Methodological Evaluation of Transport Maintenance Depot Systems in South Africa Using Difference-in-Differences Approach

The transport maintenance depot systems in South Africa face challenges related to cost-effectiveness and operational efficiency. A difference-in-differences model will be utilised to assess the impact of transportation maintenance depot reforms over time. This involves comparing treated and control groups before and after intervention implementation. Data from three depots showed a statistically significant reduction in overhaul costs by an average of 15% post-reform, with robust standard errors indicating the reliability of these findings. The DiD model demonstrated that depot reforms led to measurable cost savings without substantial changes in service quality. Further research should explore long-term impacts and consider additional variables not covered by this study. transportation maintenance, South Africa, difference-in-differences, cost-effectiveness The maintenance outcome was modelled as Yᵢₜ=β₀+β₁Xᵢₜ+uᵢ+εᵢₜ, with robustness checked using heteroskedasticity-consistent errors.