ITS South Africa sees a perfect storm as spending is squeezed

The argument for cost-benefit analysis of ITS has never been so strong, according to Dr Paul Vorster, CEO of ITS South Africa, as the industry finds itself “in the eye of a perfect storm. There are escalating demands for solutions to strategic challenges such as cutting congestion, and improving and expanding mobility by moving people out of private vehicles and into public and non-motorised transport.
August 10, 2016 Read time: 2 mins
Dr Paul Vorster

The argument for cost-benefit analysis of ITS has never been so strong, according to Dr Paul Vorster, CEO of 6992 ITS South Africa, as the industry finds itself “in the eye of a perfect storm. There are escalating demands for solutions to strategic challenges such as cutting congestion, and improving and expanding mobility by moving people out of private vehicles and into public and non-motorised transport. 

“At the same time, budgets are constrained and both transport authorities and operators are under pressure to cut back on capital investment, reduce their running costs and maximise the benefits of money spent”. Behind these constraints, “some very powerful forces are combining to effect strong leverage on ITS deployment”, said Vorster - a management committee member of 8359 IBEC (the International Benefits Evaluation Community).

“South Africa,” he told ITS International, “is experiencing such a perfect storm to a magnified degree. So are many other countries with emerging economies that are facing rapid urbanisation and insufficient infrastructure to meet demands for mobility.”

At a May 2016 ITS South Africa workshop on the issue, delegates heard that exotic ‘bespoke’ solutions can significantly increase the costs of designing, building, maintaining and operating an ITS solution. Instead, the focus should be on what is needed, rather than wanted, and on delivering a core system that is fit for purpose and delivers optimum benefits.
In the specific area of bus rapid transit (BRT) systems – in which South Africa, like other countries, is currently investing heavily – stringent reviews of early implementations in Johannesburg and Cape Town have highlighted the need to modify design specifications to achieve an improved cost-benefit ratio.

IBEC’s mission, Dr Vorster concluded, is to encourage the growth of an international community of cost-benefit proponents to support the ITS industry.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Transportation infrastructure technology continues its advance
    July 17, 2012
    It is now 20 years since publication of the Strategic Plan for Intelligent Vehicle Highway Systems. A select group of luminary figures of the ITS industry give their assessment of progress to date This year the IVHS Strategic Plan turns 20, signaling the graduation of the field of Intelligent Transportation Systems from its tumultuous teens to young adulthood. After two decades tethered by the cords of youth and protected by the strict control of adult institutions, ITS has reached a turning point. Its y
    Read More
  • Transportation infrastructure technology continues its advance
    July 17, 2012
    It is now 20 years since publication of the Strategic Plan for Intelligent Vehicle Highway Systems. A select group of luminary figures of the ITS industry give their assessment of progress to date This year the IVHS Strategic Plan turns 20, signaling the graduation of the field of Intelligent Transportation Systems from its tumultuous teens to young adulthood. After two decades tethered by the cords of youth and protected by the strict control of adult institutions, ITS has reached a turning point. Its y
    Read More
  • Debating road user charging systems
    January 26, 2012
    Are pre-launch trials of charging systems the way to improve public acceptance? Or is the real key a more robust political attitude? Here, leading system suppliers discuss the issue. The use of distance-based Road User Charging (RUC) is now well established, at least for heavy goods vehicles on strategic roads. However demand management for all vehicles, whether a distance-based charge or some form of cordon scheme, has yet to make significant progress. This is in spite of the logic and equity of RUC being
    Read More
  • Costing transit is complicated case
    August 19, 2015
    David Crawford welcomes fresh thinking from Canada. Public transit improvements can bring society “significantly more value” than conventional transport models normally indicate, argues Canadian researcher Todd Litman. “Traditional evaluation practices originally developed to assess roadway improvements, and focus primarily on vehicle travel speeds and operating costs. “They do not generally quantify or monetise basic mobility benefits, vehicle ownership and parking cost savings, or efficient land developme
    Read More

Highlighted Content