City improves MyCiTi service with more direct routes, 29 new bus stops

The City of Cape Town recently conducted a comprehensive review of the MyCiTi bus service. As a result, a number of changes will take effect on 27 October 2018 when we will introduce routes to new destinations as well as more direct routes with fewer transfers, and 29 new bus stops.

‘Our transport planners recently conducted a review of the MyCiTi service and the passenger demand on the MyCiTi routes. We also undertook customer surveys to determine how we could attract even more commuters to the service. The outcome of the review and the survey informed us of where we needed to tweak the service to respond to our commuters’ needs, and to better match the service with the passenger demand,’ said the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Transport and Urban Development, Councillor Brett Herron.

The MyCiTi buses currently cover on average 1 456 506 km per month. With the changes and extension of routes, the City will add another 150 000 km to the service.

‘By adding another 150 000 km to the service each month, we will bring the MyCiTi service closer to more commuters and to where there is a demand. For example, we will extend popular routes in the inner city, Table View, Atlantis, and Century City with 29 new bus stops. In addition to these, we will also introduce new routes, and more direct routes with fewer transfers,’ said Councillor Herron.

As from Saturday 27 October 2018, there will be changes to some routes, including new route numbers. New bus stops will be introduced where routes have been extended to meet the passenger demand, and some underutilised stops will no longer be served. Also, some of the routes will be replaced with new direct routes to popular destinations.

Some of the changes are as follows:

• a new route will serve District Six and Zonnebloem
• direct routes will operate between Upper Kloof Street and the V&A Waterfront, as well as between the Civic Centre and the Clock Tower precinct, and Oranjezicht and Sea Point
• three new stops will be added to serve the Parklands East area
• a direct route will operate from Table View to Duynefontein via Melkbosstrand
• direct routes will operate between Dunoon and Montague Gardens, as well as between Marine Drive and Century City 
• numerous stops have been added to the routes in Atlantis to better serve Beacon Hill and Sherwood

Importantly, all of the new stops will be temporary for a few months so that the City can monitor the suitability of the location, and the passenger demand before money is spent on permanent infrastructure.

‘We expect that the new direct routes to destinations such as the V&A Waterfront and Sea Point will be popular as no transfers will be required. The purpose of these changes is to improve the MyCiTi service to make it more convenient for commuters, and easier to use. 

‘It is also in response to the changes in passenger demand to ensure that the MyCiTi service remains efficient and sustainable. Cities are constantly evolving and Cape Town is no different. People move around and adjust their lifestyles, and public transport services around the world must respond to these changes.

‘There were requests for the new and direct routes during our engagements with MyCiTi commuters and organisations representing ratepayers, employers and employees. Some of the requests related to the revision of existing routes or to change the location of certain bus stops. This is our response to those requests and I am confident that the MyCiTi commuters will greatly benefit from the additional and revised routes,’ said Councillor Herron.

The City is also introducing a new MyCiTi map that is customer-friendly.

‘The new map makes it easier for commuters to orientate themselves. Apart from the MyCiTi routes, the map also shows the different areas and suburbs of Cape Town, as well as the passenger rail lines and train stations,’ said Councillor Herron.

The new map will be available on the MyCiTi website as from today, 8 October 2018, and it will be on display at stations and at bus stops. The trunk routes where buses operate on the red roads and have right of way are indicated in red; the direct routes between popular destinations where commuters do not need to transfer are indicated in blue, and other routes are colour-coded.

‘I strongly advise commuters to take a look at the maps and to familiarise themselves with the changes, among which new route alignments and names, new direct routes and stops, and so forth,’ said Councillor Herron.

Statistics about the MyCiTi service:

• the service transports an average of 60 913 passengers on a weekday
• since its launch in May 2010 until August 2018, approximately 89,4 million passenger journeys were recorded on the MyCiTi service
• up to 1 625 719 passenger journeys were recorded in August 2018
• schedule adherence on the trunk routes was 95% in August 2018, meaning that the MyCiTi buses depart and arrive on time and in accordance with the time schedules 95% of the time
• schedule adherence on the feeder routes where the MyCiTi buses operate within mixed traffic was 95% in August 2018

Passengers are also advised to please visit the MyCiTi website at www.myciti.org.za for detailed information about the imminent changes, or to phone the Transport Information Centre on 0800 65 64 63.