Passenger Transport Operations

The CSIR's involvement in passenger transport research dates as far back as the early 1950s. While research emphasis then was placed on road infrastructure engineering, the organisation evolved and increasingly embraced the need to adopt a systematic view of transport, which requires cross-disciplinary contributions. Apart from technical solutions provided to the transport industry over the years, the organisation has produced many transport professionals who have made and continue to make visible impact in the transport industry locally and abroad. The research group works on both external client-directed contract research projects of a short duration, and long-term research projects for developing science and technology platforms in the passenger transport domain.

Strategic agenda of the research group

The point of departure of the research agenda is that passenger transport is a service, and that the design and delivery of this service needs to be centred around the travelling customers. All the process and technological innovations ultimately need to be informed by this position.

It is also on the agenda of the research group to collaborate with individuals and organisations around the world on areas of mutual interest, and to attract aspiring and established researchers in the passenger transport domain and provide an enabling environment for them to make meaningful contributions.

Focus areas

The passenger transport research group aims to harness the knowledge base from a multitude of disciplines, notably engineering, economics, operations research, consumer science, sociology and psychology, to develop technology and science platforms for potential application in the design and delivery of passenger transport services. The core capabilities of the research group lie in the following areas, which are also increasingly being strengthened:

• Choice modelling.
• Dynamic systems modelling.
• Transport modelling.
• Public transport operations.
• Transport economics.

Recent research

Some of the research topics that have recently received the group's attention include the following:

• Public transport service design requirements for the changing face of the South African customer
• Exploring the use of cell phone technology as an alternative data collection tool for transport planning purposes
• Cost-effective strategies to create a hubbed airline network in Africa
• Forecasting household car ownership in South Africa: Alternative models and future trends
• Performance-based public transport contracts - A progressive step beyond tendered and negotiated contracts
• Analysis of the cost elasticity variation with passenger demand for African air travel
• Development of passenger transport service design science
• Modelling and profiling household car ownership in post-apartheid South Africa

Enquiries:

Mathetha Mokonyama
Research Group Leader: Passenger Transport Operations
Tel: +27 12 841 4732