File photo: Brett Herron, mayoral committee member for Transport for Cape Town, launched the app at the opening of the Transit-Orientated Development Summit being held at the Cape Town Stadium. Photo: Wesley Fester File photo: Brett Herron, mayoral committee member for Transport for Cape Town, launched the app at the opening of the Transit-Orientated Development Summit being held at the Cape Town Stadium. Photo: Wesley Fester
Cape Town - Tardy Capetonians will have to come up with new excuses for arriving late for work. The City of Cape Town is the first city in Africa to offer commuters a free mobile application that gives them real-time information about timetables, stations and the best route to take.
With just a swipe of a finger, people will be able to find out which mode of transport – bus, train, car or on foot – would be the quickest, the closest stations and MyCiti kiosks if needed. and whether there are any attractions or landmarks along the route.
Brett Herron, mayoral committee member for Transport for Cape Town, launched the app on Monday at the opening of the Transit-Orientated Development Summit being held at the Cape Town Stadium.
“This app is guaranteed to be a game changer in terms of how we use public transport and interact with each other,” said Herron.
He said it had taken the city about 18 months to develop the app that would not only make it easier for residents and visitors to move around the city, but would also provide officials with critical information about the way commuters made transport decisions.
Commuters will be able to work out their routes, and the cumulative cost, before they leave their homes. The app will even tell them how long it will take to walk to a station or stop.
Commuters will also be able to communicate with the city about any problems they encounter while in transit, such as accidents or road works.
The system maps all scheduled public transport services, including the MyCiti bus service, Metrorail, the Golden Arrow Bus Service and even the Jammie Shuttle, which is used by UCT students.
Meanwhile, drivers in their own transport will be able to plan their journeys based on the possible delays, roadworks or detours they could encounter.
But the app is more than just a travel plan, said Herron. “It can find places of interest close to you and keep you informed of these en route. Once residents get the hang of it, they will not only use the app to move around the city, but also to explore their city.”
The city will use the app to inform commuters of any travel updates, including top-up or mover packages, changes to trading hours and important contact numbers.
The app will be available for Windows Phone, iPhone, Android and Blackberry smartphones and under the name “TCT”.
Android users can download the app from Google Play and those with Windows phones can search for the app in the Windows Store. IPhone users will download the TCT app from the App Store, while Blackberry users can go to Blackberry World.
Mayor Patricia de Lille said the app was part of the city’s preparations for the creation of an integrated public transport network.
“Our goal is to be the first digital city in Africa, and mobile applications such these bring us closer. We want to use technology to improve service delivery, promote transparency, and to empower residents to hold us accountable.”
Cape Argus