Mapping the Jitney Network with Smartphones in Accra, Ghana: The AccraMobile Experiment

A data collection exercise is presented that was conducted by the Department of Transport of the Metropolitan Assembly of Accra, Ghana, to further its knowledge of transportation services placed under its jurisdiction. In order to map the city’s transportation network, a partnership was developed between local authorities and a Canadian university with the support of the French bilateral development agency. An innovative methodology based on the use of smartphones and digital technologies allowed the project team to collect and map 315 jitney routes in less than 2 months. Collectors equipped with GPS-enabled smartphones surveyed Accra’s formal jitney network in its entirety and transmitted data daily to a team overseas in charge of mapping and analysis. The first map of the city’s transportation network is presented here and preliminary conclusions are drawn from it. By mapping passengers’ boarding and alighting, this study also offers unique insights into the spatial distribution of the demand for transportation in Accra. This research opens both methodological and operational perspectives. It contributes to a growing body of literature on jitneys and transportation planning in developing countries. It also demonstrates that transportation data can be collected with limited time and resources through the use of mobile technologies. From a practical point of view, these data will assist the authorities in regulating, planning, and developing Accra’s transportation network.