Golden Arrow Bus Services [GABS]
Reviews and Complaints

I was almost drove onto by one of your busses 16:20pm today in voortrekker road Bellville, he changed lanes without indicating or checking his mirrors, I was right next to him and he came over i had to brake dead to escape this big bus, i took a picture of the number plate and a taxi driver stopped next to me and shouted i should take a picture of the number on top of the bus..pictures to follow. I hooted but the driver didn't care he just came over with force.

To whom it may concern..
Every day I see, but most importantly, hear the buses arriving and departing from the parking spots in Muir St that are reserved for visitors for my apartment building, The Six. Our parking area is not a ranking area for your buses! Please get them to park on the main road, or the public parking area behind the Caltex petrol station. The drivers of these various buses (CA 97233 #4893 and #4309 are yesterday's examples.) Also, your drivers like to spit, urinate and dump their trash, in full view of the children living in our building! This is a disgusting thing to do in public! This happened around 3:45 in the afternoon.
Furthermore, I was walking on my usual route home on Darling street turning into Sir Lowry, when I saw a bus in the bus stop/loading zone on the right hand verge, but not parked in the road. No, this driver of Bus CA 581436 #4931, was parked on the entire pavement, that I had to walk through grass and homeless people to get past the bus. Please discipline your drivers!
I await your response as to action taken. If no actual action is taken, I will be forced to contact my local councillor to ensure the correct steps have been taken.

When reaching town centre Mitchell's Plain on Saturday morning at 7:50 the inspector on duty advised that there was Freeway Claremont bus at 8am. The bus rushes into town centre and is driving crazy, even the inspector saw this. This bus, the freeway bus, then continued and went through Alpine, lenteguer, phillipi, Manenberg, hanover park. Clearly this was not a freeway bus standing in the freeway lane. I am currently in this bus and this driver is driver like his driving a taxi. I do not appreciate this service and for the driver to make his own route is beyond me! Bus Number 4189 on 6 October 2018.

Morning
On the date of the 03.09.2018 i purchased a bus ticket at the service station on a different area to where i reside.
On that specific day i purchased/ requested for 2 bus tickets which one of was a monthly Delft-Cpt and weekly Delft- Maitland. I then pursued on to travelling with this ticket (delft -cpt) until i came home and the ticket had issues. I was upset at the moment and queried with the bus driver what am i to do, he then advised me to report to the depot where i was told that the ticket was purchased on the incorrect route. At this point it was almost a week later and the guys at the depot advised me to report back to the service station i purchased the ticket from and then i wet on 16.09.2018 to take it back but the manager wasn't available to assist me, i left the ticket with them and they notified me i should return the following day as the manager would have feedback for me. Upon my return the manager was once again not available to assist me and i was given the ticket back as they advised they scanned it and two rides were taken off the ticket and in my defence i cannot see how this is possible? The ticked nearly cost, me R600, Im a single parent and i have been using GABS for years and this is the first bad experience I've had, i never wanted any money back as this is not the issue i need to get to work i just wanted a ticket on the correct route and the mistake made was not mine...so ill just take it up to inform the public about this, such service is really actually appalling!

Good day

I have been taking the bus daily to and from this stop for over 2 years. More recently than before the afternoon drivers ( bus that leaves Capetown by 350) would just drive past. This happens when it is not even full. In the last month i was told by the bus driver that i am not standing at the bus stop. There werw other bus commuters standing there too. The bus i catch is the main road: cape town - retreat bus. After this i stood where that driver pointed. At the pole, depicting the bus stop sign: the blue one. Today the 350 cape town retreat bus, stop almost pass me. Then as i get in the driver says that im not standing at the correct stop. I don't understand, first the one driver says I must stand there then this says I must not.

Could someone please clearly indicate where this bus stop is.?
As this affects my travelling. If the bus does not stop it mean i need to wait for almost 30 minutes for another, then wish the driver stops.

Please assist in resolving this.
R.Duitsman

I am extremely disgusted and livid with the rude behaviour of a Golden Arrow bus driver, who was driving bus NR 4819 from Cape Town to Harare, that left the Cape Town Bus terminus at 12midday, 31st August 2018.

I was traveling from CPT back to work (Woodstock). I usually ask the inspectors at the terminus, sometimes even the bus drivers, which bus is about to leave so I don't have to wait long, since the travel is usually during my lunch time. I have never encountered any problems before. The drivers and/Inspectors would politely tell me which one to take.

So today I got into this Harare bus (4819)asked the driver what time the bus leaves and the response was shocking! He asked me whether I was there to ask questions or get into the bus. He then told me to pay or get out of HIS bus. He did not even see the weekly Go Card I was holding. He was very loud for the passengers to hear. I told him I am getting off the bus and will definitely be reporting him, he the said "go ahead you ugly thing"...

I told one of the inspectors and his response was that I should take the matter further. I am a very unhappy customer right now and want this man dealt with! This personal attack was uncalled for and very disrespectful. I wish to hear from you soon.

this morning 22 august 2018 a boy got on the bus and he was using a monthly ticket
his ticket said Claremont to wynberg but he was getting on in rondebosch
the reason he was getting on in rondebosch was because when he bought the ticket
he said rondebosch but they didnt have rondebosch so the put clairmont on the ticket
so the boy got on and the driver said this says claremont and the boy said i know it has always been like that the drive said we are in rondebosch on claremont the boy said yes but thats how they gave it to me then the driver said you stupid little boy dont take chances with me the boy said iam not i have always been getting on the reatreat station bus at rondebosch stop and the drivers always clip my card then the driver got mad and started saying mean things and even swore at the boy then the boy said ok i will hop off the driver didnt want to let him of then eventually he did but as the boy was getting of the bus moved and the boy tripped

time&date: 07:13 22 august wed 2018

the driver arrived ant rondebosch to wynberg that time

my request is speak to the drive or make him do another route because 1: the driver was rude and 2:he just left the child in the middle of nowhere not safe in the morning the whole day the child wasnt happy because of this call [protected]

To whom it May Concern.

I together with few scholars and other elderly people ride on a bus from Cape Town CBD at 15h30 to Mandalay, there is a few of us (which includes elderly people) who stay in Bongweni of which we get off at Swartklip Road closer to the robots (at the bus stop of course) before you turn into Mandalay.

Lately we have been experiencing problems with the 15h30 bus driver where he does not want to stop for us at the bus stop. He stops in Mandalay and we have to walk all the way back to get to Bongweni. His argument is that there is no bus stop at Swartklip Road, there is a bus stop on the opposite side where we take the bus in the morning. Could anyone please assist us in EXPLAINING to me if there is a bus stop on the other side where people get picked, should there be no bus stop on the opposite side too? The bus we took yesterday (13 August 2018) is nr 1945.

My problem is that there is a different bus driver on Friday, same time and he stops there.Now how come he stops and the Mon- Thurs driver does not STOP?

Can Golden Arrow please sort out this issue before it gets out of hand.

Thank you!

To Whom this may concern

Good Afternoon, to the individual who is reading this complaint, I would like to first and foremost thank You for taking the time out in just simply selecting and reading my complaint.
However, with this said I need to mention in all honesty that the nature of my complaint is of a very serious nature pertaining to injuries that I have sustained and driver attitude and overall conduct, that is without a doubt unbecoming of a Golden Arrow Bus Driver.
Based on my understanding and my years of being a Golden Arrow commuter, I know that the Slogan "the bus for us" contradicts what I had endured yesterday.
I boarded the bus at 17.30pm last night, I handed the driver a R50 note and he almost instantly responded and I quote - Why are You Paying with this money? Now, in my experience being in the Finance Department, Money is Money……When has our money changed? Also I know all too well, that speaking to a commuter (customer) in that tone is also not acceptable in full view of other commuters boarded on the same bus.
I was extremely embarrassed and decided to sit down in the second seat, so if he needed to give me my change then I was easily positioned and accessible close by, as not to further inconvenience him.
He started to drive and then yelled out, again, I quote - "Must I bring this money to you?" Again, referring to me as an animal or almost in object form - absolutely disrespectful, which made the hair on my arms stand with disgust! (I had so many thoughts run through my mind - the bus is driving and he is calling me to fetch my money, sheer embarrassment, the people on the bus has now started staring at me as to how the driver is addressing me. He appeared to be enjoying himself at my expense, as not once did he slow down or hold back in his evident attempts to be - little me. All I wanted to do was get off the bus.
Never the less, I recollected myself and approached him, humiliated, thinking nothing can get any worse, low and behold, as I collect my change, he applies brakes. I lost my balance due to the force of the brakes and motion of the bus, knowing full well that there is nothing to hold onto and I fell down the stairs, knocking my head against the door, hurting my back on staircase and having my feet stuck underneath the glass windowed compartment.
In a split second I was completely strewn across the small space of the bus floor on my back with one my leg in the air, leaving me completely exposed (I am a Muslim Woman)
Absolutely horrific! Through this split second ordeal or that this has occurred due to his Gross Negligent Behaviour - Unbelievable, nothing, no emotion, absolutely nothing from the beginning!
Only after commuters starting making a commotion (at the time it felt like there would be some MOB Justice playing out) in the bus in an attempt to portray some empathy for my situation, did he say Sorry.
The biggest questions that I need some serious answers to are - How did Golden Arrow get here? How is the happening on our Busses these days? Who is recruiting these individuals? How did Golden Arrow Employees become so unhappy, disgruntled to the point that the safety and the well being of their commuters are no more a priority, however bigger than all these questions, how do these individuals become entrusted with the positions that they have? When commuter safety has become a thing of the past?
I am humbly requesting that the relevant processes get followed as I have witness statements by 5 commuters who I managed to talk to, who have clearly expressed their horror and outrage in what transpired on route MXK1 in Bus 4966, I also intend going to the doctor as my body aches and I have a splitting head ache that has not left me since the fall.
Now, in reality, All of us know that wounds heal, headaches disappear and body stiffness eventually subsides, however, humiliation and the feeling of belittlement cuts deep and never leaves one.
So, for all these reasons I intend to take this matter as far as I can as I need to ensure as per my civil duty that this incident never ever happens to another commuter again.
Please refer to my attached bus ticket -

I await an urgent response.

Mrs Fatiema Adamson
[protected]

Good day

I have a problem with the services when a scholar is using a term ticket. I bought one for my child for each term and in her school they are wearing casual clothes on Fridays she is still at the Primary School, every Fridays she is experiencing a big problem with her ticket not wearing a uniform and I am failing to understand the reason of that because everybody know exactly that the school starts from Monday to Friday there is no way that a child can travel early hours on weekdays not going to school even if she is not wearing a uniform, so please is there any way that this matter can be resolved because I can't afford to buy another ticket while my child is in possession of another ticket just because of the way she is dressing on a school day. So please can something be done to resolve the matter as it is an urgent matter. For the previous term I didn't take it so serious because she was travelling with me most times but this terms seem to be a very serious one the driver even chuck her out of the bus that she can't continue with the journey in his bus wearing her clothes, she had to walk to school from town to Seapoint because I was not with her, imagine a little girl travelling alone in the dark, in this cruel mother city, I was in shock when she told me I was thinking of what could had happen if something bad happened. If I knew of a specific person to complain to I could have directed my complaint straight to him/her. I will be very glad if I can get a speedy response as this is a crucial matter.

Good day

I'm so hurt and angry with the Golden Arrow bus driver who was driving Bus Number (4902) on the 21/06/2018 from Mobray - Makhaza. I boarded the bus at Athlone Bus terminus to Makhaza and as we took a different route from Khayelitsha due to the strike. the driver purposely did not stop for me as i pressed the bell in time for him to stop at the bus stop.
As I asked him why he did not stop at bus stop it was like " How dare you ask me that" attitude. the way he was so rude and refused to apologize to me spoiled my whole evening with my family.

To whom it May Concern:

I'm utterly disgusted this morning, I had to pay R14 from Crossroads to Airport. I'm being charged for a distance that the bus doesn't drive. It's not the first time that this has happened. How do you go from paying R8.60 to R14? It's not about paying R14 it's the blatant rip off we face as cash paying customers. Not a happy client

We were waiting for the bus at wynberg mainroad for 2 hours to town and the bus arrived not full we were about 8 people in the bus stop the driver refuse to pick us up she just keep on driving and we were running after the bus hoping she will stop she still refuse to let us in she only let in 2 people that she wanted in the bus away from the bus stop and those who wanted to get off in wynberg she dropped them on the road not on the bus stop at we were socking well as it is storming in wynberg and the bus was empty we want to know what was the reason she didn't want to let us in the bus only the 2 people that she wanted and dropped people on the road not on the bus stop

My son usually gets the Retreat bus in Claremont which arrives at approximately 18H45. The bus driver is a woman who keeps clipping his monthly ticket in between the numbers for example she doesn't clip on number 12 but in between 13 and 14. After explaining this to her she got irate and says that he mustn't tell her how to do her job. He has to constantly tell his morning driver where to clip and they have politely told him to report her. Basically if she has a problem with her sight then she should not be driving with peoples lives in her hands. She is also very fond of driving past people putting their hands out at the bus stops. I have attached photos of the bus number and my son's clipcard for your attention. Hoping that this matters is cleared up with haste.

Kinds Regards
Mrs C Wait
[protected]

So last year I used to take the 7am Cape Town bus from Bellville, I get off at Goodwood Vasco station. The driver is an old man. One morning when I was the last person to exit the bus at Vasco the grumpy driver asked me if I was sleeping. I left it there.. I wanted to ask him why he's asking this [censored] but I didn't want to argue with the old grumpy [censored] and just went to work. A week later, I took his bus to work. As I'm about to get out of the bus just before my foot touches the ground he let the bus [censored] forward causing me to lose balance as I step on the sidewalk.. later that day during my lunch break I called Golden Arrow to complain about the driver.. it's bad enough that we have to deal with gangster taxi drivers now we also have to deal with bus drivers who don't get laid to often walk around grumpy and take it out on the people who put food on their tables.

I have been a commuter on the golden arrow bus for 12 years now and I must say the service is very appalling now imagine having to stand @ the bus for nearly an hour and when you call to the call center to find out where the bus is you don't get proper answers I am seriously disappointed in this. this is also not the first time this has happened and golden arrow needs to take us seriously as its customers or we will have to look for other means of transport. we pay a lot of money for us to be treated this way.

Bus number 4982 Overloading the bus in the morning.

The bus which comes from town centre via Rocklands. Even though the bus is filled both seats and aisle they driver still stops picking up more people which is unlawful and unhygenic.

also seeing that winter is well on its way please advertise about oral health on ir buses. ie. coughing with hands, opening windows ect. to stop the spread of airborne viruses..

A driver this morning cut me off on Koeberg Road at the refinery.
I had to step hard on my brakes because he forced his way in.
this happened at about 9ish this morning (Friday 06th April 2018).

braking hard, although very dangerous seemed like to best option as the bus was about to push me to the side of the road.

Bus Details: A4716
Reg: 584 047

I would like to have this addressed. Busses should not be allowed to drive like this. they are responsible for the lives on board and my life if they cause me to be in an accident.

This destructive behaviour should be stopped immediately by GOLDEN ARROW!

Bus number SG 4897 at about 19:05 the driver of said mentioned bus number and I was both inside the traffic circle on Goven Mbeki road I was by the front of the bus and we where both about to exit the circle when your driver decided he is going to exit the circle into the inside lane where I was in, he forced me into the curb of the circle, my wife that was sitting next to me and on the side of which the bus was, already suffers from anxiety, depression and PTSD, had a panic attack because of his actions.
Furthermore I would like feedback on this matter or I would be forced to take this matter to court if I have to.

Poor, poor, poor we all have our bad days but this tops the list. When ur dealing with an individual that is deliberately reckless in carryings out his duties, one that does not care, one who's mindset (attitude) is no longer in what he/she is doing. This morning at Blouberg Mirine Circle bust stop the 4392 driver closed the doors at me at the bus stop when I was clearly visible to him I was not chasing but standing behind the lady he had a fallout with, as I stepped on the the step and got hold of the yellow bar on the door, the door closes and the step folds and the bus moves with me hanging in mid aire. This deliberate and dangerous act could have resulted in serous injuries to my person, but luckily I jumped and ran next to the bus until it came to a stop, had I been injured as a result I would have had no choice but to sue. That is not what I'm complaining about thought what I am bringing to ur attention is the millions of ways this could have been avoided, where ells do we get on or off the bus if not at the bus stop? The way he handled my questions was amazing, when he eventually stopped I got in and asked him "what are u doing?". The reply was incredible he said and I quote" How many times must I stop for ppl to get in?" I c it had nothing to do with me but everything to do with what he was doing at the time. Stopping is a part of driving and u stop when necessary and when it is appropriate to do so eg bust stops. By now we were engaged in a full argument and I refuse to relive that argument by going into details of the words used. My simple point is this gentleman is paid to follow the guidelines and procedure of GABS, when he is paid that's money the company spends, when u loose customers to competition that's money u lose, when he drives past ppl because he is sick of stopping that's money u lose. Its better to retrain the gentleman or get rid of him because at this rate the organization is operating at a total loss. GABS is no longer the only mode of transport competition is brutal eg.Uber, My City, Taxyfi, do I need to continue?. He did not seem to understand the dangerous circumstances he had put me and himself in, he simply did not care waved his hands violently as he spoke told me to go report me as though he knew nothing would come of it. I have an interchange card he clipped that incorrectly too as he yield there is no interchange from this circle, but busses from M/Plain do not go inside Killarney on Saturday or public holidays so where should I interchange? This could have been resolved had he waited it takes anyone 3 seconds to get in a bus and a simple sorry I'm in a hurry, I don't know how GABS trains its drivers but what I do know is this if and only if he works like this every day, he is a liability get another driver or if u like him that much retrain him. His mind (attitude) will cost GABS more than just money. I'm expecting a speedy response, with a detail plan of action, I'm expecting my card to be fixed asap in Killarney as soon as the public holiday is over cos my card lasts from Monday to Friday and not more.
Kind Regards expecting a response