A geographic information system (GIS), implemented in Cape Town, has enabled efficiency in issuing public transport licences.
Head of public transport regulation and surveys for the City of Cape Town Reggie Springleer says a fine balance has to be maintained by provincial and local government officials in charge of issuing public transport operating licences.
This is because issuing too many licences on one route can cause conflict. On the other hand, issuing too few licences means commuters don't get the transport they need.
“I need to know what the demand is for public transport, and track the trends accurately.”
Springleer says every day a team of survey workers heads out to see what is happening within Cape Town's transport networks, in terms of cars, busses, minibus taxis and metered taxis. The number and movements of pedestrians and cyclists are also monitored.
“We have information going back to 1990. But our data on different transport modes was spread through different departments and different databases, which made it difficult to access. To make informed decisions we need all the information in one place, because nothing happens in isolation.”
Realising aspirations
For this reason, the department implemented a GIS system in collaboration with Aspire Solutions.
The system is a Web application for capturing, storing and displaying the information needed by Springleer's department.
It went online in January, but is being implemented on a module-by-module basis, with new modules coming online in phases, says Aspire Solutions director Mike Steyn.
“Surveys are happening daily and we had to find a dynamic way to deal with incoming data, isolated legacy systems and the phased delivery of the new system in a rapid manner, which would lead to an immediate return on investment for the City,” says Steyn.
He adds that the ultimate aim of the system is to provide the city with an integrated transport reporting system, which demonstrates business value.
The key feature of the system is that GIS mapping technology interprets and delivers the data collection.
Springleer says the system has proven to be business-critical for the city. “Now I can sit at my desk and see the entire city's transport patterns on one screen. I can track all the different transport modes from start to finish and do detailed analysis.”
He also highlights the value of being able to communicate complex information to others using a map. “GIS can summarise lots of information in a highly visual manner that everyone can understand. Tables are not nearly such an effective tool.”
eNatis interface
Survey workers are now equipped with GPS-enabled handheld devices that can send geographic data directly to the central servers, and effectively replace manual filing of forms.
Springleer adds that the system also saves costs since the expense of having people out doing surveys is huge.
“We need to make the most of the data - we can't afford to go out there five times for the same thing. It's also important to be accurate. Take registration numbers, for example - if we get one digit wrong we end up counting two vehicles rather than one. That means we can't plan properly, and it's unfair to the operators, because we're not accurately recording their vehicle movements.”
Steyn says the system will potentially at some point interface with national traffic system eNatis, where licensing information can be taken off it.
Undisclosed cost
Springleer says his department has a legislative mandate to produce a current public transport record as part of the city's Comprehensive Integrated Transport Plan.
“GIS enables us to get the whole thing from a single source. We can now also easily supply proof to the licensing board that an operator has been supplying a satisfactory service for the required 180 days. Every bus and taxi route in the city is surveyed regularly and, by searching on the registration number, we can tell exactly when and where we have picked up the vehicle.”
Springleer says in future the system can be used as a communication tool where operators can see what the true transport picture is on every route they're interested in, helping them to avoid futile applications.
Costs of the system cannot be disclosed, according to Steyn, because negotiations are currently in place for an extension of the system.
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