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24 First Street is 0.6km from the centre of Gonubie , the nearest airport 22.4km (East London Airport). GO GEORGE model studied by other municipalities | George Municipality
Home>News> GO GEORGE model studied by other municipalities
"We have started planning the city-wide network in 2013, but after a directive from the National Department of Transport (NDoT) to fast track operations by the 2019/2020 financial year, we had to work out our inception in order to meet this directive while we are still busy with road widening for the first phase," Mngenela said.
"There is a call from NDoT that cities need to scale down on the infrastructure implementation, focus on operations first, then build while operating. GO GEORGE was the perfect example for us to visit as their approach is exactly that: operate, monitor, then improve. We could learn from the lessons GO GEORGE has learnt."
Mngenela said it was good that they had been accompanied by their public transport industry. "They have also gained a lot with regards to the VOC (vehicle operating company) operations, working together with the Municipality to resolve conflicts, and also owning the project from the beginning."
According to James Robb, GO GEORGE Manager, the customised minibuses are indeed unique and were the first public transport minibuses with this level of accessibility in South Africa. "They always seem to steal the limelight and we are indeed extremely proud of the design that had been done in cooperation with municipal engineers on our team at the time. While our larger buses use a hydraulic ramp to accommodate passengers with special needs, our minibus deploys a hydraulic hoist with a platform for wheelchairs, baby strollers or any person with mobility challenges."
GO GEORGE-model deur ander munisipaliteite bestudeer
Uitgereik: 24 Junie 2019
"Ons het die netwerk wat regoor die stad strek in 2013 begin beplan, maar ná ’n instruksie van die nasionale departement van vervoer om bedrywighede te bespoedig vir die 2019/2020 finansiële jaar, moes ons die aanvang van ons diens uitwerk om gehoor te gee hieraan terwyl ons nog besig is om paaie te verbreed vir die eerste fase," sê Mngenela.
"Daar is ’n oproep van die departement dat stede die implementering van infrastruktuur moet afskaal en eers op die bedryf van die busdiens moet fokus, en dan moet bou terwyl die diens bedryf word. GO GEORGE was die perfekte voorbeeld vir ons om te besoek aangesien hul benadering presies dit is: bedryf, monitor, en verbeter dan. Ons kon leer van die lesse wat GO GEORGE reeds geleer het."
Mnengela sê dit was 'n goeie ding dat lede van hul openbare vervoerbedryf saamgekom het. "Hulle het ook baie gebaat deur die voertuigbedryfsmaatskappy se werksaamhede te bestudeer, hoe hulle saam met die munisipaliteit werk om konflik op te los en ook van die begin af eienaarskap van die projek te neem."
Volgens James Robb, GO GEORGE-bestuurder, is die aangepaste minibusse inderdaad uniek en die eerste minibusse in openbare vervoer met hierdie vlak van toeganklikheid in Suid-Afrika. "Hulle steel gedurig die kalklig en ons is inderdaad uiters trots op die ontwerp wat in samewerking met munisipale ingenieurs in ons span gedoen is. Terwyl ons groter busse ’n hidrouliese loopvlak gebruik om passasiers met spesiale behoeftes te akkommodeer, ontplooi ons minibus ’n hidrouliese hyser met ’n platform vir rolstoele, babawaentjies of enige persoon met uitdagings ten opsigte van beweeglikheid."
1. GO GEORGE se gemeenskapskakelbeampte, Simphiwe Schaap, het die Msunduzi-afvaardiging begelei op ’n toer wat die busdepot en die vervoerkern in die middedorp ingesluit het. Hy het verduidelik hoe die stelsel werk en kenmerke van universele toeganklikheid by die bushaltes en op die busse uitgewys.
Last published 25 June 2019