9 per cent less people using Metrobus
427 complaints were received during a three month period – DA.
1,3 million less passengers used Metrobus year-on-year according to the 4th Quarter report (Apr to June 2015) of Metrobus in the City of Johannesburg, the DA’s Gavin Ray said on Friday.
This represents a decline from the previous year’s 14,8 million passengers to this year’s 13,5 million passengers for the 4th quarter.
This is nearly 9 per cent less people using the City’s service that costs people R148 million in the last quarter to operate.
The decline in users is not surprising considering Metrobus’s bungling service that includes late or non-arriving busses, shocking driving and poor revenue control that often sees the drivers embezzling fares. 427 complaints were received during the three month period,” Ray said.
“Passengers also complain that the new “green” busses have illegible signage that makes it impossible to know which route the busses are operating on when they pass by a bus stop.”
It’s said Metrobus also saw a net loss of R3,8m in the fourth quarter, increasing its deficit by R5,7m year-on-year to R90,8m.
During the period two commuters and a bus driver were killed by negligent driving. During the last year, and a total of 48 “blameworthy” accidents were also recorded.
Metrobus desperately needs proper leadership from the department of transport in Johannesburg; and policy solutions that includes changing the public-transport licencing system from a closed politically-connected system to an open system where licences are awarded based on objective quality-standards.
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