Commuter Choices and Prospects for Improved Urban Mobility
Date
2016
Authors
Mandyanda, Aviwe
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
UNIVERSITY OF WITWATERSRAND FACULTY OF ENGINEERING & THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT
Abstract
The purpose of the study is to understand the everyday social
and spatial practices that affect transportation choices in the
city from the perspective of public transport commuters.
My research is a qualitative inquiry of commuter mobility
choices and particularly the reasons behind them. In the
pursuit to better understand how transport in South Africa can
become more efficient in providing improved levels of access
and mobility to a wider spectrum of people, my research
focuses on contributing to an understanding of how and why
people make individual travel decisions. It investigates how
people are responding to the increasing public transportation
options and aims to gain a deeper understanding of
commuter choices concerning accessibility and mobility in
Johannesburg.
Drawing from theoretical writings on urban mobility and travel
behaviours the main argument of my study is that commuter
choices between different modes of transport are influenced
by both various socio-economic, spatial and cultural factors,
which are attached to practices, narratives and meanings.
My study focuses on two transport modes operating along the
Johannesburg – Soweto corridor within metropolitan
Johannesburg: the Rea Vaya Bus Rapid Transport (BRT) system
and the Minibus Taxis (MBTs). It investigates how the two
systems have addressed commuter mobility needs, and how
commuters are responding to the increased transport options
that have become available to them along this corridor.
Based on semi-structured interviews, imagery, literature and
detailed descriptions emanating from fieldwork, this research
report presents everyday life in Pimville as a negotiation and
displays the MBT and BRT stations and their users as active
participants in this negotiation. The different themes present
the different forms of commuter life as negotiation in Pimville.
Description
Honours Research Report 2016
Keywords
Citation
Mandyanda, A. (2016), Commuter Choices and Prospects for Improved Urban Mobility. Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment, University of the Witwatersrand