APM Bus Operator has no integrity...

Item: APM Bus Service
Rating: 1

Good day APM, I am one of the passengers that made use of your services to Cape Town on the 21 December 2016 and my return trip on 7 January 2017 I would like to request a full refund for the ordeal suffered. These are the events... 21/12/2016 We departed from JHB en route to Cape Town only to stop at Grasmere Engen, only to be told that some passengers were left behind and that we had to wait for these passengers to be transported. So, to the annoyance of certain passengers, we waited. Furthermore, on our way, it started to rain and to my surprise, it started leaking in the aisle. According to my knowledge, when it rains, speed is suppose to be reduced and a safe following distance should be given, alas, your driver kept breaking which made the passengers a bit nervous. Needless to say, I did not sleep a wink as I normally do on other coaches. 07/01/2017 We departed from Cape Town en route to JHB at about 13h00. For the duration of the journey just before the accident, I noticed that the driver's following distance was a bit short and he was driving on the break. Just outside of Worcester, we then hit a truck that the driver was trying to overtake. To the disbelieve of the passengers on board your staff made a call to drive with a shattered windscreen with holes in them to JHB. This obviously caused the first delay. We were en route and was stopped by traffic officers in Beaufort West (if i am correct) and was told that they cant drive this bus with passengers on board like that. This caused a further delay (about 4 hours) while your drivers tried to get another bus for us. Now seeing that you are a coach company and entrusted with our lives, we were under the impression that another APM bus would be en route to collect us, yet again surprised as a school bus then rocked up to collect us. All we were then told was that a bus had been dispatched from JHB and will meet us on the way. As we were all tired, upset and seeing that the plans we had set up for the sunday slowing slip away, we piled into the uncomfortable bus in hope that APM coach is one the way. In the early hours of the morning, we had a break down on the side of the road about 180km from Bloemfontein. Still no clear communication from APM. Most started feeling uneasy as the next bit of information communicated to us was that a bus had now been dispatched from Bloemfontein. So question, where is bus number 1 that was dispatched the previous evening round 23h00??? So we waited as the bus driver tried to fix the issue. very few had water or food to eat and we have not had a pitstop since 23h00 we told the bus is on the way, yet again, expecting a APM bus, and yet again you delivered a bus that was not of your fleet. When one of the passengers i was sitting next to called the call centre to find out what the real story was as there were too many inconsistencies, and mentioned that it was a concern how this was being handled and that it had the potential to be a scandal, He got told by Audrey : At least you can thank God you alive (i quote) I was most disgusted by the comment because believe you me, I thanked God for life when we hit the truck and no one was injured. By this time my ankles had started swelling from all the sitting (i am a heart patient) and i started becoming very uncomfortable. A few km's up, we got into another bus, bus no 3!!!! Then, on our way to Bloemfontein one of the passengers which was so great calling you periodically got told that APM was going to buy us lunch, and all we wanted was clear communication from you which we did not received. When we arrived in Bloemfontein lunch was given and no APM bus in sight. We were then communicated to by Bridget that the APM bus would meet us in Ventersberg. By this time, i was knacked, ankles swelling up by the hour, heart palpitations, trying to remain calm. Finally got on an APM bus in Ventersberg (the only truth that was told throughout the trip i Feel) Now i ask you, with people who entrusted you with their lives, do you feel that you could have handled this is a different way? Because i feel you could have. 30 hours the journey took 4 buses later 12 hours delay You cost me stress that i did not need before my cardiologist appointment Your cost me a potential home that I made arrangements to see in the afternoon of the 07/01/2017 so many disheartened clients All i want is my full refund. I have attached the petition signed by those on board and my tickets for my journey. I did try to contact Roy one of your manager's with no success. You have 72 hours from the time i send this email to communicate with me as to when I will receive my refund, failing to do so, I will start the process of taking this matter further. I have copied in the necessary bodies who i feel need to be informed of this ordeal. Many Thanks

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