Public transport usage up 28 per cent - ministry
Public transport usage in October increased by 28 per cent on the same month the previous year, according to figures Arriva gave Transport Malta, the Transport Ministry said.
It said this confirmed the tendency established in the first whole month of service.
The number of people using the service is calculated using sensors placed in the doors of buses.
Under the old system, passenger numbers were calculated by counting the tickets sold.
Transport Minister Austin Gatt tomorrow faces a vote of no confidence in Parliament because of the public transport reform.
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Mr Don Manning
Nov 4th 2011, 20:00
I love the comments "One must remember that previously some drivers did not always give out tickets so the statistics of the previously run service are not accurate." from James. Tickets in Gozo were a rare thing and Gozo was never worried about polution or litter from bus tickets.
G Sciberras
Nov 4th 2011, 07:23
adding salt to injury .. pure lies
65,000 complaints .... clients stranded at bus stops .... more cars on the road and yu try to pull our leg too ..
hallina
Chris Vella
Nov 4th 2011, 04:44
If the sensors on the bus door counts every time someone or something goes through than alighting passengers are counting as well right?
James Camilleri
Nov 3rd 2011, 20:32
I was told by a bus driver that these calculations are based on sensors allocated at the bus there. When I asked how these worked I was told that everytime the door opened it is registered as having done so for passengers to board the bus. If this is really the way caculations are being made then bye bye statistics. I believe that if real statistics are undertaken in a serious way it would show a drop in the bus service usage rather than the opposite. Calculations were done before by counting the number of tickets sold. One must remember that previously some drivers did not always give out tickets so the statistics of the previously run service are not accurate.
A study in the use of buses should be carried out based on a survey - those who used the buses before and how much use they are making of the new service now. Or how many did not use the service before and are making use of it since Arriva arrived (not pun intended).
Alfred Cassar
Nov 3rd 2011, 21:13
James who told you that drivers on the previous system did not always give tickets. I used to use public transport before and i have ALWAYS been given the ticket.
I would restart using the public transport when the schedules are kept and when the ticketing system is changed. The routes are fine now as I can go to many more places with just one bus now from Attard and I don't have to go to Valletta all the time
Joseph E Briffa
Nov 3rd 2011, 22:12
It's not a bad idea...it could be done after the lapse of a year, when the dust would have settled. Iwt would be more meaningful.
Francis Saliba M.D.
Nov 3rd 2011, 23:36
Assuming that every time the bus door opens more than one passenger boards the bus the only reasonable conclusion would be that this method seriously UNDERESTIMATES the number of passengers that are being carried by Arriva!
Christina Pace
Nov 4th 2011, 13:27
Francis it doesn't ta. Cause that would mean it counts and an alighting passenger as a boarding passenger.By that system it would appear everyone got on the bus but never alighted. Strange indeed. that would also imply that if I was on the bus and wanted to get off I counldn't unless people are boarding as the door shouldn't open.
Kemm se nidhad fil-pantomima din is-sena. Jekk johorgu farsa ahjar min din ir-riforma se jkollna hafna bix nidhqu.
Mario Camilleri
Nov 3rd 2011, 20:16
Ħeqq, mhux hekk. tressaq il-likk viċin il-boċċa!! Jew twessa jew iddejjaq il-lasti kif jaqbel. Ħalluna ngħixu u għatuna dak li kellna, għax dak kien tajjeb.
A Caruana
Nov 3rd 2011, 18:42
Does Dr Austin Gatt think that everybody is an idiot? suddenly all this information is being poured out because there is the vote against him .
E. Azzopardi
Nov 3rd 2011, 18:31
Why then do we have all these cars on our roads? In a short time we shall come to a standstill. This country is really special!!
francis caruana
Nov 3rd 2011, 18:23
Who do you think we are mr minister man . A bunch of idiots.GO and resign as no one wants you
Francis Saliba M.D.
Nov 3rd 2011, 17:36
@ Ray Borg.
With the extensive impending alterations in the Arriva routes being introduced in three days time it is nonsensical to write "problems are not being admitted" or "tackled". It is much more accurate to say that they are being condemned, out of hand, even before they come into force on the 6 November!
Joseph E Briffa
Nov 3rd 2011, 18:50
Agree with you Dr Saliba. But then not everybody has a calendar, and secondly comments by Labour sympathisers are the result of the freedom of expression reintroduced by the PN in 1987; don't blame them, there wasn't this ' luxury' during the days of socialist bliss; so why not make hay while the sun shines?
Francis Saliba M.D.
Nov 3rd 2011, 19:22
@ Joseph Briffa.
I am proud of having been at the forefront, and to have suffered greatly, in the struggle for freedom of speech to be actually respected in this country. I do not object to all sorts of opinions being expressed for, or against, the public transport problem.
I am only pleading for intelligent debate and not self-defeating blinkered political propaganda. There are important radical changes coming into force three days from now. Let us be prudent and wait to observe the result before condemning this government's efforts. There will be plenty of time later to persevere in the politically motivated destructive criticism.
There will also be plenty of time to claim sole credit for any improvement in the public transport and to boast idly that the improvement would not have materialised without the providential intervention of this or that political genius! Mark my words!
Ray Borg
Nov 3rd 2011, 16:40
What worries me is not the problems the local public transport has presently :- problems can be tackled and solved. The fact that the same problems are not being admitted worries me. For a problem to be tackled and then hopefully solved one has to admit there is a problem first. That is the norm in problem solving procedures.
Godfrey Camilleri
Nov 3rd 2011, 16:32
Comparing figures to last year is not accurate since there are doubts how many trips were done last year without issuing a ticket, especially in Gozo and this year you have the factor that to go from A to B one has at times (ie more than in last year's set up) to take two buses. What one should compare is figures from month to month and the figures published to date show that the usage is decreasing. It seems with the Arriva set up, one cannot count the number of tickets sold due to tickets that can be used over a week and other combinations.
B Attard
Nov 3rd 2011, 16:29
Din iebsa biex jiblaghha kulhadd!!!
Victor Pulis
Nov 3rd 2011, 16:28
Under the old system, passenger numbers were calculated by counting the tickets sold.
I invite Arriva to use this method for a month and then see the results.
What do the sensors in the doors of the buses record? do they record the officials boarding and alighting for example? The exchanges system forces passengers to use two or more buses for one single journey. I am surprised that there are still people who try to excuse and defend the failed system even now that the minister has accepted and admitted that it failed miserably.
JOSEPH mercieca
Nov 3rd 2011, 16:24
I cannot judge weather the figures are correct all i can say is the traffic on our roads at peak time is horrendous. Last week i left home at 7 30 am for mater dei and it took me 75 minutes bumper to bumper all the way ,at weekends the same journey takes 12 minutes .Something has to be done quick as we are fast approaching gridlock on our roads .
Joseph E Briffa
Nov 3rd 2011, 18:42
It's not surprising Mr Mercieca. The main reason for traffic jams on weekdays in the morning rush hours are the school buses and the Mummies seeing their children to school.
Twanny Scerri
Nov 3rd 2011, 16:23
So with this reasoning(?), private vehicles should be in their garages at home. So why does it take me nearly an hour to get from Cospicua to Paola by my car due to bumper to bumper traffic jams??
Joseph E Briffa
Nov 3rd 2011, 22:31
Twanny....Because everybody can afford to keep a car. The Maltese have come a long way during the last couple of decades.
M. Bezzina
Nov 3rd 2011, 16:17
numri kulhadd jaf jivvintom ,jekk l arriva kienet fjaska mill bidu sa l ahhar ma nimmaginax kif jista jkun li johorgu bi satistika ezatti. ghalijja skuza minn naha tall gvern biex jghidilom li kien hemm aktar passigieri , b hekk kien qed jinhela l hin ,min hu responsabbli jerfgha ir responsabilta,
Marty Matthews
Nov 3rd 2011, 16:13
Does this take into account the fact that now to get to some places you have to take 2 buses instead of one therby counting the one jorney as two !!!!!!
Hossam Helwani
Nov 3rd 2011, 16:10
what worries me most is not that arriva still needs to be shaped up, but many are enjoying themselves as if wanting to prove something.
Arriva is improving but the mentality of some here is deteriorating rapidly, judging from the low mediocre comments.
ALBERT FENECH
Nov 3rd 2011, 16:54
The only entities trying to "prove" something are Arriva and Transport Malta! The rest have nothing to prove because a fiasco is a fiaco and it does not take a genius to fathom that out. Arriva and Tramsport Malta are trying to prove otherwise.
ALBERT FENECH
Qawra
Anthony Mifsud Bonnici Giordani
Nov 20th 2011, 13:59
All comments are all valid comments because ordinary citizens who use ARRIVA feel the pain. May be you are driving a jaguar or a BMW, so you are against criticism. Maybe you are mediocre and don't know it.
Albert Bezzina
Nov 3rd 2011, 16:05
The standard and accuracy of data collection with the current system cannot be equated to the standard of data collection during the function of the old transport system. The old system encouraged under recording of the actual number of commuters. Case in point: Gozo. Does the Ministry believe that only an average of 1460 commuters a day (730 in one direction and 730 on the return trip) were carried by the Gozo buses? Or: 60 bus trips a day carrying 25 passengers t a time (30 bus trips in out bound trips and 30 bus trips for return trips. If there where close to 200 (one way) bus trips in Gozo every day, each bus carried about 7 passengers on each trip! If this does not indicate under recording in previous years....
The same could be said for the figures for the Island of Malta, but the under recording was likely more restrained.
The only way to compare whether commuter numbers are increasing is to compare the numbers from July 2011 onwards with those of next year.
JOSEPHINE BORG
Nov 3rd 2011, 15:52
JOKE OF THE YEAR!!!!!
Mark Vassallo
Nov 3rd 2011, 15:52
It just goes to show how many tickets were (not) sold in Gozo before Arriva came on the scene.
The same would go for VAT, PAYE etc...
Kenneth Muscat
Nov 3rd 2011, 15:49
first of all the old system cant be accurate because not every one was given a ticket so some money went directly into pockets.with the new system many passengers have to ride 2 to 3 buses instead of 1bus ,so TM and Arriva must not be happy with the Increase.If this figures are correct ,so why the Traffic is increasing and why many people are using their car .We're not blind and this statics are crap.
Carmel Serracino-inglott
Nov 3rd 2011, 17:16
THERE ARE MANY MORE CARS SINCE OCTOBER 2010
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\PASSENGERS ARE RIDING 1 OR 2 BUSSES NOT 2 OR 3
eITHER THEY are USING THEIR CARS OR OR RIDING 1 OR 2 OR 3 BUSSES,
tHERE WERE MORE TOURISTS THIS YEAR SO THE INCREASE IS AFFECTED
Why do you always have to be pessimistic? Why do I have to ask this question? Everybody should know the answer.
Albert Bezzina
Nov 3rd 2011, 22:37
@ Carmel Serracino-inglott
"THERE ARE MANY MORE CARS SINCE OCTOBER 2010"
Actually there was an increase of 1.9% over the October 2010 number of cars or 4450
The traffic congestion has not increased by a mere 1.9% but by a sizable multiple of that figure.
The number of tourists may have been greater than last year but they have spent less time on the island.
What should be asked is whether school transport has recorded a drastic reduction in custom or not.
Anthony Borg
Nov 3rd 2011, 15:29
So, if someone steps in and asks the driver whether this bus will go to a particular destination, and steps off again (as many do), then that should count, doesn't it.
Jonathan Scerri
Nov 3rd 2011, 15:25
Sensors my foot!
Noel Bartoli
Nov 3rd 2011, 15:16
can Transport Malta give us a percentage of routes being on time please ?
Joseph Calleja
Nov 3rd 2011, 15:15
So according to Transport Malta and Arriva the ridership got it all wrong. Like Ms Farrugia commented below, sometimes it takes three different buses to get from point A to Point B and that triples the number of times a rider goes through those bus doors. Who are they trying to kid? Let us wait for the new schedule to go into place and see how more efficient Arriva is going to be. As far as Minister Austin Gatt goes, I think he should stay, so he can fix the big fiasco he, and Transport Malta have created.
G G Debono
Nov 3rd 2011, 15:06
Gee folks !
Run out and buy Arriva shares !
FRANS H SAID
Nov 3rd 2011, 15:02
TYrying to justify the unjustifiable on the eve of the debate. Who do you take us for, morons? Or imbeciles?
The more you persist the deeper you are digging your grave.
francis Buhagiar
Nov 3rd 2011, 15:01
whom do you want to fool?
ALBERT FENECH
Nov 3rd 2011, 14:58
Heap on more dung and mushrooms will continue to flourish. What was that about lies, damned lies and statistics?
ALBERT FENECH
Qawra
Stefan Enge
Nov 3rd 2011, 14:57
1. The old busses did never count all passengers!
2. The sensors count people double since it became different to reach a destination with just one bus
3. Traffic went up, traffic jams became more an longer! How can it be if more people use public transport?
Peppi Borg
Nov 3rd 2011, 14:57
Hip hip hurray for statistics interpretations
Allesandro Dante
Nov 3rd 2011, 14:54
Can somebody explain the +422% increase in Gozo as compared to previous year.
Paul Attard
Nov 3rd 2011, 15:17
Yes it means that whoever was declaring the number of tickets sold last year was not being truthful. Makes me wonder how much revenue was taken under the table in previous years.
JOSEPHINE BORG
Nov 3rd 2011, 15:54
contrary to before ARRIVA started operating, gozitan commuters never paid hahaha
Deo Catania
Nov 3rd 2011, 14:49
So Arriva is comparing usage using two completely different systems, wonder how accurate the results are.
Keith Aquilina
Nov 3rd 2011, 14:49
qed nimmagina quddiem ghajnejja lil Austin tiela u niezel min fuq tal-linja biex izid il-count tas-sensors :)
M. Bezzina
Nov 3rd 2011, 16:22
tajba keith :) ..tghid ma johorgux b xi statistika falza ohra biex jipruvaw jghattu naqra l izball !!
Keith Aquilina
Nov 3rd 2011, 14:48
lol
kevin abela
Nov 3rd 2011, 14:46
@Mr.J.Busuttil
So according to you, those who vote labour cannot complain or write on blogs.
Typical PN mentality!
MALCOLM SEYCHELL
Nov 3rd 2011, 14:43
Is this the latest technology? Using sensors is another stupidity from the elite of Transport Malta and Arriva.
They should be calculated from the numbers of tickets sold. You have to compare like with like to get an accurate figure.
If Gonzi believes that people are using more the public transport he is again mistaken. When Arriva came to Malta traffic congestions increased, so its obvious more people are using their personal cars and not the public transport.
Ovvjament forsi ghandu bzonn iqabbad konsulent iehor biex jghidulu l ovvju...
malcolm mason
Nov 3rd 2011, 15:16
i realise you could possible use public transport as it is obviouse even to the most moronic person that almost everyone now buys DAY TICKETS where u used to buy 2 or 4 or 6 single tickets so tickets sold is a lot less
MALCOLM SEYCHELL
Nov 3rd 2011, 16:18
Statistics have to be calculated like with like.
C. Muscat
Nov 3rd 2011, 14:38
Kulhadd jghaddi z-zmien bil-gvern qabel kienu jnaqqsu l-figuri u issa qed jghidu d-doppju tan-nies ghax is-sistema differenti!!!
Qabel kienu jiehdu izjed sussidju talli ma jirkbux nies issa jridu jbellghuielna li rnexxew. Ahjar jaraw kemm zdiedu l-karozzi fit-toroq!!!!
Mr Mike Farrugia
Nov 3rd 2011, 14:35
So how come the traffic seems more congested? perhaps the population has increased dramatically?
Doris Farrugia
Nov 3rd 2011, 15:45
Good one!Makes sense!
A. Borg
Nov 3rd 2011, 14:35
Mhux bilfors jekk hawn minn kuljum ikollu jirkeb id-doppju ta dak li kien jirkeb qabel biex jasal fid-destinazzjoni tieghu!
matteo lamanna
Nov 3rd 2011, 14:32
Just a comment: at the Preluna Bus Stop waiting for any bus going to Valletta 10.10 , the first bus arrived(NOT)at 10,45 i was in Valletta at 11,30. Distance from the Preluna to Valletta 5 Km. circa.
Is this a record?
J Busuttil
Nov 3rd 2011, 14:30
At the moment of writing there are 50 comments on this blog if we had to have a Labour Government tomorrow it will be less by 75%. I am saying so as I know people who do not use buses and complain on TM Arriva blogs. By the way they vote Labour and three of them have posts here.
A. Borg
Nov 3rd 2011, 14:44
Jien ma tantx irkibt l-Arriva imma minhabba is-servizz medjokri li joffru kull filghodu qed nispicca imwahhal fi traffic ghax kull min ghandiu karrozza qed ikollu jaghmel uzu minnha biex jasal ix-xoghol fil-hin jew inkella jkollu jmur fuq stage minn ta l-inqas saghtejn qabel! Probabli li ma tkunx wiehed minnha f'xi 7am fit-triq tal-Barrani!
Deo Catania
Nov 3rd 2011, 14:45
So what? at least we're not lackies like yourself and many others.
Brian Gatt
Nov 3rd 2011, 14:58
So Mr Busutill,
Do you honestly agree with the figures? I am sure that the figures have increased but my eduacted guess would be that this happened because commuters have to use more then one bus to arrive at their destination hence a trip from A to B and back before a commuter would have to board only two buses now it would be a minimum of Four buses if not more.
This has nothing to do with PL and PN this is and insult to our intelligence !!!
Doris Farrugia
Nov 3rd 2011, 14:30
Of course there will be an increase.With the old system to go from A to B you used to take one bus and you know that you'll get to your destination at a certain and now thanks to some silly idiot to go from A to B you need 2 to 3 buses and sometimes more and the time taken is without comparison cause you don't know when you leave and much more when you arrive at the destination.
Francesca Abela
Nov 3rd 2011, 14:39
Well said Doris, this is all coming from the guy who said he would resign if the Divorce referendum passed - well it did and he didn't! Now he looks so desperate to hang on to his portofolio that it makes us wonder just WHY Gatt does not go away and do us all a favour after all the muck ups he has made with Arriva and TM!
David Bezzina
Nov 3rd 2011, 14:27
100 % SATISFIED CUSTOMERS I PRESUME !
Anthony Farrugia
Nov 3rd 2011, 14:24
Could it be that the ATP (remember them ?) and its owner/driver/members were siphoning off amd underdeclaring fares so as to increase the amount of subsidies they received from the taxpayer ?
R ferriggi
Nov 3rd 2011, 14:22
CAN THESE FIGURES BE VERIFIED BY SOME INDEPENDENT GROUP??
Charles Micallef
Nov 3rd 2011, 14:21
Is this some sort of excuse to provide a lousy service?
D Borg
Nov 3rd 2011, 14:21
LOL!
'...The number of people using the service is calculated using sensors placed in the doors of buses...'
So the potential commuters who due to
- the unreliability of the service,
- and more so of the even more unreliable lit up destinations scrolling at thr front of the buses,
- and the already obsolete signs on the buses' side
decided to step into the bus to verify with the driver where exactly he/she was going - only to then step out of the bus again - were counted in?!
Joseph E Briffa
Nov 3rd 2011, 15:06
" D Borg.....Your comment is really funny. Isn't it obvious that the number of people using Arriva has gone up substantially even allowing for the possibility that not all tickets sold were declared during the old system? Now think a bit: (1) people say that all buses now leave their departure point full up (2) most commuters say that buses are packed like sardines (3) people complain of long waits at bus stops in some areas as buses pass by without stopping and leave them stranded (4) before July, people did NOT complain about long waits at bus stops, about buses being full up, about buses packed like sardines. (5) before July there used to be some 350 buses on the road on any one day but their average capacity was only 40; . that makes a total capacity of 14 000, assuming they were full which doesn't seem to be the case; (6) Arriva buses have a capacity varying between 70 and 150, when full, which commuters say they are; and there are some 250 of them on the road everyday (280 less 10% out of service); that's a total capacity of over 22 000 (250 x av.90) as people say they are always packed (7) capacity is therefore more than half-as-much again as before July; (8) allowing for the possibility of undeclared tickets sold and one arrives at the figure of 27% increase in the number of commuters. Although there is an element of double counting, this was also the case before July. People used to change buse in Valletta or Bombi now they change buses at Poala or wherever.
Lina CARUANA
Nov 3rd 2011, 14:21
Suddenly everyone started checking on petty calculations as if the new transport system was promoted as a pesonalized taxi service.
jesmond zammit
Nov 3rd 2011, 14:20
and what about traffic?
C Demanuele
Nov 3rd 2011, 14:19
so am i counted as an individual?
in that case I count as 40 people as i get the bus on an average of 6 times a day. and if you take about 30% of the whole commuting people who are like me then my knowledge tells me that at the least the count is not right.
i believe it's not the number that counts but the people who use them. with my reasoning the commuters have decreased.
Charles J. Buttigieg
Nov 3rd 2011, 14:18
Comparisons to make any sense must be like with like.
VINCENT WILLIAMS
Nov 3rd 2011, 14:15
PN's administrations are good at playing with figures.
Years ago a government emplyee who in the 1960's used to work at the department of 'Labour and Emigration' told me that they used to change the statistical figures published by the department of those who were emigrating to various countries because of the lack of work in Malta between 1963 and 1967.
There are more examples of this type even in recent days.
V. Cauchi
Nov 3rd 2011, 14:12
This looks like a crass exercise in the wrong interpretation of statistics. We have always been told by a particular Minister to compare like with like, but today it looks like not being the case.
The Ministry is here comparing the number of people using sensors placed in the doors of buses (2011) with the number of tickets issued (2010). The 21% difference should certainly not be interpreted as an increase in "usage" by individual commuters on a one-trip basis but, if anything, on the extra-trip basis a commuter would have to do with the new system. Namely, an old one-ticket trip is now equivalent to 1.26 trips if exactly the same number of commuters used the service, not to mention anything about the time factor.
True to say that the Ministry only mentioned the euphemism "public transport usage" but in this age of double-speak I wonder what distorted effect was meant to reach public ears.
joe vella
Nov 3rd 2011, 14:10
very suspect figures, considering the huge complaints on the service given out
and judging by the heavy increase in traffic esp during rush hours, one cannot understand these statistics
but we have got used to doctored figures now, we get them every day- if arriva are using sensors to jot up the passengers, are the figures corrected to persons entering and exiting the bus and what about persons who enter the bus and leave again for one reason or another (eg overcrowding) are these counted too?
Mr Joe Micallef
Nov 3rd 2011, 14:08
To the many in defence of abuse - Dr, Debono included!
John Dee
Nov 3rd 2011, 14:06
Of course the figures for individual journeys are up - most people have to take two buses to get to their destination.
Peter Murray
Nov 3rd 2011, 14:01
According to Arriva's figures-therein lies the diemma...to believe or not to believe,that is the question?personally I wouldn't and trust Arriva as far as I could boot their management, which must run Air Malta's close in the incompetency and inefficiency race.I dare say!
Frans Aguis
Nov 3rd 2011, 13:49
HA!so has traffic.Was on a bus from valleta to bugiba at 9 pm.3ppl from VLT to Mosta.Used to be packed.Anyway do they adapt these figures to the growing population of 10-20 yr olds?
Mr Owen Grixti
Nov 3rd 2011, 13:48
Before a person had to catch a single bus to go from point A to point B, now the same person has to catch 3 busses for the same journey also double the time.
So these statistics, do not really count, it is better to count the number or complaints Arriva is receiving and more traffic jams, as people are using more their private car, because of this flop.
Joseph E Briffa
Nov 3rd 2011, 22:25
Owen....who has to catch three buses to get from A to B. Let us know and we will start using this route, the new buses are comfy, spacious, airconditioned and reasonably priced, particularly for pensioners. One can go around the whole of Malta twice over with a day ticket costing a measly 50 Euro cents
Mr Charles Falzon
Nov 3rd 2011, 13:48
Tkomplux tidhqu bina....Austin Gatt ghamel fjask shih u ghandu jpatti l konsegwenzi.
Mr Ernest Vella
Nov 3rd 2011, 13:44
Jiena nahseb li din hija r-realta...li iktar nies qed juzawha...u dan possibilment wassal ghal problemi...minhabba nuqqas ta' karrozzi tal-linja. Jekk din l-istatistika kienent tajba qabel, ghada tajba llum. Il-verita hi, li f'Malta kollox isir politika. Jiena nahseb, dan il-paroli fil-vojt kollu jinqata jekk l-Arriva ggib daqs 20 karrozza ohra!!!
Pia Attard
Nov 3rd 2011, 13:44
I must say, I gave the buses another chance this morning and was very pleasantly surprised.
Ramon Casha
Nov 3rd 2011, 13:42
The number of trips made has increased. However we know that on many routes, where one used to take one bus, now one may have to take two or even more.
So basically, an increase in trips means nothing. These figures could still mean that the number of people using public transport has decreased.
Ramon Mangion
Nov 3rd 2011, 13:34
and do we care ?
Kyle Boffa
Nov 3rd 2011, 13:31
cajt u dahq fil-wicc. fejn qabel wiehed seta' jaqbad karozza wahda, issa jrid jaqbad tnejn.. Allura dak jghoddu bhala tnejn?
Carmel Farrugia
Nov 3rd 2011, 13:58
This argument can also be used in the other way that before you needed two buses to get to certain places and now you need one e.g. Sliema to Naxxar, Sliema to Mosta etc so probably both sides will balance.
John Smith
Nov 3rd 2011, 14:14
Mr Farrugia, before there was the 65 bus from sliema to Rabat and which used to pass from San Gwann, Naxxar, Mosta and Ta' Qali. We have to catch more buses now than we did before.
Denise Mifsud
Nov 3rd 2011, 13:29
Ahjar iccekjaw jek il-passigieri kellomx il-karta anzjan ghax dawk in-nies l-iktar qed juzaw tal-linja. B'hekk zdied l-ammont ta passigieri ghax joqghodu jduru biha. Nies li jahdmu u hek ma juzawx tal-linja ghax jispiccaw jaslu tard.
Charles J. Buttigieg
Nov 3rd 2011, 13:27
During the days of the old buses, a passenger from Mellieha going to Mater Day Hospital was calculated as two ( going and coming) Moreover we don't know how reliable and honest the ticket count was.
The same passenger going on the same journey to day is calculated as six. A bus from the Village Core,a second bus from the Belle View Junction and a third bus from Mosta x 2.
Further comments are superfluous..
Albert Bezzina
Nov 3rd 2011, 13:24
The standards and accuracy of data collection with the current system cannot be equated to the standard of data collection during the function of the old transport system. The old system encouraged under recording of the actual number of commuters.
Case in point: Gozo. Does the Ministry believe that only an average of 1460 commuters a day (730 in one direction and 730 on the return trip) were carried by the Gozo buses? Or: 60 bus trips a day carrying 25 passengers at a time (30 bus trips in out bound trips and 30 bus trips for return trips. If there where close to 200 (one way) bus trips in Gozo every day, each bus carried about 7 passengers on each trip! If this does not indicate under recording in previous years....
The same could be said for the figures for the Island of Malta, but the under recording was likely more restrained.
The only way to compare whether commuter numbers are increasing is to compare the numbers from July 2011 onwards with those of next year.
Saviour Sam Agius
Nov 3rd 2011, 13:40
I was often not given a ticket in Gozo and asked to pay just before getting off. I was even asked to pay for a suitcase once, something unheard of in Malta. Of course passengers in Gozo were under reported.
I think a survey should be conducted to reveal whether there's been an actual increase in patronage.
Joe Camilleri
Nov 3rd 2011, 13:22
The use of sensors does not give thr right figures. Many people board the bus to ask for a particular destination and go back down. Even drivers go off the bus and back for various reasons. If so many people are using the public transport, wherefrom did the heavy traffic come? Aliens from space?
Btw, how can one trust an electronic system when it is known that all Arriva's electronic systems failed?
Mr Ernest Vella
Nov 3rd 2011, 13:46
Jekk is-sensors jaghtu kont hazin - dan jaghmluh dejjem u mhux meta jizdiedu l-figuri biss...mhux qed tinduna li gibt argument frivolu. Allura qieghed tghid li f'Awwissu telghu isaqsu, f'Settembru ma telghux u f'Ottubru regghu iccewcu n-nies....u hallina ha nghixu
Malcolm Mifsud
Nov 3rd 2011, 13:20
Yes, sure, whatever you say Transport Malta. Please note that this morning I boarded bus number 91 from Marsascala to Valletta. No windows were open, we were sealed like a Tupperware container on wheels up to Paola Square where I decided to leave the bus as it was impossible to get some fresh air circulating inside. The driver, besides being rude when I boarded because I gave him Eur10.50 for a weekly (Eur6.50) ticket (he insisted I give him the correct change when all he had to do was give me Eur4 change from his coins holder just underneath his nose), did not want to open the doors of the bus to allow me to leave because we were not on a bus stop. Once I left the bus I walked all the way to Blata l-Bajda and from there I continued my journey by bus to Valletta. During this long walk from Paola to Blata l-Bajda only one bus made its way, full up, towards Valletta. I was 21 minutes late at the office, had I stayed on the bus it would have taken me an eternity to make it to the office. Wake up, please, and stop coming up with more feeble attempts to try and win our confidence back.
Simon Oosterman
Nov 3rd 2011, 13:18
All this tells us is that the the transport usage for October last year was under reported by at least 28 percent and probably quite a bit more. Year on year comparisons are useless till August 2012. For the time being comparisons with the previous month, September 2011, would be of more interest.
Alfred Falzon
Nov 3rd 2011, 13:18
Calculating the number of passengers by the number of tickets sold was a more reliable method than the present count taken by sensors at the doors of buses. Passengers alighting the bus to ask the driver a question about the route and then discend from the bus are added to the number of passengers using arrive service. Just hand back to the people the 'Park and Ride' with the same conditions as before and watch the number of arriva passengers plunge.
Reuben Abela
Nov 3rd 2011, 13:16
this really does not mean anything....
this comparison is impossible to do since the routes have changed, not to mention the fact that these sensors don't necessarily work perfectly
Tony Borg
Nov 3rd 2011, 13:16
they are not taking into account two factors:
1) Day/week tickets sold under the old system are being taken as 1 ticket irrespective of the number of times the ticket is used
2) Multiple rides to get from point A to point B under the new system is counted as different journeys.
To the Transport Ministry....when in a hole stop digging
Mr Stanley Fenech
Nov 3rd 2011, 13:14
My comment was for the values between August and September...The slight increas in usage between September and August is still lower than that in August. So althought there was a slight increase it is a far cry. Not to mention that some October includes the period where students tend to use more the public transport.
A Cordina
Nov 3rd 2011, 13:13
I wonder what the statistics will show after that all localities will have a direct route to Valletta and Mater Dei!
Fenech MD
Nov 3rd 2011, 13:12
Mhux bil-fors, jekk biex tmur minn per ezempju Paola ghall-Hal Far (ETC) qabel kont taqbad in-numru 13 jigiefieri karozza tal-linja wahda u issa trid taqbad 2 karozzi tal-Arriva.
Din l-istatistika hija qarrieqa; kieku kienet vera, fil-ghodu biex immorru ghax-xoghol/skola, m'ahniex immorru bil-karozza privata taghna, ghax inkella naslu tard.
Tkomplux tghaddu lin-nies biz-zmien, irrispettaw l-intelligenza tieghu!
David Spiteri
Nov 3rd 2011, 13:11
i bet mela that with the previous bus system there where a lot un registered tickets!
Mr Stanley Fenech
Nov 3rd 2011, 13:11
Yes, but what is not being stated in this article is that there was a reduction of 488248 passengers in Malta and a further reduction of 32560 passengers in Gozo in just one month of service. That is a reduction of 14% in just one month. Keep on playing with numbers!!!
Noel Cutajar
Nov 3rd 2011, 13:09
Do Arriva count the fact that I have to take two buses to arrive at destination as 1 or 2 passengers as otherwise the figures will surely rise!!
Pia Attard
Nov 3rd 2011, 14:16
do you ever realise that many people had to do that before the service changed? Like anyone living in zebbug and working anywhere apart from qormi, valletta or hamrun?
Jeremy J Camilleri
Nov 3rd 2011, 13:09
What a load of hogwash!!
Of course usage is up. One now has to use two or more buses when previously, only one was needed!
G Vella
Nov 3rd 2011, 13:08
Using door sensors to count the number of people using the bus service seems a very odd and unreliable way of counting how many people have actually used Arriva services. Could this be validated against tickets sold so as to give some creedence to this figure?. Regarding the increase in the number of Gozo passengers, this would really be no surprise seeing that for decades there was effectively no bus service in most parts of Gozo.
Paul Camilleri
Nov 3rd 2011, 13:07
It would appear that the Gozitans were eager to use the buses, and now that Arriva is operating new routes, Gozitans have outrightly decided to use public transport instead of their private cars, to roam about. A 422% increase - it's incredible or someone must have taken a mistake when adding passengers.
Mr Ernest Vella
Nov 3rd 2011, 13:48
probabli kif qal Joe Camilleri...qaghdu jitilghu u jinzlu ghal xejn!!! lol
Mr Joseph Vella
Nov 3rd 2011, 13:04
Encouraging...as long as the number of stops hasn't increased
Tony Borg
Nov 3rd 2011, 13:04
Ha Ha Ha!!!!
Finally we got...they are comparing Apples with Bananas!!!
They are comparing people actually going on Arriva busses to tickets sold under the old system.
Hence they are not taking into account two factors:
1)
Dennis Zammit
Nov 3rd 2011, 13:03
Can anyone explain the Gozo drastic difference?
joseph saliba
Nov 3rd 2011, 13:01
We have already forgotten the old system. We are craving for a better service. Now there's Hope, a hardworking minister for transport and a willing company. How about our co-operation? Complaining, suggesting, protesting and pressing the minister are all part of it. But will his resignation beneficial?! Who can tell?
Simonide Rancati
Nov 3rd 2011, 13:00
If with the same ''day ticket'' I ride on 8 buses does that mean I count as 8 persons? And what about students who have a weekly/monthly ticket?
joseph saliba
Nov 3rd 2011, 13:30
With the 'old system' they counted the tickets sold. i.e. from X to Valletta and back I would have bought 2 tickets which means my count was 2. Now from X to Valletta my count is 1 and back my count is another 1 which equals two. The only difference is that I bought only one ticket but for statistics sake it is the same. If on that day I use the same ticket again I would be better off.
a. xuereb
Nov 3rd 2011, 13:31
good one...how stupid do they think they are.
j brincat
Nov 3rd 2011, 13:00
Stop this charade, for Pete's sake!
Whom are you trying to impress?. The whole population is against the current local transport mess or fiasco, call it what you like. Only the PN's die-hards would speak in its favour or those who NEVER use public transport.
(jb)
Mr John Borg
Nov 3rd 2011, 12:55
Didn't we already lash out at the Ministry for quoting such misleading statistics? I thought they would have learnt by now!
These figures do not make sense becuase:
1. Many commuters have to board multple busses and therefore you will be double and tripple counting.
2. Only God knows how many undeclared passengers (income) used to board under the previous system.
3. People are today being forced to use the bus system since parking options have shrunken since last year, park and ride is now at a cost, and Valletta is in a mess to enter by car!
Hence, one can almost argue usage actually fell not increased!!
a. xuereb
Nov 3rd 2011, 12:53
so the ministry have started pressing the panic button.