Transport and Public Works
With reference to the Blue Dot Service announced by the Premier in his address to the Western Cape Provincial Parliament on 22 October 2020 and his letter to the Cape Argus dated 26 October 2020:
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- (a) What are the key lessons learnt from the Red Dot Initiative that will inform the Blue Dot Service, (b) what other factors informed the development of the Blue Dot Service, (c) what are the (i) “monthly incentives” (referred to in the letter to the Cape Argus) that the Western Cape Government will provide to taxi drivers and operators and (ii) indicators that will be used to inform targets related to “good service” and safe operations and (c) how will these incentives be dispensed;
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- whether the taxi industry has been consulted in the development of the Blue Dot Service; if so, (a) what are the details of any such engagements and (b) will the engagements be ongoing;
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- (a) how will residents engage with the Blue Dot Service and (b) what are the direct benefits for commuters in using the Blue Dot Service as opposed to other taxi transportation?
- [a] Key lessons learnt from the Red Dot initiative include:
- Government and the minibus taxi industry can work together successfully to deliver a quality service.
- Government support is required to ensure that the industry is enabled to deliver a quality service.
- Improving levels of service quality and professionalism within the industry is an incremental process which requires collaboration and hard work on both sides.
[b] My Department has learnt many lessons through the implementation and management of public transport initiatives, including the George Integrated Public Transport Network and the subsidised bus service in Cape Town, currently operated by the Golden Arrow Bus Service. Through the Provincial Sustainable Transport Programme, my Department considers how best to improve public transport in the Western Cape, in line with its mandate. The Blue Dot approach has been developed and evolved over a number of years, drawing on the lessons and valuable experience gained through the initiatives mentioned above. My Department believes strongly that we need to work with and support the minibus taxi industry, which is the largest provider of public transport services in the Province and often the only public transport option outside of Cape Town, rather than replacing these services.
[c] [i] Unfortunately, this information is sensitive and sharing it in a public forum could undermine the project’s immediate progress. However, I will commit to share this information with the Honourable Member once I am able to do so.
[c] [ii] Participants will be required to comply with a set of service quality and safety standards, including no speeding, good driving, operating on route, and good customer service. Participants will also need to have a safe vehicle, with all documentation in order.
[c] Incentives will be disbursed by the Department to participants based on performance against a set of standards. Performance will be monitored in several ways, including onboard trackers, on-the-ground monitors, and customer feedback.
[2] [a] My Department is consulting extensively with the minibus taxi industry on the development and implementation of Blue Dot. This includes regular engagement with the leadership of SANTACO Western Cape and its eight regions.
[b] These engagements are ongoing and are currently occurring on a weekly basis.
[3] [a] Residents will be able to make use of a Blue Dot service in their area, as they would an ordinary minibus taxi service. Users of the service will be able to provide feedback on service quality and safety through a USSD platform on their cell phones. This information will be used to monitor service quality and compliance with the standards, in addition to other inputs, such as information from the onboard tracker.
[b] Blue Dot is a pilot project which has the intention of improving service quality and safety. We hope that users will benefit from a safer and better service, including a safe vehicle, safe driving, and courteous treatment from drivers. If the pilot is successful, we hope to develop it further over time by introducing additional improvements to the commuter experience.
