Passengers' safety as priority in and around public transport - How public transport can improve commuters' safety in and around Khayelitsha?

Abstract

Fair and anxiety about personal safety are important detractors from using public transport and the choice regarding which mode of public transport passengers take. Research on safety in and around public transport in developing countries is lacking. Important is to study which factors influences the safety feelings of users of public transport. This study uses quantitative and qualitative data to explore the influence of different variables of safety levels in public transport on the route between Khayelitsha and Cape Town. The four main modes of public transport between Khayelitsha and Cape Town where investigated and compared to one and other. The results show that public transport planners should take different variables, like reliability and comfort, into account to increase safety feelings of commuters. Looking into the results of the quantitative data, commuters were most positive about riding the MyCiTi and felt most unsafe in the train. An integrated public transport system and cooperation between public transport organizations can lead to increase safety feelings of commuters.