Record income, passenger numbers for MyCiTi service

The City of Cape Town’s MyCiTi bus service achieved a record number of 219 000 passenger journeys on the four N2 Express routes between Cape Town and the Metro South-east in November 2017.

A total of 219 157 passenger journeys were recorded on the four N2 Express routes operating between the Cape Town central business district (CBD), Kuyasa in Khayelitsha and Kapteinsklip in Mitchells Plain.

‘The first two MyCiTi routes to the metro-south east became operational in July 2014 and the other two commenced in October and November 2015, respectively. I am elated to say that during the past two years the number of passenger journeys on the four N2 Express routes has nearly doubled from 111 109 in November 2015 to 219 157 in November last year,’ said Councillor Brett Herron, the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Transport and Urban Development.

Moreover, up to 99% of the MyCiTi buses that operated on the N2 Express routes during the afternoon peak hour period in November 2017 – that is between 15:00 and 19:00 on weekdays – were on time.

‘The major increase in the passenger numbers confirms that more and more commuters from the Metro South-east are relying on the MyCiTi service to get to work and school. That said, it is important to also acknowledge that the exceptional growth of the MyCiTi passenger numbers in Mitchells Plain and Khayelitsha coincides with the deterioration of the Metrorail Central line over the same period. On this note, I want to add that we are doing all we can to assist the rail commuters from the Metro South-east by deploying more buses on the N2 Express routes as and when the passenger demand so requires,’ said Councillor Herron.

The City’s Transport and Urban Development Authority is also hosting a rail summit next month where role-players from across the board will convene to devise temporary solutions with the intention to stabilise the ailing urban rail service and to prevent a complete collapse of the Central line.

Another key milestone is that the MyCiTi bus service generated an estimated income of R21 409 327 from fares, advertising, events and chartered services in November 2017.

‘This is a record income, and the highest since the inception of the MyCiTi service in May 2010. A year-on-year comparison indicates that the income derived from the MyCiTi system has increased by over R2 million or 10,4% in November 2017 when compared with November 2016. This is a major achievement, and confirmation of our commitment to providing an affordable, but sustainable, public transport service to Cape Town’s residents,’ said Councillor Herron.