Abstract:
The paper analyses the cross-border movement of minibus taxis on routes that serve
South Africa and three of its neighbours, Botswana, eSwatini, and Mozambique. It uses
geographic positioning system (GPS) data instead of the traditional manual methods of
collecting data to determine the movement pattern of cross-border minibus taxis. The
movement patterns of cross-border minibus taxis were recorded. The data were
subsequently mapped and analysed using ESRI® ArcGIS 10.6 to identify hotspots of the
three origins and destinations. The analysis allowed for the determination of passenger
waiting times at the rank facilities, stoppages along the routes due to factors like law
enforcement operations, informal stops, border post activities, and total travel time and
speed of the minibus taxis.
The results reveal that Johannesburg is the main hotspot of passenger activities followed
by Maputo, Mbabane and Gaborone. Moreover, the results indicate that most passengers
travel in the morning (between 06:00 to 08:00), hence waiting time is shorter compared to
the afternoon-evening period (15:00 to18:00) where the waiting time is longer. The early
travels are generally due to the limited time the minibus taxis must leave the station. The
movement patterns are influenced by peak (weekends and holidays) and off-peak
(weekdays) periods. In contrast, cross-border minibus drivers’ behaviours were to some
extent influenced by the presence or absence of traffic law enforcement officers along with
the route network. The paper proves that using the use of GPS and Geographic
Information Systems (GIS) technologies to analyse the movement patterns of cross-border
minibus taxis can efficiently map the movement patterns and trends of cross-border
minibus taxi operations.
