for passengers led to speeding and reckless driving, resulting in numerous accidents and fatalities.

Studies have also shown that women often do not receive adequate service from public transportation (Turner and Fouracre, 1995). This is also true in Pakistan, where women are frequently left waiting for public transportation at bus stops while men board moving vehicles that rarely come to a complete stop.

The lack of dedicated seats on coaches in the private sector has caused significant mobility constraints for women. Access to education and employment opportunities for women in Pakistan has been greatly affected by unequal public transportation. In the 1970s, public transportation was deregulated in Pakistan and private competition was allowed. However, the Punjab state government continued to operate urban transportation through the Punjab Road Transport Corporation. In 1998, the Punjab government acknowledged the failure to provide reliable and efficient transportation services to commuters, particularly to the physically disabled, seniors, and women, and decided to shut down publicly operated urban transportation.

Despite an influx of numerous small operators into the market, many of whom used inappropriate vehicles that were not suitable for transportation purposes, the regulation of transportation services

became even more challenging. In response, transportation franchising was introduced, allowing the government to grant franchises to exclusive operators for specific routes in exchange for ensuring a certain quality of service (Haider and Badami, 2006). Many franchise operators in Punjab were already providing inter-city transportation services through buses. For example, companies like M/s New Khan and Daewoo had been operating inter-city buses between Lahore and Rawalpindi.

More transporters who were already familiar with local bureaucratic demands and had access to capital found it easy to enter urban transportation.

Decisions

It is important to improve both the supply and quality of public transportation in Pakistani cities in order to meet the overall mobility needs and control the activity of motor vehicles, as well as their resulting impacts. Additionally, there is a critical need to provide affordable urban transportation services, especially for low-income groups, women, the disabled, and the elderly, who heavily rely on transportation for accessing employment, education, healthcare, and other essential services.

After examining theories presented in books and literature, as well as conducting a survey of Pakistan's transit sector, we have determined that all individuals involved in this sector, from top to bottom, must be proactive and carry out their tasks efficiently using available resources. As the franchised transit system becomes more integrated into the overall system and establishes stronger connections between the government and the local population, it is essential for the relationships among new franchised transportation service providers to be sustained and characterized by increased collaboration.

Pakistan possesses a robust regulatory framework, but there is significant room for improvement, particularly regarding the implementation of regulations and the management of the entire system, as highlighted by Haider and

Badami (2006) in their research paper on the transportation needs of urban poor and low-income families in Pakistan. Furthermore, I agree with Imran (2009) on the importance of governance, capacity-building (including investment), and urban planning to ensure a sufficient, efficient, and effective public transportation system in Pakistan.

Recommendations

Transport franchising should aim to improve overall convenience, mobility, and safety. A particular challenge is to address the negative impacts on certain individuals. After reviewing literature, real-world examples, and various theories by different researchers, the following strategies are recommended to improve transport franchising and urban transport in Pakistan as a whole:

• Establish an independent transport regulatory committee. The government needs to invest significantly in improving the quality of transport regulations in Pakistan.
• Actively involve stakeholders in transport administration. The regulation of transport franchising, as well as transport planning and implementation in general, lack sufficient participation at present.
• Resolve conflicts arising from franchising. Transport franchising requires substantial capital, which tends to attract established transport operators with access to funding, political influence, and bureaucratic support. Transport operators who are forced out of the market due to franchising could be provided access to non-franchised routes. One potential solution could involve offering vocational training to transport operators to facilitate their transition into other careers.
• Ensure proper allocation of public transport infrastructure. Franchise operators should have access to publicly-owned transport infrastructure, such as bus terminals and workshops.

• Correct the instability in land usage by improving transportation services and addressing housing shortages in Islamabad through the construction of high-density, low-cost housing in areas suitable for transportation operations. Additionally, strategically locating employment hubs in Rawalpindi can help eliminate the
  

need for workers to commute long distances.