Paratransit operations in cities in developing countries play an important role in public transport provision. The operations are run within the realm of the infonnal sector and are highly flexible. There are numerous operators running one or two vehicles on a cash basis. This and other issues contribute to the problems with the services that are provided. Poor reliability and stability in supply are the main problems. Despite these serious problems, there has been little research on possible solutions to resolve them. The present study is aimed at improving understanding of the operation of such systems. It assesses the effects on users and operators of different routing, stopping and scheduling regimes. A new model of paratransit operations is developed. The problem of paratransit operations is conceptualised in terms of interactions between demand and supply. The interactions take place in time and geographical space and are shaped by the actions taken by individual users and individual vehicle operators. The model is designed to overcome some of the restrictions on the definitions of time - and in particular space - that are found in existing methodologies. A modelling approach designed to represent the two dimensions as realistically as possible was adopted. Two techniques are central to the construction of the model. Simulation techniques are used to model the temporal processes and a Geographical Information System (GIS) for the spatial processes. The two are complementary to overcome the inherent weaknesses in either approach. Modules are developed to represent demand and supply at a microscopic level. The Model of Paratransit Services (MOPS) involves interfacing a GIS and external modules for dynamic processes. The model was validated against field data collected in Harare, Zimbabwe. Experiments were run for a case study area and the results that were obtained on routing, stopping and scheduling regimes are reported in developing countries.

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Abstract This thesis investigates the extent to which gender considerations are being incorporated into the planning and policy making of the public transport system in Queensland, Australia. Using public transport in South East Queensland (SEQ) as a case study, this thesis analyses why and how gender issues are still being overlooked and excluded from mainstream planning. It investigates the application of a gender analysis approach in theory and practice and provides recommendations for integrating a gender perspective in the development of public transport policy. The study is beneficial in terms of making contributions to promote better understanding of how feminist theory could enhance the development of public transport policy. Both qualitative and quantitative research methods were employed. Participants were selected from different demographic groups (politicians, bureaucrats, academics, women’s subgroups and individuals from the broader community) using theoretical/purposive sampling methods. The collection and analysis of data were guided by feminist sociological theory as a framework and gender analysis was utilised in reviewing transport research, policies, programs, plans and legislation. The thesis findings showed that there are gender differentiated behaviours between men and women in relation to their transport needs. In particular, the manner in which men and women behave is linked to an array of underlying factors such as gender relations, the social role of women and their personal circumstances, household structure, transport-disadvantage issues, and their broader socio-economic environment. The research noted that gaps exist in the current public transport delivery in SEQ. Three main categories of issues were identified namely key gender issues, gender-obscured issues and gender-neutral issues. The key gender issues included personal safety and security, time-space pressured travel, lack of adequate facilities, driver’s knowledge, skills and attitudes, mobility-constraint issues and features of public transport that have gender impacts. The gender-obscured issues included language difficulty, cost and infrequency of service. The gender-neutral issues included but not limited to public transport design, unequal distribution of transport services and impacts specific to areas outside the TransLink network. The research highlights how the issues interlock with the social, economic, cultural, structural and political factors of the environment in which women and men live. The thesis concludes that there is a lack of effective engagement with women, and that greater attention to gender consideration in developing public transport policies is required. While Queensland State Government has made a commitment to improving public transport provision for women, it appears that such rhetoric has not yet been translated into practice. The research also noted that the practicality and political implications of transport policy seem to obtain a higher priority in decision-making domains than gender considerations. Failure to examine both ends of the gender continuum in service delivery will make more difficult the development of public transport policy as a gender-sensitive social policy. Furthermore, public transport policy making should not be undertaken in isolation from other planning activities. Other considerations outside the traditional planning approach have to be examined, so planners will have a greater appreciation of, not only the needs of the conventional public transport users, but also of those not belonging to this category including different subgroups of women. Policy planning often overlooks the construction of women as an homogenous category, without considering that they are a heterogeneous group with tremendous differences in age, ethnicity, religion and class, thus requiring different considerations for policy intervention. Policy planning has been constructed as an exercise with a focus on a narrowly defined scope and immediate concerns, paying little attention to long-term impacts on a broader and holistic level. The consideration of gender in transport planning is a case in point – gender considerations are important in transport planning not only because there are significant differential impacts between men and women, but also because in the long run, these impacts in turn will have great economic and social implications. Economically, the lack of consideration of gender issues in public transport often results in increased travel time for women, leading to loss in productivity for the economy. Socially, difficulties and inaccessibility of public transport for women, particularly in relation to performing and balancing their care and work duties could also lead to increased stress and tensions, affecting family relations and wellbeing, would also incur considerable social costs. Policy planning tends to assume the position of policy makers and rarely considers the policy impacts from a user or benefactor perspective. In the case of public transport planning, how best an experiential perspective rigorously incorporate the users and gender point of view, will require not only consultation but also political will and commitment. A true incorporation of gender consideration into public transport planning will also require the support of other social policies including welfare policies. Hence, the thesis argues that new ways of researching, designing and planning for public transport as a gendered set of practices are required. Keywords public transport planning, gender-sensitive policy, gender equity, women and transport, feminism and transport planning, gender analysis, policy development, and feminist sociology. Australian and New Zealand Standard Research Classifications (ANZSRC) 120506 - Transport Planning (40%); 160512 - Social Policy (20%); and 169901 - Gender Specific Studies (40%).

Abstract This thesis investigates the extent to which gender considerations are being incorporated into the planning and policy making of the public transport system in Queensland, Australia. Using public transport in South East Queensland (SEQ) as a case study, this thesis analyses why and how gender issues are still being overlooked and excluded from mainstream planning. It investigates the application of a gender analysis approach in theory and practice and provides recommendations for integrating a gender perspective in the development of public transport policy. The study is beneficial in terms of making contributions to promote better understanding of how feminist theory could enhance the development of public transport policy. Both qualitative and quantitative research methods were employed. Participants were selected from different demographic groups (politicians, bureaucrats, academics, women’s subgroups and individuals from the broader community) using theoretical/purposive sampling methods. The collection and analysis of data were guided by feminist sociological theory as a framework and gender analysis was utilised in reviewing transport research, policies, programs, plans and legislation. The thesis findings showed that there are gender differentiated behaviours between men and women in relation to their transport needs. In particular, the manner in which men and women behave is linked to an array of underlying factors such as gender relations, the social role of women and their personal circumstances, household structure, transport-disadvantage issues, and their broader socio-economic environment. The research noted that gaps exist in the current public transport delivery in SEQ. Three main categories of issues were identified namely key gender issues, gender-obscured issues and gender-neutral issues. The key gender issues included personal safety and security, time-space pressured travel, lack of adequate facilities, driver’s knowledge, skills and attitudes, mobility-constraint issues and features of public transport that have gender impacts. The gender-obscured issues included language difficulty, cost and infrequency of service. The gender-neutral issues included but not limited to public transport design, unequal distribution of transport services and impacts specific to areas outside the TransLink network. The research highlights how the issues interlock with the social, economic, cultural, structural and political factors of the environment in which women and men live. The thesis concludes that there is a lack of effective engagement with women, and that greater attention to gender consideration in developing public transport policies is required. While Queensland State Government has made a commitment to improving public transport provision for women, it appears that such rhetoric has not yet been translated into practice. The research also noted that the practicality and political implications of transport policy seem to obtain a higher priority in decision-making domains than gender considerations. Failure to examine both ends of the gender continuum in service delivery will make more difficult the development of public transport policy as a gender-sensitive social policy. Furthermore, public transport policy making should not be undertaken in isolation from other planning activities. Other considerations outside the traditional planning approach have to be examined, so planners will have a greater appreciation of, not only the needs of the conventional public transport users, but also of those not belonging to this category including different subgroups of women. Policy planning often overlooks the construction of women as an homogenous category, without considering that they are a heterogeneous group with tremendous differences in age, ethnicity, religion and class, thus requiring different considerations for policy intervention. Policy planning has been constructed as an exercise with a focus on a narrowly defined scope and immediate concerns, paying little attention to long-term impacts on a broader and holistic level. The consideration of gender in transport planning is a case in point – gender considerations are important in transport planning not only because there are significant differential impacts between men and women, but also because in the long run, these impacts in turn will have great economic and social implications. Economically, the lack of consideration of gender issues in public transport often results in increased travel time for women, leading to loss in productivity for the economy. Socially, difficulties and inaccessibility of public transport for women, particularly in relation to performing and balancing their care and work duties could also lead to increased stress and tensions, affecting family relations and wellbeing, would also incur considerable social costs. Policy planning tends to assume the position of policy makers and rarely considers the policy impacts from a user or benefactor perspective. In the case of public transport planning, how best an experiential perspective rigorously incorporate the users and gender point of view, will require not only consultation but also political will and commitment. A true incorporation of gender consideration into public transport planning will also require the support of other social policies including welfare policies. Hence, the thesis argues that new ways of researching, designing and planning for public transport as a gendered set of practices are required. Keywords public transport planning, gender-sensitive policy, gender equity, women and transport, feminism and transport planning, gender analysis, policy development, and feminist sociology. Australian and New Zealand Standard Research Classifications (ANZSRC) 120506 - Transport Planning (40%); 160512 - Social Policy (20%); and 169901 - Gender Specific Studies (40%).

The integration of public transport planning and spatial planning has become an internationally well-known phenomenon and is seen by planners as a fundamental prerequisite for getting more people to travel sustainably, and thus reduce the emissions of greenhouse gases from the transport sector. The aim is to design the built environment in such a way that sustainable travel is promoted. Through semi-structured interviews, a document analysis, and a small field observation, this thesis examines how the municipality of Norrköping and the regional public transport company Östgötatrafiken collaborate to achieve successful integration. The aim has been to investigate how the process of this integration unfolds in the municipality of Norrköping in Sweden in order to contribute with more in-depth research in a Scandinavian context. This has been analyzed from a theoretical framework of TOD, Institutional theory and Collaborative planning.  The findings shows that both Norrköping municipality and Östgötatrafiken are working towards goals of increasing the share of trips with public transport, but when the purposes behind these differ, goal conflicts arise. This leads to different strategic considerations where Östgötatrafiken wants the built environment to promote time-efficient public transportation, while the municipality of Norrköping want the built environment to promote all sustainable means of transport. As a result, there are differences regarding public transport's mission, resources and priorities. As this study also shows that collaboration is the key to success, I argue that collaboration should take place as early as possible in the process, and already at the formulation of political and strategic goals.