Cameras, driver-monitoring systems, luggage racks, heaters, higher windows for better ventilation and an improved wheelchair area for easy accessibility.
Rea Vaya is going hi-tech, and these are improvements that will be featured in the new fleet of buses that the City of Joburg is busy procuring, and which will form phase B of the bus rapid transit (BRT) system.
It is not yet known just when the new buses will start running, but City of Joburg mayoral committee member for transport Rehana Moosajee said the idea was to obtain them locally, and that they would be able to speak about time frames only after finding out whether local bus manufacturers have the capacity.
To avoid accidents that may happen when drivers drive off while some passengers are still boarding, the cameras will enable the driver to see that everyone is inside and not caught at the door.
The driver-monitoring system will help passengers monitor the driver’s speed and driving habits.
Many commuters have complained of cold buses in the early morning in winter, so heaters will be added to ease the chill.
Some commuters have requested air-conditioning, which the council says it won’t be able to afford, but the configuration of windows will be changed. They will be higher for better ventilation.
The old wheelchair mechanism that allows access into the bus will also be changed.
The new buses will feature a collapsible new mechanism that is also light in weight and easy to carry for the bus marshals to roll over at the entrance of the bus and allow wheelchairs inside.
Shoppers will have a luggage rack so that they can store their goods in a safe and convenient manner.
The changes are a result of interaction between the council and commuters.
The city placed pamphlets in the buses, asking commuters to suggest changes that would improve the buses.
The changes will not end there. The council is also ending the old system of paying for tickets at stations.
From March, BRT users will use smart cards on which they will have to load trips.
Moosajee said the commuters would have to place their cards at the electronic machines at the stations, and the glass doors would open automatically. The commuter would proceed to the bus and put the card on the machine again at the end of the trip to get out of the station.
The machine would then calculate the distance the commuter travelled in the bus and bill them accordingly.
“We want to integrate it so that when BRT workers are on strike, it can be used for rail as well as Metrobus, so that one is not tied to one transport mode,” said Moosajee.
Rea Vaya unveiled its dreadlocked lion-like mascot, called RV, on Wednesday in a bid to attract more customers. - The Star