Intra-Urban Trip Generation Factors in Developing World: A Study of Ogun State, Nigeria

Abstract

Intra-urban travel is basic to urban residents. It is occasioned by the need of urban residents to carry out their activities in different places either by necessity or by choice. The magnitude of trips generated depends on the complex interaction of socio-economic characteristics of the cities and those of their residents. However, existing knowledge on the subject matter seems to concentrate on the latter to the sheer neglect of the former. This study therefore examines factors of intra-urban trip generation with emphasis on socio-economic characteristics of urban centres as well as those of urban residents. The study is based on both secondary and primary data from 14 selected urban centres of the state. Secondary data on 16 factors of growth of city were collected. These include population, industrial establishments, educational institutions, recreation and sporting services, postal and telecommunication services, health care services and shopping services. Primary data, through questionnaire survey were collected on socio-economic characteristics of urban residents and their trip generation frequency. 2,100 well completed questionnaires were analysed for this study. Simple bivariate correlation and multiple regression analyses were employed to examine the relationships between socio-economic characteristics of urban centres and trips generation. Similar analyses were also employed in the examination of the nature and extent of relationship between socio-economic characteristics of residents and trips generated. Principal component analysis was used in reducing socioeconomic variables of the urban centres. The socio-economic characteristics of urban centres provide a greater explanation of the criterion with 53.80 % (F=13.982 P ≤ 0.05) while socio-economic characteristics of residents provide 46.20% (F=137.62 P ≤ 0.01) of the explanation. The study establishes the need for caution among transport researchers in using socio-economic characteristics of urban residents as major determinants of urban travel especially in the developing countries.