Wi-Fi has been installed on 10 MyCiTi buses in a pilot phase that will be expanded to all 380 vehicles.

“Once the service has been tested on the feeder routes, the full roll-out will be expanded to all 380 buses such as the trunk routes in Atlantis, Table View, Mitchells Plain and Khayelitsha,” said City of Cape Town executive mayor Patricia de Lille.

Billed as a “first for South Africa”, the launch has been in the works since the tender was awarded to VAST networks in 2015.

However, the City of Tshwane launched its Wi-Fi on buses programme in June 2015 and users have a 500MB daily data allocation.

In Cape Town, MyCiTi passengers will receive a 50MB allocation and have the option to buy additional data.

“Once this allocation expires, users will be redirected to the homepage where they can either buy Wi-Fi vouchers or proceed back to using their own data,” said de Lille.

De Lille said that the provision of Wi-Fi would encourage more people to use public transport.

“The availability of Wi-Fi internet access on MyCiTi buses is expected to improve the attractiveness of the public transport system to commuters by enabling them to be productive while traveling.”

Fin24