Commuters are stranded as it seems the wheels are coming off at Metrobus.
The record has been inundated with complaints the past month from Metrobus users whose complaints range from buses not being on schedule or not pitching at all to drivers overloading buses and regular breakdowns. Rumours also have it that as many as 50 buses are not in working order. Commuters also want to know what happened to the 150 eco-friendly duel-fuel buses that were promised to be up and running by April this year.
According to Metrobus spokesperson at the Roodepoort depot, Esther Dreyer the bus service is affected adversely by frequent breakdowns and other mechanical problems due to an ageing fleet, in particular at the Roodepoort depot. Dreyer says staff in the Roodepoort workshop will be working overtime this weekend to get as many buses as possible back on the road by next week and if necessary buses will be leased from an external bus company in order to alleviate the situation.
With regard to the green buses, Dreyer says the tender process is in its final stage at the City of Joburg and she appeals to commuters to be patient.
As far as the overloading is concerned, Dreyer says drivers have been instructed not to overload and emphasised that drivers who get caught doing so will be disciplined severely. Inspectors will monitor this situation.
“We would like to extend our apologies to all those who have been inconvenienced by late or non-arrivals over past weeks,” says Dreyer.
