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General Overview

Type of stakeholder

EICS Framework

Region of Reference

Africa
Asia
Australia
Europe
North-America
South-America
World

Description

This intervention refers to the introduction of a requirement that all inner-city public and informal paratransit vehicles may not be equipped with radios or other amplified audio equipment.

This is because these have the potential to prevent the driver, surveillance operators, other passengers, or passers-by from hearing a distressed passenger calling out for assistance.

Facts/Illustrations/Case studies

Taxi drivers in the Maldives are prohibited from playing music or any other audio equipment in their vehicles without the consent of their passengers [2]. Similarly, buses and taxis in Guyana are prohibited from playing music, or allowing passengers to play music, while in service or parked in a public space, and may be fined anything between $7,500 and $15,000, or be imprisoned for six months for contravention of this regulation [7]. Music systems are also banned in taxis in Himachal Pradesh, India. In the West Midlands, England, authorities intend to pass by-laws to prohibit the playing of loud music on buses, with fines of up to GBP3,000 for contravention [5]. Typical Minibus Taxi in Cape Town, South Africa (Source: https://allafrica.com/stories/202107240131.html)

Types of Impact

To/from the stop/station/rank✕
Waiting for train/bus/paratransit✕
In the vehicle✓
At interchanges✕

This intervention only targets the portion of travel on board the vehicle.

Day-time travel✓
Night-time travel✓
Peak-time travel✓
Off peak-time travel✓

All travel time categories could be positively impacted by this intervention.

Bus✓
Train✓
Rideshare✓
4 wheelers informal✓
3 wheelers informal✓
2 wheelers informal✓
Cycling✕
Walking✕

All motorized modes of transport are impacted by this intervention.

Girls✓
Boys✓
Adult Women✓
Men✓
Elderly Women✓
LGBTQI+✓

All public transport users will be positively impacted by this intervention.

Resources

Monetary Resource Requirements
There is no cost associated with the implementation of this requirement.
Capital Cost Requirements Operational Cost Requirements
Non-Monetary Resource Requirements
The intervention does not demand high skill levels and can be implemented virtually immediately. To enforce the new policy effectively might require a low level of political backing.
Skills Time Political Will

SWOT Analysis

Ensures that distressed passengers calling for help can be heard by other vehicle occupants, command and control centre operators (if vehicle equipped with surveillance technology), and passers-by

Some passengers may object to the lack of music or entertainment or prefer vehicles that do not comply

Reduces cost of vehicle
Improves driver's ability to concentrate

Operators may not be willing to remove audio equipment

Effectiveness

The bulk of literature concerning music on public transport and imposed restrictions related to driver distraction and nuisance to other passengers, rather than the possibility that victims of sexual harassment aboard such vehicles may not be heard. However, it is noted that nuisance behaviour on public transport vehicles, including the playing of music with violent lyrics, can undermine passengers’ sense of security [5].