Tshwane:The Gauteng Department of Roads and Transport (GDRT) recently convened a meeting with scholar transport operators at Boekenhoutkloof Traffic College as part of its Learner Transport Education and Awareness Programme (LTEAP). The program is designed to enhance regulatory compliance, encourage responsible operations, and improve learner transport services throughout the province.
According to South African Government News Agency, LTEAP is a proactive measure by the department to address concerns regarding learner transport incidents in Gauteng. The program focuses on education, enforcement, and collaboration with stakeholders to tackle operational challenges and establish a safe, reliable, and well-regulated transport system for learners.
During the session, operators were informed about their legal and operational duties, such as obtaining operating licenses, ensuring vehicle roadworthiness, and practicing responsible driving. The department stressed the necessity of adhering to road traffic laws and ensuring that vehicles used for learner transport meet safety and operational standards.
The Gauteng Public Transport Regulatory Information System (GPTRIS) was highlighted as a crucial element in enhancing scholar transport regulation and improving access to licensing services. With GPTRIS, operators can benefit from better access to licensing information and more efficient application processes, allowing them to monitor applications and meet compliance requirements.
Effective learner transport management requires the cooperation of operators, parents, schools, transport associations, law enforcement agencies, and government departments. The session offered operators a platform to express concerns, seek clarification on regulations, and discuss operational challenges. Feedback from these discussions will guide future interventions to enhance compliance, accountability, and coordination among stakeholders.
The department plans to implement LTEAP through a structured roadshow across all five regions of Gauteng, providing consistent education and guidance to stakeholders in scholar transport. This initiative is part of Gauteng's broader road safety strategy, which incorporates the Safe System Approach, emphasizing shared responsibility in preventing road crashes and injuries.
The department has urged all scholar transport operators to collaborate closely with it and its partners to comply with legislation and standards for transporting learners safely. "Ensuring the safety of learners remains a shared responsibility. Through responsible driving, regulatory compliance, and sustained cooperation among all stakeholders, Gauteng can continue working towards safer and more reliable learner transport services across the province."
The session coincided with South Africa's Transport Month, observed this October.
