Tales from the buses

Following a recent visit to this lovely island, I have some questions about the transport system and wonder if anyone can enlighten me. A few years ago I wrote to a lady at the ADT but was not blessed with any response.

Firstly, I appreciate that the transport system in Malta is, in the main, rather good and quite cheap, especially when compared with the UK.

I would like to briefly outline one or two scenarios. It seems that I should not experience these in Malta, but it seems that no one cares, especially ADT.

On a bus journey from Valletta the driver was most pleasant but then lit up a cigarette, made a telephone call and attempted to stop the bus at that stop while still juggling the phone and cigarette. At least two further calls were made or received during that journey. At one point two ticket inspectors (what's their purpose, see below) got on and started a banter during which friendly blows were struck between them.

On another journey on February 16, to Golden Bay, the driver lit up the first cigarette before leaving Valletta. He left this burning in the bus (his window was shut, so the smoke drifted throughout the bus) while he stopped, not for passengers, but to get a cheesecake, which he then ate while dawdling along. This made him thirsty so he produced a large covered bottle and started swigging from it while still driving along. By the time we reached Mosta he had completed his second cigarette. This then seemed to settle him down until someone on the bus called to him later in the journey, to advise that he had taken a wrong turning, missing the one he wanted to alight from! We returned to the missed stop and then proceeded to Golden Bay along what seemed to be farm tracks!

Let me now return to the ticket inspectors. These seem to have multiplied recently, and now appear to travel in packs. The most I experienced on one bus was four at the same time. I have yet to establish their reason for existing. During my many years visiting Malta I have only ever seen two fares collected, both from tourists who had misunderstood the fare structure. It seems that any local who does not pay is ignored as they are usually known to both the driver and inspector. I cannot understand how these employees can ever be cost effective. Many are quite rude and abrupt; perhaps they are training to be drivers. Having said that, I have met some most pleasant and helpful drivers, but they are a minority.

On another occasion while on bus 127 to Marsaxlokk, the driver took the 27 bus route, as he was engrossed in conversation, yes, with an inspector, and had to double back!

Most of my journeys this year involved the "in-bus entertainment" of rather loud music.

On another journey a young driver was making and receiving a series of text messages after leaving Sliema Strand on a direct bus. A few stops further on he picked up a young lady whom he obviously knew. She sat towards the front to his left and proceeded to show him her clothing purchases. He would turn round each time to admire them. My own view was that although the garments were fine, the belt certainly did not match! When the ticket inspector got on he made a joke of the fact she had no ticket, and then joined in the conversation.

Finally, a suggestion. There is much confusion about the cost of direct buses for both locals and tourists. I assume that it would not be practical to prefix the numbers in some way, so why not produce a small notice stating, for example: "Direct Bus minimum fare €1.16 for any distance" that could be fixed to the windscreen?

If anyone can throw any light on the above matters, I should be delighted to be enlightened!