Provision of public transport services using a combination of minibus taxi type and standard BRT bus vehicles:the Rustenburg case

Abstract

As an outcome of a negotiated public transport contract, the Rustenburg Local Municipality have developed a concept which enables the provision of scheduled public transport combining the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) buses and the existing minibus taxi industry’s services, infrastructure and resources. The paper explores how this unique setup was done, its operational requirements, the cost of implementing such a system and its integration in the overall transport requirements of the Rustenburg Local Municipality. The Yarona bus service as it is called, which is operated by a private company, Rustenburg Transit (RF) Pty Ltd currently operates eleven (11) routes. The routes are operated by 10 BRT rigid buses and 35 minibus taxi type vehicles. In addition, the service is complemented by 40 minibus taxi type vehicles which provides a service similar to the commonly used taxi type service regulated through area-based licenses. The paper follows an exploratory method, whereby the Rustenburg Rapid Transit’s operation is being analysed using available information from the company’s repository and complemented with information gathered from Rustenburg Local Municipality, Minibus taxi operators and literature review. Researchers and academics describe South Africa's transport systems as being diverse and exceptional, particularly the nuances of the minibus taxi industry. The government has been investigating formalization methods for the minibus taxi industry, despite the industry already being legal to a significant degree with regulations promulgated by provincial legislatures and through the National Land Transport Act, No.5 of 2009 which regulates the issuance of operating licenses. However, challenges persist in ensuring full compliance and achieving a more formalized industry structure which could enjoy the benefits of subsidy from government. The fragmented minibus taxi Industry (MBT) of Rustenburg was not able to participate in the Integrated Public Transport Network of the Rustenburg Local Municipality without being corporatised into an entity to provide the required public transport service. The Chairperson of the Taxi Negotiating Forum (TNF) (S Sebogo, 2023) emphasises that there was a need for the minibus taxi industry to have one voice when negotiating a contract to run the Yarona services. The Rustenburg Municipality presents a unique case study of the merge between BRT bus services and minibus taxi service offering scheduled services with automated fare collection systems.