Integrated Transport Plan.pdf - Durban

5.6.7 Individual Routes Evaluation
The area to area corridor analysis provided a good overview of service
utilisation throughout the Municipality but it was not detailed enough to
consider applications for route licences. The OLS therefore evaluated
each individual route giving comments and recommendations for each.
In respect of the taxi industry overtrading was evident, therefore
recommendations only supported the issuing of new licences in proven
cases of shortage of capacity on a particular route.
Of the 1064 taxi routes with survey data, only 103 were possibly eligible for
additional licences, depending on available rank capacity. In respect of the
possible use of larger vehicles, 144 routes had volumes appropriate for
35 seaters and 15 for standard buses.
Currently five bus contracts cover roughly two thirds of all bus services and
their peak hour utilisation is slightly better than all services; utilisation of
non-contract services being 70%. The number of peak hour trips per
contracted route however averages a low 1.85 which reflects a low
frequency of service. For this reason, many routes would be better served
by 35 Seaters and even 18 Seaters, to provide better frequency for
passengers.
Based on the analysis of contract and non-contract bus service, the
following table shows the number of routes where alternative lower capacity
modes are justifiable for a better service to passengers and/or additional
licences could be warranted.
Operator Surveyed
Suitable for
Routes 35 Seater 18 Seater
Contract Operators
Non-contract Operators
693
329
Need
More
eThekwini Integrated Transport Plan
Summary Report
5.22
Public Transport
321
108
263
118
All Operators 1022 429 381 33
Overall, rail service is badly underutilised. The largest number of peak hour
passengers on any one service is 7000, from Umlazi to Durban in the
morning peak. Even so, average utilisation on this route is only half of
capacity. Only 3 other routes with more than one train have utilisations
over 50%. Clearly this highlights the need for the various public transport
modal, system and support strategies to support rail in strategically located
parts of a fully integrated system.
23
10
Minibus taxi
evaluation
Bus evaluation