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Public Transport News

Luxembourg Protocol can save South Africa billions – Rail Working Group

By: Natasha Odendaal 14th February 2019 The adoption of the Luxembourg Rail Protocol to the Cape Town Convention on International Interests in Mobile Equipment is expected to be a game changer for South Africa, said Rail Working Group chairperson Howard Rosen on Thursday. The treaty, which is expected to enter into force late in 2019,... →

Train sets numbers improve in the Western Cape – Metrorail regional manager

By: African News Agency 14th February 2019 There has been a great improvement on the number of train sets which are currently in operation compared to last year, Metrorail Western Cape regional manager Richard Walker said on Thursday. “We are currently operating 48 train sets which is an improvement from where we came down last year being... →

South Africa a step closer to new driver's licence demerit system

By: News24Wire 13th February 2019 Parliament's Portfolio Committee on Transport approved amendments to the Administrative Adjudication of Road Traffic Offences (Aarto) Bill, bringing the country a step closer to a point demerit system for traffic infringements by drivers. While DA MPs are keen to see the demerit system... →

City of Cape Town proposes R800m transport infrastructure project for Wynberg

By: African News Agency 8th February 2019 The City of Cape Town’s portfolio committee for transport on Friday morning approved a project for the further roll-out of the MyCity bus service in the greater Wynberg area, which if given council approval, will see new infrastructure investment of around R800-million. The two proposed transport... →

Buses using natural gas to curb fuel costs

By: Halima Frost 1st February 2019 Since the initial introduction of natural gas vehicles (NGV) in South Africa, natural gas supplier CNG Holdings has successfully converted about 180 dual-fuel compressed natural gas- (CNG-) run buses for the City of Johannesburg (CoJ). This makes Johannesburg one of the first cities in... →

GAS, NATURALLY Natural gas had been selected as a fuel of choice for global bus companies

Metrobus tells commuters to find alternative transport as strike shuts down service

By: African News Agency 30th January 2019 Metrobus management on Tuesday apologised to commuters after the second day of industrial action, led by Democratic Municipal & Allied Workers Union of South Africa (Demawusa), shut down the bus service in the city of Cape Town. Metrobus said it was working hard to find a lasting solution to the... →

UNTU intends to launch protest action against PRASA, Transport Minister

By: Simone Liedtke 28th January 2019 The United National Transport Union (UNTU) is in the process of launching a Nedlac Section 77 process through its affiliated federation, the Federation of Trade Unions of South Africa (Fedusa), which will allow protest action to force the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) and... →

Ongoing tech investment seen as driver of future tourism growth

By: Schalk Burger 25th January 2019 South Africa must continue to invest in travel technologies and Internet of Things technologies to tap the potential of tourism amid changing expectations of travel and modes of transport, says digital security multinational Gemalto Commonwealth of Independent States, Middle East and Africa... →

SHERRY ZAMEER Tourism can contribute 600 000 jobs over the next decade

Man electrocuted on roof of Cape Town train

By: News24Wire 23rd January 2019 A man was electrocuted on top of a train travelling from Philippi to Cape Town early on Wednesday morning, Metrorail Western Cape has confirmed. "It was the first train of the day and it is unclear what led to the incident. Emergency services, the police, Metrorail crews, forensics and a mortuary... →

Cape Town’s WhereIsMyTransport expands to Latin America, India

By: Irma Venter 22nd January 2019 Public transport data and technology company WhereIsMyTransport has raised $1.85-million in funding from Liil Ventures and Goodwell Investments, as part of its Series A funding round. The funding will support the company’s expansion into Latin America and India. →

Data collected by WhereIsMyTransport in Mexico City

PRASA to have permanent group CEO by April – Minister

By: Marleny Arnoldi 22nd January 2019 Transport Minister Blade Nzimande expects the process to appoint a permanent group CEO for the Passenger Railway Agency of South Africa (PRASA) to be completed by April. He stated this in a reply to a Parliamentary question by Democratic Alliance MP Chris Hunsinger, dated January 9. →

New construction process proposed for Gautrain expansion project

By: Irma Venter 21st January 2019 More than halfway through the 15-year Gautrain concession period, Gautrain Management Agency (GMA) CEO Jack van der Merwe says he is pleased with the operation of the 80-km rail system. “Looking back at building the Gautrain there are positives and negatives. A positive is that we have an... →

Gautrain seeks ways to grow ridership as 2018 hits govt's pocket

By: Irma Venter 17th January 2019 The patronage guarantee payable by the Gautrain Management Agency (GMA) to the Bombela Concession Company (BCC), as the Gautrain operator, has increased from R1.34-billion in the 2016/17 financial year, to around R1.5-billion for the 2017/18 financial year. GMA CEO Jack van der Merwe says the... →

Cosatu angered by R1.6bn subsidy for Gautrain

By: African News Agency 15th January 2019 The Congress of South Africa Trade Union (Cosatu) in Gauteng said on Tuesday that it was dismayed by the news that the provincial department of transport will be subsidizing Gautrain operating expenses with a whopping R1.5-billion this year. News emerged on Monday that the Gautrain Management... →

Train accident highlights need for industry-wide solution, stronger regulator – RRA

By: Tasneem Bulbulia 10th January 2019 An industry-wide solution and a strengthened railway regulator with more powers are needed to prevent future train accidents, such as the one that claimed the lives of four people and resulted in the injury of hundreds more earlier this week, industry body, the Rail Road Association (RRA) said in... →

Despite unsuccessful tender, Gautrain remains on the lookout for new trains

By: Irma Venter 8th January 2019 An almost three-year tender process, initiated in February 2016, to secure additional train sets for the Gautrain system, has failed to deliver the desired results, with none of the three short-listed bidders producing a compliant bid. However, the Gautrain system remains in need of additional... →

Hosken to expand its interest in Western Cape bus operations

By: Creamer Media Reporter 19th December 2018 Commuter transport company Hosken Passenger Logistics and Rail is in early stage negotiations to buy out the remaining shareholders of Sibanye Bus Services and Table Bay Area Rapid Transport (TBRT) in the Western Cape. Golden Arrow Bus Services, a wholly owned subsidiary of JSE-listed Hosken,... →

I was dismissed from Prasa for uncovering looters, says Collins Letsoalo

By: African News Agency 17th December 2018 Collins Letsoalo, former acting chief of Passenger Rail Agency of SA (Prasa), said on Monday that his dismissal from the troubled entity was due to "a web of corruption and looters" he had unearthed during his walkabouts and roadshows at the agency, and never about an alleged massive salary... →

Collins Letsoalo

Cornubia bridge opened to traffic

By: Jessica Oosthuizen 14th December 2018 The new Cornubia bridge that crosses over the N2 to uMhlanga, in KwaZulu-Natal, has been partially opened to traffic, says construction design and engineering services provider Royal HaskoningDHV project engineer Brian Downie. The project was a joint venture in which Royal HaskoningDHV designed... →

ONE STRUCTURE The Cornubia bridge forms one structure, carrying six mixed-use traffic lanes as well as pedestrian sidewalks and two bus lanes

Cape Town MyCiti bus petrol bombed, driver seriously injured

By: African News Agency 11th December 2018 A MyCiti bus driver was seriously injured when the bus he was driving was petrol bombed in Roodebloem street, Woodstock, in Cape Town, on Monday night at about 22:00. The spokesperson for the city's fire department, Theo Layne, said a passenger was also injured, but was not in a critical... →

Gibela delivers its first South African made train to PRASA

By: Irma Venter 7th December 2018 Gibela has delivered its first South African-built X’trapolis Mega commuter train to the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA). The train was dispatched from Gibela’s new train manufacturing complex at Dunnottar, in Ekurhuleni, this week, travelling to Prasa’s Wolmerton depot, north of... →

The first South African-built X’trapolis Mega commuter train on its way to the Wolmerton depot

South Africa’s 'dysfunctional' rail system root of many transport problems

By: Irma Venter 7th December 2018 South Africa has a “completely dysfunctional" passenger rail system, says Professor Stephan Krygsman of the University of Stellenbosch’s Department of Logistics (Transport Economics). “There is no way to sugarcoat it. “The fact that we cannot get a rail system working in this country is probably... →

Durban train delays in the spotlight

By: News24Wire 28th November 2018 "He didn't even wait for me to explain why I was late. I was just told to pack my things and leave," says Philile Nzimande, who was fired from her job because of Durban Metrorail train delays. Nzimande said she had arrived two hours late after the train from Umlazi "stopped in the middle of... →

Santaco acquires 25% stake in SA Taxi for R1.7bn

By: African News Agency 20th November 2018 The South African National Taxi Council (Santaco) has acquired a 25 percent stake in SA Taxi for R1.7-billion, following several years of a mutually-beneficial working relationship. SA Taxi finances entrepreneurs who operate minibus taxis that may not otherwise have access to credit from... →

Gibela to hand over SA-built train before year-end

By: Marleny Arnoldi 19th November 2018 The first new Xtra’polis Mega commuter train to be built in South Africa since the 1970s is undergoing final testing at transport consortium Gibela’s train manufacturing facility in Dunnottar, Gauteng, ahead of being handed over before the end of 2018 to the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa... →

Ekurhuleni BRT system extended to OR Tambo International

By: Schalk Burger 16th November 2018 The Ekurhuleni bus rapid transit (BRT) system, called Harambee, has been extended from Tembisa to OR Tambo International Airport, says Ekurhuleni executive mayor Mzwandile Masina. The Harambee project is part of the overarching objective of developing an integrated public transport network to... →

Project to have major economic impact

By: Jessica Oosthuizen 16th November 2018 The Motherwell Passenger Rail Corridor (MPRC), one of the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa’s (PRASA’s) largest rail projects, will have a major economic impact, with significant benefits, says multidisciplinary engineering and architecture company GIBB railway engineering associate Nico... →

MOTHERWELL PASSENGER RAIL CORRIDOR The construction of the railway line and associated infrastructure is scheduled to start in 2022/23

Carmakers lure ride-hailer, delivery drivers in Africa

By: Reuters 9th November 2018 At Suzuki Motor Corp's showroom in the Kenyan capital, hundreds of its Alto compact cars are waiting to be collected. Most of the customers are drivers for ride-hailing company Uber Technologies, which struck a loans and discount deal with the Japanese carmaker and South Africa's Stanbic Bank, at... →

Nothing sinister about the new fleet of vehicles, PRASA spokesperson says

By: African News Agency 7th November 2018 The Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) on Wednesday in response to media speculation on its new fleet, said installation of tracking devices had delayed sending vehicles it acquired recently to operational areas. Media reports said that a total of 174 brand-new vehicles, which were... →

Policy weakness hinders transport financing – Vadi

By: Nadine James 1st November 2018 South Africa does not have clearly defined policy on the funding and financing of public transport infrastructure and operations, Gauteng Roads and Transport MEC Ismail Vadi told delegates at the Transport Forum, in Pretoria, on Thursday. He commented that insufficient progress has been made with... →

Ekurhuleni BRT system extended to OR Tambo International

By: Schalk Burger 31st October 2018 The Ekurhuleni bus rapid transit (BRT) system, called Harambee, has been extended from Tembisa to OR Tambo International Airport, Ekurhuleni executive mayor Mzwandile Masina said at a media briefing at the Intercontinental Hotel, at the airport, on Wednesday. The Harambee project was part of the... →

Cybersecurity must be managed at board level, urges Gautrain boss

By: Irma Venter 30th October 2018 Cybersecurity must be managed proactively at board level, says Gautrain Management Agency (GMA) CEO Jack van der Merwe. “It must be led by senior management and assured by corporate governance. It is a line function and not a staff function.” →

Electric cargo bike pilot study to kick off in Sharpeville in November

By: Irma Venter 26th October 2018 Two electric cargo bikes (e-bikes) will start operations, in Sharpeville, Gauteng, at the end of November. The pilot project, a partnership between the Gauteng government and the German federal government, is funded by the German government. →

Ramaphosa inaugurates R1bn train manufacturing facility, training centre in Nigel

By: Nadine James 25th October 2018 President Cyril Ramaphosa on Thursday officially opened the R1-billion, 78 ha Gibela train manufacturing facility at Dunnottar Park, in Nigel, east of Johannesburg. Members of the Southern African Development Community Secretariat, Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) acting group CEO... →

Intermodal transport systems vital for growth in South Africa, SADC region

By: Tasneem Bulbulia 23rd October 2018 Intermodal transport systems are vital for economic growth and development in South Africa and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region, Gauteng Roads and Transport MEC Dr Ismail Vadi said during a presentation at the fifth edition of the South Africa-Italy Summit/Indaba on... →

Gauteng Roads and Transport MEC Dr Ismail Vadi outlines the need for intermodal transport systems in South Africa and the rest of the Southern African Development Community region. Video and editing: Nicholas Boyd.

There is room for more ride-hailing services, says Taxify country manager

By: Irma Venter 23rd October 2018 Taxify believes there is room for another electronic ride-hailing service in South Africa. US-based Uber started operations in South Africa in 2013, with Estonia’s Taxify moving into the country in 2016. →

Gautrain expansion decision ‘not imminent’, warns MEC Vadi

By: Irma Venter 22nd October 2018 Government’s sign-off on the expansion of the Gautrain rail network “is not imminent”, warns Gauteng Roads and Transport MEC Dr Ismail Vadi. He noted on Monday that the feasibility study for the proposed Gauteng Rapid Rail Integrated Network Extension Plan had been completed. This study concluded... →

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