POLOKWANE – The buses are back on the road as the public transport service conducts pre-operation testing and validation process to ensure a smooth transition to the new public transportation system for the phase 1A operations, which involves routes CBD to Seshego, CBD to Flora Park, CBD to Nirvana.
Rebotile Malakalaka, the assistant manager for Public Transport Regulation and Compliance, explained that the municipality is getting ready to get the project into full operation and as part of the process, a fleet of Leeto la Polokwane buses are back on the road for real-time testing to ensure that the system is up to the desired standard.
“Accordingly, we took our special needs passengers on a universal access passenger route tour on September 14 and 15 to expose them to the workings of the system and the universal access features on the bus,” she said.
The operations will go into full swing with 21 buses with the expectations for the fleet to increase by 14 midi-buses in future. The midi-buses were expected to be delivered by the end of May but production and supply chain systems were disrupted.
Make sure you read: [VIDEO] All aboard Leeto la Polokwane with Review
“The buses we are waiting for are being manufactured from scratch. The first bus prototype needed to be reworked to meet the various approvals from regulators and to ensure that they complied to universal access specifications.
“There is currently a shortage of mechanical and electronical components,” she explained.
An Account-Based Ticketing (ABT) system will be the fare collection method as a result of an update on regulations by the National Department of Transport (NDoT) and all cities implementing the Integrated Public Transport Network are required to migrate to the new system. However, in the interim as Leeto la Polokwane finalises the integration process, a paper ticketing system will be used and the migration to the ABT system will take place once the integration is completed. Malakalaka added that Polokwane Municipality is the only city that has managed to reach 70 % of the integration process.
“This was achieved through hard work, unity, cooperation, and the support of the people of Polokwane,” she said.
The selling points for the tickets will be the Civic Centre as well as the municipal offices in Seshego Zone 1 and Seshego Zone 3. More selling points will be added for the convenience of commuters once the ABT system is implemented. The start date for the selling of tickets will be communicated in due course.
“We would like to take this opportunity to thank all Polokwane residents for their tireless support and patience during our planning period as we move into the next phase of our journey, getting the buses on the road for all to use.
“We know that all this was done to ensure that the citizens of Polokwane enjoy a safe and reliable public transport system,” she concluded.
