North West Business 2020-21 Edition

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Rustenburg Rapid
Transport explained
The Yarona Bus service will improve connectivity and access.
The Rustenburg Local Municipality is getting
closer to its vision of turning Rustenburg
into a “world-class city”. With the Rustenburg
Rapid Transport project, the city has
invested heavily in public transport infrastructure,
resulting in job creation and small business development.
The project will improve efficiency in public
transport by introducing the Yarona Bus, an Integrated
Public Transport System that will soon ferry
commuters from their places of work or homes to
their destinations.
The launch of Yarona Bus service will commence
with a mixed fleet of 10 standard buses and up
to 200 minibus taxis with the entire mixed fleet
managed by the bus operating company (BOC)
formed by the affected minibus taxi and bus
operators. RRT is engaging these affected minibus
taxis and bus operators thoroughly and they are
expected to enter into various agreements with
the municipality to implement an integrated public
transport system in the City of Rustenburg. Over the
next three years, the services are expected to be
increased to cover more areas and commuters, with
Contact details
Theron Rapoo
Tel: +27 14 590 3721
Email: trapoo@rustenburg.gov.za
more buses to be purchased to replace and in some
areas, to integrate with the minibus taxis on some of
the routes.
Rustenburg aims to be one of the cities to
integrate the minibus taxi system with buses, which
will operate under the company management.
Affected drivers from the minibus taxi industry will
also be afforded an opportunity to be trained to
drive buses should they qualify and be employed
by the company. Other affected employees of
the minibus taxi industry will be trained for other
employment opportunities within the company, as
will all residents of the area, who will be given the
opportunity to apply for any career.
The Rustenburg Local Municipality has been
working closely with the local and affected taxi
industry, who are supportive and have become
a part of the transformative agenda of the RRT
project. Some of the key milestones achieved with
the local taxi industry include the establishment
of the Taxi Negotiating Forum, the conclusion
of a Memorandum of Agreement, and the
establishment of the BOC which affected taxi
operators will transition into.
The municipality plans to roll out 10 buses for
Phase 1A of the system before the end of 2020
with a further 30 buses planned in the following
24 months. In total, 45 buses and 150 taxis will
form the first phase of the system. The municipality
is further undertaking construction of 18 stations
on two trunk roads and in the central business
district (CBD).
Once complete, the Yarona
Bus service is envisaged to
do up to 100 000 passenger
trips daily on two corridors,
with 18 stations, 450 bus stops,
one depot and one operations
control centre to manage
the services. ■
NORTH WEST BUSINESS 2020/21 12