Johanesburg - Taxi associations in Cape Town entered into a last-minute contract to participate in the Integrated Rapid Transport (IRT) system launched on Monday, the city said.
"We have signed three [interim] contracts with minibus taxi and bus associations in the area where the system will operate," city spokesperson Kylie Hatton said in a statement.
Eight taxi associations and two bus companies were being represented by three companies, namely Transpeninsula, Golden Arrow and Kidrogen.
Kidrogen signed a contract on Friday that was then ratified by the board on Sunday, a mere 24-hours before the system launch. The company represented the Dunoon, Ysterplaat, Maitland and Central Unity taxi associations, as well as Sibanye bus services. It would operate the feeder routes and provide management services for stations on the trunk route.
Transpeninsula, which represented taxi associations in the inner city like Bravo, Devil's Peak and the Peninsula, entered into a contract on April 30. They were already operating the airport and Green Point Stadium routes from the World Cup.
Golden Arrow bus services signed a contract on Thursday.
"From today [Monday] we have launched an off-peak service which will run hourly between 9am and 3pm... this is to give drivers time to get familiar with the routes and docking, and commuters with the service," Hatton said.
"From Saturday we will roll out the full phase [between central Cape Town and Table View]... it will cost R10 for the trunk routes and R5 for the feeder routes, but if you use both it will still cost only R10."
The IRT would primarily use a Bus Rapid Transit system to take commuters on MyCiti buses to various stations using dedicated lanes. Metrorail services, park-and-ride facilities as well as improved pedestrian and bicycle access would form part of the IRT.
Ultimately it was envisaged that the system would operate in and across areas like Stellenbosch, Mitchells Plain, Khayelitsha, Gordon's Bay and Constantia Village.
"We have signed three [interim] contracts with minibus taxi and bus associations in the area where the system will operate," city spokesperson Kylie Hatton said in a statement.
Eight taxi associations and two bus companies were being represented by three companies, namely Transpeninsula, Golden Arrow and Kidrogen.
Kidrogen signed a contract on Friday that was then ratified by the board on Sunday, a mere 24-hours before the system launch. The company represented the Dunoon, Ysterplaat, Maitland and Central Unity taxi associations, as well as Sibanye bus services. It would operate the feeder routes and provide management services for stations on the trunk route.
Transpeninsula, which represented taxi associations in the inner city like Bravo, Devil's Peak and the Peninsula, entered into a contract on April 30. They were already operating the airport and Green Point Stadium routes from the World Cup.
Golden Arrow bus services signed a contract on Thursday.
"From today [Monday] we have launched an off-peak service which will run hourly between 9am and 3pm... this is to give drivers time to get familiar with the routes and docking, and commuters with the service," Hatton said.
"From Saturday we will roll out the full phase [between central Cape Town and Table View]... it will cost R10 for the trunk routes and R5 for the feeder routes, but if you use both it will still cost only R10."
The IRT would primarily use a Bus Rapid Transit system to take commuters on MyCiti buses to various stations using dedicated lanes. Metrorail services, park-and-ride facilities as well as improved pedestrian and bicycle access would form part of the IRT.
Ultimately it was envisaged that the system would operate in and across areas like Stellenbosch, Mitchells Plain, Khayelitsha, Gordon's Bay and Constantia Village.