Public Transport: Metrobus

Metrobus

Getting vast numbers of people from one part of the city to another safely, quickly and affordably is the job of Metrobus, the Johannesburg Metropolitan Bus Service.

Set up as a company in 2000, it is wholly owned by the City of Johannesburg. It is also the second largest municipal bus operator in South Africa, with 532 buses covering 80 scheduled routes and 130 school routes.

Metrobus transports about 90 000 passengers daily fulfilling its primary task - transporting commuters using a scheduled bus service.

Vision, mission and objectives

Vision

The transport company's vision is to be a world-class African bus service across the greater Johannesburg metro.

Mission

Its mission is to provide customer-friendly public bus transport within greater Johannesburg. To do this, it has distilled its aims, as follows:

Innovation - Metrobus will continuously look for ways to grow its business and introduce cost-reducing and efficiency-enhancing methods and technologies.
Safety - it will ensure that its passengers are always safe and its bus operators will be the best trained in the country.
Reliability - it will provide a reliable, punctual service.
Efficiency - it will provide a cost-efficient service to ensure fares are kept as low as possible.
Sustainability - it will be financially viable and will produce above-industry-average profitability through efficient resource allocation and management.
Environmental consciousness - it will ensure that its buses do not pollute the environment.
Customer-focused - it will ensure that buses are clean and comfortable and that its operators are trained in customer services.
Continuous learning - it will encourage staff and their families to learn, with special focus on their health, safety and social wellbeing.

Key objectives

Metrobus aims to turn public transport in Joburg into a professionally run operation.

To reach this objective, the company has studied commuters' needs and has invested heavily in technology and new vehicles to improve its service.

Metrobus:

Supplies a daily public bus service;
Provides transport for people with disabilities;
Provides pensioner transport;
Provides a dedicated transport service for school learners;
Supplies commercial contracts to transport employees;
Operates a Gauteng department of transport contract in Eldorado Park with 19 buses;
Provides buses for private hire;
Provides transport to and from major events; and
Offers advertising space on buses and tickets.

Quick facts

Metrobus has a fleet of 532, including two luxury buses and six special needs buses fitted with hydraulic wheelchair lifts.
Metrobus covers specific routes to accommodate people with disabilities.
All Metrobus vehicles have comprehensive insurance and are covered by the Roads Accident Fund
All Metrobus drivers are carefully selected and have to be in possession of a valid code 10 licence.

Its services are constantly expanding and Metrobus is, among other plans, determined to extend its bus routes, provide feeder services for the Gautrain, and integrate services for people with disabilities into the scheduled service.

Programmes and projects

Metrobus has a number of programmes and projects:

Social responsibility programme - in partnership with the Johannesburg Fresh Produce Market and the Johannesburg Zoo, Metrobus runs a project to take underprivileged children to the zoo. It transports these groups to and from the zoo once a month.
Special services section - Metrobus recognises the importance of an integrated service catering for disabled people. A dedicated department, the special service section, has been established to cater solely for services for people with disabilities

Its six special needs buses run on the following routes:

Soweto to Johannesburg;
Alexandra to Johannesburg;
Naturena to Johannesburg;
Johannesburg to Sandton;
Soweto to Soweto; and
Soweto to Eldorado Park

These routes were designed to cater for disabled passengers, to transport them to and from their workplaces.

Special stickers are displayed at the front of the bus to notify commuters. The buses have ramps that align with the pavement to make wheelchair access easy. They also have dedicated wheelchair spaces complete with seatbelts that lock the wheelchairs to the floor.

A special prepaid tag system is also available for people with disabilities.

Key people

Esther Dreyer

Communications

Tel: 011 403 4300

E-mail: Edreyer@mbus.co.za

Bus zones and major routes

For the purposes of Metrobus's operations, the city has been divided into concentric zones, radiating out from the CBD. There are currently six zones, with most of the routes starting from the inner city points in Zone 1.

The number of zones a commuter crosses determines the fare.

Zone 1: From the city centre to Parktown and to Joe Slovo Drive and Louis Botha Avenue
Zone 2: From the corner of Jan Smuts Avenue and Empire Road in Braamfontein to the corner of Jan Smuts Avenue and Tyrwhitt Road in Rosebank
Zone 3: From the corner of Jan Smuts Avenue and Tyrwhitt Road in Rosebank to Craighall Park
Zone 4: From Craighall Park along Beyers Naude Drive and to the Randburg Mall
Zone 5: From the Randburg Mall to Beverley Gardens
Zone 6: From Beverley Gardens to Northgate

As demand for public transport grows, Metrobus increases the number of routes to different areas.

Some major routes do not go through the CBD at all. One such route goes between Soweto, Sandton and Sunninghill.

In addition Metrobus also runs three cross-town routes:

Route 520 between Naturena and Randburg Centre
Route 420 operates between Westgate Shopping Centre
Randburg Centre via Strijdom Park
Route 421, which has four variations:
R421 A: Bellevue to Auckland Park
R421 F: Bellevue to Fairlands
R421 N: Yeoville to Northgate
R421 S: Yeoville to Strijdom Park

These routes and bus stops are clearly marked with a white sign, indicated on the top of the route number and on the bottom of the zone number.

Fares and Pricing

Metrobus has divided its coverage of the city into concentric zones, radiating out from the CBD.

Most of the routes start from the inner city bus terminals in Zone 1, with longer trips traversing a number of different zones. For example, a trip from the CBD to Midrand could cross different zones up to eight times.

Bus fares are controlled by the City council and the fee structure is set out in a council by-law. Metrobus aims to keep the service affordable, with fare increases within the inflation rate.

The number of zones a commuter crosses determines the fare, with ticket prices varying from zone to zone.

Prepaid tags

It is cheaper to use prepaid tags rather than pay cash. The different coloured Metrobus tags are similar to prepaid phone cards and can be bought at Computicket outlets at:

	Outlet	Address	Operating Hours
1	Gandhi Square	Ghandi Square Main Street JHB CBD	Monday – Friday 05h30 – 18h30 Saturday 06h00 – 14h00 Sunday and Holidays Closed
2	Cresta Mall	Cresta Shopping Centre Beyers Naude Drive next to Homemark Entrance	Monday – Saturday 08h30 – 18h00 Sunday 09h00 – 15h00
3	Park Station	JHB Park Station Lower Level Braamfontein Closed to Nando's	Monday – Friday 08h30 – 17h00 Saturday 08h30 – 13h00 Sunday and Holidays Closed
4	Shoprite Ridgeway	Swartgoud & Rifle Range Rd, Ridgeway, 2091	Monday – Saturday 08h00 – 18h00 Sunday and Holidays 08h00 – 14h00
5	Roodepoort Metrobus Depot	15 President Street Princess, Roodepoort	Monday – Friday 08h30 – 18h00 Saturday 08h30 – 13h00 Sunday and Holidays Closed
6	Rosebank Mall	Rosebank Mall opposite Pick & Pay	Monday – Friday 09h00 – 18h00 Saturday 09h00 – 17h00 Sunday and Holidays 9h00 – 16h00

A once-off fee for the tag is payable and the top-up amount is then recorded on the tag and deducted as bus trips are made. Different tags are available depending on the commuter's particular needs, with special rates for pensioners, learners and disabled people.

Adult commuters who use the buses daily are issued green tags. Green tags are available for: 52 trips monthly, 44 trips monthly, 14 trips weekly, 12 trips weekly and 10 trips weekly.
School children use red tags that can be preloaded with a specific number of bus trips. The children then do not have to carry money for fares. Red tags are available in: a 130-trip term ticket, 44 trips monthly, 10 trips weekly and the stored value.
People with disabilities use a yellow prepaid tag, which is valid for a period of three months.
Pensioners use black tags, which are valid for a year. They receive a 50 percent discount on their bus trips.
Infrequent users can use a stored value tag that works like a debit card. The commuter tells the driver the number of zones to be travelled and the amount is then deducted from the tag. Passengers get a 10 percent discount on their bus fares but these are not transferable. The maximum amount on the stored value tag is R500. The stored value has no expiry date.

Commuters forfeit all unused trips after the expiry date and will forfeit unused trips when changing between the denominations.

Commuters who use the tag system and who need to transfer from one bus route to another must do so within two hours of the tag being scanned. This regulation excludes those commuters using stored value tags or pensioner and physically challenged tags. Commuters must retain their tickets of the initial journey.

To activate the tag, the number of zones to be travelled need to be loaded on to the tag. Passengers can only travel in the zones that have been loaded on the tag. The tag is not restricted to specific calendar weeks or months - it can be used at any time. If a tag is lost, stolen or misplaced, its loss can be reported and it will be barred from further use.

All of the tags are equipped with a 10-minute "pass-back" feature, which means that once the tag is swiped, it cannot be used again for 10 minutes. This feature is intended to prevent fraud. All of the tags also have a transfer option, which allows passengers to transfer to a second bus within two hours to complete a journey.

Fares notice

2016 fares

click here. [PDF: 56kb]

Eldorado Park fares

Click here

Bus hire

Metrobus vehicles are available for hire for special occasions. For more information contact Metrobus via email at busqueries@joburg.org.za, or the Bus Hire Office, Fordsburg Depot, on 011 832 3135/6/7, or fax 011 832 3138.

Tenders

Metrobus Stakeholder Compact

Supply and delivery of various Mercedes Benz bus spares for the period of 3 years and of Air Brake componts for the period of 2 years.

Tender: Tech 25A/2012 and Tech 28A/2012

Supply and delivery of staff uniform for 3yrs. Closing date:05/10/12

Tender MET01/2012

Tender Registration Receiving Form

Notice of cancellation of Tender HR03/12

Supply of busses to complement the existing Metrobus fleet

Supply of external and internal bus advertising and branding for 3 years

Tender OPS 06/2012

Tender Registration Receiving Form

Supply of busses to complement the existing, Closing 01/10/2012

Tender TECH 27/2012

Supply of external and internal bus advertising and branding for 3 years
Tender OPS 02/2012

Appointment of suitable service provider to supply scientific competency assessment reports on behavioural gaps and provision of suitable financial resource

Tenders HR03/2012 and FIN01/2012

Tender Registration Receiving Form

Supply of newspaper adverts and provision of legal assistance / investigation for 3 years

Tender FIN 02/2012 and 03/2012

Supply and delivery of various Mercedes Benz and Volvo spares

Tenders TECH 25/2012 and TECH 26/2012

Tender Registration Received Form

Request for Quotation

VM12 /2016

For bus enquiries contact the Joburg Connect call centre on 0860 562 874 or 0860-JOBURG, option six, or email busqueries@joburg.org.za
For complaints contact Babs Marain, General Manager: Operations on 011 403 4300, or email edreyer@mbus.co.za