Transport costs force more than 40% of public transport users to travel less, UCT study finds

Rising transport costs are forcing motorists to cut back on travel, with public transport users among those hardest hit.

More than 40% of public transport users say they have been forced to travel less because of transport costs, according to a new University of Cape Town study.

Motorists are also cutting back, with 31% saying they have restricted their driving because of fuel prices.

The findings come from the UCT Liberty Institute of Strategic Marketing’s Commuter Report 2026, which surveyed 2,198 commuters across the country and included 100 in-depth interviews.

The report found that 45% of motorists had tried to bring down their commuting costs over the past year, while 15% had moved to smaller, more fuel-efficient cars.