GO GEORGE phasing out reduced service
GO GEORGE PHASING OUT REDUCED SERVICE
Normal timetables, more routes and 100% capacity
Issued 27 August 2020
With the recent implementation of Level 2 of the national lockdown, GO GEORGE will start easing out the reduced service from Sunday 30 August 2020. The announcement follows in-depth discussions between stakeholders about the readiness of the bus service and available staff to return operations to the normal schedule.
On Sunday 30 August 2020, Route 24 CBD-Loerie Park-Mall will be reinstated and run according to the reduced timetable, along with the other currently active routes.
Capacity restrictions are lifted at the same time, with seated as well as standing passengers allowed until the bus has reached 100% capacity. Social distancing remains a safety measure in and around the buses and bus facilities. Passengers who do not feel comfortable getting onto a full bus are encouraged to take a later bus and not to travel during peak times if possible.
From Sunday 6 September 2020, the service will return to the normal timetables, but with the last trips of the day departing at 20:00 and not 21:00 as usual.
Three more routes will also return to service on 6 September: Route 61 Pacaltsdorp Community, Route 18 Parkdene – Blanco, and Route 13 City Loop. The two remaining inactive routes – 53B Rosemoor Express and 58 Heather Park Heatherlands – will only be reinstated at a later stage.
GO GEORGE safety measures still in place
Drivers and passengers are still required to wear masks on the bus and wash or sanitise their hands regularly. Dispensers with sanitiser have been installed on all buses for the convenience and safety of passengers.
At the George Link depot, the rigorous cleaning and sanitising regime stays unchanged with the interior of buses being sanitised before and after every duty.
To ensure good ventilation, all windows are opened when the buses leave the depot, and passengers are requested not to close windows, but rather dress warmly.
Mayor pays tribute to George Link
George Executive Mayor, Alderman Leon van Wyk, expressed the Municipality’s appreciation for the way the management and staff of George Link, the vehicle operating company for GO GEORGE, performed their duties under very difficult circumstances.
“The tenacity and commitment of every cleaner, technician, driver, planner, manager – every single staff member – deserve the respect of the George community,” Van Wyk said. “Some days, up to 70 staff members were absent from work; there were days when 60 drivers were off duty at the same time, either positive with the Covid-19 virus, or isolating because they had been in contact with infected people. Two drivers lost their lives – all in the line of duty. On behalf of our community, I thank every worker keeping the wheels rolling. Let’s acknowledge their sacrifice and do everything we can to keep ourselves and them safe by adhering to the safety measures, going back to an almost normal service.”
For more information, please phone the GO GEORGE Call Centre on 0800 044 044 where agents are on duty from 05:00 until 20:00, seven days a week. Alternatively, visit the GO GEORGE Facebook page for the latest service updates, or send an email to info@gogeorge.org.za.
CAPTION:
GO GEORGE buses will be returning to several routes that have been inactive since the beginning of lockdown in March, at the same time reverting to the normal timetables.
GO GEORGE LIG BEPERKTE DIENS
Sub-opskrif: Normale roosters, meer roetes en 100% kapasiteit
Uitgereik 27 Augustus 2020
Met die onlangse implementering van Vlak 2 van die nasionale inperking, sal GO GEORGE die beperkte diens vanaf Sondag 30 Augustus 2020 begin verlig. Die aankondiging volg op indringende gesprekke tussen belanghebbendes oor die gereedheid van die busdiens en beskikbare personeel om bedrywighede na die normale skedule terug te neem.
Op Sondag 30 Augustus 2020 sal Roete 24 CBD-Loerie Park-Mall heringestel word en volgens die beperkte rooster ry, soos die ander aktiewe roetes. Beperking op kapasiteit word terselfdertyd opgehef, met sittende sowel as staande passasiers wat toegelaat word totdat die bus 100% kapasiteit bereik het. Sosiale distansiëring bly ‘n veiligheidsmaatreël in en om die busse en busgeriewe.
Passasiers wat nie gemaklik voel om op ‘n vol bus te klim nie, word aangemoedig om ‘n later bus te neem en nie tydens spitstye te reis indien moontlik nie.
Vanaf Sondag 6 September 2020 sal die diens terugkeer na die normale roosters, maar met die laaste ritte van die dag wat om 20:00 vertrek en nie om 21:00 soos gewoonlik nie.
Nog drie roetes sal ook op 6 September teruggebring word: Roete 61 Pacaltsdorp Community, Roete 18 Parkdene – Blanco, en Roete 13 City Loop. Die twee oorblywende onaktiewe roetes – 53B Rosemoor Express en 58 Heather Park Heatherlands – sal eers later heringestel word.
GO GEORGE-veiligheidsmaatreëls steeds in plek
Bestuurders en passasiers moet steeds maskers dra op die bus en hul hande gereeld was of ontsmet. Houers met ontsmettingsmiddel is vir die gerief en veiligheid van passasiers op alle busse geïnstalleer.
By die George Link-depot bly die streng skoonmaak- en ontsmettingsroetine onveranderd met die binnekant van busse wat voor en ná elke diensrondte onsmet word.
Om goeie ventilasie te verseker, word alle vensters oopgemaak wanneer die busse die depot verlaat, en passasiers word versoek om nie die vensters toe te maak nie, maar eerder warm aan te trek.
Burgemeester bring hulde aan George Link
George se uitvoerende burgemeester, raadsheer Leon van Wyk, het die munisipaliteit se waardering uitgespreek vir die manier waarop die bestuur en personeel van George Link, die voertuigbedryfsmaatskappy vir GO GEORGE, hul pligte onder baie moeilike omstandighede verrig het.
“Die volharding en toewyding van elke skoonmaker, tegnikus, drywer, beplanner, bestuurder – elke enkele personeellid – verdien die respek van die George-gemeenskap,” het Van Wyk gesê. “Sommige dae was tot 70 personeellede afwesig van die werk; daar was dae dat 60 bestuurders terselfdertyd van diens af was, hetsy positief met die Covid-19-virus, of in isolasie omdat hulle in kontak was met siek mense. Twee bestuurders het hul lewens verloor in die uitvoering van hul pligte. Namens ons gemeenskap bedank ek elke werker wat die wiele aan die rol hou. Kom ons gee erkenning aan hul opoffering en doen alles wat ons kan om onsself én hulle veilig te hou deur by die veiligheidsmaatreëls te hou terwyl ons terugkeer na ‘n byna normale diens.”
Vir meer inligting, skakel gerus die GO GEORGE-inbelsentrum by 0800 044 044 waar agente van 05:00 tot 20:00, sewe dae per week, aan diens is. Die jongste diensinligting is ook beskikbaar op die GO GEORGE Facebook-blad, of kan verkry word deur ‘n e-pos te stuur aan info@gogeorge.org.za.
Byskrif:
GO GEORGE-busse keer terug na verskeie roetes wat onaktief was sedert die begin van die nasionale inperking in Maart, terwyl die diens ook weer volgens die normale roosters sal funksioneer.