#BeMoved together

Prasa on Tuesday successfully carried out #TestTrain2 at Pretoria station. What makes it even more awesome is that the #TrainReport team from @CapeTownTrains got the opportunity to be part of this and boast their tech savvy skills.

It would appear as if modernization has now boarded an express train. Looking at the video clips and images, it all looks nice and I share the excited of minister Dipuo Peters and the team. We however not yet in first world gear and I have to be realistic.

Mindful of the arson and vandalism incidents of the past six months in the Cape Region alone, it is clear commuters and indeed Metrorail is not ready for the new trains.

Maybe important to also mention new trains does not mean all challenges will suddenly disappear. New trains are now closer to a reality but we still have old infrastructure, tracks and signalling equipment – but that is not what this blog is about.

As commuters we not ready because:

We have to start educating ourselves to look after our [state] assets and not vandalize them.

We have to start familiarizing ourselves with the current train lingo and operations.

We need to become activist and ambassadors of our trains, to protect ourselves and our assets.

Metrorail is not ready because:

They struggle to communicate with existing communication tools,

Departments and some staff still operate in segregation and not as one united unit,

They see modernization but don’t operate pro-active [although small progress here has been made].

#MovingSAforward requires all hands on deck.

Should we get the new trains tomorrow, some will be upset because it is not on their line and others angry that they cannot stand between the carriages. 

There will be those who would be frustrated that the train is not moving because they keeping the door open and someone will complain about windows not opening. I won’t even exclude a complaint about the air con in the train being too cold. And I’m not even at delayed announcements…

#MovingSAforward requires #CommuterEducation and an integrated Metrorail to #BeMoved