Traffic jam: how are we faring? (appeared on L'Express, Mauritius, August 2010)

As I hit the morning jam as early as Camp Fouquereaux on my way to Port Louis, I am quite amazed by the resilient and serene drivers around me, and the jovial radio jock describing  “la situation est normale; quelques petits ralentissements et temps d'arrêt” and seeing the glass really half-full given that there are no accidents yet. That is, the “normal” one and a half hours for a 30 minutes trip, provided there is no rain or accident. It is no different in the evening, adding up to 2-3 hours daily, or 25% of my day time, gone in smoke. I guess by avoiding public buses, I should be grateful I don’t have to queue up, and be assured of a seat and some comfort all the way. The situation is so pathetic that a proposal for free transport, yes free public buses for all, seems a reasonable solution, that is one that will finally cost the country less. 

How many billions is it costing us, as we continue to spend millions over a plethora of studies to find out what can mitigate wastage of expensive fuel, pollution, loss of productivity and more. I wonder if these reports factored in how much we are losing by throwing away time that could have been used for jogging, taking your family to the park or explaining long division to your children. Anyway, the loss is 1 followed by far too many zeros that we can afford.

I doubt if there is one magic solution, but one thing I am convinced of: this problem should not have taken a quarter of a century (and counting) to resolve.  There is currently a Road Decongestion Programme, but there is still the usual sense of inadequacy. After six years in a drawer, “Métro Léger” is still under study. With such indecision, not only we’ve lost a lot in six years, but now the project itself is going to cost us billions more. Why is it that despite a returning government and practically the same policy makers in charge of transport, we still don’t have a final plan?

Just like in football, all Mauritians now have an opinion about the best tactic. There is no shortage of solutions proposed, but there have been few implementations, and mostly half-baked measures like pinching a lane from reverse traffic at peak times. Besides Light Rail, presumably between Curepipe and Port Louis, we shall probably need a set of complementing measures such as:

- Comfortable buses that will encourage many to trade the driving wheel for a book; a bus-only lane can further help. Maybe we can allow “High Occupancy Vehicles” to use that lane too, motivating car-pooling by setting a minimum of four for eligibility to use that lane.

- Decentralise services (for instance, on purchasing a car, why do you have to take days off work  and make multiple trips to Port Louis, especially to NTA, where there is practically no provision for parking?) 

- Flexitime, especially in the government and schools. And extend the laudable 24-7 initiative to a year-round reality, with logistics to conveniently and safely shop, work and study beyond regular hours. Also, I was a big fan of summer time, for it allowed sports and outdoors after office hours. Did we give up too soon? 

- Improve congestion at round-abouts, through overhead free-ways, more intelligent signal-operated controls and more infrastructure such as the Ring Road.

And my favourites. First, telecommuting, or killing two birds with one stone. Having worked for many years from the comfort of my home at the time that I want, I argue that in a flat world ruled by cell phones, computers, Skype, instant messaging and video-conferencing, why miss on quality morning time with your kids before seeing them off to school in a good mood, make that visit to your grand-mother you have procrastinated for ages, join your friends for a football game, and yet do as much work (if not more) from your home? Not just business processing outsourcing (BPO), but any job that does not need presence at the office. It need not be everyday - maybe one or two days a week, which will go a long way to alleviate the traffic problem and let us lead a healthier, happier and an inevitably more productive life. Telecommuting is catching up fast in the world (especially USA), though employers fear losing control.  But I often wonder how much control do bosses really have when employees are physically present. How much of the prolific typing on keyboard is actually work-related? 9 to 5 is so last-century. The new world order is anytime, anywhere. A paradigm shift of focus is in order, from input (hours) to output (results), preferably green.      

Second, tollways. Let private companies build highways, tunnels and bridges, and let drivers pay on use only, daily or with a yearly pass, using RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) instead of paying booths, for convenience and a fluid traffic. Let free market work its magic. 

Change is immutable. So, let us finally free public debate and let the airwaves breathe true freedom, let us slow down the joyrides of the politically connected, and let the right person manage and decide once and for all the right path to smooth traffic (along with energy efficiency and protection of the environment). Let us be bold and innovative, and in a few years we may be courting the best governance of not just of Africa (as conferred to us regularly by the Mo Ibrahim Foundation) but of the planet. Yes we can!