An Analysis of the Travel Behaviour of Water Transport Commuters in Lagos Metropolis

Inland water transport has the potential to reduce the number of daily commuters on the three primary arterial roads leading to the CBD within the Lagos Metropolis in Nigeria by 41%. However, it currently serves less than 5% of the total passenger traffic, which has led to increased congestion on Lagos roads. A commuter’s frequently chosen mode of transportation depends on many factors, which include promptness, accessibility, convenience, and eco-friendliness, amongst others, in relation to the level of satisfaction derived from using the adopted mode. This study analyses the travel behaviour of water transport commuters within the Lagos metropolis. A mixed-method survey was adopted for the study (which includes direct observation, interviews, and a questionnaire). The study population comprises inland water transport commuters, boat operators, and officials of the Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA). Purposive, quota, and convenient sampling methods were used to collect data from Three Hundred and Eighty-Four (384) respondents drawn from the daily average ridership of Nine Thousand, Six Hundred and Seventy-Six (9,676) passengers reported by LASWA. Descriptive and inferential statistical analyses (percentages and central tendencies) were used for the data analysis. The study findings revealed that most passengers (92.6%) used water transport daily because of the prompt arrival at their destinations, an advantage that they cannot achieve with road travel. It was also discovered that a greater percentage of the passengers (68%) are willing to pay up to 50% increase in the transport fare due to the just-in-time advantages. The study therefore recommends, among others, that LASWA improve and publicize the safety architecture currently in place for water transport and conduct boat worthiness checks for operating boats every three (3) months to ascertain the integrity of the water vehicles. The study further recommends expanding the usage of Cowry cards (a digital payment method) to include water transport.