1. By Transport Policy and Economic Regulation Branch
DEPT OF TRANSPORT
BRIEFING ON SCHOLAR TRANSPORT TO THE PARLIAMENTARY PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORT
By Transport Policy and Economic Regulation Branch
14 September 2010

2. PRESENTATION OUTLINE
Current status of scholar transport in South Africa
Proposed National Scholar Transport policy
Way forward

3. CURRENT STATUS OF SCHOLAR TRANSPORT
Absence of a uniform national policy framework;
Regulation of Scholar Transport is fragmented e.g. Unroadworthy vehicles, Unlicensed drivers and illegal operators; disintegrated law enforcement;
Funding mechanism is fragmented e.g. different payment mechanisms in provinces;
Minimal research on the conveyance of school children in light delivery vehicles to and from school;
National Road Traffic Act of 1996 prohibits conveyance of people in light delivery vehicles for commercial purposes;
Problems with timeous payment to service providers and entry into the industry not clear;

4. CURRENT STATUS OF SCHOLAR TRANSPORT
Function currently reside with both Depts of Basic Education and Transport respectively;
Some provinces are in the process of migrating functions from BDOE to DOT.
Research findings of National Household Travel survey indicate that:
16 million scholars attend school
The vast majority of scholars 76 % (12,1 million) walk to school ;
30 % (3.6 million) of scholars travel time to school is more than 30 minutes;
KZN has high percentage of walkers and to a lesser degree in EC, MP and NW and
scholars walk more than one hour one way;

5. CURRENT STATUS OF SCHOLAR TRANSPORT
Car travel and taxis are most frequently used;
Busses have some patronage in metropolitan and urban areas;
Trains are seldom used in metropolitan and urban areas;
Public transport provides only 13 % of all school trips;
Usage of public transport for schooling purposes differs from province to province;
Urban provinces have the highest usage of public transport and the rural provinces are the lowest;
Nelson Mandela Foundation study highlights scholar transport issues as acute is rural areas;
CURRENT STATUS OF SCHOLAR TRANSPORT

6. CURRENT STATUS OF SCHOLAR TRANSPORT
PROVINCE
PDOT
PDOE
GAUTENG
Migration of scholar transport function is in the process of being concluded and PDOT has re-aligned organizational structure by approving the new Scholar Transport Directorate
PDOE MEC agreed in principle with MEC PDOT to assume total control of scholar transport function.
NORTH WEST
Function and budget is with PDOT and was successfully migrated from PDOE.
PDOT designes routes and appointed service providers

7. CURRENT STATUS OF SCHOLAR TRANSPORT
PROVINCE
PDOT
PDOE
EASTERN CAPE
Awaiting for provincial legislature to provide policy direction
The scholar transport function is currently with PDOE.
NORTHERN CAPE
MEC PDOE & PDOT agreed on the migration of function to PDOT
Task team formed to work on the process of migration
The scholar transport function is with PDOE.

8. CURRENT STATUS OF SCHOLAR TRANSPORT
PROVINCE
PDOT
PDOE
WESTERN CAPE
Awaiting for DOT to conclude policy development process
The function is still with PDOE
LIMPOPO
Function reside with with PDOE.

9. CURRENT STATUS OF SCHOLAR TRANSPORT
PROVINCE
PDOT
PDOE
KWAZULU-NATAL
The scholar transport function resides with PDOE
FREE STATE
The scholar transport function reside with with PDOE.
MPUMALANGA
The scholar transport function and budget is managed by PDOT
The scholar transport function has been migrated to PDOT

10. PROPOSED NATIONAL SCHOLAR TRANSPORT POLICY
Background ;
Vision and Mission;
Policy and Legislative Context;
Policy Statements ;
Implementation framework and
Key priority areas for policy implementation.

11. BACKGROUND
DOT Strategic Plan gave impetus for development of national scholar transport policy ;
Task teams formed – DOT internal & provincial transport depts.;
Two workshops were held on Scholar Transport
1st - to introduce policy process .
Presentations were made by various stakeholders such as SABOA , Taxi Industry, School Governing Bodies, Disability organisations, Commuter organisations, etc on the expectations of the policy.
2nd workshop was to present the draft policy to key stakeholders took place.

12. BACKGROUND
Strategic meetings with DBOE took place and are still ongoing;
Various work sessions with different stakeholders led to the development of the draft policy;
Provincial stakeholder consultations took place; and
DG and Deputy Minister of DOT have approved for policy development process to be concluded & to approach DOT Minister to engage DBOE Minister to make presentations in Cabinet .

13. VISION
To ensure the provision of scholar transport service that caters for the needs of scholars
MISSION
The mobility needs of scholars shall be met through the provision of a safe, secure, reliable and affordable scholar transport services to support social development and future economic growth

14. STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES FOR SCHOLAR TRANSPORT
To develop a uniform national scholar transport policy framework;
To ensure transport as a catalyst for education through access to schools;
To promote non-motorized transport in a safe and secure circumstances;
To promote scholar transport within the main modes of public transport;
To ensure he provision of safe and secure scholar transport services

15. STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES FOR SCHOLAR TRANSPORT
To provide for the design of a route network that caters scholar transport needs;
To ensure the procurement and formalisation of scholar transport services;
To ensure sustainable and equitable funding for the provision of scholar transport services;
To monitor and evaluate scholar transport services;
To ensure the provision of infrastructure

16. POLICY AND LEGISLATIVE CONTEXT
Section 85 (2) (b) of the Constitution mandates the Department of Transport the role of developing and implementing scholar transport policy
The policy is guided by the White Paper on National Transport Policy of 1996 and other legislations such as NLTA of , NRTA of 1996.
Other relevant legislations are Public Transport Strategy of 2007 and National Land Transport Strategic Framework.

17. POLICY STATEMENTS INSTITUTIONAL ARRANGEMENTS AND GOVERNANCE;
DOT has the ultimate responsibility to provide
scholar transport given its mandate.
Key roles in the provision of scholar transport and Structures that must perform these roles:
DEVELOPMENT OF NATIONAL POLICY
•DOT will develop and review national policy after consultation with relevant stakeholders.

18. POLICY STATEMENTS CONT…
PLANNING AND CORDINATION OF SCHOLAR TRANSPORT
PDOT must develop implementation strategies and plans in consultation with PDOE and other key stakeholders.
Strategies and Plans must be included in PLTF, Strategic Plans, ITP, of local government.
Provincial Plans must recognize provincial cross border services where relevant
REGULATION OF SCHOLAR TRANSPORT
DOT must regulate any issue of relevance to scholar transport provision to ensure efficiency

19. POLICY STATEMENTS CONT…
FUNDING
DOT will fund scholar transport through scholar transport subsidy.
REGISTRATION AND LICENSING OF OPERATORS
DOT Registrar Office and Operating License Boards must register and license scholar transport operators.
Management of database of all registered and licensed scholar transport operators.

20. POLICY STATEMENTS CONT…
CONTRACTING OF SERVICES AND TENDERING
PDOT to ensure that scholar transport service are procured through tender process required by government legislation.
LAW ENFORCEMENT AND ENSURING ROAD SAFETY
PDOT must work closely with local government to ensure compliance regarding safe transportation of scholars.
PDOT through traffic law enforcement officials ensure compliance to traffic legislation.
DOT in conjuction with RTMC should promote road safety through existing programmes to educate scholars

21. POLICY STATEMENTS CONT…
BENEFICIARIES FOR SCHOLAR TRANSPORT SUBSIDY
DOT after consultation with DOE will identify qualifying scholars in line with the identified criteria.
Scholar principals and SGB’s to play a significant role in the identification of qualifying scholars.
Criteria include: Grade R-12 scholars, +3km distance from school etc.
DOT will provide subsidies to all qualifying scholars in dedicated transport and those in mainstream public transport.

22. POLICY STATEMENTS CONT…
MANAGEMENT AND PLANNING SYSTEM
DOT and its provincial counterparts (PDOT) must manage implementation of scholar transport through dedicated components.
PDOT must establish planning committee with representatives of the PDOE. The annual planning cycle of such committee to include:
Data collection - February
Design of services-March-June
Preparation of budget inputs-July
Submission of budget-August
Call for tenders-September
Appointment of successful tender/operator-November
Provision for monitoring of services-November-December
Implementation of scholar transport provision-January

23. POLICY STATEMENTS CONT…
INTERGRATION ISSUES
Scholar transport must be integrated into the broader physical and planning environment.
Intergovernmental co-ordination must ensure integration of land use and transport.
PDOT must ensure integration of scholar transport services with the broader public transport system.
PDOT must ensure that scholar transport services is accessible to scholars in urban and rural areas.
Intergovernmental co-ordination must ensure that adequate infrastructure is provided.
Scholar Transport infrastructure plans must be incorporated into Integrated Transport Plans (ITP’s)

24. POLICY STATEMENTS CONT…
ECONOMIC REGULATION OF SCHOLAR TRANSPORT
All scholar transport service providers must have operating licenses in addition to any other services licensed for.
Where a province prescribes a dedicated service, operating licenses must issued in terms thereof.
PDOT in consultation with PDOE and other stakeholders must design scholar transport services.
Designs should contain detailed route descriptions, vehicle types, timetables, travel time, stops etc.
Procurement of service to be in line with legislation and policies promoting SMME’s and BBBEE.
Contract duration must be similar to stipulations of Model Tender Contract document.

25. POLICY STATEMENTS CONT…
Payment of scholar transport must use revenue per km as a basis for remuneration.
PDOT must determine the type of service appropriate for their areas.
PDOT in consultation with PDOE Must determine access criteria in terms of age, distance from school, affordability etc.
PDOT in consultation with PDOE must ensure adequate safety and security whilst scholars are in transit.

26. POLICY STATEMENTS CONT…
QUALITY REGULATION OF SCHOLAR TRANSPORT
PDOT to ensure quality safety standards.
Ensure that service standards meet expected objectives.
LAW ENFORCEMENT
A need to ensure proper policing
PDOT must provide enough traffic officer’s and inspectors.

27. POLICY STATEMENTS CONT…
FUNDING OF SCHOLAR TRANSPORT
Funding is critical to ensure ongoing rendering of services.
DOT to ensure adequate and sustainable funding through its own budget.
EMPOWERMENT AND OPERATOR DEVELOPMENT
Support and empowerment of BBBEE and SMME operators through development programmes:
Formalisation of scholar transport operators
Sub contracting
SMME’s consortium
Joint ventures

28. POLICY STATEMENTS CONT…
IMPLEMENTATION FRAMEWORK
Emergency procedure , training and qualification.
Vehicle specifications.
Criteria for driver and operator certification.
Code of conduct for drivers and scholars.
Provision for scholar transport living with disabilities.
Monitoring and evaluation

29. KEY PRIORITY AREAS FOR IMPLEMENTATION
Migration of scholar transport functions from DOBE to DOT ;
Formalisation of scholar transport industry;
Identification of subsidy mechanism;
Development of provincial implementation plans and strategies and
Implementation of institutional arrangements.

30. WAY FORWARD
Meeting between DOT Minister and DOBE Minister to finalise policy development process to take place;
Advise on the policy direction regarding the ongoing migration of scholar transport functions from DOBE to DOT;
Submission of draft policy in Cabinet clusters and gazetting of policy for public participation and ;
Implementation of scholar transport policy.

31. THANK YOU

32. CONTACTS MR NGWAKO MAKAEPEA ACTING CHIEF DIRECTOR
TRANSPORT POLICY ANALYSIS CHIEF DIRECTORATE
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPROT
TEL:
FAX:
Cell: