Effects Of The Management Of Public Service Vehicles’ Saccos On Road Safety In Nyeri County, Kenya

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of management of PSV SACCOs on road safety in Nyeri County, Kenya. The study objectives were: to determine the effect of Self-Management of PSV SACCOs of public transport through PSV SACCOS on road safety in Nyeri County; to establish the effect of investment in public transport operations through PSV SACCOS on road safety in Nyeri County; to determine the effect of consumer protection standards by PSV SACCOS on road safety in Nyeri County; to determine the effect of regulation measures by PSV SACCOS on road safety in Nyeri County. The study was anchored on SERVQUAL Theory and Elton Mayo’s HAWTHORNE effect. The independent variables for the study were: Collective Management; Investment in public transport operations; Consumer protection by PSV SACCOS and Regulation Measures by PSV SACCOS whereas the dependent variable was Road Safety and intervening variables were Quality of Roads, Weather Conditions and Government policy. Descriptive research design was used in this study. The target population was eleven PSV SACCOS licensed by the National and headquartered in Nyeri County as at 2016. A Sample size of 86 employees was drawn from the three largest SACCOs in Nyeri County. They included: 2NK SACCO, NAKONNS SACCO and NYENA SACCO. Stratified and simple random sampling techniques were used to select individuals who participated in the study. Primary data in this study was collected using self-administered structured questionnaire and interview guides. Content and construct validity research instruments were determined using a pilot study and review of empirical and theoretical literature respectively. The coefficient of internal consistency was used to measure the reliability of the questionnaire used in this study. It was tested using Cronbach’s alpha reliability coefficient. The overall research instrument was therefore highly reliable, with Cronbach’s alpha value of 0. 786. Thematic analysis was used to analyse qualitative data while Descriptive and Inferential statistics were used to analyse quantitative data. Data was presented using tables and figures. Multiple Regression Analysis was used to test all the hypotheses. The findings indicated that; management of PSV SACCOs with focus on wearing seatbelts, driving within the speed limit, use of speed cameras greatly contribute in reducing road crashes deaths, and that a safe system approach combining infrastructure and speed management measures further produced substantial safety gains for road users. Self-Management of PSV SACCOs of Public Transport through PSV had a significant positive effect on Road Safety in Nyeri County. Joint investments in the public transport sector through PSV SACCOS did not have significant effect on road safety in Nyeri County. The results also showed a significant relationship between Consumer Protection through PSV SACCOs and road safety in Nyeri County. The results further showed a significant positive relationship between Regulation Measures by PSV SACCOs and road safety in Nyeri County. An increase in enforcement of Measures by PSV SACCOs resulted to enhanced road safety. The study recommended strict adherence to speed limits, establishment of reward management systems by the management of PSV SACCOs reward to motivate their employees, government to provide conducive policy framework that would boost the management of PSV SACCOs, regular audits of the PSV SACCOs to ensure compliance to the statutory regulations, establishment of specific training schools and curriculum for drivers of public service vehicles. The study also recommended for a replication of this study in other counties and further research on other factors affecting road safety in Kenya other than management of PSV SACCOs. v LIST OF ABBREVI The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of management of PSV SACCOs on road safety in Nyeri County, Kenya. The study objectives were: to determine the effect of Self-Management of PSV SACCOs of public transport through PSV SACCOS on road safety in Nyeri County; to establish the effect of investment in public transport operations through PSV SACCOS on road safety in Nyeri County; to determine the effect of consumer protection standards by PSV SACCOS on road safety in Nyeri County; to determine the effect of regulation measures by PSV SACCOS on road safety in Nyeri County. The study was anchored on SERVQUAL Theory and Elton Mayo’s HAWTHORNE effect. The independent variables for the study were: Collective Management; Investment in public transport operations; Consumer protection by PSV SACCOS and Regulation Measures by PSV SACCOS whereas the dependent variable was Road Safety and intervening variables were Quality of Roads, Weather Conditions and Government policy. Descriptive research design was used in this study. The target population was eleven PSV SACCOS licensed by the National and headquartered in Nyeri County as at 2016. A Sample size of 86 employees was drawn from the three largest SACCOs in Nyeri County. They included: 2NK SACCO, NAKONNS SACCO and NYENA SACCO. Stratified and simple random sampling techniques were used to select individuals who participated in the study. Primary data in this study was collected using self-administered structured questionnaire and interview guides. Content and construct validity research instruments were determined using a pilot study and review of empirical and theoretical literature respectively. The coefficient of internal consistency was used to measure the reliability of the questionnaire used in this study. It was tested using Cronbach’s alpha reliability coefficient. The overall research instrument was therefore highly reliable, with Cronbach’s alpha value of 0. 786. Thematic analysis was used to analyse qualitative data while Descriptive and Inferential statistics were used to analyse quantitative data. Data was presented using tables and figures. Multiple Regression Analysis was used to test all the hypotheses. The findings indicated that; management of PSV SACCOs with focus on wearing seatbelts, driving within the speed limit, use of speed cameras greatly contribute in reducing road crashes deaths, and that a safe system approach combining infrastructure and speed management measures further produced substantial safety gains for road users. Self-Management of PSV SACCOs of Public Transport through PSV had a significant positive effect on Road Safety in Nyeri County. Joint investments in the public transport sector through PSV SACCOS did not have significant effect on road safety in Nyeri County. The results also showed a significant relationship between Consumer Protection through PSV SACCOs and road safety in Nyeri County. The results further showed a significant positive relationship between Regulation Measures by PSV SACCOs and road safety in Nyeri County. An increase in enforcement of Measures by PSV SACCOs resulted to enhanced road safety. The study recommended strict adherence to speed limits, establishment of reward management systems by the management of PSV SACCOs reward to motivate their employees, government to provide conducive policy framework that would boost the management of PSV SACCOs, regular audits of the PSV SACCOs to ensure compliance to the statutory regulations, establishment of specific training schools and curriculum for drivers of public service vehicles. The study also recommended for a replication of this study in other counties and further research on other factors affecting road safety in Kenya other than management of PSV SACCOs. v LIST OF ABBREVI