Fix the Joburg Metro Bus Service

On Monday 21 July no number 80 buses came along Jan Smut s Avenue. Three passengers had been waiting at the Jan Smuts/Tyrwhitt Avenue bus stop since 17h00. One of the passengers waiting at the stop called the call centre around 18h00 to inform Metro Bus that there had been no buses. The unhelpful and disinterested man told her he had despatched all the buses – which was a blatant lie – and that we should “make alternative arrangements”.

At 16h18 a number 80 finally arrived but it would seem the driver – driver number 100205 – had no intention of stopping for us in spite of all three of us holding up our tags to indicate we wished to board the bus. Had he not had to stop for the traffic lights at the above intersection, we were left in no doubt he intended driving passed us. If that was not bad enough, the passengers on the bus told us they had been waiting since BEFORE 17h00 at Ghandi Square and NO BUSES CAME. Not only did the call centre lie, but a bus load of passengers had been inconvenienced ONCE AGAIN.

The lies, inconveniences and attitudes of drivers, office staff and management is unacceptable and signatures on petitions we intend signing will indicate the level of dissatisfaction with the lack of service provided by Metro Bus. Once signed, the petitions will be given to various media outlets as we, the disgruntled passengers, have no intention of accepting the cavalier attitude of Metro Bus towards the people they depend on (namely the passengers) and hope in future they see the need to run a decent service for their customers. As things are right now, the service is non-existent and shocking in the extreme.