The conversation around affordable public transport often starts with what commuters pay to get from A to B. But for the taxi and bus operators providing those journeys, affordability has to be balanced against the cost of keeping a transport business operational.

This Transport Month, CTU is taking that conversation directly to the industry through its participation in the SANTACO Roadshows, using the engagement as an opportunity to hear from operators about the pressures shaping their businesses and what is needed to keep them sustainable.

For CTU, the conversation is about looking beyond the fare and understanding the business behind the journey.

"An affordable transport system ultimately depends on a transport industry that can operate sustainably," says Fahmida Omar, Chief Customer Officer at CTU.  "Operators are managing a number of pressures at the same time, from fuel and maintenance to finance, insurance and keeping vehicles operational. 

Taking the conversation beyond the boardroom

Through its participation in the SANTACO Roadshows, CTU will engage directly with taxi and bus operators around the issues affecting their businesses.

Rather than approaching these conversations with a predetermined view, CTU will use the roadshows to understand what operators see as their biggest challenges, how the operating environment is changing and where greater support, risk awareness or collaboration could make a difference.

"The people operating these businesses every day are closest to the challenges and the changes taking place in the industry," says Omar. "Listening to those experiences is important if we want to have a meaningful conversation about the future of commuter transport."

Why the business behind the journey matters

For operators, keeping a vehicle on the road involves much more than the daily cost of fuel. Maintenance, repairs, insurance, finance, driver costs and unexpected downtime can all affect the sustainability of a transport business.

This is where CTU sees an important role for insurance and risk management.

"Insurance is one part of a much bigger risk conversation," says Omar. "When a vehicle is central to a business's ability to generate income, understanding the risks that could interrupt that business is important. The conversation needs to include how operators can prepare for those risks, not only what happens once an incident occurs."

CTU's participation in the SANTACO Roadshows forms part of its broader commitment to engaging with the taxi and bus industries and understanding the changing realities of the businesses that keep commuters moving.

As South Africa considers how to build a public transport system that is safe, sustainable, reliable and affordable, CTU believes the sustainability of the businesses providing those services needs to remain part of the conversation.