Key Stakeholders

Operator Business Plan and involvement

The operator business plan has been modelled on successful BRT systems in Latin America, where they have almost identical situations to those in South Africa, with large numbers of minibus taxis and buses vying for passengers, and where both incumbent taxi and bus operators have become the new BRT operators. Rea Vaya operators will be compensated on the basis of vehicle kilometres run, rather than the number of passengers carried, and consultation has been taking place with industry representatives - particularly the minibus taxi industry. From the operational plan it is estimated that the direct operating costs will be covered by the fare income.

The estimated capital cost of Phase 1A & 1B amounts to approximately R3bn, and the City has been extremely fortunate in receiving substantial proportion of this capital funding from the national Public Transport Infrastructure & Systems Fund (PTIS).

What current transport operators are involved with Rea Vaya?

Detailed consultation has been taking place with industry representatives - particularly the minibus taxi industry. The minibus taxi industry in Johannesburg has formed a joint Rea Vaya Steering Committee comprising representatives of both the Regional Taxi Council (SANTACO-aligned) and Top Six Management (NTA-aligned) and they are actively and positively involved. The taxi industry requested independent technical advisors to assist them in engaging with the project. The City has complied with these requests. Both PUTCO and Metrobus have also been consulted and they are supportive of the project.

Will there be job losses because of Rea Vaya?

BRT's aim is to create greater and better job opportunities for current workers in the Taxi and Bus Industries. There will be significant job creation from the Rea Vaya BRT system and it is estimated that there will be the creation of jobs in Phase 1.

It is important to understand that BRT will be completed in phases and therefore the whole of Johannesburg's taxi and bus industries will not be affected at once. Only those associations which operate along the routes in Phase 1 will be affected at this time.

When the Phase 1B begins the Taxi associations who operate on Phase 1B routes will be consulted by the City.