Transport back in business

All road-based public transport services are from yesterday permitted to operate from 5am until 7pm, with a grace period of one hour in the afternoon to complete their trips and drop off passengers.

This includes minibus-taxis, buses, metered taxis, e-hailing services, charter and shuttle services.

SA yesterday began its first day of Level 4 of the Risk-Adjusted Strategy lockdown to combat the coronavirus pandemic.

Announcing the directions that affect transport operations in Pretoria yesterday, Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula emphasised that no public transport was allowed on the road between the curfew of 8pm to 5am and that no person was allowed to use public transport without wearing a face mask.

“We call on the public to ensure strict adherence to this requirement by obtaining their own face masks in line with the guidance given by Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma,” Mbalula said. “While government may provide limited assistance in ensuring availability of masks, the onus rests on each individual to ensure that they do not leave home without a mask.”

Sanitisation principles – which is currently applicable to public transport vehicles and facilities – would remain, he said.

The loading capacity for minibus-taxis remained at 70% of licensed passengers, with social distancing and other mitigating measures remaining in place.

Loading capacity for metered taxis and e-hailing services also remained at 50%, while a five-seater vehicle was permitted to carry a maximum of two passengers and a driver.

Buses would be allowed to transport 70% passengers of their licensed loading capacity, with requisite social distancing, wearing of masks by all passenger and other mitigating measures.

Mbalula said shuttle and chauffeur services would be subject to the same rules as other road-based public transport modes.

However, both shuttle and chauffeur services would only be permitted for the transportation of people undertaking essential work and those economic sectors allowed to return back to work under Level 4. The 50% loading capacity was applicable. – SAnews.gov.za