“#Putco died a good death!” tweeted ?@Mjavap.
The cessation of Putco bus services in parts of Gauteng was both lamented and welcomed on social media on Tuesday.
The hashtag #putco was trending among Johannesburg Twitter users following an announcement on Monday by the provincial roads and transport department that said Putco “indicated…its intention to cease operations in Tshwane‚ Ekurhuleni and Sedibeng municipalities with effect from June 30‚ 2015”
The termination of Putco bus services could “leave many commuters and residents stranded with no transport operations to get to work or schools” from Wednesday‚ the department said.
?@mashiyanef was one of the most vocal on the subject‚ and took issue with government’s last-minute announcement‚ saying: “The #PUTCO pull out it was a long process tht was never communicated 2 da commuters by either #PUTCO not the GP Govt.”
He also expressed his sympathy with the drivers and said: “We have a lot of unemployment in SA‚#PUTCO drivers can’t b unemployed also.
“I hope @GautengProvince made a plan 4 #PUTCO drivers on their newly awarded tender 2 hire them.My ppl can’t b on a queue of UIF‚” he added.
The tender referred to was possibly the temporary arrangement Gauteng’s department of roads and transport had made with Autopax‚ a subsidiary of the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa)‚ to “step in to replace Putco on all the subsidised routes within the areas”.
This created further confusion‚ and @Ms–TaniaMoeng tweeted: “just heard that Prasa busses will take over the routes! Not sure which busses belong to Prasa”.
- @funie–nems shed no tears at the idea of no more Putco busses: “I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve seen a Putco bus on the side of the road because it was faulty.”
- @Sisqo360‚ being faulty was not a big problem: “I love putco bus despite of their bus faulty they are fast and comfortable”.
- @Oh–So–Thando thought didn’t see the service as faulty at all: “I used to travel using it for a good 3 years of my working life... Its not the best but it was reliable. #Putco”.
- @lesiamolibeli seemed to agree: “The demise of Putco will have a negative effect on commuters and public transportation. Much as we detest it‚ Putco is a necessary evil.”
- @EvansMathibe appealed for sympathy for the service’s most regular users: “Some people with far lower income need putco buses for transport. So let’s refrain from elitist and insensitive tweets.”
- @mzomuhle001 decided to take a pragmatic approach: “Putco busses cancelled okay sharp what’s the alternative now. Don’t create problems create solutions.”
Social media abuzz about bus service demise
“#Putco died a good death!” tweeted ?@Mjavap.
The cessation of Putco bus services in parts of Gauteng was both lamented and welcomed on social media on Tuesday.
The hashtag #putco was trending among Johannesburg Twitter users following an announcement on Monday by the provincial roads and transport department that said Putco “indicated…its intention to cease operations in Tshwane‚ Ekurhuleni and Sedibeng municipalities with effect from June 30‚ 2015”
The termination of Putco bus services could “leave many commuters and residents stranded with no transport operations to get to work or schools” from Wednesday‚ the department said.
?@mashiyanef was one of the most vocal on the subject‚ and took issue with government’s last-minute announcement‚ saying: “The #PUTCO pull out it was a long process tht was never communicated 2 da commuters by either #PUTCO not the GP Govt.”
He also expressed his sympathy with the drivers and said: “We have a lot of unemployment in SA‚#PUTCO drivers can’t b unemployed also.
“I hope @GautengProvince made a plan 4 #PUTCO drivers on their newly awarded tender 2 hire them.My ppl can’t b on a queue of UIF‚” he added.
The tender referred to was possibly the temporary arrangement Gauteng’s department of roads and transport had made with Autopax‚ a subsidiary of the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa)‚ to “step in to replace Putco on all the subsidised routes within the areas”.
This created further confusion‚ and @Ms–TaniaMoeng tweeted: “just heard that Prasa busses will take over the routes! Not sure which busses belong to Prasa”.
- @funie–nems shed no tears at the idea of no more Putco busses: “I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve seen a Putco bus on the side of the road because it was faulty.”
- @Sisqo360‚ being faulty was not a big problem: “I love putco bus despite of their bus faulty they are fast and comfortable”.
- @Oh–So–Thando thought didn’t see the service as faulty at all: “I used to travel using it for a good 3 years of my working life... Its not the best but it was reliable. #Putco”.
- @lesiamolibeli seemed to agree: “The demise of Putco will have a negative effect on commuters and public transportation. Much as we detest it‚ Putco is a necessary evil.”
- @EvansMathibe appealed for sympathy for the service’s most regular users: “Some people with far lower income need putco buses for transport. So let’s refrain from elitist and insensitive tweets.”
- @mzomuhle001 decided to take a pragmatic approach: “Putco busses cancelled okay sharp what’s the alternative now. Don’t create problems create solutions.”
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