go george parliament briefing...

George Integrated Public

Transport Network

GO GEORGE

Parliament Briefing

Document:

September 2017

GEORGE INTEGRATED PUBLIC TRANSPORT NETWORK

GO GEORGE Parliament Briefing Report – September 2017

2017 09 28 GIPTN PARLIAMENT BRIEFING DOCUMENT V1.0 Sept 2017

PAGE 2 OF 41

CONFIDENTIAL 2 of 41

Document Control

Report Title: GO GEORGE Parliament Briefing Report: Sept 2017

Report Number: Ad Hoc

Prepared By: GIPTN Management Unit

Version Date Contributors Change Description

0.0 5 Sept PW Request for Inputs

0.1 6 Sept WDR, PW, AMR, HS, AC,

ZP

First draft of inputs

0.2 7 Sep ZP, PW, GM, AC, IS, AGa Additional inputs, structure

and anrrative

1.0 8 Sep ZP, JR Final review

INITIALS

(WCG: - KR – Kyle Reinecke, DR – Deidre Ribbonaar, RC -Recardo Collins, GM – Gamza Martin,

FM – Fezile Mbambo, BN – Brian Ngcebetsche, JR – James Robb, ML – Morne Lakay, GK – Gina

Kinniburgh) (PRE: - BM – Bernie Macmahon, FJ – Fadiel Jattiem, MS – Mark Skrikker; VS – Venice

Strydom) (MoG: - LAM – Lee-Anne Meiring, LD - Lionel Daniels, KJ – Keith Jordaan, PG – Pieter

Gelderbloem, ZvR – Zanda van Rooyen, DSa – Donovan Saptoe, JvS – Johan van Schalkwyk, HD

– Hein Diemont, CE-K – Chantel Edwards-Klose) (Aurecon:-WDR – Wayne Duff Riddell, RR –

Robby Robertson, IS – Ian Scott, RvR – Rinus van Raaij, CB – Cecil Barry, WC – Wayne Classen)

(Pegasys: - CvdH – Constantin von der Heyden, ABi – Astrid Bissell,AGa – Andrew Ihsaan

Gasnolar, HD – Herbert Dreyer, HS – Hannah Schultz, AC – Adeeb Conrad, FL – Farren Louw, DS

– Dominic Strano, PK – Peter Koch, AC – Adeeb Conrad, ZP – Zunaid Parker, PW – Peter

Wortmann, SM – Sechaba Maruping, JS - Johan Slabber, ME – Michael Elston) (CommXellence –

AMR – Anna-Marie Roux, AP – Anna-Lize Pretorius)




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Acronyms

ACRONYM EXPLANATION

MoG Municipality of George

ITS Intelligent Transport Systems

WCG Western Cape Provincial Government

DORA Division of Revenue Act

DTPW Western Cape Department of Transport & Public Works

MLTF Municipal Land Transport Fund

MTEF Medium Term Expenditure Framework

NDoT National Department of Transport

GMT Government Motor Transport

GIPTN George Integrated Public Transport Network

VOC Vehicle Operating Company

PTIG Public Transport Infrastructure Grant

IFM Integrated Fare Management

PTNOG Public Transport Network Operations Grant




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Table of Contents

Document Control.............................................................................................................. 2

Acronyms ........................................................................................................................... 3

Table of Contents............................................................................................................... 4

1 Project overview .......................................................................................................... 6

1.1 Broad outline of system ........................................................................................................ 6

1.2 Link to NDP, MTSF, SONA ................................................................................................... 6

2 Project Financial Status ............................................................................................... 8

2.1 Expenditure on IPTN to date and planned budget for remainder of project ....................... 8

3 Master Programme and Progress Status Update .................................................... 11

3.1 Current progress................................................................................................................. 11

3.2 Impact of IPTN on Municipal Public Transport planning / system ...................................... 13

3.3 Strategic Integrated Transport Plan Framework ................................................................... 14

3.4 Policy shifts implemented for sustainable transport ............................................................. 14

3.5 Distance covered by the system .......................................................................................... 14

3.6 Max passengers per day .................................................................................................... 15

3.7 Impact on transport flow into cities ....................................................................................... 15

3.8 Current ticketing method ................................................................................................... 15

3.9 Achievement of universal access ........................................................................................ 18

3.10 Station infrastructure and lntermodal operations ................................................................. 19

3.11 IPTN infrastructure and transfer locations .......................................................................... 19

3.12 Taxi operating licenses surrendered as part of project ......................................................... 21

3.13 Job creation........................................................................................................................ 21

3.14 Socioeconomic impact statistics ......................................................................................... 22

3.15 Environmental benefits ........................................................................................................ 22

4 Risk Management ...................................................................................................... 23

4.1 Financial management of OPEX .......................................................................................... 23

4.2 Financial management of CAPEX/PTISG funds ................................................................ 23

4.3 Plans to ensure revenue increases to limit reliance on grant funding and subsidies ............. 23

4.4 Delays in negotiation process of the Vehicle Operating Contract ...................................... 24

4.5 Operator business model ................................................................................................... 24




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4.6 Delays in procuring trunk vehicles ...................................................................................... 25

4.7 Institutional capacity/resource requirements ...................................................................... 25

4.8 Improvements of signage on roads and at stations .......................................................... 26

4.9 Customer feedback/surveys management.......................................................................... 27

4.10 Impact on services during driver strikes .............................................................................. 28

4.11 Collisions and/or pedestrian/passenger incidents linked to project ..................................... 28

4.12 Implementation of safety measures on system ................................................................... 29

4.13 Law enforcement related to infrastructure use .................................................................... 31

4.14 Frequency of reporting back to the National Department of Transport ............................. 31

4.15 Risk profile ......................................................................................................................... 31

5 Aspects of project which were well executed ....................................................... 34

5.1 Redesign of district conditions .......................................................................................... 34

5.2 Advanced vehicles used ................................................................................................... 34

5.3 New PT connections leading to mass transit corridors ...................................................... 34

6 Aspects of project that could be improved on in future phases ........................ 35

6.1 User information ................................................................................................................. 35

6.2 Speed ............................................................................................................................... 36

6.3 Reliability .......................................................................................................................... 36

6.4 Passenger and pedestrian safety ..................................................................................... 36

6.5 Consultation and cooperation of other PT modes ............................................................ 36

6.6 Greater integration with feeder modes of PT ...................................................................... 36

7 Challenges faced and what municipalities are doing to respond to these ...... 37

8 Contribution of project towards a single public transport ticketing system,

universal access and smooth inter-operability with other modes of transport 38

9 Considering challenges faced in project and budget spend, would you still

propose the use of IPTN as the most suitable PT system for the city .............. 39

10 Future of IPTN ........................................................................................................... 40

10.1 Running way guidance ...................................................................................................... 40

10.2 Vehicle propulsion technologies .................................................................................... 40

10.3 IT, fare collection, planning, controlling operations, management of bus bunching ..... 40




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1 Project overview

1.1 Broad outline of system

The GIPTN was introduced as a precedent-setting flagship model for the provision of public transport

in South Africa’s emerging cities. The objective of the GIPTN is to give the citizens of George a

means to access social, education, and economic opportunities in the city by providing a public

transport service that was safer, more affordable, more accessible and more reliable than the

incumbent minibus taxi industry it replaced. This is being achieved through the transformation of the

existing local bus and minibus taxi industries, as well as through the provision of universal

accessibility and non-motorised transport.

The GIPTN shifts public transport in George from an operator-controlled, under-regulated, single

trip, commuter-focused system towards a municipality-controlled, integrated and scheduled public

transport network. Under this arrangement, the municipality, in its role as the contracting authority,

is responsible for providing public transport services. It contracts a vehicle operating company (VOC)

to operate the services for a 12-year period based on a per-kilometre rate, with revenues in the

network collected by government (i.e. a gross contract). The system has been devised such that

there will be no incentive for the VOC to chase fares. Instead, their primary objective is to adhere to

the strict quality-of-service criteria in their contract with government. MoG and DTPW monitor the

behaviour of the operator to ensure that the quality of public transport service provision meets the

requirements of the GIPTN.

The GIPTN was designed to achieve appropriate levels of spatial and temporal coverage given the

mixed urban/rural nature of the city. The GIPTN is a regular scheduled bus service; there are no

dedicated bus lanes, although there is allowance to implement such lanes on one corridor in the

future should it be deemed necessary.

Services comprise a combination of main and community services geared towards minimising

transfers and costs whilst maximising network coverage. Most residents and places of work are

within about 400m of the system, with coverage of some 85% of the developed urban areas within

the 400m walk distance once the system is fully in place, excluding rural areas and areas not yet

operating.

Key to achieving the required coverage at reasonable cost is the use of a mixed fleet, so that off-

peak times and low-demand areas can be served at a reasonable frequency, without the costs

involved with large vehicles. The service currently operates a fleet of 86 vehicles (33 Standard, 19

Midi and 34 minibuses).

1.2 Link to NDP, MTSF, SONA

An essential principle outlined in the National Development Plan, the Medium Term Strategic

Framework as well as the President’s recent State of the Nation Address, is that public transport

must be dependable. Authorities must create reliable services by placing commuters' interests above




PAGE 7 OF 41


the sectarian concerns of transport providers, while also allowing these services to be economically

sustainable businesses.

The National Development Plan presents a long-term strategy to increase employment and broaden

opportunities through education, vocational training and work experience, public employment

programmes, health and nutrition, public transport and access to information. While there are “quick

wins” to be achieved in each of these areas, the strategies will take time to have a large-scale effect

on poverty. To reduce the acute effects of poverty on millions of South Africans over the short term,

the plan proposes to in part invest in public transport, which will benefit low-income households by

facilitating mobility.

Underpinning this long-term strategic goal, the intention is to establish effective, safe and affordable

public transport. The strategy underlined in the National Development Plan seeks to address poverty

and its impacts by broadening access to employment, strengthening the social wage, improving

public transport and raising rural incomes.

The Medium Term Strategic Framework provides that public transport planning and alignment with

residential development is a key element in achieving social and economic transformation in urban

areas.

A key principle set out in the Medium Term Strategic Framework provides that Government’s

approach to urban development is focused on integrated and better-located residential development

and investment in public transport networks.

Accordingly, a key component of the design of the GIPTN has been to introduce an affordable fare,

including the ability to transfer for free, to deal with the challenges of the legacy of Apartheid spatial

planning and to facilitate social and economic transformation in urban areas.

A critical element of the GIPTN is that safe, affordable, reliable public transport must be made

available to residents of George. The GIPTN is modelling the type of IPTNs that are possible in non-

metro cities. The GIPTN is supported through national grant funding under Public Transport

Networks Grant, which is allocated as part of the Schedule 5 conditional allocations, as well as

financial funding from the Provincial Department of Transport and Public Works as provided for the

intergovernmental and financial agreements concluded between the Western Cape Government and

the Municipality of George.

The GIPTN is achieving the grant outcomes, and delivering on the principles as set out in the MTSF,

SONA as well as the NDP, through the planning, construction and upgrading of infrastructure to

support the operation of reliable, affordable, accessible, convenient scheduled services that is

running 12-18 hours a day, 7 days a week with operations being phased in throughout the George

municipal area.

In addition to providing for regular public transport users, the GIPTN also provides improved

opportunity for public transport access to the 40% of the George population who are currently

pedestrians, with approximately 13% of the population walking a daily distance of between 5 and

10km. The priorities of the GIPTN include dedicated efforts to achieve 100% universal accessibility

of the service and the development of non-motorised transport facilities.




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2 Project Financial Status

2.1 Expenditure on IPTN to date and planned budget for

remainder of project

GIPTN expenditure can be classified into four categories:

• Capital costs

• Establishment costs

• Direct Vehicle Operating costs

• Indirect and Auxiliary cost

The following table illustrates the total income and expenditure classified into the categories since

inception of the project to date:

Table 2.1: Summary of financial results

SUMMARY OF FINANCIAL RESULTS 2013/2014

(R'000)

2014/2015

(R'000)

2015/2016

(R'000)

2016/2017

(R'000)

National Government Grants 265 019 122 254 116 325 156 243

Provincial Government Grants - 32 339 129 229 150 544

Fare Revenue - 7 446 32 533 37 302

Interest Income - - 2 151 2 157

Total Income 265 019 162 039 280 237 346 245

Capital Costs 140 420 70 308 95 649 87 355

Establishment Costs 124 599 51 709 68 168 42 979

Direct Vehicle Operating Cost - 38 154 106 188 114 918

Indirect Cost - 8 265 14 229 43 334

Total Costs 265 019 168 436 284 234 288 587

Budget surplus/(deficit) for the year - (6 397) (3 997) 57 658

Accumulated budget surplus/(deficit) for the year - - (10 394) 47 264




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The following table illustrates the planned expenditure for the remainder of the project with regards to capital expenditure:

Table 2.2: Summary planned capital expenditure

# Main categories # Sub categories

I

1.1 Project Management 47.7 M R 35.0 M R 30.0 M R 10.0 M R 10.0 M R 10.0 M R 10.0 M R 10.0 M R 10.0 M R

1.2 Operations Plan (including UDAP)

1.3 Business Plan

1.4 Marketing & Communications Plan

1.5 Prelim + Detailed Infrastr Design

1.6 Other (list items in notes below)

47.7 M R 35.0 M R 30.0 M R 10.0 M R 10.0 M R 10.0 M R 10.0 M R 10.0 M R 10.0 M R

2.1 Fare system equipment 27.8 M R 7.7 M R 8.4 M R 8.9 M R 9.5 M R 10.0 M R 10.6 M R 11.3 M R 12.0 M R

2.2 APTMS/ITS equipment



3.1 Roadway civil works 36.5 M R 45.1 M R 40.4 M R 20.8 M R 9.5 M R 69.6 M R 78.0 M R 63.9 M R 71.7 M R

3.2 Top structures for stations / stops 19.0 M R 16.4 M R 5.6 M R 6.0 M R 6.3 M R 28.1 M R 14.2 M R 15.0 M R 12.0 M R

3.3 Depots 7.1 M R 10.1 M R 77.4 M R 82.1 M R 2.7 M R 3.8 M R 4.0 M R

3.4 Control centre

3.5 Land and property acquisition

3.6 Infrastructure renewal

3.7 Other (list items in notes below) 11.1 M R 14.2 M R 22.6 M R 23.9 M R


1+2+3 149.1 M R 104.1 M R 94.6 M R 123.1 M R 117.3 M R 120.4 M R 127.0 M R 126.5 M R 133.5 M R

4.1 Purchase costs (excl 4.2 costs)

4.2 Other capitaised costs (list in notes)

5.1 Compensation to licence holders 11.0 M R 5.0 M R 5.5 M R

5.2 Industry transition support


R 11.0 M R 5.0 M R 5.5 M

6


5 Transition costs

TOTAL TRANSITION

Other capital costs (list items in notes below)

A: TOTAL CAPITAL EXPENDITURE

EXPENDITURE

CA

PITA

L E

XP

EN

DITU

RE

1 Planning

TOTAL PLANNING

2 Equipment - excluding vehicles

2023/24 2024/25 2025/26

TOTAL EQUIPMENT

3Infrastructure and other fixed

assets

TOTAL INFRASTRUCTURE

TOTAL Combined capital exp on Planning, Equipment and Infrastructure

4 Capital cost of vehicles

TOTAL COST OF VEHICLES

2017/18 2018/19 2019/20 2020/21 2021/22 2022/23




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The following table illustrates the planned expenditure for the remainder of the project with regards to operating expenditure:

Table 2.3: Summary planned operating expenditure

7 125.9 M R 151.5 M R 167.0 M R 178.3 M R 189.5 M R 200.8 M R 212.0 M R 223.3 M R 234.6 M R

8 9.2 M R 9.2 M R 19.2 M R 19.2 M R 19.0 M R 10.0 M R 10.0 M R

9

10.1 Fare system ops/maint 25.6 M R 28.3 M R 30.0 M R 31.8 M R 33.7 M R 35.7 M R 37.8 M R 40.1 M R

10.2 Station services 7.2 M R 7.6 M R 8.1 M R 8.6 M R 9.1 M R 9.6 M R 10.2 M R 10.8 M R 11.5 M R

10.3 APTMS ops/maint 14.2 M R 15.0 M R 15.9 M R 16.9 M R 17.9 M R 19.0 M R 20.1 M R 21.3 M R 22.6 M R

10.4 Network authority institution 2.5 M R 3.3 M R 3.4 M R 3.6 M R 3.8 M R 4.0 M R 4.3 M R 4.6 M R 4.9 M R

10.5 System marketing 8.5 M R 7.7 M R 7.4 M R 7.5 M R 7.5 M R 8.3 M R 9.0 M R 9.9 M R 10.8 M R

10.6 Infrastructure maintenance 2.0 M R 9.0 M R 10.0 M R 11.8 M R 13.5 M R 15.4 M R 17.4 M R 19.6 M R 22.1 M R

10.7 Law enforcement

10.8 Insurance 3.7 M R 4.7 M R 5.0 M R 3.5 M R 3.7 M R 3.9 M R 4.2 M R 4.4 M R 4.7 M R

10.9 Facilit ies rental

10.10 Depot maintenance and security 2.0 M R 4.8 M R 5.1 M R 5.4 M R 5.7 M R 6.0 M R 6.4 M R 6.8 M R 7.2 M R

10.11 Other (list items in notes below) 67.6 M R 55.5 M R 69.0 M R 69.5 M R 68.5 M R 71.7 M R 76.0 M R 80.4 M R 85.0 M R




Indirect operating expenditure for

Phase/project

TOTAL INDIRECT OPERATING EXP

B: TOTAL OPERATING EXPENDITURE

A+B: COMBINED CAPITAL & OPERATING EXPENDITURE

OP

ERA

TIN

G E

XP

END

ITU

RE

Direct vehicle operating costs

Capital charges for loan for vehicles (interest + redemption of capital)

Capital charges on loans for Planning, Equipment and Infrastructure (i+r)

10




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3 Master programme and progress status

update

3.1 Current progress

In terms of the GIPTN Schedule, Phase 1 was rolled out on 4 December 2014 as planned. There

was a slight delay to the rollout of Phase 2, which was rolled out on 25 February 2015, and Phase 3

was rolled out on 3 May 2015. Figure 3.1 indicates the rollout of the current 3 phases, and provides

a 12-month forecast for the future, including two options for the rollout of Phase 4.

Figure 3.1: Phase 4 Rollout scenarios based on receiving a directive by end September 2017

The project has not always run according to the originally planned schedule. The sections below

describe various challenges that have been experienced since inception that impacted the rollout of

Phases 1-3, and that currently impact rollout of Phase 4 onwards.




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Buses

• The last Midi buses were only delivered in June 2015. This process was delayed due to an

extended homologation process.

• The delay to the delivery of minibuses, due to the process of receiving dispensation from NDoT

to brand same, plus the conversion required to make the minibuses accessible to comply with

NDoT requirements. The last minibuses only arrived in January 2016.

• The replacement buses for the buses burnt, as noted below, arrived in a batch, including an

additional fleet order. Those buses only arrived in May 2016.

Industry tensions and violence

• Preparation and planning works leading up to the rollout of Phase 4 continued with a revised

rollout date of October 2016, resulting in flare-ups and negative industry sentiment. A bus and

its participants undertaking trial runs were attacked, subsequently leading to the stoning of 5

buses, of which four were also set on fire and ultimately written off.

• This led to cases being opened against the alleged perpetrators, and further heightened tensions

as a zero-tolerance approach was adopted by the law enforcement agencies dealing with these

cases.

• A lengthy mediation process, initiated by NDoT, commenced in order to deal with issues raised

by taxi operators (including some industry members who had never been operators) who had

become disgruntled or felt aggrieved with the industry negotiation process that had taken place

in the leadup to launching the GIPTN. The mediation ultimately found that all processes leading

up to the GIPTN launch, including the negotiations and public participation process, had been

properly managed by Government and confirmed that NDoT wished to see the continued roll-

out of the GO GEORGE bus service. The outcomes of that mediation process were

communicated to all operators, including the aggrieved industry members, in December 2016.

• In November 2016, the UNCEDO George chairperson was murdered, which murder was felt to

be linked to the rollout to Phase 4A.

• There have allegedly been ongoing threats towards both existing operators as well as members

of the Vehicle Operating Company in George, which are constantly being monitored and

managed in order to ensure that there are no escalations to the GIPTN or the GO GEORGE bus

service or the passengers of the system.

Phasing and system planning

• The experience gained though operations, combined with inputs from the VOC and communities,

resulted in the rescheduling of the service after the initial three phases were launched, with

additional time also allocated for refinements to be done between launches. These additional

changes were not anticipated in the original project schedule.




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• The change in rollout plan for Phase 4 from one single phase to two sub-phases resulted in an

additional phase to be planned and implemented. This was felt necessary due to the size and

complexity of the phase, and given security risks and other operational considerations.

• A cost and resource refinement exercise was conducted on the systems plan during August 2016

and implemented during December 2016. This reduced the overall fleet requirement and allowed

for some of the existing buses to be used for future phases.

• Rerouting of existing phases required additional public engagement. Construction and provision

of additional infrastructure for Routes 1A, 1B and 60 were implemented.

Other factors impacting rollout

• The postponement of Phase 4A and Phase 4B rollouts was necessitated as a result of a

Thembalethu community engagement in November 2016, at which the community participants

and operators present expressed resistance to the rollout of the service.

• The persistently higher than anticipated out-of-service ratio (OOSR) of the vehicle fleet resulted

in the need to re-plan the fleet requirement, considering the higher ot-of-service ratio of the fleet.

The impact of this is that additional vehicles must be procured which imposes a delay to allow

for the procurement process. The contracting authority is investigating a temporary leasing option

to reduce the impact of and dependence on the procurement of new vehicles.

Other activities not linked to Phase 4 rollout, such as finalising the IFM implementation process,

infrastructure rollout such as Nelson Mandela Boulevard re-construction and upgrades to Ngakani

and Market street are being planned for implementation shortly, whilst the bus shelter rollout and

sidewalk improvement programs continue. Planning for the next stage of Infrastructure design for

further implementation throughout all phases continues, with the appointment of 5 engineering firms

to undertake the detailed design having taken place.

On the operational front, the Field Monitoring and Facilities Management Contracts have been

drafted, and are at various stages within the procurement process.

A CCTV rollout programme is also being implemented under the MoG to supplement the existing

network, with Phase 4A already having been upgraded in the last financial year. Given the sensitives

and varied scenarios surrounding the Phase 4 rollout, detailed planning regarding Phases 5 and 6

will need to be limited until there is greater clarity on Phase 4, with a refinement of same likely before

Phase 5 and Phase 6 can proceed.

3.2 Impact of IPTN on municipal public t ransport planning /

system

A fundamental premise in the design of quality IPTN systems is the establishment of a minimum

level of service specification that is appropriate to the environment or environments that need to be

served by the IPTN. This is often policy driven and covers spatial coverage (geographic coverage),

temporal coverage (the hours during which a service is provided) as well as fare levels to be applied.

In effect, a policy driven service specification can be thought of as a “social contract” between

government and the community.




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In reflecting on the minimum level of service specification that should be applied, a number of factors

require consideration. These include targeted walking distances (addressing physical access at a

basic level), targeted fare levels (addressing the issue of affordability) and the minimum service

frequencies that should be introduced (dealing with temporal access to the system throughout the

day).

Possibly the more appropriate question is the ’impact of IPTN on transport planning and the CITP’.

In response, it is a little too early to answer this, but what is occurring is that the municipality is

recognising the need to focus on the preparation of ‘Arterial Management Plans as called for in the

Provinces ‘Access Management Guidelines’ (Draft July 2017), thus appreciating the need to deal

with a range of corridor management issues, which includes adoption of a ‘Complete Street’ design

approach. In turn, this should lead to improved modal sharing of the road space, and better transport

/ land-use integration.

Topographical factors will dictate the type of vehicles that can introduced and the infrastructure

responses required. Universal access is fundamental in guiding these responses.

These considerations begin to address both the needs of the community as well as an appropriate

service response to the level of demand that must be accommodated. Implicit in specifying these

policy directives, is an understanding that there may be need for a degree of compromise, ensuring

that the best possible service is provided, but not necessarily at any cost. There needs to be a

beneficial balance across as wide a community grouping as possible

3.3 Strategic Integrated Transport Plan framework

The GIPTN is fully aligned with the SITPF, and the objectives as outlined in a number of government

policy statements, and is pursuing the land-use / transportation integration notions articulated by the

NDoT and National Treasury.

3.4 Policy shifts implemented for sustainable transport

What the GIPTN is endeavouring to demonstrate is that it is possible to deliver a quality public

transport system that minimises the cost burden on both the user and the state by applying some

important principles. These relate to matters such as the use of mixed bus fleets, resorting to ‘policy’

driven schedules during low demand periods, ensuring proper bus loading during peak periods,

accepting the passenger transferring is necessary, etc. With passenger transfers comes the

automatic need to focusing on transfer locations and that of making pedestrian crossings safer,

which contributes to making roads safer for pedestrians. Achieving this is a slow process, and the

project team has already identified the need for a number of transport guideline documents to be

reviewed.

3.5 Distance covered by the system

At present, approximately 109km of roadway have operational bus services. Most roads are

operated bidirectionally thus counted with directionality the total roadway covered is approximately

210km.




PAGE 15 OF 41


Distance currently operational

The operational distance covered by the fleet is 403km daily, if one considers the distance travelled

on each of the routes currently operated (with some road sections including multiple routes).

The total monthly revenue kilometres for the system currently operational is approximately

300,000km.

Distance estimates/planned to cover once full

system is operational

Once fully rolled out, the final system will cover approximately 250 km of roadway, or approximately

500km if counted bidirectionally.

The operational distance covered, considering the distance travelled on each of the planned routes,

will be an additional 159km for Phase 4 and 175km for Phases 5 and 6 (with some road sections

including multiple routes).

3.6 Max passengers per day

The service presently carries about 13,700 passengers per weekday reaching up to 380,000 trips

per month. Full rollout of the system should result in doubling of these numbers.

3.7 Impact on transport flow into cities

No measurements have been undertaken in this regard, but the removal of ~350 minibus taxis and

their replacement with 120 buses (of which 36 are in fact minibuses), would by implication result in

a reduction in congestion. Micro-simulation modelling within the CBD reflects that the impact on

general traffic is slight, and this seems to adequately represent what is observed as occurring on the

street. The buses are scheduled and operate strictly to the routes and stops designated and known

to the public, eliminating illegal operations, lane swerving, irregular stops and other congestion-

creating behaviour.

3.8 Current ticketing method

The GIPTN currently uses a paper ticketing system as fare medium on buses. This was introduced

as an interim measure until the Integrated Fare Management System (IFMS) is introduced.

These paper tickets are validated by an M-Canceller machine, which validates and time stamps the

ticket upon boarding.

The paper ticket system offers three ticket types, which are differentiated by whether they are bought

on or off the bus. Off-bus tickets can be bought at vendors or Municipal offices, and offers

passengers a discounted price. Passengers have the option to purchase a single journey ticket at

R9.50, or a 10-trip multi-journey ticket at R85.00. On-bus tickets are sold at a premium at R10.00,

to incentivize passengers to pre-purchase cheaper tickets prior to boarding.




PAGE 16 OF 41


Affordability remains an ongoing concern and has meant that increases are kept to a minimum. The

formula used to calculate fare increases, considers the less affluent members of the community, and

is based on the affordability by a domestic worker to use the system. Passengers are allowed to

transfer to another bus for free, if done within one hour of first board.

The following table illustrates the increases implemented since inception:

Ticket type 8 December 2014 1 February 2017 1 July 2017

Single journey on-bus ticket R8.50 R10.00 R10.00

Single journey off-bus ticket R8.50 R9.00 R9.50

Multi-journey ticket R75.00 R85.00 R85.00

A key intention of the existing fare structure has been to ensure that tickets on the GO GEORGE

bus service are affordable, subsidised through the development of the GIPTN, and that it allows

residents in George to commute to work, places of worship, schools, work opportunities and to

access services.

The GIPTN will be implementing an Integrated Fare Management System (IFMS) with a contactless

smartcard application during the first half of 2018. Although it is a standalone system it can and will

be integrated with the existing ITS infrastructure to ensure the seamless, high speed and secure

transfer of data and transactions.

The IFMS will allow passengers to travel using mainly their smartcards, which they can obtain and

subsequently top-up at vendors.

The IFMS is fully compliant with the National Land Transport Act, 2009 Regulations Relating to

Integrated Fare Management Systems.

The following policies will govern the implementation of the new IFMS:

• The IFMS will be compliant with the National Department of Transport’s (NDoT) regulations

and guidelines

• Fare media will be EMV contactless smartcards carrying the NDoT AFC Data Structure and

issued by banks (Standard Bank South Africa) that are members of the Payments

Association of South Africa (PASA)

• All IFMS equipment and systems will be complying with the technical and functional

requirements as specified in the NDOT AFC Data Structure specification, for electronically

recording and retrieving public transport related data and prepaid Transit Products




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Figure 3.2: IFMS network infrastructure

A key consideration for the IFMS to be effective is for an effective and appropriate vendor/distribution

network which will consist of the Transport hub, two container kiosks, a mobile solution as well as

Standard Bank third party vendors.

Current developments:

• The IFMS wireless IT infrastructure is being installed.

• Operational information that is a requirement for the IFMS to be effective such as timetables,

bus routes, duties etc are being verified and refined prior to being uploaded.

• Further software development for the seamless integration of the IFMS and ITS

• Vehicles are being prepared for the subsequent installation of the hardware.

• Driver and cashier training

• Business processes has been developed for the IFMS and requires approval

• Standard operating procedures are being developed.

• Final stages of the development of the marketing strategy.




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3.9 Achievement of universal access

In line with the requirements of the PTNG funding conditions, a Universal Design Access Plan

(UDAP) has been prepared over the past three years with the current draft being completed in June

2017. It complies with the NDoT requirements to address eight key areas including:

• Transport Planning

• Operational Context

• Vehicles

• Infrastructure

• Fare System

• Customer Care

• Passenger Information and Way-Finding

• Marketing and Communications

Each of these areas are addressed in detail. Key points to note include:

• Acceptance of the travel chain concept to guide the provision of universally accessible

infrastructure, including intersection rightsizing focused on the improvement of pedestrian

safety, and the development of a universally accessible kerb-side environment, embedded

in emerging Arterial Management Plans as required by the recently published Western Cape

Access Guidelines.

• A universally accessible fleet of standard and midi-buses and the development of the first

accessible mini-bus in South Africa that has been endorsed by both DOT and SALGA.

• The development of appropriate universal access design guidelines

• The roll-out of universal accessible sidewalks along bus routes to provide access to bus stops

and accessible bus stop platforms.

• The development of a universally accessible website

• The development of marketing, educational and training material

• The development of, and notice by Council, of a Universal Access Statement of Intent, as a

precursor for the development of a more comprehensive Universal Access Policy

• The completion of customer care and disability awareness training for more than 240 drivers,

supervisors and internal staff.




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Table 3.1 Approximation of universal access passengers in the Municipality of George.

(Statistics South Africa, Sep 2014)

Category of Passenger Percentage of

Population

Number of universal

access passengers

People with Disabilities in George 28.9%1 55 971

The Elderly (Categorised as persons 55

years and older) 13.9%2 26 965

Children between the ages of 0-14 years 26.3%3 50 953

3.10 Station infrastructure and lntermodal operations

The term ‘station’ is more aligned with a ‘closed’ system, such as a BRT or heavy rail system. The

GIPTN is an ‘open’ system, in other words, a conventional bus operation using the existing road

network, with few if any exceptions. This implies the use of standard bus stops, the design of which

has been adapted to improve universal access. The system does provide for the development of

transport hubs and interchanges, where modal transfers can occur and which are provided with

public amenities such as public toilets, ticket sales, information, security, etc. This system design

can accommodate future integration with long-distance bus operators and the taxi cab operators in

George. This may be enhanced by alignment of schedules and use of transfer locations such as the

George Transport Hub.

3.11 IPTN infrastructure and transfer locations

Figure 3.3 reflects the total route structure and walkable catchment areas. This framework guides

the provision of infrastructure and transfer locations. The route infrastructure has been designed to

enable some 85% of the urban population would be within 400 – 800m walking distance from a main

or community route.

1 Calculations include wheelchair users, people with hearing difficulties, people wearing spectacles as well as people who have difficulty navigating stairs, which totals 55 971 of 193 672 people from STATSSA. 2010. Age groups in 5 years by Assistive devices and Medication- Hearing Aid.

2 Calculated as 26 965 of 193 672 people from STATSSA. 2010. Age groups in 5 years by Assistive devices and Medication- Hearing Aid.

3 Calculated as 50 953 of 193 672 people from STATSSA. 2010. Age groups in 5 years by Assistive devices and Medication- Hearing Aid.




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Figure 3.3: Route structure and walkable catchments

Figure 3.4 indicates existing and proposed transfer locations in the core urban area, facilitating

movement between routes, providing increased accessibility. Transfer locations are located primarily

at the intersection of routes.




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Figure 3.4: Illustrative system transfer locations

3.12 Taxi operating licenses surrendered as part of

project

• 257 Operating Licenses have been relinquished.

o 79 Buy-in

o 178 Buy-out

• 240 Operating Licenses (Operators with compensation agreements) yet to relinquish

o 140 Buy-in

o 100 Buy-out

3.13 Job creation

To operate and manage the growing fleet and operations, the VOC have employed approximately

300 staff. The VOC employs approximately 2.2 drivers per vehicle, accounting for multiple shifts over

the 18-hour working day, 7-day work week. In addition to drivers, the VOC employs staff at the

depots and throughout the network tom manage daily operations; there are also support functions

(administration, finance, HR, etc.) that are staffed and work at the office premises of the VOC located

next to the depot.

Over 90% of the staff are employed from the Affected Persons Register (APR), comprising people

who previously worked in the George taxi industry and who were impacted by the introduction of the

GIPTN. In addition to this, local service providers of servicing, maintenance and repairs to the vehicle




PAGE 22 OF 41


fleet have been sub-contracted by the vehicle manufacturer. In addition to this, other roles related to

the GIPTN, e.g. facilities management or cleaning services, are further opportunities to employ

people from the APR.

3.14 Socioeconomic impact statistics

A socioeconomic baseline study was undertaken prior to commencing the project. A follow-up study

is required as soon as the full system is bedded down. At a high level, however:

• There has been an external investment of nearly a billion rand into George in support of this

project.

• Passenger fares have been between R1.50 and R2.50 lower than the previous taxi fare for

the bulk of the operating period of the service for most commuters. Additionally, the GO

GEORGE bus service allows for a free transfer within an hour of a passenger’s trip, which is

another saving that is being passed on to passengers in George. Those who previously

transferred with minibus taxis may be saving as much as R25 per day on transport costs.

• Transport is guaranteed across the entire operational area from around 06h00 to 21h00, with

some services operating beyond those hours, hospital services for example. This improves

access to opportunity and reduces time spent waiting for buses, as scheduled services allow

pre-planning of trips.

3.15 Environmental benefits

The buses for the GIPTN are Euro V compliant, compared to the previous minibus taxis which were

rated Euro II or less. The GIPTN fleet is well maintained and thus the environmental impact of that

aspect of the system is an improvement over the old system. The current daily operational fleet of

approximately 62 vehicles replaces the approximately 350 minibus taxis that operated previously,

which represents a further significant positive environmental impact.




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4 Risk management

4.1 Financial management of OPEX

A direct vehicle operating cost optimization/moderation process with consequent envisaged cost

savings has been adopted. Current estimates in this regard reveal that 2% of current projected direct

costs of the project could be saved through this process. Indirect operating expenditure and other

costs are managed through a stringent budget request process within the municipal project

management structure.

4.2 Financial management of CAPEX/PTISG funds

Capital expenditure is costed on a needs basis in terms of further rollout programs per annum.

Provision has also been made in the budgeting process for the maintenance of infrastructure. The

GIPTN has been implemented as an “infrastructure-light” service, with minimal bus shelters at launch

(simple collared flag poles or temporary bus shelters being used instead) and no bus stations per se

except for the George Transport Hub in the CBD. Historically the GIPTN has been critically

underfunded and has cut back on capital expenditure, to the extent that required road rehabilitation

and upgrades have been held back in order to serve the operations with the limited budget available.

The service still operates with limited infrastructure in place, and funding is carefully managed and

allocated to the priority needs first (e.g., road rehabilitation on most trafficked routes, or bus shelters

for the most popular stops).

4.3 Plans to ensure revenue increases to limit reliance on

grant funding and subsidies

Current costs are distorted by the arrangements in preparation for further phase rollout. The result

is that fare revenue will increase by more than costs as the next phases are implemented. Once all

phases are running, further refinements will be made to ensure that the optimum service is operating.

Ultimately, the fare level reflects the minimum wage and thus affordability of the system to the users.

So, whilst operating costs will be kept to a minimum, fare revenue and thus subsidy is a matter of

socio-economic balancing.

It is envisaged that the system will, over and above passenger volume increases due to further roll-

outs, attract 2% organic passenger volume growth which contribute to growth in the revenue base.

In addition, the project aims to increase ticket fares annually in line with CPI and domestic worker

wage inflation, which was used as the basis for calculating the tariffs in George to ensure that the

service is accessible and affordable. Other sources of income are also being investigated, the most

promising in the short-term being a proposal for sale of advertising space on the infrastructure and

vehicle fleet, and renting space at the George Transport Hub to retailers and vendors.




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4.4 Delays in negotiation process of the Vehicle Operating

Contract

Negotiations with the industry have already concluded and the GIPTN launched in December 2014,

including the establishment of a single VOC representing the taxi and bus industry in George. The

VOC was contracted for a 12-year period, which is the GO GEORGE bus service currently in

operation in George. There were no interim contracts and there are no other VOCs envisioned for

George.

4.5 Operator business model

Engagement and consultation with the industry started in 2007, and although one of the 4

associations involved, namely UNCEDO were at first resistant to the proposal and withdrew

temporarily in 2009, formal negotiations commenced in 2012 with a number of MOUs being

concluded with all the taxi associations and local bus operator in George. This process was followed

with the compensation agreements being signed that following year with operators, and the

conditions precedent having been met in November 2014. The model in George was based on the

participating operators from all the associations selecting a buy-in or buy-out option with an option

available for competition (however, this option was not very popular).

The buy-in option saw operators across all associations becoming shareholders in the VOC, with

representation of all association sitting on the board. The Buy-out model saw those operators exiting

the industry, and being paid out accordingly. The payment model agreed during negotiations with

the Industry in George was based on a sliding scale linked back to the market value of the licences

determined through a route valuation survey conducted with the Industry.




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Figure 4.1: Industry engagement timeline

After the fact, some of the operators involved, have expressed unhappiness about the model. As a

result, NDoT instigated a mediation process, which found that the negotiations were concluded in

good faith, and that Government followed due process. It is important to note that the compensation

model was recently considered during the NDoT-initiated mediation process with disgruntled

operators and the findings of that mediation was that the compensation model and the negotiation

thereof was fair and proper.

As described in the earlier sections there have also been delays to the roll-out of subsequent phases,

and as such some operators have also expressed dismay, as they have not yet been able to benefit

from the compensation process.

4.6 Delays in procuring trunk vehicles

Apart from initial delays experienced though the homologation process, there have been no delays

in the procurement of “Trunk” vehicles (Standard and Midibuses). GO GEORGE does not operate a

true “trunk and feeder” service but has Standard and Midi buses that serve mostly Main routes, and

minibuses that serve mostly Community routes.

4.7 Institutional capacity/resource requirements

Key government institutions are the MoG and DTPW. While MoG is the contracting authority for the

GIPTN, MoG and DTPW have entered into an Inter-Governmental Agreement (IGA) and Funding

Agreement (FA) for the joint exercise of functions to allow for provincial support and capacity-

building.




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DTPW assumes operational functions and operating financial commitments during the first operator

contract period, until an agreed-upon date of transfer. DTPW also assist MoG during this time with

capacity building. MoG is responsible for strategy, oversight and stakeholder engagement from the

outset. The intention is to transfer full responsibility for running the GIPTN from DTPW to MoG during

the first contract period (and by no later than the end of the first contract period). DTPW will directly

contract for the provision of IFM and ITS services, and will continue to have responsibilities for these

functions so they can be coordinated across other municipalities in the Province where IPTNs may

be rolled out.

The GIPTN utilises a largely outsourced business model, including an operator contract for the

provision of public transport services, and service provider contracts for the provision of training,

security, marketing and other functions. Additionally, service-level agreements (SLAs) will be used

to facilitate access and maintenance to infrastructure not located on Municipal land, such as the

airport and Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University. Vehicles are owned by MoG, will be maintained

by the vehicle supplier, an external service provider (Mercedes-Benz SA) via a maintenance

agreement and leased to the operating company.

Figure 4.2: Outsourced business model for GIPTN

4.8 Improvements of signage on roads and at stations

The wayfinding system requires a complete review and reassessment – this will be initiated during

the current MTEF period.




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4.9 Customer feedback/surveys management

Communication and customer care

The GIPTN implements a targeted and integrated communication strategy. At a strategic level, the

GIPTN team develops a communications plan based on the strategic needs of the project. This

determines the stakeholders and target audiences that the team engage with, after which key

messages for each audience is developed. For each stakeholder or target group, a targeted

communication strategy is developed outlining the key messages, communication channels and

frequency of communication required to engage or inform them respectively.

From the communication strategy, the team develops a measurable and practical implementation

plan. The plan is broken down into monthly and weekly plans to a very practical, tangible level, which

includes identifying and incorporating specific upcoming activities (e.g., a ticket price increase, the

building of a new stop or addition or refinement of routes) which could require specific communication

targeting those activities.

The communication execution includes utilizing multiple channels, including mass media

(newspapers, radio) as well as information material (timetables, route maps and information flyers),

a Call Centre to field queries from passengers and the public, social media channels (Facebook and

Twitter), the GO GEORGE website, electronic communication (e-mail), and Communication

Champions. In this way, communication is interactive, and the service engages with the public rather

than just being unidirectional.

Customer satisfaction surveys are undertaken where feedback from passengers are obtained about

various system-related aspects, such as preferred departure times on certain routes, specific

passenger needs in terms of times and routes, service-related aspects and utilization of stops.

Daily operational feedback and monitoring

Daily operational feedback (complaints and information requests) from passengers and potential

customers is obtained through the following channels:

• A GIPTN Call Centre, open seven days a week from 05:00 – 21:00 (0800 044 044)

• A GIPTN Info Kiosk in the George Transport Hub, open daily from 08:00 – 17:00

• Communication Champions deployed across the system, on buses and at stops

• E-mail ([email protected])

• Website (www.gogeorge.org.za)

• Social media (Facebook and Twitter)

• Municipal smartphone app

• Media enquiries

http://www.gogeorge.org.za/




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All complaints and requests are captured and included in weekly public feedback reports which form

the basis for operational decisions and refinements by the GIPTN Operational Team. As far as

possible, all complaints and information requests are examined and addressed.

4.10 Impact on services during driver strikes

Strikes

• Two strikes from December 2014 until September 2017 –

o Unplanned Wildcat Driver Strike (8-11 September 2016)

o Planned National Driver Strike (12 April – 14 April 2017)

• Revenue loss by the Contracting Authority can be summarized as follows:

o September 2016 – R 183,506.50 (43% loss compared to previous week)

o April 2017 – R 423,317.00 (90% loss compared to previous week)

• No impact on budget due to strikers’ demands as this cost is carried by the Vehicle Operating

Company.

• However, short-term losses are experienced by the Contracting Authority during and directly

after every strike due to lost fare revenue during strike and slow uptake after strikes as

passengers are initially apprehensive to rely on the scheduled service until confidence is

restored over a period of hours or days.

4.11 Collisions and/or pedestrian/passenger incidents

linked to project

Passenger Incidents

• 10 passenger liability claims between December 2014 and August 2017

Pedestrian Incidents

• 3 pedestrian collisions between December 2014 and August 2017

• All 3 incidents as a result of pedestrian negligence (2 incidents of children running into side /

in front of bus)

Collisions

• Minor scratches, bumps and scrapes to major accidents, own and third party: average of 15

collisions per month between December 2014 and August 2017




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4.12 Implementation of safety measures on system

General safety and security

The transformation of the public transport industry within MoG’s jurisdiction must be accompanied

by a real and perceived environment of personal safety on public transport vehicles and routes and

public transport environment in general.

The safety and security of passengers, the public and the operator both off- and on-vehicle is of

utmost importance to the provision of the public transport service, and to the appeal of the system

to the user. Over the lifetime of the project, safety and security has been in the spotlight as there

were some incidents that have occurred which led to loss of life and had a negative impact to the

progress of bringing the service to the citizens of George:

• One of the main industry negotiators, Mr. Tom Queba, was murdered in what is believed to

be an assassination during a period of final negotiations between government and industry.

This took place on 25 May 2014 at which time the parties were looking to sign off on the

conditions precedent.

• On 19 August 2015, protests from unhappy illegal operators against the GO GEORGE

service, triggered by route trials in Thembalethu, turned violent and resulted in the stoning of

6 buses, of which 4 buses were torched. Fortunately, there were no fatalities, however, the

service was disrupted and a limited service restarted after 3 to 4 days, which ran for 1 week

until service returned to normal.

• There have been numerous other marches, which were generally peaceful, with only one

resulting in suspension of services. Generally, services have been rerouted to accommodate

protest march routes, whatever the reason for the protest.

• On 03 November 2016, the George UNCEDO Chairperson, Mr. Sikhumbuzo Minnie, was

shot and killed. This took place following a meeting with taxi operators from Thembalethu,

and was possibly linked to the existing taxi routes within the Phase 4 area due to be replaced

by the Go-George service during the next set of roll-outs.

• To date there has been one robbery of the cash float used by the drivers during the ticket

purchase process. This took place on 5 April 2017, and although it was an armed robbery,

no one was injured.

• There have also been some stone throwing incidents resulting in bus windows being broken

and shelters damaged, believed to be done by children in the areas serviced by the relevant

routes. This results in buses being taken out of service for repairs which impacts operations,

and damage to shelters which creates inconvenience for passengers and a poor image of

the service.

• An increase in vandalism of bus shelters has been noted.

The Municipal Traffic Law Enforcement and Municipal Law Enforcement, assisted by Provincial

Traffic and SAPS have the responsibilities to enforce legislation in relation to a safe public transport

environment, traffic regulations and bylaws within its jurisdiction pertaining to all public transport.




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Being the owner of all ranks and interchanges as well as the routes, MoG plays a prominent role in

all spheres of public transport and regulation thereof within the municipal boundaries.

The MoG through its traffic police and law enforcement officers are responsible for:

• increasing visible policing;

• roadside inspections;

• driver behaviour interventions;

• enforcement of by-laws; and

• passenger safety.

In addition to the above, MoG have completed a draft policy on safety and security and are in the

process of writing a bylaw that would enable law enforcement to act against individuals who interfere

with the operations of the GIPTN service, e.g. for stopping private vehicles at GIPTN bus stops or

for unruly behaviour on the bus. The bylaw would include a schedule of fines for different types of

transgressions.

MoG has restructured its directorates specifically to accommodate the regulatory, enforcement and

safety and security requirements related to the GIPTN. For this purpose, a Protection Services

Directorate which houses all its emergency services was placed on the macro organisation structure.

This would also make it easier in future operations to streamline and respond to any incidents

proactively and in an integrated manner.

The resourcing of safety and security remains a challenge throughout the roll out phases but so far,

MoG has responded with the limited resources availed.

Road safety

Generally, the South African road safety performance is relatively poor as indicated by the South

African statistics in comparison with those of other countries. National government has recognized

the need to address road safety and has developed strategies and programs to counter the road

fatalities as well as increase public awareness around road safety.

Despite the magnitude of the road safety problems within the jurisdictions of local government, MoG

is not exempted from road fatalities. It is an accepted fact that road safety within the boundaries of

MoG remains a responsibility of the municipality and must be addressed accordingly.

There is therefore a need to have a clear, bold and decisive Road Safety Plan at local government

level to direct and drive co-ordinated efforts in promoting road safety on all levels but focussing on

public transport, to have a clear, bold and decisive road safety plan at local government level to

direct and drive co-ordinated efforts in the fields of education, enforcement, publicity around specific

campaigns aimed at specific targets and issues in the fields of public transport.

It is the intention of MoG to respond adequately to the challenges of road safety such as

promulgating by-laws, increasing own capacity and improving law enforcement.




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4.13 Law enforcement related to infrastructure use

In an effort to improve on-vehicle safety and security, buses are fitted with emergency panic buttons,

which silently send an SMS to the operational team. There are also CCTV cameras on the buses,

which can be viewed live on demand, and through post-event footage. From a cash-handling

perspective, buses and drivers are rotated to reduce the amount of cash on the bus at any given

time throughout the day, and the implementation of IFM, which will substantially reduce the amount

of cash held on bus, is being closely managed to ensure on-time completion. Off-bus sales are also

being encouraged through incentivised fare tariffs. Lastly, there are two independent tracking

systems on the buses. There is also an existing road CCTV network, which can be used to monitor

buses on-route.

To achieve a safer off-vehicle passenger environment, the GIPTN plans for more direct support and

interventions through, for example, increased security presence, implemented through integrated

proactive and reactive strategies and inter-governmental integrated operational plans during the roll-

out of a phase. In high-risk areas, the use of road CCTV surveillance, noted above, is being

improved. Street lighting to high-risk areas is also being assessed, and some areas have already

been upgraded.

4.14 Frequency of reporting back to the National

Department of Transport

Monthly reporting is submitted by the 10th working day of each month. Quarterly reports are

submitted each quarter. The performance evaluation report is submitted by the end of August for

each financial year. The multi-year financial plan and the financial operational plan are prepared as

per requirement of the grant conditions.

4.15 Risk profile

The risk profile for the project from December 2015 to March 2017 is provided below.

A useful way to contextualise and understand aggregated risk is in terms of the impact and certainty

of particular issues and threats. Greatest risk is associated with issues that are most uncertain and

have the highest potential impact. The figure below illustrates the issues that have been identified




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as potential risks to the GIPTN during April 2017 and indicates potential impact and probability by

where they are located within the risk matrix.




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Proposed mitigations responses aim to shift specific risks from the ‘very high’ area (grey area - top

right) to the ‘low’ (white area - bottom left), through reduced uncertainty and reduced potential impact.

The latter may be more difficult to engineer (some issues are inherently high impact), and so the

focus should be on decreasing the elements of uncertainty that keep certain risks in the ‘high risk’

area. The above risks descriptions are made up of numerous sub-risks with vastly different ratings

providing an average of those sub risks per description. As such, the above does not indicate the

highest risk items, but categorises and rates the average risk ratings of the descriptions.

Types of Risks

For the purposes of this review, the potential risks illustrated above can be divided into external,

internal and financial risks.

• Short Term Risks, these being risks which impact on immediate operations or ability to roll-

out further services.

• Intermittent risks, these being those risks which may impact the service not only in the short

term, but also in the medium to long term.

Identified Risk Categories

• Resources Requirements

• Procurement of Contracts

• Contract management

• Funding

• Income

• Expenditure

• Financial Management

• Systems Planning

• VOC Agreements and Operating Licences

• Infrastructure – Fixed

• Infrastructure – Vehicles

• IFM and ITS Implementation

• Municipal Matters

• Programme & Business Plan

• Safety and Security




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5 Aspects of project which were well

executed

5.1 Redesign of district conditions

The project originated from a ‘corridor mobility strategy’ initiative, but moved to focusing on the

transformation, or conversion, of the minibus taxi type operations into a formal scheduled quality

public transport operation. With this is recognising that the passenger experience is not only about

the bus trip, it is also about getting to and from the bus stop. Consequently, attention is being directed

to enhancing the quality of the pedestrian realm (quality sidewalks, lighting, landscaping etc.). But,

this this also opens opportunity for engaging with and possibly partnering with roadside

developments to add to the passenger / pedestrian experience (mini TOD type initiatives). There are

positive indications that the GIPTN is succeeding, that passenger numbers are increasing, and this

is creating opportunity to once again focus on ‘corridor’ and ‘node’ developments.

The GIPTN planning has already had influence on the CBD LSDF in that it has adopted the Station

to York Street walkway notion, and extended this to a wider pedestrianization scheme. The George

SDF is presently being updated, and will give increased support for the GIPTN, particularly so in

respect of the CBD, main corridors, and passenger transfer locations, thus corridor and node

development opportunities.

5.2 Advanced vehicles used

All GIPTN vehicles are as modern as anything in South Africa. The minibuses are accessible, using

a hydraulic hoist. The standard and midibus vehicles are all universally accessible, Euro V emission

standard and use 50PPM sulphur content diesel pending the distribution to George of better quality

fuel.

5.3 New PT connections leading to mass transit corridors

Mass transit corridors are not applicable to George. Noting this, the main IPTN routes are supportive

of the SDF development corridors emerging from the current SDF review.




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6 Aspects of project that could be improved

on in future phases

6.1 User information

A targeted communication strategy which takes the needs, languages, literacy levels and media

preferences of the GIPTN target audiences into account, is implemented. Channels and messages

are tailored according to each specific audience and a combination of mass media, print media,

electronic media, direct communication and visual media is used. The diagram below outlines the

different users and media used:

Figure 6.1: GO GEORGE users and media channels

GO GEORGE is implemented in phases and certain information channels, such as pole collar signs

at bus stops, have not been implemented due to the delay in rollout of the remaining phases. These

channels are in the process of being prepared so that execution can take place as soon as the rollout

commences.




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6.2 Speed

The operating speed of the system could be improved through the implementation of the smartcard

system and bus priority at signals, which would allow reduced cycle times. Dedicated lanes are not

generally warranted, but are an option for one of the main corridors.

6.3 Reliability

Timetable adherence and information distribution require improvement. Timetable adherence is a

result of driver experience and equipment is to be installed in buses soon to give them on-route

guidance to manage their travel time.

Stability with the current services means that it is now possible to improve this issue.

6.4 Passenger and pedestrian safety

As noted in the earlier section, a combination of technology though the means of on board CCTV,

road CCTV network, vehicle tracking, and operational efforts by the MoG are in place to improve

passenger safety.

With regards to pedestrians, substantial NMT lanes have been constructed as a part of the GIPTN,

to improve the pedestrian experience, and reduce shared roads, thereby improving the safety of

the routes Efforts to improve pedestrian crossings, in particular at intersections is also be being

considered.

6.5 Consultation and cooperation of other PT modes

There are no other functional public transport modes in George, but the GO GEORGE scheduled

bus service is designed to interface with intercity buses and taxicabs as part of a holistic IPTN

service.

6.6 Greater integration with feeder modes of PT

The GIPTN includes its own community services and so does not rely on external feeder services.




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7 Challenges faced and what municipalities

are doing to respond to these

The biggest sustained challenge to the GIPTN remains funding. Given its role in providing access to

opportunities for all the citizens of George, the GIPTN is designed as a municipal service that is

affordable to commuters, and as such fare revenues will never recover the full cost of the service.

Financial analysis for capital and operational expenditure and revenues indicates that subsidies will

be required to support the GIPTN and moreover, support the socioeconomic benefit that the system

is meant to deliver to its citizens. The PTNG, along with DTPW grants, represent the primary

government vehicles for providing this support.




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8 Contribution of project towards a single

public transport ticketing system, universal

access and smooth inter-operability with

other modes of transport

The PTNG funding condition that universal access design principles be applied to both existing and

new infrastructure has resulted in a significant shift in both attitude towards the rights of persons with

disabilities and the provision of supporting infrastructure. The requirement to comply with access

design guidelines and international best practice has resulted in a changed perspective regarding

treatments of sidewalk environments associated with public transport. In addition, guidelines have

also been reviewed and extended to the ticketing system to ensure ticket legibility and equipment

accessibility.

The GIPTN bus service uses a paper ticketing system as fare medium on buses. This is an interim

measure until the Automatic Fare Collection (AFC) system is introduced. The AFC system

implementation is scheduled for the current financial year. The AFC system would, as per National

Government requirements, enable the inter-operability of the GIPTN ticketing systems with other

transport systems and modes. There are no other functional public transport modes in George, but

the GO GEORGE scheduled bus service is designed to interface with intercity buses and taxicabs

as part of a holistic IPTN service.




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9 Considering challenges faced in project

and budget spend, would you still propose

the use of IPTN as the most suitable PT

system for the city

Yes. The implementation of the IPTN in George has resulted in a service to citizens that is more

reliable, more affordable and safer than the minibus taxi industry that it is replacing. In addition, the

GIPTN has achieved the significant milestone of unifying multiple taxi associations in George into a

single VOC, and through this has transformed the industry into a formal mid-size, sustainable

corporation with empowered shareholders and an elected Board of Directors. Although there is still

some work to do to further embed this transformation, the progress thus far has been encouraging.

This industry transformation would not have been possible other than through formation of a VOC,

linked to a long-term service contract, which an IPTN service is uniquely positioned to provide.

While not yet quantified, the project is influencing the spatial planning processes and the quality of

pedestrian realms. There are increasing numbers of engagements with property developers

exploring related opportunities, which gives confidence to the notion that the introduction of formal

scheduled quality transport that is affordable to the poor, but suitable for use by all, will significantly

contribute over time to a better quality of life, and a more sustainable city.

There is little doubt that GIPTN is becoming a catalyst to future urban restructuring. What is of utmost

importance is to ensure that the system retains a secure, steady source of funding sources to ensure

it remain sustainable.




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10 Future of IPTN

10.1 Running way guidance

In the short to medium term, running way guidance will be provided in-vehicle by means of an ITS

driven driver display console that will provide real time information on where to speed up or slow

down, next stop, route notices (e.g. accident ahead) etc. No other external guidance systems, other

than the standard road signage, are presently planned.

10.2 Vehicle propulsion technologies

Although there are several alternative technologies already in operation around the world, none of

them are yet cost effective in the South African and certainly not in the George context owing to the

supply of fuel and the costs of the technology in comparison with the fare revenue. However, it is

likely that in the next few years, hybrid and pure electric buses will probably start to infiltrate the

system given the direction of global technology.

10.3 IT, fare collection, planning, controlling

operations, management of bus bunching

The GIPTN is already equipped with a sophisticated electronic monitoring system that will soon give

in-vehicle real time feedback to drivers on their position on the network relative to the timetable. This

will allow them to increase or reduce speed as appropriate and this will in turn ensure a more even

spread of vehicles over the entire network. The information from the system is already able to provide

considerable planning insight with respect to speeds and cycle times, which information has already

been used to reduce peak fleet requirements considerably without loss of capacity.

The electronic fare collection system is due for deployment in the next few months and is expected

to provide considerable benefits through reduced boarding times on the one hand, and boarding

information for planning purposes on the other. This information will further help to manage cycle

times, fleet requirements and vehicle distribution on the network.

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