The results are in: A whopping 93% of passengers are highly satisfied with the GO GEORGE service and the opportunities it provides in terms of safety, accessibility, mobility, and affordability. George residents experience GO GEORGE as a positive public transport option that contributes significantly to their environment and the economic development of the town.
This is the outcome of the latest annual passenger satisfaction survey conducted among users of GO GEORGE, special-interest groups and other stakeholders indirectly affected by the bus service.
According to Morné Lakay, GO GEORGE Manager, an all-inclusive public transport service is an essential contributor to economic growth, poverty alleviation, social integration and job creation in communities. “We need to know whether we hit the mark and find this survey the optimal tool to obtain feedback on passenger experience regarding systems operation. It helps us to understand passenger trip characteristics and how passengers plan and execute a trip. We get an indication of passenger perceptions in terms of value for money, cost, and affordability,” Lakay said.
Feedback from passengers and special-interest groups
The survey done on behalf of GO GEORGE by research specialists in the socio-economic field aims to determine the overall socio-economic impact of GO GEORGE, including the macro-economic and transport economic impact. It was done in all the operational areas over six weeks, from 21 September 2023, Mondays to Fridays from 07:00 until 17:00. In addition to interviews with passengers, special-interest groups were also approached for insight. These included formal as well as informal businesses, forums impacted by universal accessibility such as special-needs schools and the GO GEORGE Disability Forum, and town planners – both private and municipal.
Higher scores confirm overall satisfaction
Most passenger satisfaction scores have improved from 2022, indicating that GO GEORGE successfully achieved its stated aims of providing a high-quality public transport service. The following areas obtained very high levels of satisfaction:
- Bus stop accessibility (100%)
- On-board bus accessibility (94,1%)
- Safety and security at bus stops (95,8%)
- Skilled drivers (96,4%)
- Bus drivers are knowledgeable, courteous, friendly and helpful (94,6%)
- Smart Card kiosk cashiers are knowledgeable, courteous, friendly and helpful (95,4%)
- Solving Smart Card problems (94,4%)
- Ease of understanding timetables and route maps (96,5%)
- Reliability of services (92,9%)
- Destination and bus stop proximity (93,7%)
“This kind of feedback is heartwarming,” commented Lakay. “The prioritisation of public transport investment is an absolute necessity. Government subsidises public transport – GO GEORGE trips included – so that nobody should have to turn away a job opportunity because they cannot afford to travel to work.”