Just Transport Podcast

Young people account for 60% of the national unemployment rate! Instead of loitering our streets, an undocumented number of young people all over South Africa have taken to the transport sector for a living—but more could be done. In our neighbourhoods, we see boys run newspaper stacks, buckets of juice, and biscuits between the dotted lines; others bend their fingers to hang toys, cell phone accessories, fruits, vegetables and other items at intersections. Base music by: KeiGi.

“A child who is not embraced by the village will burn it down to feel its warmth.” In today’s episode we take a deep dive into the premise of transport planning: the trip generators and attractors, households, commerce and industry. We can not help but reflect on the multidisciplinary nature required to confront, develop and reform informal housing to human settlements. This sentiment is continental. In some areas more acute than others. Our guest today, Nobukhosi Ngwenya, takes us through these complexities, for us novices in this housing to human settlements trajectory.

It started in South America, and spread to the world. Bus Rapid Transit, or BRT, dominated the public transport planning scene on a global level for over a decade in research, funding and implementation--especially in "developing countries". In this episode, Fatoumata Diallo, a PhD researcher, takes us through her work around BRT implementation. Her focus spans between Lagos, Paris and Cape Town, and the conversation offers a compelling series of questions for engineers, politicians and everyone in between. For more, visit www.hlulani.com

Cycling in townships like Khayelitsha (Cape Town), is an opportunity for mobility and access interventions that are close to home. Is cycling an option for a township that is located so far from a CBD that the first criticism could lend itself to this distance? Or are townships development hubs to attract new commerce, business, industry and culture? From the iconic Dynamite Diepkloof Dudes, to building a cycling community at neighbourhood level, Sindile Mvundla takes us through his personal, professional and people oriented transitions. As an avid Avalanche rider himself, this conversation reorientates much of the doubts about building a cycling culture in townships. Through training, engagement and a 'human approach', we untangle some interesting themes for future conversations.

This podcast episode is from an interview on PowerFM, where we discuss the taxi industry, strike action and absorb inputs from callers.

Professor Paolo Beria is an associate Professor of Transport Economics from the Polytechnic University of Milan. He’s much more than that too. His work reveals the interplay and complexity embedded in regulating transport infrastructure and services, but also the political decisions that may influence practice overtime. From reading much of his material, his collaborative spirit shows an interest in how transport issues change over time, and assessing the impact of past, present and future decisions. In times of crisis or prosperity, transport economic regulation responds and reflects the time. We talk about the economic regulation of transport markets in Europe and what we can learn.

Nico McLachlan is one of the leading transport practitioners in paratransit reform in Africa. As part of the Organisation Development Africa (ODA), he directs much of the shift from minibus taxi, dala dala and matatu type services to appropriately regulated public transport operations. These shifts could be hybrid services where scheduled and unscheduled transport are interfaced, or service transitions for regulators to reduce conflict and improve user experiences. In our discussion, he takes us through the various avenues toward regulating the paratransit sector, with deep focus on what is offered to the passenger. He highlights the role of demographics, the changing role of regulation, and the crucial future digitisation brings to the paratransit industry in Africa.

Nahungu Lionjanga and Rozina Myoya run an honest commuter insight movement that captures what charts can’t: Transport Truths. Transport speaks a number of truths about society, culture and place. All of this interwoven with values, dignity and spirit. Where we stand, where we go and how we get there are inherently informed by the “why” which drives what a purposeful existence is all about. Customers, commuters, passengers, people— are essentially human. Today’s guests, listen in to Tracy Chapman’s “Fast Car”, to kick of the discussion. We talk through commuter sensitivity, intelligent cities and the human values which should guide transport policy and planning.

Neville Dipale is a technologist, and serial creator of various transport related technology solutions that involve the public from two angles. Moving Gauteng is the key platform for multimodal public transport information in the Gauteng Metropolitan Region. It is fed by a participatory data collection scheme which passengers practically inform one another geosnatially through a crowdsourcing mechanism that is a downloadable and affordable mobile application. In the second instalment of the Just Transport Podcast, we talk with Neville and he takes us through some of his logic in connecting the dots. To know more about his work visit: https://movinggauteng.co.za

Lena Stiller is a Transport Policy Advisor at the Transformative Urban Mobility Initiative, better known as TUMI. After her efforts to coordinate discussions around the bus transport industry's response to COVID-19, her insights about the transport industry from TUMI's point of view became of interest. We talk through the private car culture and toward the importance of enabling policy implementation. The kind of implementation that cities and towns identify and nurture with technical and organisational support. She recommends a few focus areas for emerging researchers, and explains the importance of just transitions toward sustainable mobility. Read more about her here: https://www.transformative-mobility.org/experts/lena-stiller