An independent GO GEORGE user survey to measure the socio-economic and funding impact of the public transport system will be conducted all over George from 19 October until 13 November 2020. According to James Robb, GO GEORGE Manager, the study will be compared with previous studies to determine the actual impact of the system in George.
“Feedback from our passengers has always been and will remain core to our planning and improvement of the system. We can plan and implement with all the data at our disposal, but we need to know whether we are meeting our communities’ needs and whether the bus service is improving quality of life and access to economic opportunities. That is what the George Integrated Public Transport Network (GIPTN) is all about,” Robb said.
The planned survey is a continuation of an independent socio-economic study undertaken in George in 2018 and 2019 under the joint auspices of the Western Cape Department of Transport and Public Works and the George Municipality. This was 10 years after a baseline study – including an economic efficiency assessment, macro-economic analysis and a socio-economic survey for the introduction of scheduled public transport services in George – had been undertaken. There was a need to measure it again in 2018, and to compare it with the previous studies to determine the actual impact for future evaluation. This was followed up in 2019 and now again in 2020 with user surveys.
Independent trained surveyors with appropriate identification cards will be stationed at bus stops to conduct the survey by using a survey App. More information can be obtained by phoning the GO GEORGE Call Centre at 0800 044 044.