MEC: Use public transport ?????????

[Tassidar]

I live in Cape Town, and since the price of petrol has gone up, I use the train almost daily. In my own experience, I have no problem with it, except for perhaps the amount of graffiti and late trains (mainly due to cable theft; these are not very common).

Personally, I find travelling on the train far less stressful than taking my car, since the quality of driving in SA is so abysmal.

Of course, I speak for one of the better lines in Cape Town, which has the most viable train system. I can't speak for other cities.

 

[Nod]

So I found the bus routes of Tshwane. Not very helpful.
Compare it to Munich's information. You have the exact route. In one view you can see which bus, tram or train intersect with what other transport medium. You have all the prices for the tickets, you can plan your trip from where you are to where you are going. Very professional and easy to use.

Going back to Tshwane. No price information. The route information is useless for a tourists (and even most people), because they wouldn't know the street names. Buying a ticket is a mission on it's own (only 2 places in my suburb). What the ticket entitles you to, is also not clear, how far can you go? Is it for the whole trip, or just the leg into the city?

Our routes also does not cater for people that would want to travel in between suburbs. You have to go via the city center, unless there is a way, but then its not obvious, as it should be.

Anyway, just my 2c.

 

[Brenden_E]

I'm willing to use the Gautrain, if it ever becomes a reality in South Africa, but I've got two requirements :

1. Parking at the station must be safe. Don't want to come back from Joburg & my scooter is gone.

2. There must be fifteen metal detectors from the entrance of the station to the actual train & 5 security guards for each passenger on the train.

Haha! The security gaurds will end up robbing you...

 

[noxibox]

Compare it to Munich's information. You have the exact route. In one view you can see which bus, tram or train intersect with what other transport medium. You have all the prices for the tickets, you can plan your trip from where you are to where you are going. Very professional and easy to use.

Going back to Tshwane. No price information. The route information is useless for a tourists (and even most people), because they wouldn't know the street names.

In South Africa you get on a bus and just hope it is really going to the right place.

 

[noxibox]

Traffic at peak times is just crazy. When I drive I leave early in the morning and go home early to avoid the traffic.

I use the train almost daily. In my own experience, I have no problem with it, except for perhaps the amount of graffiti and late trains.

As long as you don't have to travel at peak times or if you must that you manage to get on early. I find it quicker to just cycle to work (as long as you're willing to brave the roads).

What I also find stupid is that all the schools have approximately the same starting time so they contribute hugely to the traffic mess in the mornings. It's about time they were compelled to stagger their starting times. Or that parents started letting their children cycle or walk to school.

And what happened to forcing businesses to stagger their hours? They're also part of the problem.

 

[Syndyre]

Or that parents started letting their children cycle or walk to school.

Easy to say but that's not always safe these days.

 

[Tassidar]

Traffic at peak times is just crazy. When I drive I leave early in the morning and go home early to avoid the traffic.


As long as you don't have to travel at peak times or if you must that you manage to get on early. I find it quicker to just cycle to work (as long as you're willing to brave the roads).

What I also find stupid is that all the schools have approximately the same starting time so they contribute hugely to the traffic mess in the mornings. It's about time they were compelled to stagger their starting times. Or that parents started letting their children cycle or walk to school.

And what happened to forcing businesses to stagger their hours? They're also part of the problem.

I don't find peak hour traffic too bad, except the 17:15 train, which is obviously a nightmare.

I very much support the idea of staggered business hours, except for the problem that businesses won't support it, from the basis of having to man phones for many extra hours.

 

[Syndyre]

And what happened to forcing businesses to stagger their hours? They're also part of the problem.

And what happened to government providing a decent transport network like they're expected to do in the rest of the world?

 

[noxibox]

And what happened to government providing a decent transport network like they're expected to do in the rest of the world?

Where in the world are the roads and public transport not oversubscribed because everything is expected to start at the same time of day?

 

[Syndyre]

Except that these day's its undeniably true, at least in SA!