Durban hitches new ride
1
10 NEWS Transport revolution SUNDAY TRIBUNE J U L Y 1 2 2 0 0 9 Durban hitches new ride A FTER six years of battling the often poor service pro- vided by Remant Alton, Durbanites could soon have a reliable and efficient bus service. It was confirmed last week that Tansnat Africa, which runs a fleet of 800 buses across South Africa, will take over the Durban Transport bus contract until it expires at the end of September next year. eThekwini municipality mayor Obed Mlaba said last week that Tansnat was the right company to take over. “Tansnat Africa has a huge fleet… They have good systems in place and their management is well grounded in this kind of business.” July 20 is the starting date mentioned in a statement by KwaZulu-Natal Transport MEC Bheki Cele. But how will the company run the service effectively, given that it faces the same conditions as its pred- ecessor? Remant Alton, which closed at the end of last month, blamed its financial difficul- ties on non or under-payment of Transport and Education department subsidies. Tansnat Africa will receive the same subsidies. But the company’s CEO, Mike Jesseman, said there were substantial changes. First, he said the inner-city bus service would be run by taxi operators, meaning the Mynah buses and People Movers would not fall under his company’s operation. Also, the service was being downsized from 650 buses to about 450. Fewer buses meant less fuel and fewer drivers to pay. “This is in line with the sub- sidies and cash fares we expect to receive. If the municipality or the provincial transport department want things (trips or routes) added, they must pay for it,” he said. Mlaba said the structure was being changed so that only the mainstream routes would be covered, describing it as a case of “cutting your cloth to suit your size”. Smaller private operators and taxis would be consulted to ensure the balance of the routes were catered for, he said. Jesseman said the fact that the buses were now owned by the municipality, after a R405 million buy-back last year made fleet management easier. The vehicles have mainte- nance contracts with the manufacturers. “There are substantial safe- guards in place to protect us and the council,” he said. Jesseman said the company had had substantial experience in running bus services, and operated buses in Johannes- burg, Richards Bay, Newcastle, Pietermaritzburg, Vryheid and the Western Cape. Ikhwezi Bus Service was initially mooted to take over the service but is, in fact, a sub- sidiary of Tansnat Africa. Ikhwezi has run buses in parts of Zululand for more than 20 years. For the most part, commuters are happy with the service it runs – and Durbanites will be hoping for the same. “There are newer, top-of-the- range buses and the service they give is good,” said com- muter Ntombenhle Mthethwa. Ikhwezi also provides dedi- cated services for schools and local factories. “I’m happy with the service given by Ikhwezi,” said Sibongiseni Mkhize of Esikha- wini, outside Richards Bay. “But they are very expensive compared to the taxis.” During a recent driver strike, Ikhwezi lowered ticket prices to make up for the com- muters’ grievances. [email protected] An era of poor service for bus commuters might soon end. M a t t h e w S a v i d e s and B u h l e M b o n a m b i look at the company that will run the city’s buses WHAT TANSNAT AFRICA DOES Has a fleet of more than 800 buses operating across the country, including: ● Ikhwezi Bus Service in Richards Bay and Empangeni. ● Sizanani maZulu (SMT) in Pietermaritzburg. ● Imondlo Bus Service in Vryheid. It also runs two luxury travel coach lines, Express Liners and Gauteng Coaches, which run between Durban and Johannesburg. – Buhle Mbonambi Snubbed… and sore MATTHEW SAVIDES DURBAN-BASED bus operators are upset that the eThekwini Municipal- ity did not consult them in appoint- ing an out-of-town company to take over the largest part of the interim Durban Transport bus service. Two established local operators – one based in the south of the city and the other in the inner west – said the lack of consultation was “unfair”, especially as they had to step in to assist the council when Remant Alton ran into trouble. South Coast Bus Service manag- ing director Pickey Dass said it was “disappointing” that his company, which had been shortlisted – with Remant Alton and another consor- tium – for the Durban Transport contract when the service was priva- tised in 2003, was not considered to run the interim contract. The company’s general manager, Seresh Mohunlal, said, “I would have thought, ethically, it made sense to go back to that (original shortlist) when Remant Alton failed.” Dass said he had contacted City Manager Mike Sutcliffe in the past, including once in 2006, to offer the company’s services when Remant Alton had problems but he had never received a response. He described the municipality’s deci- sion to appoint a new operator with- out consulting other possible opera- tors as “a slap in the face”. “What has changed between 2003 and now that would make us unsuit- able to run the service?” Mohunlal asked. Dass added, “If the municipal- ity had handled this the correct way, consulted with all the operators and made a request for proposals to take over, then we wouldn’t have minded. But this (the decision to appoint Tansnat Africa) was unilat- eral.” Mohamed Asmal, managing director of Durban-based Olympic Bus Lines, criticised the municipal- ity for “electing to omit the local operators in the selection process”. “Our company, being part of the consortium that was initially short- listed for the 2003 tender, was not even consulted and/or requested to submit any proposals for the current interim operation,” he said in an e-mail to the Sunday Tribune. “Furthermore, one would have expected the eThekwini Municipal- ity to have given the local ratepayers some preference. Durban has some experienced, reliable and major bus operators yet they were over- looked,” he said. Not such a large slice of pie for taxi drivers MATTHEW SAVIDES TAXI operators will not have as big a share of the Durban Transport bus service as reported last week, municipal officials said yesterday. Media reports indi- cated the taxi operators would get about 40 percent of the opera- tion, comprising the Durban CBD and some of the surrounding areas. While this was mentioned by Tansnat Africa CEO Mike Jesseman and confirmed by KZN Transport Alliance chairman Eugene Hadebe, the eThekwini municipality said the operation being considered for taxi bosses to run was nowhere close to 40 percent of the total. “I am not aware of taxi operators getting any such stake,” said Erik Moller, the eThekwini municipality deputy head of public transport. He confirmed negotiations were taking place with taxi operators about taking over the CBD routes, but that this was not as large as was reported. It has been suggested the People Mover and Mynah buses could be given to taxi bosses. This would translate to fewer than 70 buses, compared to the 450 buses being run by Tansnat Africa. Eugene Hadebe, a prominent player in the local taxi industry, con- firmed taxi bosses would be given a share of the bus operation, but that there was as yet no indication of exactly how this would work. He said meetings had been scheduled and that he would have a clearer picture of the situation tomorrow. However, he specifically mentioned the taxi operators getting a 40 per- cent share of the operation. He acknowledged criticism regarding the behaviour of taxi drivers and complaints of bad and dangerous driving, but made assur- ances that passengers on the taxi- run buses would be safe. “We will be giving all our drivers training, not only in terms of the skills to drive the buses, but also training in customer care. “I firmly believe that the cus- tomer is always right, and that driv- ers must listen to the customer – after all, the customer is bigger than the driver and the operator,” Hadebe said. Certificates would be issued to those who received the training, and only drivers who obtained the cer- tificates would be allowed to drive the buses, he added. [email protected] Paris too busy to meet her pledge MIAMI: It’s Paris Hilton’s turn to tell her side of the story in a lawsuit claiming she didn’t do enough to promote her 2006 sorority movie Pledge This! The 28-year-old heiress was scheduled to take the stand in her own defence on Friday in a federal courtroom in Miami. The lawsuit brought by movie investors seeks more than $8 million (R65m), claiming Hilton reneged on a contract to promote the film. They say she refused interviews and other promotional opportunities. Hilton contends she plugged the movie extensively and met the contract’s require- ments. She says the producers made unreasonable demands for appearances when her schedule was full. The movie cost $7.5m to make but earned only $2.9m. – Sapa-AP Paris Hilton arrives at a federal court in Miami, on Friday. She is accused in a federal lawsuit of failing to adequately promote her 2006 movie Pledge This! Picture: AP EUGENE HADEBE NT_NWS_E1_120709_p10 C M Y K
-
Upload
buhle-mbonambi -
Category
Documents
-
view
32 -
download
3
description
An era of poor service for bus commuters might soon end. Matthew Savides andBuhle Mbonambi look at the company that will run the city’s buses
Transcript of Durban hitches new ride
10 NEWS Transport revolutionSUNDAY TRIBUNE JULY 12 2009
Durban hitches new ride
AFTER six years ofbattling the oftenpoor service pro-vided by Remant
Alton, Durbanites could soonhave a reliable and efficientbus service.
It was confirmed last weekthat Tansnat Africa, whichruns a fleet of 800 buses acrossSouth Africa, will take over theDurban Transport bus contractuntil it expires at the end ofSeptember next year.
eThekwini municipalitymayor Obed Mlaba said lastweek that Tansnat was theright company to take over.
“Tansnat Africa has a hugefleet… They have good systemsin place and their managementis well grounded in this kind ofbusiness.”
July 20 is the starting datementioned in a statement byKwaZulu-Natal TransportMEC Bheki Cele. But how willthe company run the serviceeffectively, given that it facesthe same conditions as its pred-ecessor?
Remant Alton, which closedat the end of last month,blamed its financial difficul-ties on non or under-paymentof Transport and Educationdepartment subsidies. TansnatAfrica will receive the samesubsidies. But the company’sCEO, Mike Jesseman, saidthere were substantialchanges. First, he said theinner-city bus service would berun by taxi operators, meaningthe Mynah buses and PeopleMovers would not fall under
his company’s operation.Also, the service was being
downsized from 650 buses toabout 450. Fewer buses meantless fuel and fewer drivers to pay.
“This is in line with the sub-sidies and cash fares we expectto receive. If the municipalityor the provincial transportdepartment want things (tripsor routes) added, they mustpay for it,” he said.
Mlaba said the structurewas being changed so that onlythe mainstream routes wouldbe covered, describing it as acase of “cutting your cloth tosuit your size”.
Smaller private operatorsand taxis would be consulted toensure the balance of theroutes were catered for, he said.
Jesseman said the fact that
the buses were now owned bythe municipality, after aR405 million buy-back last yearmade fleet management easier.
The vehicles have mainte-nance contracts with themanufacturers.
“There are substantial safe-guards in place to protect usand the council,” he said.
Jesseman said the companyhad had substantial experiencein running bus services, andoperated buses in Johannes-burg, Richards Bay, Newcastle,Pietermaritzburg, Vryheid andthe Western Cape.
Ikhwezi Bus Service wasinitially mooted to take overthe service but is, in fact, a sub-sidiary of Tansnat Africa.
Ikhwezi has run buses inparts of Zululand for more
than 20 years. For the mostpart, commuters are happywith the service it runs – andDurbanites will be hoping forthe same.
“There are newer, top-of-the-range buses and the servicethey give is good,” said com-muter Ntombenhle Mthethwa.
Ikhwezi also provides dedi-cated services for schools andlocal factories.
“I’m happy with the servicegiven by Ikhwezi,” saidSibongiseni Mkhize of Esikha-wini, outside Richards Bay.“But they are very expensivecompared to the taxis.”
During a recent driverstrike, Ikhwezi lowered ticketprices to make up for the com-muters’ grievances.
An era of poor service for bus commuters might soon end. Matthew Savides andBuhle Mbonambi look at the company that will run the city’s buses
WHAT TANSNAT AFRICA DOESHas a fleet of more than800 buses operatingacross the country,including:� Ikhwezi Bus Service inRichards Bay andEmpangeni.� Sizanani maZulu (SMT)in Pietermaritzburg.
� Imondlo Bus Service inVryheid.It also runs two luxurytravel coach lines, ExpressLiners and GautengCoaches, which runbetween Durban andJohannesburg.– Buhle Mbonambi
Snubbed… and soreMATTHEW SAVIDES
DURBAN-BASED bus operators areupset that the eThekwini Municipal-ity did not consult them in appoint-ing an out-of-town company to takeover the largest part of the interimDurban Transport bus service.
Two established local operators –one based in the south of the cityand the other in the inner west – saidthe lack of consultation was“unfair”, especially as they had tostep in to assist the council whenRemant Alton ran into trouble.
South Coast Bus Service manag-ing director Pickey Dass said it was“disappointing” that his company,which had been shortlisted – withRemant Alton and another consor-tium – for the Durban Transportcontract when the service was priva-tised in 2003, was not considered torun the interim contract.
The company’s general manager,Seresh Mohunlal, said, “I wouldhave thought, ethically, it madesense to go back to that (originalshortlist) when Remant Altonfailed.”
Dass said he had contacted CityManager Mike Sutcliffe in the past,including once in 2006, to offer thecompany’s services when RemantAlton had problems but he had
never received a response. Hedescribed the municipality’s deci-sion to appoint a new operator with-out consulting other possible opera-tors as “a slap in the face”.
“What has changed between 2003and now that would make us unsuit-able to run the service?” Mohunlalasked. Dass added, “If the municipal-ity had handled this the correct way,consulted with all the operators and made a request for proposals totake over, then we wouldn’t haveminded. But this (the decision toappoint Tansnat Africa) was unilat-eral.”
Mohamed Asmal, managingdirector of Durban-based OlympicBus Lines, criticised the municipal-ity for “electing to omit the localoperators in the selection process”.
“Our company, being part of theconsortium that was initially short-listed for the 2003 tender, was noteven consulted and/or requested tosubmit any proposals for the currentinterim operation,” he said in an e-mail to the Sunday Tribune.
“Furthermore, one would haveexpected the eThekwini Municipal-ity to have given the local ratepayerssome preference. Durban has someexperienced, reliable and major busoperators yet they were over-looked,” he said.
Not such a large sliceof pie for taxi driversMATTHEWSAVIDES
TAXI operators will nothave as big a share ofthe Durban Transportbus service as reportedlast week, municipalofficials said yesterday.
Media reports indi-cated the taxi operatorswould get about 40 percent of the opera-tion, comprising theDurban CBD and someof the surrounding areas.
While this was mentioned byTansnat Africa CEO Mike Jessemanand confirmed by KZN TransportAlliance chairman Eugene Hadebe,the eThekwini municipality said theoperation being considered for taxibosses to run was nowhere close to40 percent of the total.
“I am not aware of taxi operatorsgetting any such stake,” said ErikMoller, the eThekwini municipalitydeputy head of public transport.
He confirmed negotiations weretaking place with taxi operatorsabout taking over the CBD routes,but that this was not as large as wasreported.
It has been suggested the PeopleMover and Mynah buses could begiven to taxi bosses. This wouldtranslate to fewer than 70 buses,compared to the 450 buses being runby Tansnat Africa.
Eugene Hadebe, aprominent player in thelocal taxi industry, con-firmed taxi bosseswould be given a shareof the bus operation, butthat there was as yet noindication of exactlyhow this would work.
He said meetings hadbeen scheduled and thathe would have a clearerpicture of the situationtomorrow. However, hespecifically mentioned
the taxi operators getting a 40 per-cent share of the operation.
He acknowledged criticismregarding the behaviour of taxi drivers and complaints of bad anddangerous driving, but made assur-ances that passengers on the taxi-run buses would be safe.
“We will be giving all our driverstraining, not only in terms of theskills to drive the buses, but alsotraining in customer care.
“I firmly believe that the cus-tomer is always right, and that driv-ers must listen to the customer– after all, the customer is biggerthan the driver and the operator,”Hadebe said.
Certificates would be issued tothose who received the training, andonly drivers who obtained the cer-tificates would be allowed to drivethe buses, he added.
Paris toobusy to meether pledgeMIAMI: It’s Paris Hilton’s turnto tell her side of the story in alawsuit claiming she didn’t doenough to promote her 2006sorority movie Pledge This!
The 28-year-old heiress wasscheduled to take the stand inher own defence on Friday in afederal courtroom in Miami.
The lawsuit brought bymovie investors seeks more than$8 million (R65m), claimingHilton reneged on a contract topromote the film. They say sherefused interviews and otherpromotional opportunities.
Hilton contends sheplugged the movie extensivelyand met the contract’s require-ments. She says the producersmade unreasonable demandsfor appearances when herschedule was full.
The movie cost $7.5m tomake but earned only $2.9m. –Sapa-AP
Paris Hilton arrives at a federal court in Miami, on Friday. She isaccused in a federal lawsuit of failing to adequately promote her2006 movie Pledge This! Picture:AP
EUGENE HADEBE
NT_NWS_E1_120709_p10 C M Y K
