What is the difference between IRT and BRT?
Integrated Rapid Transit (IRT) represents a package of measures that the City is undertaking in an attempt to provide a more sustainable and balanced integrated transport system in Cape Town. The measures include the priority rail plan, Bus Rapid Transit (BRT), improvements to conventional bus and minibus operations, cycle ways and bicycle parking, pedestrian and urban space upgrades, metered taxi integration, and park-and ride facilities. The objective is to make all these modes work as a seamless and integrated package of options for the traveling public.

Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) is a high-quality bus-based transit system that delivers fast, comfortable, and cost-effective urban mobility through the provision of segregated right of way infrastructure, rapid and frequent operations, and excellence in marketing and customer service.

What are the advantages of BRT?
The most defining feature of the BRT system is its focus on customer service. Dedicated, median busways will provide customers with dramatically reduced travel times. Operating costs will be low so that fare levels are quite affordable. Special attention will also be given to safety and security through the presence of extensive security personnel and the use of CCTV cameras. BRT offers easy transfers between routes, and the convenience of smart cards to pay for journeys. Passenger information on routes and vehicle arrival times are provided at stations.

What is the difference between trunk and feeder services?
Trunk services will use exclusive busways, which will usually be in the middle of the road and will have enclosed, weather protected stations. Passengers will enter the stations through turnstiles using prepaid smart cards. The feeder services will run on normal streets providing connections between communities and the trunk stations. Passengers will validate their smart cards as they enter the feeder vehicles. The trunk services will use larger high-capacity vehicles and the feeder services will use smaller vehicles.

How much quicker will the system be than the current public transport system?
Vehicles on trunk routes will have the advantage of using the dedicated lanes and will not be caught up in traffic congestion. Already, the Bus and Minibus Taxi (BMT) Lane on the N2 highway saves commuters 20 minutes on their morning peak hour trip into the centre of Cape Town. The use of smart cards and level boarding at the stations along with highly frequent services will speed up journey times by reducing the amount of time spent waiting at stations.

What will it cost and will fares be cheaper than for trains, and existing buses and taxis?
The fares will be comparable with existing bus and minibus taxi fares. Passengers will be able to purchase smart cards that are validated as they enter the stations on trunk routes.

Will there be schedules and reliable timetables?
Yes. During peak hours, there will be a vehicle every few minutes, in some cases every minute. At other times, the trunk vehicles will arrive at least every 10 minutes. The smaller feeder vehicles will arrive at stations at least every 20 minutes. There also will be real-time information displays at the stations to advise passengers when the next vehicle will arrive.

Will the system operate late at night and over weekends and public holidays?
It is planned that the system will be available to early morning commuters and evening revellers, 365 days a year.

How will the integrated ticketing work? Which modes will be integrated with the system?
Passengers will use smart cards to pay for their journeys. The trunk and feeder services will be integrated, using the same card for both services. Transfers between the trunk services will be free, and passengers will pay an additional fare for using the feeder services. The smart cards can be purchased either at the trunk stations or at various retail outlets throughout the city. The smart card system is part of a national initiative for a universal electronic payment system. Ultimately, customers will be able to use the same smart card for all transport modes (including rail) as well as to purchase goods and services at retail shops.

Will there be subsidies for the BRT system?
The national and local government’s investment in dedicated infrastructure for public transport does represent a capital subsidy to the network. However, it is projected that the need for operational subsidies will be minimised or even eliminated. Thus, in the medium term, the system represents good value for taxpayer funds, as a once-off capital subsidy reduces the need for on-going operational subsidies.

Will it be sustainable from an environmental perspective?
The IRT is being designed as an environmental showcase for the City. Air emissions will be substantially reduced through clean vehicle technologies and the number of persons projected to shift from private cars to public transport. All vehicles in the system must meet EURO III emission requirements and incentives are in place to encourage use of EURO IV technologies. The City is developing an application to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change to obtain carbon credits for the resulting carbon dioxide emission reductions. An added benefit will also be the cleaner and clearer skies in Cape Town due to the reduction in emissions of nitrogen oxides, sulphur oxides, carbon monoxide and particulates. The system designers are investigating the use of solar photovoltaic cells at stations to generate the system’s electricity needs. Energy-efficient lighting and equipment will become the standard for the system. In addition, recycling bins will be made available at each station.

Does the BRT system mean that the current rail services won’t be improved or extended?
No. The City of Cape Town is working closely with the South African Rail Commuter Corporation (SARCC) to ensure that the priority rail plan for Metrorail is implemented as soon as possible. This priority rail plan includes new and refurbished coaches, station upgrades, improved signalling and security enhancements. In addition, the extension of the Khayelitsha line with two additional stations is under construction. The goal is to design the rail and the BRT components as a single high-quality integrated public transport system.

Will the system be accessible to passengers with physical disabilities?
Yes. The system will be 100 percent compatible for passengers in wheelchairs and passengers who have other disabilities such as sight impairment. All trunk stations will have level surfaces at entrances and exits as well as a level surface between the platform and the vehicle. Likewise, all feeder vehicles will be equipped with ramps that can be pulled out to allow wheelchair access into the vehicles. Inside both trunk and feeder vehicles, there will be designated open spaces for securing of wheelchairs. These enhancements will benefit a large number of customers and not just those with long-term physical disabilities. Persons with temporary disabilities or injuries, parents with prams, the elderly, and the young will all benefit from the ease of access at
stations and within vehicles.

How will security be ensured?
All trunk stations will have full-time security staff on the platforms. There also will be roving security staff on both trunk and feeder vehicles. All stations will be continually monitored by multiple CCTV cameras, which will be overseen at the system’s central control centre. There will also be CCTV cameras within the vehicles themselves. Feeder stations will be fitted with special emergency call boxes, which will include a direct visual and telephone link to the control centre. In cases of emergencies, security staff will be immediately dispatched to the site.

Will I be affected by the construction?
There will be some disruption due to the construction. The City is planning the construction carefully in order to minimise traffic impacts. The dedicated lanes in the centre of the roadways are being reconstructed to take the heavier vehicles, and so some impacts on traffic are expected.

What will the City do to promote use of the new system?
The City will undertake an aggressive and sustained promotion campaign to market and promote the system. It is hoped that that the success of the system will serve to promote itself.

What is the role of the Provincial Government?
All three spheres of government (national, provincial and local) have a significant role to play in this initiative. National government is providing policy support and funding to the project. Provincial government currently oversees existing bus contracts, and the Province’s co-operation in aligning these contracts to the roll out schedule of the IRT system will be critical to its success. Local government is responsible for planning and implementing the system, as well as providing its own funding support. Only through a genuine partnership between all three spheres of government will the successful transformation of public transport in Cape Town be realised.

Will existing minibus operators be part of the new system?
Yes. The minibus taxi industry has served a long historical role in providing essential public transport services to some of Cape Town’s most socially deprived areas. The industry has done so without the assistance of any public subsidy. Given this backdrop, the intent of the City of Cape Town is to improve the industry’s profitability and to improve working conditions for employees within the industry. The City is working to provide all existing bus and minibus owners the opportunity to participate in the Cape Town Integrated Rapid Transit System. The mechanism to transform the industry into a more profitable business model will depend on the outcome of the discussions with existing bus and minibus operators. There are several excellent examples of successful mechanisms to encourage existing operators to participate in the new system. An attractive incentive package in conjunction with improved operational profitability has worked elsewhere in gaining the acceptance of the industry. In fact, once a successful demonstration has been conducted, other cities have found that existing operators actually push the governmental authorities to implement more routes. The City of Cape Town’s objective is for the industry to lead the transformation process themselves.

How will existing bus operators, such as Golden Arrow, be affected?
The existing bus operators, such as Golden Arrow, as well as small- and medium-sized bus owners, provide essential public transport services. This industry is also currently under extreme cost and competitiveness pressures, which in turn affects the quality of the services to the customer. The provision of dedicated bus lanes on the N2 has benefited this industry, and the industry has responded by requesting that more such infrastructure be provided. Another core objective of the Cape Town Integrated Rapid Transit System is that all operators are treated on a level playing field. Rather than seeing the bus and minibus industry as two separate worlds, the intent is to move to an integrated approach in which the entire industry is developed around a robust business model. Therefore, the City is intent on engaging the entire industry in a partnership to shape the way forward.

How will the City engage with the existing operators?
With the Council’s approval of the project’s Phase 1A on 27 August 2008, the City has launched an outreach programme with the bus and minibus industry. At this early stage of the project, the City is meeting with each industry association and each owner to form a partnership on the way forward. Through this partnership, it is hoped to jointly devise mechanisms to reach mutual objectives. Only through the substantive and meaningful engagement with the entire industry is it possible to gain the trust necessary to achieve these objectives. In no way is the City of Cape Town planning a new public transport system that is outside the existing bus and minibus industry. These existing operators are an indispensable resource that must form the basis of a new structure that is more profitable and that provides a superior customer experience.

How will existing operators benefit from the new system?
The intent of the Cape Town Integrated Rapid Transit System is to assist in creating win-win conditions for both the existing operators and the travelling public. An example of this type of initiative is the Bus and Minibus Taxi (BMT) lane on the N2 highway. The time saving achieved by the dedicated lane means that operators become more profitable and customers enjoy a much faster trip into the city centre. The Cape Town Integrated Rapid Transit System will expand the amount of dedicated lanes being given to public transport. The new system will also seek to achieve the following objectives:

• Improve economic conditions for public transport service providers
• Provide dedicated busway infrastructure to improve operational efficiencies and reduce travel times
• Reduce fuel, vehicle and maintenance costs for operators
• Create a level playing field for all public transport operators
• Encourage modal shifts away from private vehicles and towards public transport
• Increase the amount of employment in the public transport sector
• Dramatically improve working conditions for drivers and other industry staff, including the provision of health benefits and a long-term pension
• Deliver improved salary levels to public transport employees
• Improve the quality of service to public transport customers
• Raise the level of professionalism within the sector

How will existing operator permits be affected?
The first part of the process is to validate existing permits and licences. This exercise is in the direct interest of existing operators who are unfairly compromised by illegal operators who are not permitted for a particular route or area. Proper permitting is also in the safety and security of customers. The permit validation process is not just related to the longterm disposition of the existing permits with respect to the Cape Town Integrated Rapid Transit System. Rather, permit validation is part of a legal process that the City is legally obligated to undertake as a standard practice.

How will the new system affect the thousands of minibus taxi operators and drivers who depend on their current jobs?
A principal objective of the Integrated Rapid Transit System is to substantially improve the work environment for those currently employed. Current drivers and staff often do not have employment benefits such as leave, sick leave, health care, maternity benefits, and pensions. The new system will provide these benefits as well as safer working conditions, a stable salary and regular work hours, while enhancing professionalism and career development. The City is working to add employment to the sector through the addition of particular functions, such as security, fare collection, and customer service.

Will being PDI help in terms of providing services in the new system?
Yes. As a matter of procurement policy and legal requirements, the City of Cape Town fully adheres to the Preferential Procurement Framework Act.

Will minibus taxi associations be disbanded?
No. All minibus taxi operators are free to remain part of existing associations.