Pretoria – Commuters in the City of Tshwane can look forward to travelling in style and comfort with the new state-of-the-art A Re Yeng buses which were unveiled today.
For their ease and convenience, all A Re Yeng buses are equipped with free Wi-Fi on the trunk route, full air conditioning, low-floor technology which supports Euro V emission levels, vehicle stability and a cashless automated electronic system that is fully monitored by camera and censors.
The City of Tshwane’s launch follows on Johannesburg’s Rea Vaya and Cape Town’s Myciti Integrated Rapid Transit systems.
The buses are operated by qualified former taxi drivers recruited from the various taxi associations in the City. The drivers were earlier this week awarded certificates after successfully completing training on the operation of the new buses.
As part of their training, they were taught customer care, dealing with challenging situations, dealing with internal customers, preparing for performance, knowing and understanding customers and building confidence to serve, among other things.
Speaking at the official unveiling of the new buses, Gauteng Premier David Makhura congratulated the City for unveiling the new state-of-the-art buses.
“We envisage a future were public transport will be everywhere and more reliable. We envisage a future were the capital city is growing,” he said.
Premier Makhura praised the City for being able to engage the taxi industry in the running of the buses, saying some provinces could not do it. “We don’t want violence in our city,” he said.
The first bus operation is from the city centre to Hatfield.
The A Re Yeng bus project will be rolled out in phases, culminating in the construction of 80 kilometre long dedicated lanes.
The route will comprise 51 bus stations that stretch from Soshanguve to Mamelodi, passing through the city centre and surrounding suburbs.
Once all the routes and bus stops have been completed, the buses will operate seven days a week from 6am until 8:25pm from Monday to Friday, with trunk services every seven minutes in peak periods and every ten minutes in off-peak periods.
On Saturdays, A Re Yeng will operate from 6am until 11:40pm, with ten-minute breaks between services during peak hours and 20-minute breaks during off-peak hours.
The Sunday services will operate from 6am to 8am with 30-minute intervals.
Also speaking at the same event, was the Executive Mayor of the City of Tshwane Kgosientso Ramokgopa, who said the unveiling is not only about the buses but it’s about the future.
He echoed the Premier’s sentiments that violence would not be tolerated.
“The future of this City is very bright, a capital city with a difference,” he said.
As part of the unveiling, the guests were taken on a tour on the new buses.
The buses, which are fitted with cameras, are monitored at the operation centre at the Show Grounds.
At the control centre, the operators are able to communicate with the driver and are able to see where the bus is traveling.
With regard to safety, if the bus doors are not properly closed, the bus cannot move.
The buses also cater for passengers with special needs, including children, the elderly and people with disabilities. – SAnews.gov.za
