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Putco bus
Bus and taxi operators have expressed confidence in the safety and logistical measures they’ve implemented ahead of the busy Easter weekend road trips. With the Zion Christian Church’s Moria pilgrimage returning after a five-year pause due to COVID-19 restrictions, Putco reports that hundreds of its buses have been booked by congregants heading to Limpopo. The pilgrimage, combined with holiday traffic, is expected to cause major congestion on the country’s highways.
Despite concerns over poor road conditions, Putco says it is fully prepared for the travel demand. The company has invested in nearly 500 new buses equipped with monitoring technology to improve passenger safety. Technicians will be deployed along key routes to quickly respond to any mechanical or infrastructure-related incidents.
“One of the measures we’ve put in place is to have technical roving vehicles stationed throughout the routes. Even if a vehicle is new, it might take time to fix. So, we’ve placed spare buses along the route. If one bus needs repairs, a replacement will be dispatched to avoid long delays,” says Putco spokesperson Lindokuhle Xulu.
Meanwhile, the National Taxi Alliance (NTA) says the condition of the country’s roads remains a challenge, but it has launched a safety campaign in response. NTA spokesperson Theo Malele says the campaign aims to promote responsible driving and ensure that only roadworthy vehicles are on the road.
“We are working with the Transport Training Authority to encourage behaviour change among drivers, and to remind operators to maintain roadworthy vehicles. Drivers should avoid fatigue, switch off their phones while driving, and never drink while operating a taxi,” says Malele.
WATCH: Easter Weekend | PUTCO bus company ready to ferry ZCC members to Moria
