Mainstreaming Commercial Motorcycle as Sustainable Source of Economic Survival

Abstract

This study examined the contributions of commercial motorcycle to economic survival of people that engaged in the sector. The study was anchored on Talcott Parson’s functionalism model AGIL. Exploratory design was used to collect qualitative data from sample of 50 respondents in a commercial motorcycle bound park in Akure, Ondo state. Respondents were categorized as old and new entrants in commercial motorcycle enterprise. Old entrants had been in the business for 3 years and above and new entrants were just below 3 years of operation. This categorization was the definition given by operators in the sector. The mean age was 27±0.6. Respondents were married (67.8%), had B.Sc./HND (23.1%) and N23000 and above (61.6%) monthly income. People that engaged in the enterprise were happy because they could afford daily cost of feeding and care of their dependent ones. Old entrants pointed to financial capability to take care of their family members, pay school fees, live in accommodation both rented and owners. Some old entrants owned more than one motorcycle which they hired to generate more income. New entrants were happy in the sector; they generated income that allowed them to live the above poverty line i.e. they could afford cost of feeding and accommodation. Both old and new entrants joined the sector because of unemployment in the formal sector. Some operators were artisans, ranging from technicians in radio and television repairs to shoe makers, plumbers and goldsmiths. Some were college, polytechnic and university graduates of many years who could not be gainfully employed in
the formal sector. Graduate operators were hopeful that someday, they would be enrolled in
government job. Commercial motorcycle remained a major source of employment for youths. It is a major economic empowerment to overcome the menace of youth unemployment. This sector should be mainstreamed to create jobs through government intervention and regulation.