Integrated real-time information system for public commuting: perspectives of stakeholders in South Africa

Abstract

Decision-making while commuting in big cities is still challenging for many citizens in developing countries. The implementation of diverse transportation modes operating in silos combined with the inaccessibility of real-time travel information prevents commuters from these countries from making informed travel decisions. Commuters often have to choose the specific means of transport that will yield the highest value in terms of cost, safety, convenience, and timeliness among alternatives. This paper uses a case study of Cape Town in South Africa to explore stakeholders' perspectives on implementing an integrated real-time information system (IRIS) and the requirements that must be satisfied. We employed a qualitative methodology, utilising semi-structured interviews and co-design sessions as the means of data collection. Four categories of stakeholders associated with transportation, including taxis, trains, Bus Rapid Transit (BRT), and municipal buses, within the context of South Africa, participated in the study. The findings reveal that the commuters and the public transport operators agreed that challenges around socio-traffic incidents, infrastructure development, lack of technology resources and lack of real-time travel information are major concerns that must be addressed for successful IRIS implementation. Functional features, change management, data privacy, system integration and information sharing were the main priorities on the list of requirements. The study represents a first attempt at understanding the requirements of an IRIS from the stakeholders' perspective in the context of South Africa. It extends the discussion on using IRIS to support transportation in developing countries, which has received limited attention thus far in the literature. The study is relevant for developing futuristic policies, advanced infrastructure, and optimised service delivery in developing countries because it provides a good foundation for understanding the critical requirements for the design and development of IRIS.