The MyCiTi Bus Service is ready to contract to get it back on the road.
The City of Cape Town has successfully concluded the supply chain management process that allows them to enter into a contract with the N2 Express Joint Venture (JV) Vehicle Operating Company who operated the MyCiTi N2 Express since its inception in July 2014.
The City is confident that the next phase of the process – namely to conclude the contract with the JV which comprises Codeta, Route Six, and the Golden Arrow Bus Service – will yield a positive outcome, said City of Cape Town executive director for transport, Dalene Campbell.
“We will keep the public and the MyCiTi commuters from Mitchell’s Plain and Khayelitsha informed on our progress in this regard. The City will be able to provide more information once the next phase of this process has been concluded,” she said.
The N2 Express service was suspended on Friday May 31, 2019, she said, and the City was eager to see the service back on the road to the benefit of commuters from the metro-south east.
Natalie Smit, a Portland resident who made use of the N2 Express service, said she used the MyCiTi Bus regularly as it was not only faster but also a safer option.
“When it stopped running, it caused a lot of inconvenience as I previously worked in the Cape Town CBD. When I took the MyCiTi Bus it was easy for me to get around in Town, (but) when it stopped, I had to walk really long distances from where I would get off from the taxi rank,” she said.
Westridge resident Chelsea Roberts had also used the MyCiTi bus service.
“I travelled to work and preferred it over Golden Arrow Bus Service as I felt a bit safer.
“It was really convenient until the services stopped operating. I had to make use of a taxi which I hated every minute of. I would definitely like MyCiTi buses to operate in our areas again as there is a sense of safety and security, the routes are way more convenient. The system also ran quite smoothly,” said Ms Roberts.
Beacon Valley resident Marvin-Lee Solomons said he had used the N2 Express in the early hours of the morning to get to college. It was a welcomed alternative to the often overcrowded Golden Arrow buses, he said.
“The ease and convenience of the points system was one of the reasons I switched. We are all aware of the fact that alternative modes of transport is a scarcity, even more so in Mitchell's Plain. I had to either take the taxi or find a suitable carpool group, which is often hard to come by,” said Mr Solomons.
For some, the absence of the N2 Express hit them financially, and made life difficult in terms of work schedules and personal arrangements.
“If there's any chance of it returning, I cannot speak for all residents but I would certainly be more than grateful,” said Mr Solomons.
Luthando Tyhalibongo, the City’s spokesperson, said the City could not elaborate on services continuing as normal, until such time as the second phase of this process, the finalising and signing of the contract, had been successfully concluded.
They could also not confirm possible new routes, he said.
“The City will inform the public accordingly. All of the details of the routes, timetables, and so forth will be announced at the appropriate time,” said Mr Tyhalibongo.
The City has commissioned a project of assessing the status of the MyCiTi bus shelters, bus stops, along the N2 Express Service routes, he said.