"background": "The adoption of new maintenance systems in public sector transport depots is often slow and poorly quantified, hindering effective asset management and infrastructure sustainability. Existing evaluations typically rely on post-implementation audits, lacking robust methods to measure causal adoption rates under real-world conditions. ", "purpose and objectives": "This study aimed to develop and apply a novel randomised field trial methodology to measure the comparative adoption rates of two competing depot maintenance management systems within a public transport agency. ", "methodology": "A randomised controlled trial was conducted across 42 depots, stratified by size and region. Depots were randomly assigned to implement either a technology-driven system (System T) or a process-oriented system (System P). Adoption was measured quarterly over 18 months via a composite index of procedural compliance and resource utilisation. The primary analysis used a linear mixed-effects model: Y{ij = \0 + \1 Tij + \ Xij + uj +, where Yij is the adoption index for depot i in stratum j, Tij is the treatment indicator, Xij are covariates, and uⱼ are random stratum effects. ", "findings": "System P demonstrated a significantly higher final adoption rate (68%, 95% CI: 62 to 74) compared to System T (51%, 95% CI: 45 to 57). The treatment effect, adjusted for depot size and baseline maintenance backlog, was estimated at 16. 5 percentage points (p < 0. 01). The advantage for System P was consistent across strata but more pronounced in larger depots. ", "conclusion": "The process-oriented maintenance system was adopted more readily than the technology-centric alternative in the trial context. The randomised field trial proved a viable method for generating comparative, causal evidence on implementation success within operational engineering environments. ", "recommendations": "Transport agencies should prioritise process clarity and workforce engagement in
Niekerk et al. (Tue,) studied this question.
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