Assessing the Contribution of Motorized Two-Wheelers (BodaBoda) to Urban Mobility and its Underlying Growth Dynamics in Wakiso Town, Uganda.

Abstract

In Wakiso Town, the rapid pace of urbanization has outstripped the development of formal public transport infrastructure, creating a significant mobility gap. Motorized two-wheelers, commonly known as boda-bodas, have emerged as a dominant and indispensable component of the urban transport system, offering point-to-point connectivity that formal services fail to provide. However, this proliferation is a symptom of underlying growth dynamics and a lack of integrated planning. The study addresses the specific problem of how informal transport fills the void left by inadequate formal systems and how the spatial expansion of Wakiso Town drives the continuous increase in boda-boda operations, often without a clear regulatory framework. The primary goal of this research was to assess the contribution of boda-bodas to urban mobility in Wakiso Town while examining the dynamics driving their growth. To achieve this, five key hypotheses were tested: (H1) boda-boda usage has a significant positive effect on urban accessibility; (H2) inadequate formal transport predicts increased reliance on boda-bodas; (H3) urban spatial expansion is associated with the growth of operations; (H4) socio-economic factors influence participation in the sector; and (H5) regulatory effectiveness moderates the relationship between growth and mobility outcomes. The study employed a quantitative research design focusing on the "supplier side" of the transport equation—the riders. Data were collected from a sample of 280 boda-boda riders in Wakiso Town using a structured survey questionnaire administered via the KoboCollect platform. The sampling strategy targeted riders at various stages to ensure a representative cross-section of the population. Statistical analysis was conducted using SPSS, involving descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation to test H1 and H3, regression analysis for H2, and moderation analysis for H5. The findings revealed that the typical rider completes approximately 18 trips per day, covering an average of 5 km per trip. While the study established that boda-bodas are a critical "livelihoods frontier" for low-educated youth, several core hypotheses were not supported by the data. Specifically, the expected trade-off between trip distance and frequency (H3) was non-significant, suggesting heterogeneous operational strategies in peri-urban contexts. Furthermore, the study found a significant negative association between high operational intensity and perceived accessibility, indicating that as daily trips increase, riders face greater congestion and regulatory friction. The research concludes that boda-bodas in Wakiso Town operate less as a "last-mile feeder" to formal transit and more as an independent, survivalist economic sector. The study recommends that the Wakiso Town Council move beyond enforcement-only policies toward an integrated planning framework. Specifically, the council should implement localized zoning, improved parking infrastructure, and fair regulatory practices that recognize the essential mobility role these riders play while mitigating the negative externalities of unplanned growth.