Thousands of commuters in Atlantis rely on MyCiTi buses every day to get to work, school, healthcare and other opportunities across Cape Town.

Now, the City is rolling out a series of upgrades aimed at making the service more reliable and improving the experience for passengers.

The programme includes the refurbishment of MyCiTi buses, as well as upgrades to bus stops and surrounding pedestrian infrastructure along the Atlantis, Pella and Mamre routes.

Extensive maintenance to be carried out

The City says the work is particularly important given the demand on the network. MyCiTi’s 346-strong fleet carries around 65 000 passengers every day, while buses operating on the Atlantis routes collectively travel approximately 4 200 kilometres every weekday.

Keeping those buses on the road requires extensive maintenance. Depending on their condition, a full refurbishment can take between seven and 14 weeks, after which buses are returned to service safe, reliable and fit for purpose.

The City has acknowledged that recent service pressures have been frustrating for commuters, but says the refurbishment programme is part of its efforts to strengthen reliability in the long term.

45 temporary stops are being upgraded

The improvements are also being extended beyond the buses themselves.

The City is finalising the conversion of 45 temporary MyCiTi stops along the Atlantis, Pella and Mamre routes into permanent facilities.

The new stops include permanent shelters designed to provide commuters with safer and more comfortable places to wait for their buses.

Pedestrian infrastructure around the stops is also being upgraded, making it easier and safer for passengers to reach the stations.

During a recent visit to Atlantis, the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Urban Mobility, Councillor Rob Quintas, said he had seen some of the new stops where finishing work was underway.

He described the upgrades as an important step towards providing more dignified public transport facilities for the communities using the service.

Vandalism is adding to the pressure

While the City is working to improve the service, it has also asked residents to help protect the MyCiTi network.

Bus stoning and vandalism remain a concern, with the City warning that damage to buses puts both passengers and drivers at risk and can keep vehicles out of service for longer.

When buses need additional repairs, maintenance times are extended, and fewer vehicles are available to operate routes – ultimately affecting the same communities that rely on the service.

Residents are therefore encouraged to report incidents of vandalism to 0800 65 64 63.