Outline of the Project

Project Name

Project for Capacity Building for Bus Operation Policy and Management in Nairobi Metropolitan Area

Date R/D Signed

Nov. 3, 2021

Term of Cooperation

Apr. 9, 2022 to Apr.8, 2025

Implementation Organization

Nairobi Metropolitan Area Transport Authority(NaMATA)

Background

Buses (40.6%) and walking (39.7%) are the largest modes of transport in Nairobi Metropolitan Area, with buses being the main public transport without urban railways. As a result, buses are accessible to the poor living in slums who do not have private vehicles and the main mode of transport for women, thus supporting opportunities for the poor and vulnerable, including women, to access employment, healthcare and other services. On the other hand, the level of service is inadequate, as timetables are not maintained and services are not operated on time, and safety issues have been raised due to excessive speed and frequent road congestion.

In addition ,the Kenyan Government has identified economic development as one of the three pillars, and has identified traffic congestion in the National Metoropolitan Area as a challenge in the field of transport infrastructure. In order to solve this problem, the National Transport Policy requires the need for buses to operate on time, and for the industry to be optimised in addition to increasing the size of vehicles in order to strengthen road safety, etc.

The reality of public transport in the Nairobi Metropolitan Area is that buses and matatu (small and medium-sized passenger buses with less than 35 seats) operated by private operators provide the public service, but multiple operators run without rules and regulations and overlap on the same routes. The safety and service level of these buses and matats is low. Lack of systems and policies to manage operators has been identified as the main cause. On the other hand, the existence of multiple agencies concerned with buses in Nairobi at national and local government levels, with many duplicated tasks, is considered to be one of the reasons for the inability to properly manage the operators. In order to ensure the provision of safe and quality-assured bus services in the Nairobi Metropolitan Area that are trusted by citizens, it is important for NaMATA to establish a management system for the bus system and to strengthen the capacity of the organisation responsible for this role.

Overall goal

Quality of the public bus transport service in Nairobi Metropolitan Area (NMA) is improved.

Project Purpose

The understanding of administrative management system and its scope of the work on the public transport service in NMA is enhanced among the related organizations and their capabilities are strengthened.

Outputs

1. Current public transpoert services in NMA is desktop-studied.
2. Integrated public transport system in NMA is examined.
3. Sustainable administrative management system for the public transport service is formulated.
4. Capacity of the public transport bus management in the regulatory organization and operators are strengthened.
5. Sustainable implementation structure for gender/vulnerable people mainstreaming in public transport sector is established.

Activities

1-1	To obtain existing Public Transport Development Policy, strategy and Master Plan
1-2	To desktop-study laws and regulations related to the public transport management and operation in NMA
1-3	To examine current situation of the public bus transport business in NMA
1-4	To desktop-study roles and responsibilities of the regulator and operator in other countries
1-5	To identify current problems and issues on the public transport services in NMA
2-1	To obtain existing trip demand data and vehicle operation information
2-2	To examine current traffic situations and to estimate public transport passenger demand
2-3	To develop an integrated public transport network plan
2-4	To examine public transport operation plan and fare policy
2-5	To formulate integrated public transport development strategies in NMA
3-1	To launch Steering Committee for sustainable administrative management system
3-2	To examine distinct roles and responsibilities both for regulator and operator in the public bus transport business
3-3	To examine governance and institutional system of the public bus operators
3-4	To formulate a platform for administrative management system for the public transport service
4-1	To obtain knowledge and practical experiences on the public transport policies and planning
4-2	To acquire practical experiences on the public transport administrative management through pilot project
4-3	To prepare training program for operation managers, bus crews and vehicle inspectors
4-4	To carry out the training based on the program (Activity 4-3)
5-1	To formulate a platform of gender/vulnerable group sensitive working group
5-2	To implement pilot projects to improve more inclusive public bus services
5-3	To implement capacity-building workshop/training on gender/vulnerable group sensitive transport services
5-4	To formulate a roadmap for sustainable gender/vulnerable sensitive system

Inputs

Japanese side

• Experts team
• Counterpart training in Japan and the third countries
• Organize seminars / workshops

Kenyan side

• Assignment counterpart personnel
• Provision of office space
• Arrangements for seminars / workshops