Bus rapid transit (BRT) systems in South Africa generally have lower passenger demand, poorer financial performance and higher subsidy requirements than initially forecast, says Professor Christo Venter of the University of Pretoria’s Centre of Transport Development.

One cause of poor passenger numbers may be that these systems do not offer sufficiently attractive services, given the alternatives available to potential passengers, he notes.

Venter conducted an in-depth study, running from January 2014 to August last year, on Johannesburg’s Rea Vaya BRT system.

The study was funded by the City of Johannesburg. It engaged 1 208 Johannesburg residents using all major modes of transport, including cars, buses, minibus taxis, Rea Vaya, Metrorail and the Gautrain.

The study shows that around one in four car users are unlikely to ever switch to a BRT system, while the remaining 75% of car users are willing to consider using a BRT system – if it is attractive enough. This means there are roughly 750 000 car users in Johannesburg who would be willing to use this form of public transport.

“However, the key question is: What is attractive enough? The answer to this question varies across different communities,” explains Venter.

“Those using BRT, who also own a car, value speed and short walking times to bus stops more highly than passengers who do not own a car. This suggests that the availability of good feeder modes that run close to where people live is important, especially among those who own a car.”

Another important finding of the study is that potential passengers show a low willingness to pay for enhancements to Rea Vaya. This suggests that funding constraints will be a permanent feature of BRT systems in South Africa, says Venter.

The study also shows that quality of service is the main reason users opt for BRT, more so than the need to save time or money, compared with competing public transport modes.

Venter says BRT authorities should make an effort to improve service quality, especially if they are to protect and grow the share BRT systems have within the greater public transport market.

“People who use Rea Vaya – current and potential future users – are attracted more by service quality, by aspects such as safety, cleanliness and comfort in the vehicle and reliability, than by the fact that it is faster or cheaper than the taxi, which is its main competitor.

“It means that the qualitative aspects that distinguish Rea Vaya from the taxi mode, namely greater safety, comfort and payment convenience, are worth a lot in the passenger’s mind, and exert an important influence on the decision to use a BRT system.

“BRT authorities would do well to understand these qualitative aspects better, and pay close attention to service quality during the design and operation of the service.”

Venter says Rea Vaya indeed offers a higher quality of service than taxis.

“It is possible to protect these quality attributes through proper and careful management, and not necessarily at huge cost.

“Our study shows that users are very price sensitive, so they will not be willing to use Rea Vaya if the fare increases drastically.

“The cost of protecting quality can be offset by savings in infrastructure if a less-infrastructure-heavy approach is followed [in] rolling out the next phases of the BRT [system] in South Arica.”

Venter says the study’s findings place a question mark over BRT as it is implemented locally, with the tendency to follow an infrastructure-heavy and costly approach in order to deliver higher speed and reliability along trunk routes.

“The study shows that passengers are in need of better access and higher frequencies inside their neighbourhoods, which means it may be necessary to rethink the way BRT is designed and planned in order to concentrate more on delivering a complete network than just offering a higher-speed system.

“The study does not suggest that Rea Vaya should not have fast bus lanes and enclosed stations, but the system could probably have fewer of them – which will save money, as exclusive bus lanes and enclosed stations are expensive to build and, more importantly, to manage and operate – and concentrate more on getting the rest of the system right.

“We simply cannot afford to build these expensive trunk systems everywhere if people are not willing to pay for the added benefit of high-speed lanes.”

Venter says itis encouraging to see the City of Johannesburg “moving in this direction” with its latest plans for Rea Vaya, which include working more closely with Metrobus and the taxi industry to build a more integrated public transport system.

Venter’s study forms part of the city’s Integrated Public Transport Network strategy to guide the future deployment of its BRT system and its related services.