Travel behavior characteristics of informal public mode users: A case study of E-rickshaw users of Rangpur city corporation (RpCC) in Bangladesh

Informally operated para-transit or Intermediate Public Transport (IPT) systems provide demand-responsive transit in many developing countries’ cities. People are dependent on informal public transport for their mobility, mainly due to the absence of a formal public transport system. The purpose of this paper is to provide users’ opinions about existing E-rickshaw services in a medium-sized city in Bangladesh. A case study was conducted in Rangpur, Bangladesh. A total of 400 passengers of E-rickshaws were randomly selected from 10 major points of the city for face-to-face interviews. Passengers were interviewed using a pre-determined questionnaire to determine their satisfaction with the service as well as any major issues or difficulties they encountered while using the E-rickshaw service. The Likert Scale and Performance Index were applied to assess their satisfaction level. Around 74% of the respondents chose the E-rickshaw for their usual trips. The performance index for the fare rate of E-rickshaw was calculated as 4.06, i.e., the fare rate is close to very satisfied. E-rickshaw waiting times had a modest negative connection with «preference to use E-rickshaw rather than public transport» and «perceptions on route fixation». ‘Affordable fare per km for public transport’ shows a slight positive link with ‘safety by using E-rickshaw’ and ‘preference to use E-rickshaw rather than public bus’. E-rickshaw safety and route focus have a slight positive association. After the study, it can be said that, being a potential bearing mode of transport in the present and future, the E-rickshaw is the best contender as an informal mode of public transport in the mixed traffic environment of Bangladesh where formal public transport is unavailable. Les systèmes de transport à la demande ou de transport public intermédiaire (IPT) exploités de manière informelle fournissent un transport adapté à la demande dans de nombreuses villes de pays en développement. Les gens dépendent des transports publics informels pour leur mobilité, principalement en raison de l’absence d’un système de transport public formel. Le but de cet article est de fournir les opinions des utilisateurs sur les services de pousse-pousse électriques existants dans une ville de taille moyenne au Bangladesh. Une étude de cas a été menée à Rangpur, au Bangladesh. Au total, 400 passagers de pousse-pousse électriques ont été sélectionnés au hasard dans 10 points principaux de la ville pour des entretiens en