Shortchanged by bus drivers

Reading Klesta Kela's letter (The Sunday Times, June 14) brought a smile to my face.

I cannot believe that there are people who still think that the Transport Authority (ADT) has any say over public bus drivers.

One can write to the authority and a reply is sent with a reference number to follow the progress of the complaint on the ADT website. But when one tries to do so one discovers that the reference number does not exist. Ms Kela complained about being cheated by bus drivers in Malta. How about Gozo, then? The bus from Mġarr to Victoria has a notice on the windscreen stating that the fare is 47c, but when passengers tender a 50c coin they are not given any change.

If you hand €1 for two, no change is given either, which means that one is overcharged by 6c in this case. As if it were not enough, the Kartanzjan card (which entitles those aged over 60 to pay 23c instead of 47c) is not acknowledged in Gozo. But reporting this to the ADT does not help one bit.

It is a real shame that senior citizens can go from Ċirkewwa to Birkirkara and further on for 23c in Malta, but in Gozo it costs them 50c to go from Mġarr to Victoria and other destinations.

I have lost hope that the ADT or the Transport Association or whoever will do something about this - passengers are at the mercy of bus drivers not only as regards fares, but also schedules - they leave as and when they please.