Mov ing Matt e r s
➲ Rea Vaya: More passengers
The absence of an inter-modal integrated
ticketing system is another problem that
has been facing commuters, and possibly
deterring them from public transport
patronage. It is most unusual for any
individual passenger to have points of origin
and destination convenient to only one
transport mode, and facilitating inter-modal
use will, undoubtedly, bring many more
potential users into the system. Transport
Minister Dipuo Peters is currently engaging
the Gautrain Management Agency and the
Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa on
this subject, with a view to implementing a
compliant, interoperable transport smartcard
system that can be used on both networks.
It is expected that this system will come into
operation before the June 16, 2016 deadline
set by the National Land Transport Act. It
is surprising, however, that this matter was
not addressed in the initial planning of new
services such as Gautrain and Rea Vaya.
The introduction of such a ticketing system
would seem to hold much promise for
an improved public passenger transport
scenario in the future. Integrated ticketing,
in its ultimate form, concerns itself only
with the points of origin and destination
of the traveller, and does not consider
how many modes are utilised in getting there. A typical trip
could include minibus taxi, bus, Gautrain, BRT and PRASA
elements, with the system ensuring that each mode is duly
rewarded for the service it provides. It should remove the
logic for small vehicles, such as Minibus Taxis, to operate
over long distances, and encourage them to maximise the
transport opportunities at either end of the line haul.
At the recent South African Transport Conference held
in Pretoria during July, calls were made for a more
professional management structure for the local Minibus
Taxi industry. Transforum Business Development Consultant
Paul Browning pointed out that no improvements in the
standards of operation of the minibus taxi will be possible
unless the present format of individual owner-operators
is changed, to one where vehicles are operated in larger
units with professional management. The difficulty of
moving taxi operators from their present comfort zone was
acknowledged, necessitating a stick and carrot approach:
“The carrot will be that such a structural change will pave
the way to services being operated under contract to the
municipality and thus offer access to the government
subsidy. The stick must be that the authorities will institute a
vigorous enforcement of business and labour legislation”.
This makes a great deal of sense, but it is unlikely to
happen until the government recognises the need for,
and progressively implements, a fully co-ordinated, highly
| logistics in action
wanted!
disciplined, multi-modal system, where each mode plays
its designated role without undue interference from others.
Some years ago, Metropolitan Transport Authorities were
established in the major centres, but these appear to have
had little influence, so far, on the practical management
of public transport. Nationally, we have seen far too much
silo-like thinking, with individual programmes like Taxi
Recapitalisation, Gautrain, the R51 billion PRASA fleet
overhaul and BRT espoused as if they would provide
the entire answer to the country’s public transportation
problems.
The only group that has apparently been left
out in the cold in all of this is the traditional
municipal and private bus operators, who,
it seems, are seen as a relic of the past, and
therefore dispensable. In any logical way
forward, they need to be brought back into the
equation, and each mode allocated the space in
which it can add the most value.
Any other approach would result
in huge wastage of time, money
and effort, and be doomed
to failure.
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september 2014
moving matters
and serious consideration will need to be
given to providing some form of physical
barrier system, or the gridlock will cripple
the BRT networks, as well.