Investigating the impact of human-centric public transport design principles on the desirability and operational success of public transport in the Western Cape Province, South Africa -- a mixed-methods study
Date
2022-04
Authors
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Journal ISSN
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Publisher
Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
Abstract
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: South African commuters are continuously disappointed by the provision of unsafe, unreliable transport
services, feeling transport authorities and modal operators remain indifferent towards their needs and
complaints. Because their core travel needs are disregarded, frustrated commuters may no longer feel the
need to support public transport (PT) development in South Africa, causing customer’s loyalty to PT to
plummet while expressing their frustrations at transport infrastructure locations.
Given these concerns, there exists a need to ethically provide for the travel needs of captive lower-income
commuters in South Africa by establishing a transport culture more focused in making human needs the
centre of PT design. Thus, the study begins with the hypothesis that the PT industry in the Gauteng Province
of South Africa could be more operationally successful and desirable to commuters if it incorporates
human-centric design (HCD) principles into its fundamental planning and development.
A Pearson Correlation Coefficient of r = 0.982 was determined in this study, demonstrating that the
incorporation of more HCD measures into Gauteng’s PT service provision will indeed result in increased
commuter satisfaction and in turn improve the service quality and thus operational success of these
services. The study provides a set of five human-centric public transport design (HCPTD) principles that are
capable of enhancing customer satisfaction and providing commuters with an opportunity to participate in
Gauteng PT design by regularly considering their views, feedback and concerns. In addition, these principles
provide a platform for public engagement and act as a mechanism for the voices of customers to be heard
and incorporated into PT design.
A directly proportional relationship was proven between the perception of a Gauteng PT service, the desire
to use the service and the value commuters placed on the service. Therefore, if Gauteng PT authorities aim
to encourage more commuters to make use of PT services and obtain increased funds from these services,
utilising the HCPTD principles is key to increasing customer satisfaction and desirability for these services.
In order to improve the perceived value of a PT service, Gauteng PT services must be (in order of
importance) made safer and more secure, more reliable, more cost-effective and increasingly available and
accessible.
Furthermore, it was found that proper enforcement and regulation of the MBT industry is necessary in the
GP in order for its PT systems to become more developed and promote modal network integration. Only
by resolving issues relating to the MBT industry can the demand for transport can be more freely
distributed across the different kinds of transport, likely offering a change in the transport system where
taxis have a different role to play. The taxi industry also needs more exposure, training and understanding
of business moving forward in order to form part of the upcoming integrated PT system.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Geen opsomming beskikbaar
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Geen opsomming beskikbaar
Description
Thesis (MEng)--Stellenbosch University, 2022.
Keywords
Human-centric design, UCTD, Public transportation, Transportation -- Economic aspects, Transportation -- Human population -- Need assessment, Transportation -- Design and construction