Southern African solutions to public transport challenges

Abstract

Public transportation is a generic term used to describe the family of transit services available to urban and rural residents. Thus, it is not necessarily a single mode but more often a variety of traditional and innovative services, which should complement each other to provide system-wide mobility. There are three primary modes in the realm of public transportation; mass transit, paratransit and ridesharing (Hangula 2016). Mass transit which is characterized by routes, published schedules, designated networks, and specified stops, assisted by Intelligent Transport Systems- enabled infrastructure, is the proposed solution discussed in this paper. Mass-transit vehicles include buses, light rail or rapid transit, which either share space in mixed traffic or operate on grade-separated rights of way. From the beginning of history, human sensitivity has revealed an urge for mobility, leading to a measure of society's progress. The history of this mobility or transport is the history of civilization. For any country to develop with the right momentum, modern and efficient transport should serve as basic infrastructure. Transport plays a major role in urban development, by providing access for communities to schools, jobs, health care, and other vital services. Especially in developing cities and towns in Southern Africa, enhanced mobility for the needy groups is one of the most important preconditions in improving the standards of living. Cities that have high quality transport systems, which prioritize public transport and non-motorized modes rank at the top with regards to quality of life.