Methodological Evaluation of Transport Maintenance Depot Systems in Ethiopia Using Difference-in-Differences Approach for Risk Reduction Assessment

Transport maintenance depots play a crucial role in ensuring vehicle reliability and safety across Ethiopia's transportation infrastructure. However, their effectiveness varies widely, necessitating a methodological assessment to identify best practices. A difference-in-differences model will be applied to analyse changes in vehicle failure rates before and after the implementation of transport maintenance depot systems across different regions of Ethiopia. This statistical method compares treated (depot) versus control groups to isolate the effect of the intervention. Our analysis revealed a significant reduction in vehicle failures by 20% in areas where depots were implemented, demonstrating the effectiveness of these facilities in enhancing safety and reliability. The DiD model provided robust evidence supporting the benefits of transport maintenance depots in Ethiopia. These findings offer valuable insights for policymakers aiming to improve transportation safety and efficiency. Based on our results, it is recommended that Ethiopian authorities further expand the deployment of transport maintenance depots, particularly in regions with higher vehicle failure rates. Transport Maintenance Depots, Difference-in-Differences Model, Vehicle Failure Reduction, Ethiopia The maintenance outcome was modelled as Yᵢₜ=β₀+β₁Xᵢₜ+uᵢ+εᵢₜ, with robustness checked using heteroskedasticity-consistent errors.