Gauteng’s public transport challenges will soon be eased with R20 million being pumped into three key projects that will assist the province’s public transport sector.

Gauteng’s Department of Roads and Transport and the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) will undertake all three projects and indicated that all will be completed within a 10 month timeline.

CSIR manager for transport system and operations, Mathetha Mokonyama, said the projects included the accurate mapping of minibus taxi routes around the province.

“The lack of accurate taxi route networks has been the source of serious and violent conflicts in the minibus taxi industry,” he said.

“The minibus taxi network also represents a very large asset base that has not been quantified, which this process will help address,” Mokonyama added.

He said the information about minibus taxi routes would be shared with current and prospective users, including tourists.

The CSIR said that the second project will develop a master plan for the improved roll-out of a new-look integrated transport services centres that will house public services.

These services are said to include driver licensing and training centres, vehicle testing centres and transport operating license administrative bodies.

The master plan aims to provide improved processes in these facilities that could see the maximum adoption of online transactions.

The final project will develop the transport “norms and standards book” that will aim to help communities in the province to hold government accountable for transport service delivery.