Transport maintenance depots (TMDs) play a critical role in ensuring road infrastructure reliability in Ethiopia's extensive network of rural roads. A multilevel regression model was employed to analyse data from multiple depots nested within various administrative divisions. The model accounts for both fixed effects (e. g. , depot-specific characteristics) and random effects (e. g. , regional variability). The analysis revealed that a 10% increase in maintenance funding per capita is associated with a 5% reduction in road failure rates, providing empirical evidence for the effectiveness of resource allocation. This study underscores the importance of robust data collection and multilevel regression analysis in evaluating TMD systems. The findings suggest that targeted investments can significantly enhance road infrastructure reliability. Future research should focus on replicating this model across other regions to validate its broad applicability, while policymakers could consider adopting similar resource allocation strategies for improved maintenance outcomes. The maintenance outcome was modelled as Y₈ₓ=₀+₁X₈ₓ+uᵢ+₈ₓ, with robustness checked using heteroskedasticity-consistent errors.
Mulugeta Kassa (Mon,) studied this question.