PRASA adds 17 new buses to City-to-City fleet

The Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) has expanded its City-to-City fleet by adding 17 new long-distance buses, the first such acquisition since 2010. Transport Minister Barbara Creecy announced the launch during October Transport Month, themed "Building a safe, sustainable, reliable and affordable transport system."

These new coaches are part of a broader fleet renewal programme aimed at enhancing PRASA's long-distance bus operations and providing safer, more reliable travel between cities, towns, and rural communities. Equipped with advanced safety technology such as lane assistance, following-distance monitoring, and vehicle stability systems, the new buses also feature support for drivers through monitoring and targeted training, as well as a dedicated control centre to oversee incidents along routes.

Creecy emphasized that the operation is designed to run on a ring-fenced basis to sustain itself financially and will complement long-distance rail services over time. The Minister highlighted that the new buses are intended to provide families with another affordable transport option. The acquisition follows a challenging restructuring process involving PRASA management, organized labor, the agency's board, and its shareholders, requiring sacrifices from all parties.

The fleet renewal programme plans to add 30 more coaches in the 2027/28 financial year and another 48 in 2028/29, bringing the total to 95 modern coaches by 2030. Creecy stated that the new fleet is part of PRASA's broader efforts to revitalise the country's passenger transport services, which include restoring railway infrastructure, improving safety, upgrading signalling systems, and enhancing the reliability of commuter services.