Date set for IPTS buses to start rolling

Monday next week is D-Day to see whether, after 10 years and close to R3-billion later, the wheels of Nelson Mandela Bay’s beleaguered bus system will finally begin rolling.

It is envisaged that the 25 Volvo buses, which came at a cost of about R100-million and have been in storage for most of the last decade, will run from Cleary Park to the Port Elizabeth central business district.

Thousands of complimentary tickets will be dished out to residents over the next few days as the buses will be providing free rides in the first two weeks.

Over that period – from Monday to April 9 – the city and taxi industry partners will be fine-tuning the system to ensure it works properly.

The announcement yesterday that the buses will be on the road from Monday is the first tangible move by the city and taxi industry in ensuring that the Integrated Public Transport System (IPTS) finally comes to fruition.

The project has been marred by years of delays, allegations of rampant corruption and a tumultuous relationship between the municipality and taxi industry, which will be running the project.

After finally striking a deal and getting the necessary business plans, technology and infrastructure in place, the buses are ready to roll.

Metro roads and transport portfolio head Rano Kayser, who handed over 24 articulated buses and one standard bus to the vehicle operating company, Spectrum Alert, yesterday, described it as a moment of truth.

“This was the last piece of the puzzle that the department of roads and transport had to fit in and finally the mission has been accomplished,” Kayser said.

“For the past 19 months of being at the helm of such a huge and daunting task, indeed today I stand in front of you as a joyful citizen in service of the entire metro to announce that the IPTS has finally arrived.

“It was a very hard and bumpy road but, at times, persistence and hard work do pay off.”

Kayser signed a memorandum of agreement with Spectrum Alert chief executive Chris King.

“We are transferring 24 articulated buses [and one ordinary bus] and we are also transferring this depot facility,” Kayser said.

They were in the process of finalising the compensation agreements.

“This public transport system should benefit all the people in Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality,” he said.

“It will be reliable, it will be safe and it will be a cost-effective public transport system.”
In the two-week complimentary period, they hope to iron out the bus schedules as well as the details around the taxis that will be feeding into the system.

In this period, they will also gradually remove at least 100 taxis from the Cleary Park route, with more expected to be removed later.

Some of the remaining taxis owned by Spectrum Alert will act as feeders to the buses.

The vehicle operating company is a collective of two taxi associations – Algoa and Northern Areas taxi associations – that will run the bus system.

The city also recently trained taxi drivers, who will drive the buses.

Acting IPTS project manager Lutando Maboza said the aim was to ultimately remove 200 taxis from the route altogether.

Other associations operating in the Northern Areas along the route, and that are not part of Spectrum Alert, will still be allowed to use their taxis on the route, Maboza said.

In an attempt to get the buy-in from residents and explain the feeder system, the municipality started a public participation process last night. Yesterday, the city handed over certificates of ownership for the buses, which passed roadworthy tests last week, to Spectrum Alert.

Kayser said a ticket pricing system would be unveiled on Friday.

However, once the practice run was complete on April 9, pupils, students with a valid student card from a recognised institution of higher learning and pensioners would receive a 20% discount on tickets.

“If you are a pensioner and your flat rate is R10, you will only pay R8,” Kayser said.

Police officers and metro police in uniform who produced appointment certificates would be eligible for free rides.

“We said we want a safe city. While these policemen are on their way to work, we want commuters to find some comfort,” Kayser said.

King said the taxi drivers who had already signed the compensation agreement were happy with what was offered to them.

“In the initial stages, about 170 people will be employed on the bus system,” he said.

“As the project grows and we introduce new routes, our projection is that we will employ about 330 people.”

Commuters can get complimentary tickets at the Cleary Park Customer Care Centre and the Mfanasekhaya Gqoboshe Building.