INFORMATION NEEDS AND SEEKING BEHAVIOUR OF COMMERCIAL BUS DRIVERS IN OBIO/AKPO LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA, RIVERS STATE

Authors

Augustine Chineme Opurum, Ignatius Ajuru University of Education Port HarcourtFollow

Date of this Version

1-17-2023

Comments

Information remains the chief commodity of the contemporary age

Abstract

The study examined the information needs and seeking behaviour of commercial bus drivers in Obio/Akpo Local Government Area, Rivers State. It employed a descriptive research design. The study population comprises 150 commercial bus drivers from Rumuokoro and Choba Park in Obio/Akpo Local Government Area of Rivers State. The accidental sampling technique was used to select 100 commercial bus drivers from Rumuokoro and Choba Park in Obio/Akpo Local Government Area of Rivers State which stood as the sample for the study. The instrument used for data collection was a structured questionnaire titled: Information Needs and Seeking Behaviour of Commercial Bus Drivers Questionnaire (INSBCBDQ). The data generated were analysed using Mean. The findings of the study showed that commercial bus drivers need information on where to get a good mechanic, information on safe routes, information on lucrative routes among others. The study revealed that petrol dealers, traffic regulation collections, commuters, mechanics, spare part dealers were some of the information sources consulted by commercial bus drivers. The study reported that commercial bus drivers seek information in order to get acquainted with road safety practices, for proper vehicle maintenance, to be aware of safe routes, to keep abreast with new union policies, for individual and commuters’ safety, and to keep abreast with lucrative routes. Commuters’ unconcerned attitude, irregular power supply, colleagues’ carefree attitude and inability to use the public library skill are some of the challenges encountered by commercial bus drivers in the process of seeking information. It was recommended among others that public libraries in Rivers State, should embark on aggressive library awareness campaign so that everybody including commercial motorcycle drivers could use library resources as their source for reliable information.