Minibus taxis to drive at new speed limit

Legislation, which will require public transport and goods vehicles registered from 1 December 2016 to be fitted with speed governors, has been passed.

The AA explained any minibus, midibus, or bus, will require governors as well as goods vehicles with a mass exceeding 3,500kg. The vehicles are required to be governed to the speed limits applicable to each category.

In the case of minibuses, midibuses, and buses, the governed speed will be 100km/h. Goods vehicles over 3,500kg, but below 9,000kg, will be governed to 100km/h. Goods vehicles over 9,000kg will be governed to a maximum speed of 80km/h.

According to Businesstech, the following draft proposals are in the pipeline:

• Drivers to be re-evaluated when renewing a licence
•  No more than five people to be carried in a bakkie load bed
•  Children not to be transported in a bakkie load bed
•  Speed limits to be reduced from 60 to 40km/h in urban areas, from 100 to 80km/h in rural areas and from 120 to 100km/h on freeways running through a residential area
•  Goods vehicles above 9 000kg gross vehicle mass to be banned from public roads during peak travelling times.