Rea Vaya, meaning ‘We are Going’ in SeSotho, is a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system being implemented in Johannesburg. Mirroring other BRT systems, Rea Vaya aims to create an extensive city-wide system of strategic- and frequently-placed bus stations, linked together through dedicated bus lanes and feeder routes.
Phase 1A, connecting the famous Johannesburg suburb of Soweto with Johannesburg’s city centre, covers 25.5km over 33 stations, knitting together a city divided by apartheid planning. Phase 1B, to be launched by 2012, will add 150 buses to the existing 143 in the fleet, and will connect Johannesburg’s two major universities along an 18-km, ten station route.
Artwork applied on glass or steel marks a unique feature of each bus station. Commissioned by the Johannesburg Development Agency, artists have created works that are inspired by Johannesburg’s landscape, people and heritage. The stations have sown the seeds for greater public engagement with the city, with the added benefit of easing traffic congestion on key routes.