African Industrial Engineering | 02 August 2011
Evaluating Transport Maintenance Depot Systems in Rwanda through Quasi-Experimental Design: A Cost-Efficiency Assessment
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Abstract
Rwanda's transport system faces challenges in maintaining vehicles efficiently, leading to potential inefficiencies in logistics and service delivery. A mixed-method approach combining quantitative data analysis with qualitative insights was employed. The study utilised a difference-in-differences (DID) model to measure the impact and efficiency of TMDs over time. The DID model revealed that the average cost per vehicle maintenance at depots decreased by approximately 15% compared to pre-deployment levels, indicating improved operational efficiencies. This study provides robust evidence on the effectiveness of TMDs in reducing maintenance costs and enhancing service delivery in Rwanda's transport sector. The findings suggest that further investments should be directed towards optimising depot operations and expanding coverage to serve a wider geographic area. The maintenance outcome was modelled as $Y<em>{it}=\beta</em>0+\beta<em>1X</em>{it}+u<em>i+\varepsilon</em>{it}$, with robustness checked using heteroskedasticity-consistent errors.