Become a transport economist | Western Cape Government

Become a transport economist

2020
Department of Transport and Public Works
(Western Cape Government)
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Transport takes the biggest share of the Department of Transport and Public Works 2020/21 R8.8 billion budget:

  • Transport Infrastructure: R3.78 billionA completed section of the R303
  • Transport Operations: R1.54 billion
  • Transport Regulation: R919 million

We deliver transport-related services to people in the Western Cape in a professional and efficient way, and recruit qualified professionals, including transport economists to make this happen. We plan and implement transport projects including:

  • Road planning
  • Road design
  • Road construction
  • Transport regulation
  • Transport operation
  • Traffic management
  • Fleet services

If you’re interested in the “how” of transport and have problem-solving skills, you may find your niche as a transport economist. Transport economics is the study of the movement of people and goods over space and time. The aim is to work out the best ways of allocating resources so that the supply of transport services most effectively meets the demand.

toll feesCareers as a transport economist

Once you’re qualified, you can look forward to an interesting and challenging career in transport. These careers might interest you:

  • An economist or planner for companies dealing with maritime, oil and gas sector, and engineering.
  • A strategic manager in transport planning in government working on documents such as the Provincial Land Transport Framework (PLTF).
  • Researcher or lecturer.

Starting at high school

If you are keen on transport economics as a potential career, you should do high school subjects that will help you gain admission into this field of study. As an example, the matric result requirements for admission to the Stellenbosch University BCom Economics programme with Transport Economics as a focal area are:

  • Mathematics 60%
  • English Home Language 50% OR
  • Afrikaans Home Language 50% OR
  • English First Additional Language 60% OR
  • Afrikaans First Additional Language 60%

A person who completes the three-year undergraduate degree at this university may study further by applying for admission to BComHons and MComHons in Transport Economics.

Financial and non-financial support

We offer bursaries to those studying towards this qualification through our Masakh’iSizwe bursary programme at one of these higher education institutions (HEIs):

The bursary covers tuition fees, all prescribed books and materials, and accommodation and meals (or transport costs). We also help students cope socially and academically at the HEI of their choice.

Read more about transport projects at the Department of Transport and Public Works:

Watch: What form of transport is most convenient for you?

The content on this page was last updated on 20 April 2020