CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
For more than three decades, the interrelationships between ICT advancements and changes in transportation demand have been explored (Line et al. 2011; Salomon 1986; Senbil and Kitamura 2003; Thomopoulos, Givoni and Rietveld 2015; Wagner et al. 2004). However, as ICT potential have continually grown, particularly with the introduction of the smartphone, the premise of conversations has fundamentally changed over time. Wagner et al. (2004) and Banister and Stead (2004) were the first to examine the complexities of ICT and transportation interrelationships in depth, taking into account both ICT demand responses and spatial and temporal distribution consequences. This includes ‘living,’ ‘working,’ and ‘creating,’ with logistics, manufacturing systems, customized services, retailing and distribution, teleshopping, distance working, and self-employment falling under the latter category. Wagner et al. (2004) and Banister and Stead (2004) both came to the same conclusion. Carrasco and Miller (2006) presented an improved understanding of ICT, social (media) networks, and travel, finding that transportation demand is influenced by the social relevance of network contacts as well as physical distances to social events. Nobis and Lenz (2009) offered evidence of increased transportation demand as a result of mobile phone use, finding that changes in life conditions drove changes in mobile phone use and travel behavior. Notably, the authors of these studies were still focused on the consequences of mobile phone, normal phone, and email use at the time of their research: Smartphones and their applications (apps, chats), as well as social media, were yet to reach the mainstream. This confirms that less than a decade has passed. According to Line et al. (2011), while ICT had an impact on communication patterns, its impact on changes in transportation demand appeared to be more restricted. Long-distance relationships maintained over Facebook, which entail periodic personal meetings, were a noticeable exception (Larsen et al. 2006). Line et al. (2011) also mentioned the relevance of mobile technologies for ‘inhabiting’ space, such as using phones for navigation or listening to the radio, as well as its ability to “fragment” and “lubricate” existence (ibid: 1498). ICT improved public transportation experiences, security perceptions, and the ability to make travel time more productive (see also Wang and Law 2007), according to Aguiléra, Guillot, and Rallet (2012), while Cohen-Blankshtain and Rotem-Mindali (2016) recently confirmed that ICT influences distance perceptions.
STATEMENT OF PROBLEM
Advances in Internet platforms, smartphone and tablet applications, and the rise of social media platforms are becoming increasingly relevant in transportation contexts, as they make travel easier, allow for co-presence in the sharing of distant lives, and generate new forms of social and network capital (Germann Molz 2012; see also van den Berg et al. 2013). As an example, Cohen, Prayag, and Moital (2014) discovered that, as a result of the ability to share travel patterns, social media has become increasingly important for tourism behavior and mobility patterns. Competitive travel and changes in communal and individual identities based on migration can also be triggered by social media (Gössling and Stavrinidi 2015). According to the study, the interrelationships between transportation and ICT have evolved over at least three decades.
OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
The following are the study’s main goals:
i. To investigate technological aspects such as bolt and taxify and how they relate to urban mobility in the study area.
ii. To ascertain the extent to which technology such as bolt and taxify have an impact on the road transportation system.
iii. To investigate the impact of technology like bolt and taxify on urban road traffic in the research area.
iv. To provide proposals for transportation improvements.
RESEARCH HYPOTHESIS
The following hypotheses will be tested in this study:
1. Ho: In the study area, there is no substantial association between technology and road safety.
2. Ho: There is no link between technology and the growth of urban transportation systems.
SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
The findings of the study will aid the government in developing transportation policies. The purpose of this study is to educate stakeholders in the transportation sector as well as the general public in Nigeria on the relationship between ICT and urban transportation. This study will add to the body of knowledge in the domain of the impact of personality traits on academic achievement in students, thereby forming the empirical literature for future research in the field.
SCOPE OF THE STUDY
The relationship between road information technology and transportation, as well as how the two influence development in Nigeria, will be the focus of this research.
LIMITATION OF THE STUDY
Financial constraints – A lack of funds impedes the researcher’s efficiency in locating relevant materials, literature, or information, as well as in the data gathering procedure (internet, questionnaire and interview).
Time constraint: The researcher will be working on this subject while also doing other academic tasks. As a result, the amount of time spent on research will be reduced.
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