Passenger Information System (PIS) at Magufuli Bus Terminal in Dar es salaam, Tanzania: Awareness and challenges in utilization.

This study investigates the level of awareness, challenges and usage of Passenger Information Systems (PIS) among passengers at the Magufuli Bus Terminal in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Introduced by the Land Transport Regulatory Authority (LATRA) in 2024, the PIS aims to modernize public transport communication by offering real-time updates on bus schedules, delays, and departures. However, the effectiveness of such systems depends not only on technological deployment but also on public awareness, user confidence, and sustained utilization. To evaluate these dimensions, the study employed a descriptive mixed-methods approach, integrating quantitative data from structured questionnaires with qualitative insights drawn from interviews and document reviews. A stratified random sampling technique was used to select 345 respondents, primarily passengers, ensuring demographic representation. Results reveal that 69.52% of passengers were not aware of the existence of the PIS, and among those who were aware, usage was inconsistent and infrequent. Key barriers identified include low digital literacy, insufficient system promotion, complex user interfaces, and limited trust in the accuracy of the system’s information. Interviews and document reviews further highlighted gaps in public sensitization efforts and technical limitations in system updates. This paper contributes to the growing body of literature on intelligent transport systems in Sub-Saharan Africa by providing empirical evidence on user-side challenges in PIS adoption. The findings emphasize that awareness alone does not ensure system engagement. Effective adoption requires targeted public outreach, user-friendly design, multilingual accessibility, and improved system reliability. Aligning digital transport innovations with user-centered communication strategies is essential for optimizing their impact in urban mobility systems.