The minibus taxi industry in South Africa is the most popular form of public transportation and is used by the majority of commuters. At least 65 percent of the country’s commuters make use of this mode of public transport while the rest travel by busses or trains. Although minibus taxis are the most convenient form of transportation the industry is however associated with various complaints from commuters, the media and society at large. Most of the complaints are about “violence or taxi wars”, “unsafe taxis” resulting in high accident rates and the manner in which minibus taxi drivers appear to drive, behave, over speed and overload taxis etc. All these complaints are directly related to minibus taxi drivers. The purpose of my research is to investigate whether or not all minibus taxi drivers are indeed behaving in these similar ways and whether it can hence be argued that they are all “children born from the same mother?” In the field, it was important to go beyond the stereotypes of South African minibus taxi drivers. My study focussed specifically on minibus taxi drivers in the Johannesburg – Randfontein route, which is about a forty five minute drive each way.

Ce projet fait l’objet d’une collaboration entre l’équipe EPI du laboratoire SATIE de l’ENS Cachan, le laboratoire LAPLACE et ALSTOM Transport dans le cadre du projet ANR « CONCIGI HT ». Les recherches dans le domaine du ferroviaire visent à réduire toujours plus la taille et le poids de la chaine de traction. Aujourd’hui, la volonté de poursuivre la réduction des temps de parcours est complétée par le souhait de diminuer la puissance consommée, ceci ayant des conséquences importantes sur la conception des chaines de traction. L’objectif de ce projet est de remplacer certaines parties de la chaine de puissance d’une locomotive par des systèmes permettant de diminuer de 30% leur encombrement, donc de diminuer jusqu’à 8,5 % l’énergie électrique consommée et augmenter le nombre de passagers transportés. Le travail présenté dans cette thèse porte sur le dimensionnement et l’étude de l’alimentation des allumeurs de semi-conducteurs SiC HT (pouvant atteindre un transitoire de 10 kV). La particularité de ces semi-conducteurs est leur application : ils constituent des convertisseurs multi-niveaux dont la fonction est de remplacer les transformateurs 25 kV/3 kV-50 Hz actuellement utilisés pour la traction ferroviaire. La principale contrainte porte donc sur la tenue diélectrique qui atteint un maximum de 60 kV liée aux transitoires présents sur la caténaire. Une alimentation à double isolation galvanique (DGIT-Double Galvanic Insulation Transformer) a donc été développée afin de répondre à la nécessité de double tenue diélectrique (10 kV et 60 kV). Dans un premier temps une structure permettant la double isolation galvanique a été développée avec l’objectif de réduire au maximum sa taille et son poids. Sa disposition spatiale et sa géométrique ont également été pris en considération (ainsi que de nombreux paramètre à la fois pertinents et contradictoires). Ceci afin d’obtenir le système optimal et une répartition des capacités de mode commun et différentiel respectant la forte tenue diélectrique. Dans un second temps une étude de l’alimentation adaptée au DGIT a été réalisée et testée. L’association du DGIT qui est un élément très inductif, de la charge qui est un driver à faible puissance et de l’aspect multi-niveau implique un fonctionnement atypique. Pour chacune de ces parties, une étude structurelle, fréquentielle et électrique a été réalisée afin d’obtenir un dispositif optimal du point de vue du volume, du poids et des pertes, tout en respectant la principale contrainte de la tenue à la THT (Très Haute Tension). Enfin, dans un troisième temps nous avons étudié la possibilité de remplacer les fibres optiques utilisées de nos jours pour la commande des allumeurs par un système basé sur la transmission par radio fréquence. / This project is the result of collaboration between the EPI team of the SATIE laboratory at ENS Cachan, the LAPLACE laboratory and ALSTOM Transport in the ANR "CONCIGI HT" project. Research in the railway traction area aims to reduce the increasing size and weight of the power train. Today, the desire to reduce travel time is complemented by the desire to reduce power consumption- it is an important information for the design of traction chains. The objective of this project is to replace parts of the locomotive power supply systems to reduce their size by 30%, thus to reduce the power consumption and increase by 8.5% the number of passengers. The work presented in this thesis focuses on the design and study of the drivers power supply for HV SiC semiconductor (up to a 10 kV transient voltage). The peculiarity of these semiconductors is their application: they are placed in multi-level converters in order to replace the 25 kV / 3 kV, 50 Hz transformers currently used for rail traction. The main constraint is the dielectric strength that reaches a maximum of 60 kV due to transient present on the catenary. So, the Double Galvanic Insulation Transformer (DGIT) has been developed to adapt to the need of holding dual dielectric (10 kV and 60 kV). In a first step, a structure for the dual galvanic insulation has been developed with the objective to minimize its size and weight. Its spatial and geometrical arrangements were also taken into account (as well as many parameters both relevant and contradictory), in order to obtain the optimal system and common and differential mode distributed capacities observing the high dielectric strength. In a second step a study of the DGIT adapted power supply has been completed and tested. The combination of DGIT inductive behavior, the driver low power and the multi-level aspect, involves an atypical work of this power supply converter. For each of these parts, a structural, frequencial and electrical study was performed in order to achieve the maximum optimal device in terms of volume, weight and loss, with respect to the main constraint of VHV (Very High Voltage). Finally, in a third step we studied the possibility of subtituing the optical fibers currently used for the control of lighters with a system based on radio-frequency transmission.

Road safety concerns are a legitimate concern when promoting increased bicycle use. Currently, the share of bicyclist traffic fatalities and injuries is not proportional to its mode share, and presents both a public health concern and a disincentive to people taking up or continuing to bicycle for transportation. Bicycling is not an inherently dangerous activity; automobile drivers pose the most risk of harm in crashes with bicyclists. Despite that, drivers' attitudes and behaviors toward bicyclists have not enjoyed much systematic study, particularly in the United States. This research explored the dimensions of drivers' attitudes toward bicyclists, including implicit bias and social attitudes, and examined the relationships between these attitudes and drivers' self-reported behaviors. The online survey included a cognitive test of respondents' implicit preference between drivers and bicyclists. The research questions are detailed in the introduction (Chapter 1), followed by a review of selected literature (Chapter 2) and detailed methodology (Chapter 3). The first set of results (Chapter 4) explores the potential usefulness of the implicit method and the attitude measures developed for this research, and presents an analysis of drivers' attitudes and what predicts more positive attitudes toward bicyclists. The second set of results (Chapter 5) extends the analysis to drivers' self-report behaviors, and how demographics, individual travel behavior, attitudes, and the built environment predict drivers' behaviors related to bicyclist safety. The dissertation concludes with a discussion of the contribution to the literature on driver attitudes and behaviors, and the implications for both practice and research.

In this thesis, the relations between information systems outsourcing success measures and strategic and financial drivers are investigated. After a study of the relevant literature, 14 organizations that belong to four different categories are investigated in terms of IS outsourcing. These categories are: IS vendors, IS outsourcers, firms that both procure and supply IS services, and IS system integrators. Thus, the subject matter is studied from both customers&#039 / and vendors&#039 / points of view. The investigation is realized in three steps: First, general questions were posed in order to gather the characteristics of organizations, then, questionnaires were conducted, and finally, financial data documents were prepared according to the type of the organization. The results show that the number of relations between strategic drivers and information systems outsourcing success measures are more than the number of relations between financial drivers and information systems outsourcing success measures. Besides, strategic drivers influence each of the information system outsourcing success measures, whereas financial drivers affect only two of them.

Formal education education is an essential part in the process of teaching people how to drive. Driving schools are crucial as they are the educational institutions tasked with providing the relevant education that learners need in order to become competent drivers. Because this education is vital in driver socialisation, it has to be structured and carried out in a way that ensures maximum affectivity. This education is essential in ensuring that learners acquire all the relevant driving skills. The aim of this study, therefore, was to evaluate the current formal driver education in South Africa - i.e. the K53 licensing system - in order to determine whether it can socialise learner drivers into being capable drivers. It has been argued in literature that young novice drivers are the most at risk with regard to motor vehicle accidents even though they have just received their formal driver education. They are most at risk because of their inexperience in driving, immaturity and risk-taking behaviour. For this reason the sample of the study consisted of new driver between the ages 18 and 23 with no more than 5 years experience. The study was conducted in Durban, South Africa. This study found that even though the respondents have driven for no more than five years 23% of them have already been involved in motor vehicle accidents where they were drivers since receiving their driving licences. Although a minority of these respondents reported being trained in most road and traffic conditions as well as in safety procedures (confirmed by driving school instructors), the types of accidents that they were involved in indicate that they were not able to use the information that they reportedly gained from driver training. This indicated that there is a problem with either what they were taught or how they were taught. A review of the K 53 licensing system by the Department of Transport found many flaws with the system, mainly with its design as well as loopholes that allowed driving schools to manipulate the process. shortcomings impact negatively on driver socialisation and driver behaviour thereafter. / Thesis (M.Soc.Sc.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, [2005]

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Adelaide, 2004. / Title from title screen. Description based on contents viewed Apr. 21, 2005. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M. Sc. (Computer Science))--Rhodes University, 2004.

Prolonged time sitting has been linked to an increased risk of cardiovascular diseases (CVD), cardiovascular mortality (CVM), all-cause mortality, diabetes and some cancers. Workers in occupations where there is no alternative to sitting can best be defined as compulsory sedentary workers , which involve bus and lorry drivers amongst others. Limited research is available on the health behaviours and health profiles of individuals working within these occupations. This thesis adopts a mixed methods approach and fits within the MRC framework for the development of complex interventions to specifically investigate bus and lorry drivers sedentary behaviours and physical activity levels in association with their cardiovascular health. Chapter 3 describes a pilot study, which results showed bus drivers accumulate 12 hours sitting on workdays and presented higher than the recommended ranges for BMI, body fat, waist circumference and blood pressure. Chapter 4 explores the validity of using an ActiGraph accelerometer compared to the activPAL to assess bus drivers sedentary behaviours. Results highlight that compared to the activPAL, the ActiGraph underestimates sedentary time during workdays (151minutes/day) and working hours (172min/day). Chapter 5 phenotypes UK lorry drivers sedentary behaviours and non-sedentary behaviours during workdays and non-workdays and examines lorry drivers markers of cardiovascular health. Lorry drivers accumulate 13 hours sitting on workdays and 8 hours on non-workdays and presented an ill-cardiovascular profile. Chapter 6 examines the effects of an intervention designed to promote PA and reduce sedentary time on a range of cardiovascular risk factors in a sample of lorry drivers. Chapter 7 presents a process evaluation of the Structured Health Intervention for Truckers (SHIFT) programme described in Chapter 6. This thesis highlights that bus and lorry drivers accumulate the highest amount of sitting time reported up to date, together with high levels of physical inactivity and an ill-cardiovascular profile. However, positive changes in cardiovascular risk factors were observed when drivers increased their daily average of step counts. Overall, these results emphasise that targeting bus and lorry drivers health behaviours should be a public health priority.

This study was a concurrent validation of a paper and pencil test battery used at a national trucking company. Forty-eight driver managers were rated by their immediate supervisors with the performance appraisal covering 12 dimensions of job behavior that was developed by the experimenter. The driver managers were also administered the Wesman Personnel Classification Test, the Watson-Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal, and the California Psychological Inventory (CPI). A biographical information blank was also developed and validated. Most validity correlations were nonsignificant, with the exception of the Dominance scale r = .25 (p < .05), the Self-control scale r = -.25 (p < .05), the Communanlity scale r = .29 (p < .05), and the Flexibility scale r = -.39 (p < .05), with overall performance.

El presente proyecto de tesis tiene como objetivo diseñar una propuesta de solución tecnológica que permita automatizar el proceso de Gestión Docente de una ONG1 dedicada a formar jóvenes de escasos recursos para que puedan insertarse en el mundo laboral formal. La propuesta está enfocada en mejorar la eficiencia del proceso que conlleva a lograr una mejor toma de decisiones del área pedagógica, cuyos resultados están alineados a los objetivos estratégicos de la organización. En el primer capítulo del documento se elabora una definición del proyecto, donde se expone información relevante de la organización objeto de estudio. Además, se describe el problema encontrado en la organización y se definen los objetivos del proyecto. En el segundo capítulo, se fundamenta el cumplimiento de los Student Outcomes. En el tercer capítulo, se definen los fundamentos teóricos que respaldan el desarrollo del proyecto. En el cuarto capítulo, se presenta el desarrollo del proyecto, donde primero se realiza el análisis del negocio con el apoyo del framework Zachman2, luego se describe la situación actual del proceso de Gestión Docente y el modelado AS IS del mismo y, como resultado de este análisis, se desarrolla la propuesta de solución. Para ello, se describe de forma detallada las características del sistema y sus beneficios, luego se muestra el modelado del proceso TO BE. Seguidamente, se define la lista de requerimientos y los casos de uso de sistema. Asimismo, se muestra el diseño de la arquitectura que soportará la estructura del sistema, basado en la selección de drivers arquitectónicos, conceptos de diseño, estilos arquitecturales y tácticas. Al final del capítulo se describen las especificaciones de casos de uso del sistema y se muestra los prototipos de las pantallas elaboradas para cada caso de uso. Finalmente, en el quinto capítulo, se desarrolla la gestión del proyecto bajo una metodología predictiva, donde se han planificado las áreas de conocimiento que nos sugiere la guía PMBOK. / The aim of this thesis project is to design a technological solution proposal, which will automatize the Teaching Management process of an NGO engaged in training young people with limited resources so that they can be inserted into the formal labor market. The proposal focuses on improving the process efficiency, which leads to better decision-making in the pedagogical area, whose results are aligned with the strategic objectives of the organization. In the first chapter of the document a definition of the project is developed, which outlines significant information of the organization under study. In addition, the problem encountered in the organization is described and the project objectives are defined. The second chapter is based on the compliance of the Student Outcomes. In the third chapter, the theoretical foundations that support the project development are defined. The fourth chapter contains the project development, where first the business analysis is carried out with the support of the Zachman framework, then the current situation of the Teaching Management process and its AS IS modeling is described and, as a result of this analysis, a proposed solution is developed. For this purpose, the characteristics of the system and its benefits are described in greater detail, then the TO BE process modeling is presented. Then, the list of requirements and the system use cases are defined. Likewise, the design of the architecture that will support the structure of the system is shown, based on the selection of architectural drivers, design concepts, architectural styles and tactics. At the end of the chapter, the specifications of the system's use cases are described and the prototypes of the screens developed for each use case are presented. Finally, in the fifth chapter, project management is developed according to a predictive methodology, where the knowledge areas suggested by the PMBOK guide have been planned. / Tesis