Public transport in Cape Town : market segmentation and policy tests to give effect to modal shifts

Figure 1 shows the urban passenger market mix in the RSA in 1996 together with the projected growth of each segment to the year 2020. The current proportion of each of the 6 segments is indicated. The segments were given names to highlight their characteristics. MSA specified that in allocating transport subsidy, priority should be given to the ‘stranded’ and ‘survival’ customers. These are the customers that have no affordable transport available, or who are captive to the cheapest mode of public transport. In 1996, these two segments amounted to 6.9 million people and were expected to grow to 8.7 million by 2020: a total growth of some 26 per cent over the period, which is equivalent to about 1 per cent per annum.