Concept And Use Of Dual-use Cars In Dhaka, Bangladesh
- Part 3 -

Prof. Bijon Behari Sarma *

CONCEPT AND USE OF DUAL-USE CARS
IN REDUCING TRAFFIC CONGESTION
IN DHAKA CITY OF BANGLADESH

(j) DUAL-USE CAR : At present saloon-body cars are used for two different purposes : (01) Private car and (02) Hired taxi. In such a situation "Dual-use cars" will be those which may be used in both ways with respect to time. Thus these may be of two types : (a) Morning Dual-use Car (say, MDC) and (02) Evening Dual-use Car (EDC). There will be indication of MDC or EDC in the license plates.

WHAT THE AUTHORITIES WOULD HAVE TO DO FOR INTRODUCING DUAL-USE CARS :

(a) The authorities would issue licenses for MDC and EDC’s at a rate in between those of full-fledged taxi and private cars.

(b) Both MDC and EDC will be privately owned cars which will be allowed to run as taxi in the morning (in case of MDC) and as owned car in the evening. The same will be the reverse in case of EDC. The timing may be early 5.00A.M. to 1.00 P.M. (8 hours) and 2.00 P.M. to 10.00 P.M. (8 hours), where the period 1.00 P.M. to 2.00 P.M. shall be common transition time for both.

(c) The owners would be asked to use a hood on top and a taxi-fare meter. The on-light inside the hood shall indicate its availability as taxi.

(d) The authority would arrange taxi-stands at all suitable locations for these vehicles.

Now we shall discuss the advantages and disadvantages of various concerned parties due to introduction of Dual-use cars.

(i) Owners : The owners of DC’s would enjoy the movement-benefit in the city for half day and some financial benefit for the remaining period. This would create some income from it and at the same time, reduce the continual life of vehicle, or in other words, increase the rate of depreciation. After calculating both internal rate of return and depreciation, it would be economical for the owner.

(ii) Passengers : At present the passengers cannot avail taxi services because (01) their number is too less and (02) their physical conditions are extremely pathetic. Introduction of DC’s would solve both the problems. Earning from the DC’s depends upon the rate of fare fixed by the government. However, from rough calculation it may be found out that these cars can maintain profitably at less fare than the taxis.

(iii) Drivers : The drivers who at present drive hired taxi endeavors to earn "the most" at the cost of worst use of the vehicle. That is why most of the taxis turn so dilapidated after several years. Even the driver owning a taxi need to try for optimum earning, because there is no guarantee that he would have handsome earning in the dull season. If DC’s are introduced many of the drivers would work as owner’s driver at one time and as taxi-driver at the other. The job under the owner would give him a guaranteed salary, such that he would not have to be desperate for earning while he works as taxi driver.

(iv) Road efficiency : Even if the number of cars do not decrease after the introduction of the DC’s, the passenger carrying capacity of the road will be increased because in about 50% cases the cars would carry more passengers.

(v) Non-resident affluent men : At present affluent persons living in distant cities usually visit Dhaka with their cars for obvious reasons and these cars act as additional load in the city roads. Availability of taxi in the city may discourage them to bring their cars.

(vi) It is the responsibility of the authority to facilitate the journey of the local people who can afford taxi, and also those of the visitors from outside the city and the country. In Dhaka city the authorities can do the same by introducing more taxi-cabs. If this is done, the already congested roads will be further jammed due to the added vehicles. Also importing such cabs may be too unjustified for a poor country that still considerably depends upon its non-resident wage-earner sons for foreign currency. The administrative decision for introducing Dual-use cars can increase the number of available taxis by manifold without spending a single dollar.

Quite often the authorities express their dismay over addition of average 130 new cars every day. They also think of various ways to stop it. Introduction of more bus, school bus, mono-rail, elevated road, metro etc. are some of their suggestions. Any person with little intelligence would understand that none of these would be able to reduce the number of cars, simply because none of these are comparable to journey in private cars.

The mode of journey nearest to it is the journey by comfortable taxis. The car owners may feel less interested to purchase cars only if suitable alternate mode is available at less cost. Fortunately Dual-use car can fulfill their need.

COMPARATIVE DISCUSSION OF THE PROPOSALS : The relative financial involvement including foreign currency, period after which result can be expected, status during hazards, how far effective in lessening no. or movement of cars and special characteristics of the 11 proposed solutions shown above have been shown in Tabular form below :

PROPOSALS FINANCIAL INVOLVEMENT INCLUDING FOREIGN CURRENCYPERIOD AFTER WHICH RESULT CAN BE EXPECTED STATUS DURING HAZARDSHOW FAR EFFECTIVE IN LESSENING NO. OR MOVEMENT OF CARS. SPECIAL CHARACTERISTICS

(i). Metro or underground traini. Need huge local and foreign currencies.
ii. Need donors. iii. Need foreign experts. iv. Need huge imported components. May need 2 / 3 years to finalize decision and get fund. Then may need 7/8 years for implementation.
i. Extremely hazardous during flood, earthquake, heavy rain etc.
ii. People would have to suffer worst type of suffering during construction that would continue for years. No possibility of reducing the no. of cars.
i. Dhaka city’s size, road width and orientation, soil condition etc. are not suitable for these projects.
ii. Such projects may highly fulfill the expectations of the bureaucrats and political workers.
iii. External finance increases country’s foreign loan. If decision is taken to recover from the users, peoples’ journey will be costlier.
(ii). Monorail Would increase no. of cars, resulting in severe jam in the ground level.
(iii). Elevated expressway
i. Need huge local and foreign currencies. ii. Need donors.iii. Need foreign experts. No possibility of reducing the no. of cars. (iv). Fly over Quite high. 2 / 3 years. Hazardous during earthquake. No affect on no. of cars. May ease movement. Creates hazardous concrete jungle in the city.(v). Increase of large-bodied public transport High. Needs imported vehicles.Less then 1 year. No possibility of reducing cars. Rather it would increase the total no. of vehicles.Bus is not the alternative for the car owners. (vi). Removal of old cars. No cost in removal. But then people would buy new cars.
No possibility of reducing no. of cars. Would create scope for importing cars.Absurd proposal.
(vii). Imposing restriction on car ownership No cost. Absurd proposal Not possible in a democratic country.
(viii). Introducing school bus Investment is not much. Less than 1 year.----------------May reduce use of cars. But reduction in their number is doubtful. May stop present congestion near some schools.
(ix) Decentralization Tremendous local investment.May be 1 year to finalize decision. Then may be 7/8 years or never for implementation. Every possibility of being nullified by other measures.---------------------Definitely would reduce number of cars. Very fruitful and extremely doubtful solution.
(01) Dwellers-participation based administrative planning policy (DPAP) Negligible cost.May be six months or less. -----------------------Possibility of reducing the number of cars. New venture. Have not been tried anywhere in the world. Most suitable for countries with limited resources.
(02). Dual-use car.Negligible cost.May be six months or less.------------------------Possibility of reducing the number of carsNew venture.
Have not been tried anywhere. Most suitable for countries with limited resources.

To be continued......