Bus service will revert back to us, ‘old’ driver predicts

Joe Genovese

Jul 5th 2011, 22:33

"Revert" means "to go, bring back ".

The "back" is already included in the word "revert" itself.

To say "revert back" means "to bring back back".

Which is repetetive. Repetition in decent English is an abhorrence when not an abomination.

It is as abhorrrent as: "to return back", "reverse backwards", "to retire backwards", "to advance forward".

"Revert back" is a solecism one expects to find in teenage speech and less likely so in a teenager's essay.

To find it in what syles itself as the Island's leading daily, is somewhat jarring.

To have the daily persist in keeping it despite having its attention drawn to it 24 hrs previously borders on the insult.

Which comes as no surprise considering case history.

James J. Patton

Jul 5th 2011, 19:51

It looks like part of the T of M system has crashed as it has become impossible to make contact to comment, as usual many are hyper-ventilating when in fact they should be contributing to the massive change of the Transport System by simmering down and giving the new service provider the chance to introduce the facility and make the neccessary adjustments as the problems arise.

As one who has been observing at close quarters the system unfolding and speaking to locals about the new service I feel that Maltese Gem Gem comes into play and patience is required to enable things to settle, I have no doubt as I have stated many times in the past in this column, things can only get better.

One reservation I have is that perhaps the timing was wrong and it may have been prudent to make the introduction during a quiet period instead of the Tourist Season when problems can be multiplied as seen. My personal view is that Arriva as a well seasoned company will succeed whatever the cost and the Maltese public, the tourist and the economy will be the beneficiaries in the years ahead.

Allan Gatt

Jul 5th 2011, 15:47

Pity about some of the drivers' attitude, 'cause what we're seeing here is very efficient labour unity and solidarity. If all walks of life looked after their own as well as bus drivers do, there would be no sweat shops, no starvation wages, no corporate bureaucracies, no managerial intimidation, and no bad working conditions. You may hate bus drivers all you like, but in their place, you'd do the same. I know I would! DAQS TAZZ' ILMA WKOLL!

Ms Maria Vella

Jul 5th 2011, 13:05

article says it all........good riddance

Amy Camilleri

Jul 5th 2011, 08:26

I'm sure going to miss the windows that don't open during August, or the leaky buses in winter time. Or how the driver starts to drive, even though you're not seated (even if you're carrying your own body weight in books and papers or are an elderly person who is rocking violently trying to sit down). I'll sure miss waiting for the bus to come in vain, as the driver went for a nap. I sure will miss the smoking in the buses.

Mr Peter Korsten

Jul 5th 2011, 01:38

The back of the bus says "CHRIS THE KING"... the photographer must have been pleased with that compliment. :)

Kevin Wilshire

Jul 4th 2011, 21:57

i will miss the buses but not the drivers, see you next year kevin in england

Joe A. Mifsud

Jul 4th 2011, 21:16

We will never be needing you dear Mr. Cassar thankyou for your (plural) bad service, and try to do better at your snack bar!!

A. Borg

Jul 4th 2011, 20:34

Xufier tal-genn li tlifnieh darba ghal dejjem .Jien li sal-lum kont nuzgha trasport pubbliku biex immur ghax xoghol imma wara l-esperjenza tal-lum li sirt qisni dulliegha wara saghtejn nistenna fix-xemx iddecidejt li nibda nuzgha l-karrozza tieghi sakemm is-servizz jirranga. Dan ix-xufier min jaf kemm il-darba rajtu jghin anzjani biex jirkbu jew jinzlu minn fuq ix-xarabank u gieli waqqafhom hdejn il-bieb tad-dar minflok fuq li stage biex ma jimxux ifix-xemx. Tlifniek Ray.

Leonard Cole

Jul 4th 2011, 20:23

I have not used the bus service for ages, reason being that i always though is more convenient to be more independent and use own transport. Pretty sure that Arriva service would eventually pick up speed and come to terms with the problems at hand at the moment. Though do not agree with a lot of readers here our OLD JUNK OF HEAP which a lot of readers called them is a TRADITION and how many more traditions can this country throw away ... Yes in a way i agree with Mr, Cassar that few of these busses should be restored and kept in service to Sliema and Bugibba and keep part of the old tradition alive.

Philip Pryce

Jul 4th 2011, 18:11

Oh Yes, I would much rather travel on that wonderfully maintained yellow heap of garbage than a nice new air conditioned Arriva bus. Give us a break!

J. Schembri

Jul 4th 2011, 17:54

Actually the price tag is not on the truck , it’s on the permit of that truck/bus.

Mr Emmanuel Ebejer

Jul 4th 2011, 17:08

Well if I got €102,000 for a heap of scrap I'd be laughing all my way to the bank!!!!! No wonder the guy looks so happy. Good luck to you mate!!! :)

Mandy Spiteri

Jul 4th 2011, 16:21

Dream on Mr. Cassar, dream on!!

angelo cilia

Jul 4th 2011, 15:57

Sell that "exhaust cleaned" yellow tub to Jamaica Ray !

John Bezzina

Jul 4th 2011, 15:51

This article really infuriated me!! Did Mr.Cassar think that after reading we will consider him a martyr with having to lose his beloved truck or because now he has to work 2 or 3 jobs to make ends meet? I'll tell you what I think Mr. Cassar, I think that you did not take the job with Arrriva because it did not allow you to work your part time jobs and I also think that this might have been one of reason for the no-show of the other drivers (I would love to know how many were ex old bus drivers)

Ms F Goodwin

Jul 4th 2011, 15:31

Thanks, Mr Cassar, for a brutally honest portrayal of the old bus drivers' side of the story, without even a thought of PR spin. We appreciate your honesty. Drivers want to be "little rich men" and a law unto themselves. Simple as that. This guy seems pretty easy-going, but others in his profession will continue to do all they can to sabotage the new bus system. My prediction: they won't succeed.

"You're still a driver, as long as you don't crash."

Under Arriva, we're hoping the standards will be slightly higher ;D

Mr John Azzopoardi

Jul 4th 2011, 15:07

Time out people. Time to give this a rest and get used to the new buses as they are not going away. I am sure some people ar happy at all this. But in life, change always comes at a price. It's like the saying goes. The world was not built in one day.

lyn nobbs

Jul 4th 2011, 13:58

Have a little patience Malta it will settle down.I think the English are having to deal with the Maltese quick temper as well as implementing a new system really hope it all comes good for all concerned.

Michael Lloyd

Jul 4th 2011, 13:55

Did all the moning minnies actually read this article? Mr Cassar had an award for excellence from the Malta Tourist Authority! The people who are complaining are doing so about other drivers, not this one. There were plenty of decent drivers. Just wait until the present lot have had a while dealing with the public and the tourists and see how long they remain "polite" and "customer-focussed."

Good luck to Mr Cassar and all the other decent, hard-working drivers whose reputations were spoiled by over-emphasis on some bad apples to the exclusion of all else, and who have lost their livelihoods as a result.

Oh, the figure quoted for compensation is not just for the bus, it's for the licence, too, that is to say, the loss of livelihood.

Take a man's job away, you owe him compensation.

Joseph Francis

Jul 4th 2011, 13:35

Il-karozza tal-linja tant hi qadima (1962) li tiftakar l-ahhar darba li t-Tottenham rebhu l-league. 50 sena lol. Tghid kienet iddahhan???? u ha Eur102,000 taghha. Ara ahna jekk karozza tkun iddahhan ma tghaddix mill-VRT. Tghid tal-linja kif kienu jghaddu???? U l-hsejjes li kienet taghmel kienu jikkwalifikaw bhala noise pollution??????

Carmelo Portelli

Jul 4th 2011, 12:53

My father was a driver and coach captain in Australia for the better part of 20 years. As a child I remember he would get permission from the depot head to allow me to ride with him during my school holidays. Never did I see the sort of treatment of passengers, abuse, arrogance, bad driving and pigheadedness that I did the few times I rode on a bus here. NONE of my fathers colleagues would act like the "old" drivers or they would be sacked. Sorry Raymond but you are living in a fairy tale, should Arriva leave us then there are many other companies in Europe to fill their shoes.

One thing i don't understand is how on earth these "drivers" were paid in access of 100,000 Euros for scrap metal! Trust me Raymond count your losses (yeah right) and move on because the Maltese populous already has.

Ms May Sammut

Jul 4th 2011, 12:19

Old habits die hard yet i am confident that ARRIVA will be sucessful in it's operations.
We need this to work for the benefit of our community and most importantly to service the needs of our tourists.

Billie Watson

Jul 4th 2011, 12:16

We are not Maltese nationals, however in the first place i take my hat off to Mr.Cassar and truely wish him and his family well and a very good luck, however its not only the old drivers but we too miss the old buses as to us a part of maltese history is lost and a new chapter is opening, however if only the old buses return back on the road we will be happy, not because of the low fare but the nostalgic side of it. It was fun while it lasted.We wish all the old drivers regardless of the mentality and the quick temper (who wouldn't in this hot weather and a stressful job after all they are only humanes and people same as anyoine else doing a hard graf for thier families.) GOOD LUCK GUYS. one last point from a foreinger, i wish they could at least double their wages to bring them up to standard with the rest of us the europeans, but alas i am not the boss (YET)>>>>>!

Manuel Mantik

Jul 4th 2011, 11:30

"[...]he is confident that, in about two years, Arriva would find it cannot make ends meet and the buses would be sold back to their owners." reminds me on some nostalgic austrians, still waiting for the return of a "kaiser" :P unfortunately otto von habsburg died yesterday (R.I.P.)...fortunately the old bus system in malta system does so too (just R.)

Mr Steve Zammit

Jul 4th 2011, 11:25

Thanks for your services sur Cassar. I am sure you were one in a million...!! Just enjoy the Eur102,000 and your family...Good luck with your future endevours.

I think Eur102,000 for a scrap bus is a very good deal, you can start off your new business.

Maria Vella

Jul 4th 2011, 11:16

Whether i agree or not...its still a touching story :) Good luck for the opening of your new business Mr Cassar :)

Chantelle Sciberras

Jul 4th 2011, 11:16

Let's all hope that Arriva won't even consider this as an option.......miskom bzajtu ghalih il post tax xoghol taghkom....tliftuh ghax kontu nies arroganti u mhux ta quddiem in nies.....

Charles Sammut

Jul 4th 2011, 11:09

Hi Raymond.....“I believe that, in time, it will all come back to us again. Arriva will have to close shop".
your quote not mine.
Dream on Raymond...dream on.....! once the Maltese public and the visitors will start enjoying proper service without the "hamallagni", and the ignorance and the violence of some of the"old" cowboy drivers and the blasting radios and the smoking ( drivers only of course ) and the rest of traditions which were normal with the 102 years of "service"..... I don't think that Arriva will close shop1
So, I suggest that you make a go of your snack bar and keep on selling meat at your family's butcher shop, because Arriva is here to stay.
Of,course the rat bags who are still behind the wheels will either have to conform or they will have to be sacked!

...and the beat goes on...and the beat goes on.......

Mr Joe Micallef

Jul 4th 2011, 11:08

Mr Cassar in your dreams! or better still your nightmares!!!

Mr Jo Camm

Jul 4th 2011, 11:07

"Bus service will revert back to us, ‘old’ driver predicts" - POOR MALTA AND THE MALTESE, if that happens.

They are doing their best to disrupt this service so that they will have us, once more, in their hands. We commuters should make all necessary sacrifices to keep Arriva arriving to our towns and villages.

Charles Vella

Jul 4th 2011, 11:04

Yesterday, i travelled to VALLETTA and back home. My first time experienc on ARRIVA transportwere:
. Airconditioned , full lights at a certain time ( FULL LIGHTS) you could read properly
. Courteous and very helpful drivers and dispatchers.
. Very comfortable seating
.No waiting

Verdict= 100% satisfied GOOD LUCK ARRIVA

M Farrugia

Jul 4th 2011, 11:03

I am still very disappointed why these people were given EUR102,500 each from TAX payers.
Good Luck Arriva.

Joseph Francis

Jul 4th 2011, 11:02

Int bis-serjeta sur Cassar????? To the joy of tourists????? Imma ghad-dwejjaq tal-maltin xi tghid???? Taf li kien hawn hafna ma juzawx it-trasport pubbliku imma juzaw karozzi privati???? Min jaf x'kienet ir-raguni hux???? Dak kien zmien li fortunatament issa ghadda.....ghalkemm naqra tard. Issa trid u ma tridx hemm l-Arriva ghall-ghaxar snin li gejjin. U l-kuntratt irid jigi rispettat miz-zewg nahat.....hemm min hemm fil-gvern. Nghidlek din biss illi fl-ahhar mill-ahhar anke l-oppozizzjoni qalet ghall-erwieh ghax helset minn mazzra illi kieku kienet hi fil-gvern kienet tnizzilha l-isfel milli hi. Iz-zmien barra li jtina parir jghaddi minn fuq kulhadd u ma jahfirha lil-hadd........lanqas lill-karozzi tal-linja. U sa ghaxar snin ohra tal-linja l-antiki jew ikunu skrappjati, jew mimlijja sadid jew sempliciment.....memorja.

Mr Reginald Borg

Jul 4th 2011, 10:58

Dejjem kont konvint li l-injoranza tahkem hafna lill-parti mill-poplu malti.
Issa sirt konvintissimu u allura grazzi Sur Cassar!

Joe Micallef

Jul 4th 2011, 10:55

Dream on man, dream on!!!!!
You are a dead race-ARRIVA is already on the road and and succeeding

Your running of the bus system is over, most of you have sucked up more financially from us the tax payers giving up on your flintstone type so called buses.

Mr Albert Dimech

Jul 4th 2011, 10:51

Perhaps Mr Camilleri is wishful thinking, but he is nor being irrational. Economically speaking, Arriva must raise the commuter numbers if they want to survive. If people are not lured to leave their cars and use the buses to travel to work, yes I agree with Mr Camilleri, Arriva will call it a day. I hope it will not be the case, but at the end of the day this is a private enterprise and all they are interested in is profit.

Law Agius

Jul 4th 2011, 10:48

I agree with you all that we needed a great change in quality and service for our transport . BUT keep it in mind as this is a knife with two edges. Now with Arriva, we are giving our nations money to offshore buisnessmen (leeches). This is another example like the lotto. We sold it to the Greeks.
The old drivers ( with all the bad things they had) earn money and and the money circulated back in our country.!!
Another point I like to bring up is that we are seeing EX illigal emigrants driving the new arriva buses. Thats how arriva want to do money? with cheap labour. For this cause i have to agree with the OLD bus driver
And the last , the joke of the day!!!
yesterday some people told me that on Sliema route, the was a Ex illigal driving one of the buses, suddenly some of his friends where walking and saw him. They started shouting and he STOPPED, OPENED THE DOORS, AND THET CAME UP TO CONGRATULATE HIM !!!!
Yesterday on the times I read that the drivers, once the bus left , could not be opened. There was a case that a woman wanted to go to the airport and the driver didnt open the door for her.
So with arriva nothing has changed much !! only the aircondition and the colour

E. Azzopardi

Jul 4th 2011, 10:40

If you say this, then you do not wish your country well. God forbid, we'll have that rudeness and arrogance back again. To those who had respect towards the people, we give a big thank you (although your buses still did not help the environemnt) and to all the other who did not even have some self respect, let alone respect for others, we say good riddance.

Mr Tony Gatt

Jul 4th 2011, 10:39

I thought it was a good one- “You’re still a driver, as long as you don’t crash.”
That perfectly sums up the attitude to driving in Malta

Ms B Cassar

Jul 4th 2011, 10:31

Alla hares qatt!!!!!! Nergghu immorru lura ghal xi qalziet nofsu baxxut juri il-warrani, xi ghoqda fuq zaqqhom attaparsi il-qmis u xi sigarett idahhan fil-genb ta halqhom apparti hafna affarijiet ohra li ahjar ma nsemmix. Dan trid Ray???? U hallina.

Karl Abela

Jul 4th 2011, 10:24

I work day and night to attract tourists to this blessed country and one of the major complaints that keeps standing out are about the arrogant bus drivers.

Good ridance...there is no other way to put.

And a big well done to Austin Gatt for masterminding this much needed change.

Robert Massa

Jul 4th 2011, 10:24

God Forbid. It is a big relief not to see the idiots in underwear and swearing at tourists. Let us look forward to a better services with qualified people and let these few trouble makers look elsewhere.

Marianne Tabone

Jul 4th 2011, 10:12

What really struck me is the fact that this gentleman says he could have his exhaust cleaned and the bus 'arranged' by which he means mended I presume, and he could be back in business!! If it is so simple why did he have to pollute the air we breathe before this new arrangement? Too late now Mister!! Some drivers used to publicly enjoy seeing people in cars closing their windows as quickly as possible to avoid inhaling the black fumes let out of their buses. There were too many rude drivers, smoking buses and odious behaviour on the roads when the driver used to park his bus outside the area designated for his parking so that a queue of cars were unable to overtake him. They would gather behind him and then drive as slowly as possible to enjoy the sight of frustration of the car drivers. Now the 'new drivers' maybe will be just a little more polite and the buses less dirty and pollute a little less.

Leila Gomez

Jul 4th 2011, 10:04

“I even used to drive before I had a licence,” he says proudly. “You’re still a driver, as long as you don’t crash.”

I cant believe he says it proudly. I hope this man is never allowed behind the wheel again.

Mr Biker Man

Jul 4th 2011, 10:03

Tkellem Nostradamus ! LOL :-)

Malta Blogger

Jul 4th 2011, 10:00

IL-BAMBIN JILIBERANA LI NERGAW NARAW LILKOM!!!!!! leeeee intkom ghandkom l-esperjenza loooool ma tistax tkellimkom ghax tahtfu nies......nipreferi nisrenna naqra sakemm jigi kollox ghan normal milli nergaw insibu lilkom ma wiccna

Dee Williams

Jul 4th 2011, 09:52

Haha " They don't have experience" by this did he mean no experience of driving in Malta?
The english bus drivers who have been flown in are sure in for a treat.. e.g. drivers stopping for a chat in the middle of the road etc.
350 euros a week... was that after the driver failed to issue a ticket and no change?
Well done Arriva

E Schembri

Jul 4th 2011, 09:49

Sour Grapes!....obviously you prefer the old system at €1400 per month for the nations most crap service.

Well, the time of ripping off the Maltese people is finally over.

Good bye, we won't miss you at all!

Mr M Cachia

Jul 4th 2011, 09:49

And this ladies and gentlemen is why those 60 drivers did not turn up yesterday. They think they can bully us into giving them back the system. Never, we the public would rather suffer for a couple of weeks than put up with these people ever again!

alex Borg

Jul 4th 2011, 09:47

I would love to receive 102,500 euros in a couple of weeks' time.... rest a bit and then find another job.... pls government, accept my pleas!

Stephanie Caruana

Jul 4th 2011, 09:47

Dream on!!!!!!!

Ms D. Borg

Jul 4th 2011, 09:44

Wishful thinking! Misskom bzajtu ghalih meta kien f'idejkom mhux dejjem stmajtu lin-nies qishom tallaba u offrejtu servizz li lanqas nahseb jezisti mkien fid-dinja. Issa naghtu s-support taghna lil Arriva forsi fl-ahhar ikollna s-servizz li jixirqilna.

Marcus Vella Bardon

Jul 4th 2011, 09:41

Great article about a bus driver , driving a 50 year old semi dilapidated bus.So sad it's going to the wrecker hopefully and nothing on the street belching petrol/diesel/kerosene or a mix of whatever fumes throughout malta.
How much space in The Times did this article take, is it possible there is nothing better to print.if that's the case maybe another crossword and sudoku page could be created and articles like this shrunk down to form another joke of the day or such.
Having said the above ,i can't fail to wonder if down the line Mr.Cassar will turn out being right and the bus service will revert to the old standards of yester year.We are talking Malta here so no surprises either way Mr,Cassar's prediction goes.

Anthony Farrugia

Jul 4th 2011, 09:37

Dream on, man; never again trust you people. You did well out of the whole shambolic service (if you can call it that !) which you used to operate : Euro 350 a week on day out-day in basis and getting over Euro 102K for a piece of scrap metal. Bella vita !

Ms Monica Muscat

Jul 4th 2011, 09:32

The comments here confirm my belief that this was all pre-planned. All the drivers want is to take the country back to the time when they were "kings of the road". Breaking all the rules, whilst driving .... and breaking all our bones during a short passage on their cars. Come on, resign yourselves old guys. Your reign is over. Adapt or quit. By the way. Do not think that this is an out of the world experience. All our lives, throughout or existance, we have to change and adapt. Time and change wait for no one.

Good Luck to those who have joined Arriva in true and honest Spirt. May they find fulfillness and self-respect in their new jobs, fortified by good and acceptable working conditions.

karl bezzina

Jul 4th 2011, 09:26

things will never become the way they were... but i do believe that in time Arriva will fail..
as for the old buses, changing their engines for more eco-friendly ones and keeping them operational for certain routes wouldn't have been such a bad idea!!
like it or not, tourists saw them as part of our identity as Maltese, for me the well kept ones were jewels!!

PS. why do we always since before the time of Christ think that foreigners are better than us? they are only here to get profit!!

Michael Schembri

Jul 4th 2011, 09:23

Ovvja li dan qieghed jghid li jixtieq, pero x-xewqa tieghu hija kollha ta hsara ghal zvilupp u nergghu insibu ruhna taht atitudni hazina li kellhom (mhux kollha) lejn il-konsumatur. Issa jiehdu li haqqhom

John Scerri

Jul 4th 2011, 09:17

This photo says it ALL .......This is HISTORY .

Moira Heath

Jul 4th 2011, 09:16

The day someone comes boasting that he would drive even before he had a license on a national newspaper and gets away with it is the day I shake my head and weep. Our authorities have too much to answer for, but obviously it's easier to look the other way.

Mr R ferriggi

Jul 4th 2011, 09:11

what,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, eur102K for that scrap??

acrually i blame the government if (God -forbid) that piece of dirty metal hits the road again.

EVER.

Mr Daniel Jones

Jul 4th 2011, 09:10

LOL - "They don't have experience..." So who exactly has been running bus services in the UK, Germany and many other European countries for at least the last decade?

I think that they have shown that they have the experience in the way they are dealing with the situation caused by the 'old' bus drivers.

It also shows the commitment to the job and company of the UK drivers who have flown over to provide a service that the 'old' drivers with their 'old' mentality are unable to do.

So now we see that instead of the moaning brits, it is the moaning maltese drivers.

Stanley Iles

Jul 4th 2011, 09:08

Your pay was as much as a nurse with an Msc. working a 46hr shift , nights included. Your sucking blood out of the nation time is over. Welcome Arriva. Yesterday was my first day on the bus after 25 years.

Chris Xuereb

Jul 4th 2011, 09:08

LOL :-0

Mark Bord

Jul 4th 2011, 09:03

Allahares!

Mr Charles Grima

Jul 4th 2011, 09:02

You ain't got a hope in hell mister!

I appreciate your positive work... honestly, but the louts more than make up for the good ones.....

stefan xerri

Jul 4th 2011, 09:01

hahahaha... hekk tridu intom

M Vella***

Jul 4th 2011, 08:58

Keep on dreaming Mr Raymond Cassar .

Rebecca Abela

Jul 4th 2011, 08:53

As if

John Bezzina

Jul 4th 2011, 08:48

Dream on ray!

Ramon Mangion

Jul 4th 2011, 08:45

Hope this never happens

Mr Patrick Zammit

Jul 4th 2011, 08:43

Heaven forbid...

Mr Brian Camilleri

Jul 4th 2011, 08:42

You wish !!!

Sarah Attard

Jul 4th 2011, 08:40

I honestly hope we do not have to go back to the Medieval Ages!

Ms Francesca Abela

Jul 4th 2011, 08:36

Lord save us from people who only want to take us back to the dark ages. Good Riddance!

Irina N

Jul 4th 2011, 08:31

Hope this never happen and in the future the services for passengers never be depend on driver's mood