Abstract
Public transport plays an important part in the way people move around their communities. Information dissemination concerns the process of conveying information through Intelligent Transport Systems from transport operators to commuters. Correct and timely dissemination is essential to maximize operational efficiency and reducing effects of disruptions. Public transport is often concentrated on the technical aspect of services while commuter needs are neglected. The Gauteng province has been making efforts in the pursuit to improve mobility, a case in point is the
Gautrain. The Gautrain is the first mass rapid rail transit system in South Africa, the first in Africa. Although much efforts have been made there has not been much effort in understanding the information dissemination needs of commuters. The study aimed to identify Information Communication Dissemination (ICD) strategies of the Gautrain and evaluate the effectiveness of the strategies and then describe the impact of information dissemination needs also analysing the level of smartness in those aspects. The research methodology utilised both quantitative and qualitative methods comprising of
Questionnaires and key informative interviews that were conducted in order to acquire the user’s perspective and understand their information needs.
The results reveal the various dissemination tools used by the Gautrain Management Agency to communicate with their commuters, however indicators were identified in order to measure their level of smartness and overall Gautrain ICD strategies were seen as being partly smart. The research highlighted how the ICD strategies can enhance the overall improvement in public transport and influence user satisfaction. Lastly, the study also highlights some challenges public transport agencies face in terms of providing adequate information to commuters such as policy disputes and demand (273).
M.Tech. (Operations Management)