School Trip Mode Choice and Sustainable Transportation for Secondary School Students in Developing Countries: Evidence from Nigeria

Abstract

Efficient transportation systems are essential for mobility, safety, and economic productivity, particularly in regions experiencing rapid population growth and increasing travel demand. This study investigates travel behavior patterns among secondary school students aged 10–18 years in Delta State and Ogun State, Nigeria, with the objective of identifying factors that influence transportation choices and affect network performance. Data were collected through questionnaires administered to 150 respondents and analyzed to examine the relationships among travel mode selection, infrastructure quality, safety conditions, and travel time. The findings indicate that private motorized transportation is the dominant mode of travel despite relatively short travel distances. Safety concerns, poor road conditions, inadequate transportation infrastructure, and limited public transportation availability emerged as the primary factors influencing travel decisions. Furthermore, road quality, route safety, and travel time were found to significantly affect both transportation mode choice and the overall travel experience. These results suggest that deficiencies in transportation infrastructure and traffic management contribute to inefficiencies that constrain mobility and accessibility within the study area. The study demonstrates the value of transportation data in understanding travel patterns and identifying operational challenges within transportation networks. By analyzing travel behavior and infrastructure-related constraints, the research provides insights that can support the development of data-driven transportation management strategies, predictive traffic models, and intelligent mobility solutions. Such approaches can enable transportation agencies to identify congestion-prone corridors, anticipate mobility disruptions, and implement proactive measures to improve network performance. The findings contribute to the growing body of knowledge on transportation planning and provide practical evidence for the design of smarter and more resilient transportation systems. The study contributes to the growing body of transportation planning literature by providing empirical insights into the factors shaping travel behavior among students in developing transportation environments.