Full Text Available

Note: Clicking the button above will open the full text document at the original institutional repository in a new window.

Comparing operating speeds for incremental and leapfrog investment strategies in bus-based transit in South Africa

Dissetation(MEng)--University of Pretoria, 2025.

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Other Authors: Venter, C.J. (Christoffel Jacobus)
Format: Thesis
Language:English
Published: University of Pretoria 2025
Subjects:
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1867613528235442176
access_status_str Open Access
author2 Venter, C.J. (Christoffel Jacobus)
author_browse Venter, C.J. (Christoffel Jacobus)
author_facet Venter, C.J. (Christoffel Jacobus)
collection Thesis
dc_rights_str_mv © 2024 University of Pretoria. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of Pretoria. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the University of Pretoria.
description Dissetation(MEng)--University of Pretoria, 2025.
format Thesis
id oai:repository.up.ac.za:2263/102441
institution University of Pretoria (South Africa)
language English
last_indexed 2026-06-10T12:37:34.848Z
license_str Other — see source repository
provenance_str_mv Harvested via OAI-PMH from UPSpace — University of Pretoria Institutional Repository
publishDate 2025
publishDateRange 2025
publishDateSort 2025
publisher University of Pretoria
publisherStr University of Pretoria
record_format dspace
source_str UPSpace — University of Pretoria Institutional Repository
spelling oai:repository.up.ac.za:2263/102441 Comparing operating speeds for incremental and leapfrog investment strategies in bus-based transit in South Africa Venter, C.J. (Christoffel Jacobus) u23916797@tuks.co.za Muhanguzi, Davis Minibus taxi Operating speed Weighted least square Travel time saving Generalised least squares Incremental approach Leapfrog approach Dissetation(MEng)--University of Pretoria, 2025. The world is currently grappling with congestion problems that have affected the liveability of cities. Improvement in public transport has been one of the most sought-after solutions with implementation of Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Systems being one of the key strategies. BRT infrastructure has spread to most of the world’s continents since its inception in Curitiba, Brazil. The implementation of BRT systems in South African cities has been made possible with the Public Transport Network Grant (PTNG). The BRT systems in South African cities have been implemented on a leapfrog approach characterized with corridor level uplift following the full specification of Latin American BRTs to replace the existing minibus taxis (MBTs). This has been done in the cities of Cape Town, Johannesburg and Tshwane despite these cities having different characteristics such as land use, population densities compared to Latin American cities. On the other hand, Rustenburg has taken an incremental approach in which the existing MBTs have been scheduled and buses added to enhance capacity on certain routes. Other cities have come up with deviations from the conventional BRT such as BRT lite in Lagos (Nigeria) and buses of high-quality service in the municipality of George (South Africa). One of the key questions that emerges is what benefits cities attain from these strategies. This dissertation compares the leapfrog and incremental approaches taken to improve public transport with an intention of achieving a complete BRT system as the final product. The incremental approach was envisaged to involve three interventions starting with scheduling of the existing MBTs, operating scheduled buses in mixed traffic and final introduction of BRT dedicated lanes with median stations. On the other hand, the leapfrog approach was envisaged to move from the existing MBTs to complete BRT corridor with dedicated lanes and median stations in a single step. This comparison of the two strategies is based on travel time savings as the benefit accrued from the interventions. The study relies on empirical measurements of actual public transport operations to develop models of operating speed for the interventions. Rustenburg Rapid Transit (RRT) and Tshwane BRT are used as case studies. Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) models were calibrated and tested for conformity with OLS assumptions. Weighted least squares (WLS) was used to correct for heteroskedasticity while generalised least squares (GLS) was used to correct for both heteroskedasticity and serial corelation. The calibrated models were based on operating speed as the response variable while unsignalised intersections per kilometre, signalised intersections per kilometre, stations (stops) per kilometre and land use were predictor variables. To illustrate their application, the developed models were applied to a theoretical 10 km corridor to estimate the operating speed and travel time under various interventions. Travel time was adjusted to account for variations in traffic congestion and passenger demand. Travel time savings were calculated as the difference between travel times for scenarios under consideration and the base scenario (no intervention). Results indicated that both incremental and leapfrog approaches provided positive time savings. The leapfrog approach provided maximum time savings under high demand and traffic congestion. All steps involved in the incremental approach provided a positive time saving. It is concluded that smaller cities and municipalities can follow an incremental approach while bigger cities can leapfrog to complete BRT. Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at University of Pretoria Centre for Transport Development at University of Pretoria Civil Engineering MEng Transportation Engineering Unrestricted Faculty of Engineering, Built Environment and Information Technology SDG-11: Sustainable cities and communities SDG-09: Industry, innovation and infrastructure SDG-15: Life on land SDG-08: Decent work and economic growth 2025-05-20T10:17:56Z 2025-05-20T10:17:56Z 2025-09 2025-02-28 Dissertation * S2025 http://hdl.handle.net/2263/102441 https://doi.org/10.25403/UPresearchdata.29092169 en © 2024 University of Pretoria. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of Pretoria. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the University of Pretoria. application/pdf University of Pretoria
spellingShingle Minibus taxi
Operating speed
Weighted least square
Travel time saving
Generalised least squares
Incremental approach
Leapfrog approach
Comparing operating speeds for incremental and leapfrog investment strategies in bus-based transit in South Africa
title Comparing operating speeds for incremental and leapfrog investment strategies in bus-based transit in South Africa
title_full Comparing operating speeds for incremental and leapfrog investment strategies in bus-based transit in South Africa
title_fullStr Comparing operating speeds for incremental and leapfrog investment strategies in bus-based transit in South Africa
title_full_unstemmed Comparing operating speeds for incremental and leapfrog investment strategies in bus-based transit in South Africa
title_short Comparing operating speeds for incremental and leapfrog investment strategies in bus-based transit in South Africa
title_sort comparing operating speeds for incremental and leapfrog investment strategies in bus based transit in south africa
topic Minibus taxi
Operating speed
Weighted least square
Travel time saving
Generalised least squares
Incremental approach
Leapfrog approach
url http://hdl.handle.net/2263/102441
https://doi.org/10.25403/UPresearchdata.29092169