Cape Town gets to the route of it all

It's appy days for Cape Town commuters with the launch of a smartphone app that will guide their journeys across the city.

The city council unveiled its Transport for Cape Town mobile app yesterday, saying it was the first in Africa to merge the timetables, stops and stations of all scheduled public transport services.

Metrorail, Golden Arrow Bus Services, MyCiti buses, UCT's Jammie Shuttle and sightseeing buses are all covered by the app, which also includes a route planner for private drivers and a new way of reporting transport issues such as potholes, faulty traffic lights, accidents and bad driver behaviour.

The app will also deliver warnings about delays, accidents and roadworks.

Mayor Patricia de Lille said the app was a step towards an integrated city transport system.

She said: "It will tell consumers which mode - bus or rail, or a combination of the two - to use to reach their destination. The information it provides will also include where to find the closest and most convenient stops and stations, and directions for how to get there.

"All departure and arrival times, estimated cumulative journey costs, and the duration of the trip, will be accessible through the app."

When reporting transport problems,De Lille said users of the app could automatically provide the precise location of the problem via GPS, and would be able to attach photos to their messages.

The TCT app will be out on Apple, Android, Windows and BlackBerry platforms within 48 hours.