An analysis of non-white transport requirements in an Eastern Cape urban area

Abstract

From Preface: The following research is centred around the Grahamstown non-white urban transportation problem. The bus service under consideration is owned and operated by the Grahamstown Municipality and is attached to the City Fire Department. It caters only for non-white commuters by operating fourteen buses, which carry approximately 1 200 000 people per year. As such, the difficulties encountered by this transport service should be generally, though not entirely, applicable only to relatively small non-white transport undertakings. The aims of this research are threefold: 1. to establish the environment within which transport undertakings operate, the structure of the undertaking in response to this environment and the problems which such undertakings encounter in their daily operations ; 2. by analysing in detail a specific transport service, an attempt has been made to delineate problem areas in both the cost and revenue structures, and to ascertain the degree of management awareness of the existence of these problems ; and 3. to determine the social impact of this transport operation and to evaluate all aspects of the service in relation to commuters, business and social needs and wants. Unfortunately, an attempt to extend this type of research to further Eastern Cape urban areas was unsuccessful due to the refusal by certain transport undertakings and government bodies to provide essential information.