Discount fares for frequent users, not based on ID cards

Recently some correspondents wrote about non-Maltese ID holders being discriminated against by having to pay more for bus tickets. However, discrimination has been the order of the day for Gozo Channel for as far as I can remember.

In this case, the discrimination is between two groups of Maltese citizens: those having an ID card with a home address in Gozo, so being supposedly Gozitan residents, and other passengers.

The latter group have to fork out over four times as much as a Gozitan for a regular passenger ticket and nearly twice as much for a car and driver ticket. Even senior citizens (holders of Kartanzjan) residing in Malta have to pay over 50 per cent more than those residing in Gozo.

I cannot understand that while Gozo Channel gives preferential treatment to Maltese who normally reside in Malta, just because their home address (according to their ID card) is in Gozo.

I feel that having reduced prices for frequent Gozo Channel users would be more acceptable because those who have to travel for work, being Gozitans working in Malta or Maltese working in Gozo, can both benefit.

If one argues that some categories of passengers should have their tickets sponsored, such as students or outpatients, then this can easily done by presenting a pass issued by the respective school or hospital.

As things stand, a Gozo resident is entitled to travel at a much cheaper fare than a Malta resident, whether it is for leisure, work, study or any other reason. Just look at the difference in fares: