Transport Minister Barbara Creecy unveiled 17 new long-distance buses for PRASA’s City-to-City fleet in Pretoria. It is the first time since 2010 that the rail agency has bought new coaches of this kind.
The Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) said the buses are the first phase of a bigger plan. A further 78 coaches are planned over the next two financial years.
“Whether on a suburban line or a long-distance route, our purpose remains the same: safe, reliable and affordable public transport that connects people to opportunity,” Creecy said.
The launch took place during October Transport Month. This year the month is held under the theme “Building a safe, sustainable, reliable and affordable transport system.”
According to IOL, the new coaches come with lane assistance, following-distance monitoring and vehicle stability systems. More safety technology is planned as the fleet renewal goes on.
Creecy said drivers would get support through monitoring and targeted training. She said a control centre would watch over incidents along the bus routes.
The minister said the bus service would pay for itself and be kept separate from other operations. “The operation is designed to run on a ring-fenced basis and to sustain itself financially,” she said.
Creecy said the buses were meant to work alongside long-distance rail over time. She said this would give families another affordable way to travel between cities, towns and rural areas.
The plan is to add 30 coaches in the 2027/28 financial year. Another 48 are planned for 2028/29.
That would give PRASA a total of 95 modern coaches. The agency expects the fleet renewal programme to be finished by 2030.
Creecy said the purchase came after a difficult restructuring process. She said it involved PRASA management, organised labour, the agency’s board and its shareholder.
She said the process required sacrifices from everyone who took part.
PRASA said the new buses are part of wider work to rebuild passenger transport in the country. That work has included restoring railway lines, improving safety and upgrading signalling systems. It has also aimed to make commuter trains more reliable.
“Not only have we witnessed the rebuilding of rail within PRASA, but we have also seen significant progress within their Long-Distance Passenger Services as well as secondary mandate,” Creecy said.
City-to-City is PRASA’s long-distance bus service. It carries passengers between cities, towns and rural communities across South Africa.
The next 30 coaches are due to join the fleet in the 2027/28 financial year.
Source: this article is based on reporting by IOL. Image: IOL. Written with the help of AI and published by the Tzaneen Voice News desk. See our Editorial Standards.
Kgomotso Maake covers news and politics for Tzaneen Voice. Kgomotso reports on government, Parliament, municipalities, courts, crime and service delivery across South Africa, with a close eye on how national decisions reach towns like Tzaneen and the wider Limpopo province. Stories are written in plain English and focus on the facts: who made the decision, what it means, and what happens next.