Proposals for the Co-Ordination of Formal Public Passenger Transport in the Johannesburg Area
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PROPOSALS FOR THE CO-ORDINATION OF FORMAL PUBLIC PASSENGER TRANSPORT IN THE JOHANNESBURG AREA by Frederick Wentzel DISSERTATION submitted in the fulfillment of the requirements for the degree MAGISTER COMMERCII in TRANSPORT ECONOMICS in the FACULTY OF ECONOMIC AND MANAGEMENT SCIENCES at the RAND AFRIKAANS UNIVERSITY Promoter Dr C W V Mostert Co-promoter Prof J Walters June 1999 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to thank everyone who assisted me during this year and so made it possible for me to complete this study. In particular I would like to thank the following people: Dr C W V Mostert of the Department of Transport Economics at the Rand Afrikaans University, for all his help and guidance, and for believing in me. Prof J Walters of the Department of Transport Economics at the Rand Afrikaans University for agreeing to act as the co-promoter for this study. Dr G C Prinsloo for agreeing to act as external examiner. Arno van der Merwe for all his help during the empirical research as well as the drawing of the main route. Elsabe Wentzel for all her patience and help by way of typing this thesis. All the members of my family for their continued support and encouragement. SYNOPSIS Formal public transport has an important function to fulfill, both in terms of service provision and also in the broader context of the economy. This is so because so many workers live in dispersed areas and are dependent on public transport to arrive at work. This point is especially valid with regard to the Soweto area, which is one of the most heavily populated areas in South Africa, providing a large workforce to South Africa's most important economic region — the Witwatersrand. The main theme of this study is that all "formal" passenger transport operators in the Soweto area need to be integrated and that structural co-ordination should take place. This includes service provision in terms of routes and schedules as well as the ticketing . system. This study provides an overview of the activities of the "formal" operators in the Soweto area. The conclusion that can be drawn is that the current "formal" service leaves considerable scope for improvement. It is also clear from the reports that have been quoted in this study that the minimum levels of service are not being achieved. Hence, this study proposes new road-based routes and schedules aimed at improving the co- ordination of bus and rail transport in the Soweto and surrounding areas. This study also proposes an integrated ticketing system, which is aimed at forming the basis for effective co-ordination. The purpose of these proposals is to assist the yet-to-be-established Transport Authorities to make decisions that will guide the co-ordination process in the right direction. The study also investigates other aspects that influence the "formal" public transport system. These include Government Policy, national objectives, ticketing systems and co- ordination. These aspects, combined with current research and schedules will be used as the basis where-upon new suggestions are made. The study emphasises that the suggestions made will not necessarily improve cost effectiveness but are primarily aimed at improving upon the current service. The study suggests however, that any additional funding that may be needed will be a moderate amount with regard to macro-economic variables, and at the same time will improve the quality of life of the community and will help in achieving national transport objectives as envisaged by the Moving South Africa study project. It is also suggested in this study that the time for meaningless debate is over and that the time has arrived to implement practical solutions with regard to the formal public passenger transport system in South Africa. SINOPSIS Formele openbare passasiersvervoer het 'n belangrike funksie om te vervul, beide in terme van dienslewering en ook in die breer konteks van die ekonomie. Dit is so omdat soveel werkers in afgelee woongebiede woon en afhanklik is van openbare vervoer om by hul plek van werk te amveer. Die punt is venal geldig in die Soweto omgewing, omdat Soweto een van die belangrikste en digsbevolkte areas in Suid-Afrika is en wat venal aan die Witwatersrand omgewing derduisende werkers verskaf. Die hooftema van die studie is dat al die `formele" passasiersvervoer operateurs in die Soweto area geintegreer behoort te word en dat koOrdinasie moet plaasvind. Dit geld vir dienslewering in terme van metes en skedules, asook kaartjiesisteme, ens. Die studie verskaf 'n oorsig aangaande die bedrywighede van die huidige formele operateurs in die Soweto area. Dit kom tot die gevolgtrekking dat die huidige formele diens definitief ruimte vir verbetering het. Dit is ook duidelik uit die verslae wat aangehaal word, dat die minimum vlakke van diens nie bereik word nie. Daar word dan nuwe busroetes en skedules voorgestel wat daarop gemik is om bus en treinvervoer in die Soweto omgewing te koOrdineer. Die studie stel ook 'n geIntegreerde kaartjiestelsel voor om die ko-ordinasie van formele dienste te onderskraag. Die doel van hierdie voorstelle is om die Vervoer Owerhede, wat nog gevestig moet word, by te staan met die neem van besluite wat koOrdinering sal verbeter en wat die proses in die regte rigting sal stuur. Die studie ondersoek verskeie aspekte wat die formele openbare vervoersisteme beinvloed. Dit wissel vanaf regeringsbeleid, nasionale doelwitte, kaartjiesisteme en koOrdinering. Dit word dan ook saam met bestaande navorsing en skedules gebruik om te dien as basis vir die voorstelle wat volg. Dit studie stel dit duidelik dat die voorstelle wat gemaak word, nie noodwendig meer koste-effektief sal wees nie, maar maak die punt dat addisionele befondsing, indien enige, wat nodig mag wees, matig sal wees teen die agtergrond van makro-ekonomiese gegewens en terselfdertyd die lewensgehalte van die gemeenskap sal verbeter en sal ( iv) help met die bereik van vervoerdoelstellings, soos uiteengesit in die "Moving South Africa" studie projek. Die studie beveel aan dat die tyd vir bespiegelinge verby is en dat dit tyd geword het om praktiese oplossings te implementeer, ten einde formele openbare passasiersvervoer sy regmatige plek te laat inneem in Suid-Afrika. (v) Contents TABLE OF CONTENTS Page CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION 1 1.1 Background to the Study 1 1.2 Scope of the Study 5 1.3 Purpose of the Study 11 1.4 Methodology of the Study 13 1.4.1 Literature Studies 13 1.4.2 Applied Research 13 1.4.3 Personal Interviews 13 1.5 Contents of the Study 14 CHAPTER 2: COMMENTARY ON NATIONAL PUBLIC PASSENGER TRANSPORT POLICY 17 2.1 Introduction 17 2.2 The White Paper on National Transport 18 Policy 2.2.1 Land Passenger Transport 18 2.2.2 Mission 19 2.2.3 Strategic Objectives. 20 2.2.4 Policy Statements 23 2.2.5 Regulated Competition 25 2.3 Objectives of the National and Provincial Land Transport Bills 27 2.3.1 Introduction 27 2.3.2 The Clauses of the Bills 28 2.4 Commentary on the Bills 32 2.4.1 Additional Guidelines 32 2.4.2 Additional Safeguards 36 2.5 Formal and Informal Services 38 2.5.1 Definitions 38 2.5.2 Market "niches" 39 2.6 Conclusion 41 CHAPTER 3: CURRENT FORMAL OPERATORS IN THE SOWETO AREA - BUS AND RAIL 43 3.1 Introduction 43 3.2 The Formal Public Bus Operator — 43 PUTCO 3.2.1 History and Operating Philosophy 43 3.2.2 The Tender Process 46 3.2.3 Statistics 51 (vi) Contents 3.2.4 Empirical research 51 3.3 The Current Formal Rail Operator — 55 Metrorail 3.3.1 History 55 3.3.2 Operating Philosophy 56 3.3.3 Statistics 58 3.4 The Effectiveness of Heavy Rail 65 3.4.1 Accessibility 66 3.4.2 Availability 67 3.4.3 Transfers and Modal Integration 69 3.5 Conclusion 70 CHAPTER 4: CURRENT SOWETO ROUTES AND 73 RESEARCH 4.1 Introduction 73 4.2 Current Permit Procedure 74 4.3 Different PUTCO Operations 76 4.4 Current Research 77 4.5 PUTCO Routes 80 4.6 Statistics 81 4.7 Metrorail Current Route Map 90 4.8 Jomet Lutsplans 92 4.9 Transportation Problems 95 4.10 Conclusion 95 CHAPTER 5: CO-ORDINATION OF PUBLIC 98 TRANSPORT 5.1 Introduction 98 5.2 Co-ordination 99 5.3 The Spencer Report 100 5.4 The RAU Symposium of 1979 103 5.5 The "NITRR" Report 104 5.5.1 Mobility 105 5.5.2 Convenience 105 5.5.3 Reasonable Cost 106 5.5.4 Minimum Side Effects 107 5.6 Framework of Co-ordination 108 5.6.1 Legal 108 5.6.2 Planning 108 5.6.3 Marketing 109 5.6.4 The Product 109 5.6.5 Distribution 110 5.6.6 Promotion 110 Contents 5.6.7 Financing 5.6.8 Income 5.6.9 Expenditure 5.6.10 Subsidies 5.6.11 Operation and Management 5.6.12 Metropolitan Transport Areas of South Africa 5.6.13 Methods of Co-ordination 112 5.7 The Masstran Report 112 5.8 Moving South Africa 114 5.9 Conclusion 115 CHAPTER 6: FARE STRUCTURES 117 6.1 Introduction 117 6.2 Terms Used in this Chapter 118 6.2.1 Fare System 118 6.2.2 Integrated Fares 119 6.2.3 User Choice 119 6.2.4 Summary of Current Status 119 6.3 The Motivation for Integrated Fares 122 6.3.1 Competing Modes 122 6.3.2 Complicated Fare Structures 122 6.3.3 The Intention of Planners 123 6.4 Existing Operators 123 6.5 International Literature 123 6.6 Local Literature 134 6.7 Possible Fare Structures 139 6.7.1 Free Fares 139 6.7.2 Flat Fares 140 6.7.3 Distance-based Fares 142 6.8 Combined Fare Structures 145 6.9 Choice of Fare Structure 145 6.10.