Abstract:
Minibus taxis transport the vast majority of public transport passengers in South Africa,
and the minibus taxi industry is critical to the functioning of the country’s economy.
However, the services provided by the industry are generally of a low standard and there
is a need to improve service quality while formalising the industry and addressing issues of
violent conflict. This paper provides a case study review of two innovative minibus taxi
initiatives implemented by the Western Cape Department of Transport and Public Works
(DTPW), namely Red Dot Taxi and Blue Dot Taxi, as a knowledge contribution to the
sector. The paper was developed by core members of the DTPW team, who
conceptualised and implemented these initiatives, and is based on their experiences and
understanding of these projects. The first project, Red Dot Taxi was established during the
first wave of COVID-19 to support the fight against the pandemic by providing related
transport services. Based on the strong working relationship established between DTPW
and the provincial taxi industry through Red Dot, the Blue Dot Taxi pilot project was later
implemented as an incentive programme to improve service quality and safety. The pilot
became operational in May 2021 and was successful in achieving its objectives and in
laying the groundwork for further improvements to minibus taxi services. The paper lays
out the results and lessons learnt from the pilot.
