Integration of midi-buses into the Gautrain services: Gautrain partnership with the minibus taxi industry

Abstract

The Gautrain Management Agency is mandated to enhance public transport integration, as espoused in the GMA Act and the 25-year integrated transport masterplan (ITMP25). The GMA developed an innovative partnership model with the minibus taxi industry in 2011, with the objective of providing a service from the Gautrain’s Marlboro station to Linbro Business Park. The GMA public transport integration model with the taxi industry, referred to as the Midibus Feeder and Distribution Service (MFDS), is founded on the following principles: • Strategic Partnerships: Formalisation of partnerships with the participating taxi operators and structuring of the entities into sustainable businesses. • Reliable Public Transport Service: Provision of a scheduled, safe and reliable public transport service by all partners, thus improving the public transport brand perception. • Job Creation: Creation of sustainable jobs and alleviation of poverty through the integration partnerships. The MFDS is an initiative that is on-going to provide first-and-last-mile transport services for Gautrain rail- and non-rail passengers. The model has grown over the years and has since been rolled out at Marlboro, Centurion and Hatfield Gautrain stations. There are currently nine MFDS routes, covering a 5km to 10km radius from the Gautrain stations. The partnership model has transported close to 600 000 passengers in 2022 and continues to make an impact socially, environmentally, and economically.