1. Impact of minibus taxi scheduling on route efficiency
South African transport conference
9-12 July 2018
Csir international convention centre, pretoria
By: Masuku sboniso
University of Pretoria
Siyazi transportation planning (pty) ltd

2. Introduction: background
Questions about the affordability and sustainability of BRT networks in South Africa.
2017; Gauteng MEC said (as quoted by Times Live); “We have already invested around R15 Billion in the system in the three metros, but Gauteng ridership is not more than people per day.[] We have to ask some serious questions. Should we have gone for something more affordable and more viable?”

3. Introduction: aim
To investigate the impact of changing minibus taxi operations from unscheduled to scheduled operations on route efficiency:
Fleet size – Number of vehicles operating on a specific route.
Average daily trips – Total daily trips/total operating fleet.
Passenger waiting time – Maximum waiting time represented by departure headways.
Why Minibus Taxi?
Carries more public transport commuters than bus and rail combined.
Existing mode utilising already existing infrastructure (ranks and roads).
Source: 2014 GHTS; 2013 NHTS; UJ (2016)

4. methodology Pretoria CBD – Hammanskraal route.
5 day field surveys, from 04h00 to 20h00.
For analysis and scheduling, each day was divided into:
04h00-09h00: Morning period (To school or work).
09h00-12h00: Midday period (At school or work).
12h00-15h00: Afternoon period (Work lunch and end of school day).
15h00-18h00: Evening period (To home from work).
18h00-20h00: Late trips

5. Results: current operations
Daily trips vary by day and service.
Activity and service vary facility.

6. Daily Summary For Scheduled Operation
Results: scheduling
Fleet Reduction: 220 to 160 vehicles (27%).
Increased daily trips per vehicle: to (more than double)
Daily Summary For Scheduled Operation
Day
Monday
Wednesday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
Units
Maximum Headway
7.5 6
Minutes
Minimum Headway
1.5
0.75 1
Minimum Fleet Size 16 20
Vehicles
Maximum Fleet Size 80
160
120
Total Trips
456
524
760
610
468
Trips
Average Trips/Veh
5.7
6.55
4.75
5.08
5.85
Trips/Veh
Current Trips/veh
2.2 2
1.6

7. Results: headway and passenger waiting time
Reduced average and maximum headway.
Current headway vary by facility and day.
Max scheduled headway: 7.5 minutes (Friday)
Min schedule headway: 45 seconds (Monday)

8. conclusion Scheduling results in:
Smaller fleet; which means no need to purchase new vehicles.
More trips per vehicle; which means improved vehicle utilisation and reduced vehicle down time.
Shorter and consistent headways; which means reduced expected passenger waiting time and improved reliability.
Transformation from individual to corporate ownership required to avoid business loss.
Further studies required on other routes; financial impact on operators; and ability to integrate minibus taxi with other modes of public transport.

9. Special thanks and references
Siyazi Transportation Planning (Pty) ltd
Professor C. Venter (University of Pretoria)
Aboo, S & Robertson, EJ “Go Goerge” (GIPTN) – a quality public transport system, elements for consideration. Proceedings, 35th South African Transport Conference, Pretoria, pp
Behrens, R, Golub, A & Schalekamp, H Approaches to paratransit reform. Paratransit reform in African Cities: Operations, regulations and reform, Chapter 5: pp
Brtdata.org, [Online], available: [02 July 2018]
Ceder, A Public transport planning and operation: modelling, practice and behaviour.
Seedat, I Implementing the 2007 public transport strategy and action plan. Civil Engineering, September (2007):
Venter, C The lurch towards formalisation: Lessons from implementation of BRT in Johannesburg, South Africa. Research in Transportation Economics, Vol 39:
Mabena, I 2017/ BRT a R15-billion flop, [Online], Available: brt-a-r15-billion-flop/, [02 July 2018]