The case for investing in the improvement of the paratransit sector ( in cites of the developing world)

Abstract

This paper questions the “official view” that the paratransit sector is inherently part of a vicious cycle and puts an “alternative view” namely that the paratransit sector is an integral part of the urban mobility system and that authorities and public transport users stand to gain significantly from investment in the improvement of the sector. The paper provides an understanding of the generic business logic underpinning paratransit operations and puts forward a series of policy and regulatory shifts and practical business improvement initiatives that can turn the sector from villain to strategically.