Life in Cape Town is slowly returning to normal. The number of passenger trips recorded on the MyCiTi bus service for the last quarter of 2021 has increased with over 19% when compared with the same period in 2020 when South Africa faced harsh lockdowns due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
A total of 2 843 153 passenger trips were recorded on the MyCiTi bus service from 1 October 2020 to 31 December 2020 when South Africa was in the midst of the second wave of Covid-19. This number increased to 3 392 350 passenger trips from 1 October 2021 to 31 December last year.
‘This is an increase of 549 197 passenger trips or 19,3% which confirms that more people are commuting as life in Cape Town is gradually returning to normal. In fact, the nearly 3,4 million passenger trips for the last quarter of 2021 are the most trips we have recorded since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic. The uptake is wonderful news as we see more people returning to work and school and travelling to popular destinations. It also confirms the popularity of and demand for the reliable and affordable MyCiTi bus service,’ said the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Transport, Councillor Rob Quintas.
The average number of journeys on weekdays for the last quarter of 2021 was as follows:
- 44 024 in October 2021
- 47 583 in November 2021
- 40 245 in December 2021
The average number of journeys on weekdays for the last quarter of 2020 was as follows:
- 35 456 in October 2020
- 38 843 in November 2020
- 33 172 in December 2020
The MyCiTi service currently consists of 46 routes crisscrossing the CBD and surrounds, Milnerton, Table View, Dunoon, Joe Slovo, Century City, Blaauwberg, Melkbos, Atlantis, Salt River, Woodstock, Camps Bay and Hout Bay; 39 stations; and 500 pairs of bus stops.
Approximately 134 million passenger trips have been made on the MyCiTi service since its launch in May 2010 until December 2021.
‘The next big milestone for us is getting the N2 Express buses running. The N2 Company and City officials are hard at work to make this happen. We are confident that the service will resume in February and cannot wait welcoming back the commuters from Mitchells Plain and Khayelitsha,’ said Councillor Quintas.
Source : City of Cape Town
