Updated: Bus skids - passenger seriously hurt
Video - David Pullicino - mynews@timesofmalta.com
The Coast Road was closed for some time this morning and a traffic jam built up after a bus crashed into a centre strip and a Fiesta car after an apparent skid.
The incident happened at about 6.30 a.m.
The police said that a 56-year-old woman from San Gwann who was on the bus was seriously injured. Another passenger, a 22-year-old Italian man, and the bus driver, a 46-year-old woman from Qormi, were treated for slight injuries.
Advert
Popular Stories
Old buses, drivers to return
Former Judge Ray Pace found dead
Updated: Minister apologises for...
Three new Nationalist MPs elected –...
Where’s Everybody staff is given notice
Updated - Director of Prisons submits...
Update 3 - Woman trapped as car crashes...
Revealed...the face of a Maltese woman...
PL reacts as PN labels Franco Debono's...
In Discussion
Old buses, drivers to return
Updated: Minister apologises for...
PL reacts as PN labels Franco Debono's...
Updated - Director of Prisons submits...
Enemalta seeking minimum five year gas...
Protected birds shot and trapped as...
Mario de Marco, Zammit Dimech concede,...
PN postpones salaries as financial...
Updated - PM's offer to Opposition MPs...
Advert
160 Comments
Post comment
Please sign in or create your Account to post comments.
paul camilleri
Aug 15th 2012, 11:39
it seems that everyone has it in for Arriva , true maybe its still hasnt come to grips with our systems but then no one said comming to grips with Maltese mentality is going to be easy.
whats all this talk about insurance of passengers??? in the old buses passengers were not insured not even on air malta are passengers insured so why the empty talk on insurance for Arriva passengers!! as for old bus crashes, maltese mentality is very short. i can mention a few from the top of my head , runaway bus in sliema ferry drags a number of cars before comming to a stop. bus jumps pavement and plunges in sliema. us has headon colition in Marsa and many many more so please for heavens sake dont make the old bus drivers as perfect drivers.
Unfortunatly accidents do happen and Arriva accidents seem to attract more attention. but in all reality although the driver is responsable for s situation that the bus is in can we honestly say it is the drivers fault? or are the drivers being streesed to cope with unreachable number of stops during his/her shift. have these drivers been driving large viehcles for a number of years before being granted a bus licence? are bus drivers actually resting between shifts??? do bus drivers have adequate time to eat and check the bus before taking it over from the other driver?
These questions we should be asking and not stupid asumptions and finger pointing at the driver, the driver may be at fault bu what is the cause?? this i ask Transport Malta because at the end of the day they are responsable for issuing driving licences and schedules to Arriva to forefill.
please someone give me a sensible reply
Steven Smith
Aug 15th 2012, 08:48
of course they could always bring in better qualified drivers from abroad, but then you would be moaning that they come over and took your jobs...its a no win situation, people will always moan !
mark borg
Aug 14th 2012, 20:19
lol..has any insurance company come up with the idea of selling life insurance packages for commuters using Arriva regulary ?
mark borg
Aug 14th 2012, 20:10
PUBLIC ENEMY !
mark borg
Aug 14th 2012, 20:07
another bendy this evening , bumped into another arriva bus, blocking the road out of valletta bus terminus.
David Pullicino
Aug 14th 2012, 19:53
128 comments on an Arriva bus accident !! This 'blog' is revealing !! It appears only a couple of people who posted comments appeared to have been at the crash scene soon after it happened and reported a wet and slippery road as probably being a contributory factor to the accident. The dynamics of the accident are however not yet known so even those could be wrong too.
What amazes me however is how so many others felt justified in building scenarios of their own irrespective of what actually happened. Conclusion - We must have many more traffic experts or story tellers on the Island than we are aware of !!
marit pedersen
Aug 14th 2012, 22:57
I think you will find they are story tellers David, making up anti Arriva rhetoric as they go along,poor souls, and then they wonder why no one takes any notice of what they have to say.
Thomas Rubicon
Aug 15th 2012, 07:54
@ David Pullicino
"We must have many more traffic experts or story tellers on the Island than we are aware of !!"
You don't have to taste a dish to tell what it is ... you can tell blindfold by smelling it..... and ARRIVA Malta Ltd. stinks!
So I don't blame the many contributors, who have suffered since Arriva Malta Ltd. took over, to come to their own conclusions.
Who can blame them with the reckless, speeding, inexperienced new drivers Arriva has engaged.
Everyone knows that many roads in Malta are dangerous, therefore they need to drive more carefully as they have the safety of passengers on board.
Philip Pace
Aug 14th 2012, 19:49
Now here is the million dollars question between the two contestants. In one corner Arriva and the other corner Transport Malta.
The question is?
Who shall pay the injured person for all that she succumbed to?
Another question:-
What about the other two passengers?
Final question:-
Are the communtors INSURED?
If none can answered, I think or no urge one of our 6 MEP should take this and do something about in Brussels.
Mrs diana cottis
Aug 14th 2012, 19:37
If the old buses were back again tomorrow there would be just as many letters of complaint for them. How quickly people forget what they were really like. They broke down (I know as I was on board several that did and plenty that didn't seem as if they would make it to their destination). They had accidents and were frequently patched up. I was never sure of their "timetable". In summer the heat baked up off the metal floors and in winter it rained inside them. Bugibba to Valletta could be a leisurely hour and a half or a white knuckle 25 minutes but you were guaranteed to arrive with neck pain and smelling of diesel. Arriva may not be perfect but neither were the old buses.
Steven Smith
Aug 14th 2012, 21:59
wow, someone who has not forgotten the old system and drivers !, i have a theory that most people who complain at every opportunity about arriva are the old bus drivers and their families trying to bring down the system !m so they can bring back the old wrecks out of storage and inflict the old ways back on the public :)
George Azzopardi
Aug 15th 2012, 13:47
And this is what makes me so angry!!! The worst thing about the old public transport was not air conditioning and/or nice buses but their arrogant and bad mannered drivers. We had gone rock bottom with our old system because of this and so improvement in this respect should have been the easiest part!!
But here we are still, with even more arrogant bus drivers when seen from the road!!! I'm sure that improvement was made in drivers/clients relationship (although I've never been on one yet myself) but as regards their driving this is much worse that those of the old buses. Bus accident statistics speak for themselves!!!
As I said earlier, achieving better results compared with the old system should have been fairly easy when you take in consideration that with the old system we had gone rock bottom. Measuring the success has to be made by measuring how more, people are using the buses and by how much normal car traffic has decreased or else if it has evenmore increased since the new Arriva came about!
B Agius
Aug 14th 2012, 19:15
One simple question - why does the arriva buses have so many accidents compared to the old buses? Has arriva done a study to analyze this? If yes, the public should be informed what were the results. As a commuter I have every interest to see arriva succeed in its service. Unfortunately, though, there is still a lot of work to be done. Smaller buses is top priority in my modest opinion.
Tommy cUNINGHAM
Aug 14th 2012, 19:21
Could be that Arriva is doing a lot more kms daily on the roads and more hours as well then the old buses used to do.
Eddy Privitera
Aug 14th 2012, 20:03
I guess you have a point there. Agree.
mark borg
Aug 14th 2012, 20:22
@ Tommy cunningham
hallina f sena fuq elf u seba mitt incident !!!!! lanqas nghidlek il buses kollha ta l-america ma jahbtu daqshekk f sena ...nghamillek imhatra.
Tommy cUNINGHAM
Aug 14th 2012, 18:43
First of all to all for you guys that keep saying that Arriva Bus drivers drive as we say in maltese(gas down) everywhere especially on the coast road as someone said earlier that the coast road is Arriva's race track,just to let you know being a bendy bus driver myself and also a 12 and 9 meter bus driver,no 12 or 9 meter Arriva buses can go faster then 60 km/h anywhere as they are all restricted to go only at 60 km/h. So please before you post any silly comments know your facts. To let you know also Bendy buses are restricted to 80 km/h because they are heavier and need more power that is. You can imagine the frustration a bus driver feels when you get someone doing like 20-30 km/s say on the coast road or anywhere else pressing on the gas to overtake him where is possible and all of a sudden the speedo locks at 60 km/h.Impossible. So please I am not saying that we are all expert drivers but before you critisise us more for everything that goes wrong on our roads know your facts more. Instead of critising us and asking us who gave us the licence ask yourselves who gave you the licence to not give priority to buses ,to not giving a hoot about overtaking a bus coming out of a bus stop with it's indicator on, for not giving way on roundabouts to buses on their right of way. Instead of criticising us try and make our jobs a bit easier by not parking on bus stops to go and by pastizzi or milk and bread and not double park everywhere especially on busy roads. One last remark for someone who said that the buses are too big for our roads that's why they have accidents all the time ,have you noticed that the bus in the picture that had the accident is only a 9 meter bus and that buses or trucks that are long based that have the engine at the back skid a lot more then small cars do,no matter how fast you are going whether it's 20 or 60 km/h.
Carmel De Gabriele
Aug 14th 2012, 19:48
One thing you didn't mention: DID YOU NOTICE THAT MOST OF THE ARRIVA BUSES TIRES ARE WORN OUT . Only the first lot were NEW BUSES, the rest are 2nd if not 3rd hand buses, when arriva promised that they were New.
Tony Camilleri
Aug 14th 2012, 23:27
Iddahhaqnix Tommy. Jiena kont ghaddej ezatt taht 80 km u wahda ta' l-arriva mhux biss qabzitni imma wara ftit lanqas biss rajtha. U dan ma kienx darba taf, bhal ma kienx darba li jibqghu hergin f'kantunieri u fuq traffic lights ahmar. Kellhom bzonn jaghmlu cameras mat-traffic lights halli tkun taf kemm jibqghu hergin Tommy. Mhxu qed nghid li sewwieqa ohra ma jabbuzawx ukoll imma li jkollok karozza tal-linja tabbuza huwa hafna iktar perikoluz.
Steven Smith
Aug 14th 2012, 18:40
it is amazing as soon as a bus crashes there are loads of comments, but when a car crashes not so many ! and i saw 4 CAR accidents today .
Tony Camilleri
Aug 14th 2012, 23:28
Steven Smith compare the number of buses and the number of cars and then see whether bus "accidents" are a higher percentage than cars.
Steven Smith
Aug 15th 2012, 08:41
the fact remains is that the common factor is that 99% of car and bus drivers are Maltese, born without the patience to drive safely !
brian compton
Aug 14th 2012, 18:38
i am sorry its not just Arriva bus drivers that are at fault ITS EVERY ONE WHO DRIVES ...as a non driver and a passenger on buses in cars and in a van i have seen it all speeding no indication crossing all three lanes just to get to the exit jumping red lights the list could go on on and on and to what what some said in an earlier post (go back to the old buses) some may have been in good condition but most were not holes in the floors seats that were ripped and i really doubt they would pass a VRT .... we have Arriva so that it yes they need too look at the time table but we have got them for 10 years or so so get use to it ....
Joseph Sammut
Aug 14th 2012, 18:01
These same people posting below who are crying foul about Arriva are probably the same people who killed the old buses with their comments.
Victor Calleja
Aug 14th 2012, 18:01
One less bus from the fleet. More waiting time on bus stops.
Charles Sammut
Aug 14th 2012, 18:00
I together with many other passengers have complained many times to ARRIVA about the way most of the drivers speed and turn corners so fast..I have sent six emails regarding the speeding and also the delay of route 225...
...and the beat goes on...and the beat goes on.....
laurent caruana
Aug 14th 2012, 19:26
and your moaning goes on goes on goes on!!!!
mark borg
Aug 14th 2012, 20:08
@laurent caruana
biex qed tiskanta ? you are moaning after labour's 16 yrs governing malta...25 yrs after....u jhekk alla jrid daqt narawk tibda moaning yourself...u ghall kull haga ta xejn.
Rosalie Freestone Bayes
Aug 14th 2012, 20:11
Trid tambur iehor ? ghax dan dejjem l-istess hoss hi.
James Dewar
Aug 14th 2012, 17:58
The phrase enough is enough must surely be appropriate here. Much has been said but the situation is really serious and despite tinkering and making some improvements the Arriva thing is simply not working as intended and for many reasons it probably never will. What state are the buses going to be in towards the end of the 10 year contract if not many years before the end of the contract given their current rapidly deteriorating condition? How many crashes and injuries must be sustained before action is taken or will it take a multi fatal crash to focus the minds of those who are ultimately responsible? I simply can not envisage a passenger carrier in the UK being permitted to run their business in such a way incurring such a high crash frequency without the intervention of the Transport Authority. Did Arriva ever set up dedicated and proper service /maintenance / repair / cleaning facilities for their vehicles? Current fleet state would suggest not and begs the question...,are their maintenance procedures being properly monitored? I am sure that they may consider a tactical withdrawal from Malta as it has gone so badly wrong from the start and continues to do so. Is someone going to ask them before it's too late?
Gary Jameson
Aug 14th 2012, 19:21
James,
Arriva applied for a permit to build a dedicated bus depot a month or so before they started operating last year. It got turned down so they must be doing all of the servicing and repair at existing facilities. Which would explain why year old buses already look wrecked.
As for withdrawal from Malta, they should go as I think the current state of affairs is here to stay in terms of overall standard of service.
I think that if Arriva were perfectly honest with themselves and the public, they would admit it was a disaster from the start for many reasons (some outside of their control) and walk away after a managed handover to a new operator. If they don't go, the state of the system in a few years time will be so bad that it will give them a serious image problem pretty much everywhere and not just in Malta.
Steven Smith
Aug 14th 2012, 22:24
and you think another operator will fare any better?
James Dewar
Aug 15th 2012, 12:44
@ Steven Smith: Hopefully !
Victor Pulis
Aug 14th 2012, 17:53
Arriva route buses were involved in 1,294 accidents between the beginning of July last year and the end of April this year, Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi told Noel Farrugia (PL) in reply to a parliamentary question.
That's an average of 4 accidents a day!
Can we have an update please of the number of accidents between April and August?
Edmond Micallef
Aug 14th 2012, 17:43
With this Arriva debacle going on and on, it is a true case of how better off were we when we were much worst (excuse the word by word translation from Maltese).
Vince Farrugia
Aug 14th 2012, 17:41
Recently I've been driving through one of the tunnels that leads to PV, an arriva bendy bus was driving on the right lane of the tunnel and as far as I know it's not permitted to overdrive lanes through tunnels but the ignorant driver of the arrival made a signal to the right lane ( surprisingly ) and crossed to the left lane abruptly. These are supposed to be the new generation of public transport service with well educated drivers, its the biggest joke of the century.
Mr Anthony Zarb
Aug 14th 2012, 17:37
get rid of all the bendy buses, use where possible double deckers (better high and narrow buses than long and low ones) and cut the speed. I haven't seen one bus that does not bear the marks of some accident....scratches and dents that is.
Lawrence Fenech
Aug 14th 2012, 17:33
"Zul minn ghax gej jien" u dan ghadu is-sajf mela x'gej fix-xita tax xitwa. L-ewwel jitfa' fuqek ikollok tieqaf u fil pront jerga imur f'postu.
Gordon Cook
Aug 14th 2012, 17:21
@ A.f Ellul
Today, 14:31
I continue with you, the old busses were better than these new (used) Arriva busses.Scrap these and start with the old busses.
Do you mean the buses that had drivers smoking and using mobile phones and that bullied anyone that dared try to regulate them? Oh yes, let's go back to the good old days - NOT
D Vella
Aug 14th 2012, 16:59
Hmm . . . roads as dry as a bone . . . no mention of oil or diesel spills . . . wide tyres and an extremely heavy vehicle . . . what on earth was that driver doing to cause a bus to skid???
Joseph John Camilleri
Aug 14th 2012, 17:30
As far as I know the midday news reported that the bus skidded on some oil, and we all know that debris and oil/diesel spills are not missing from our roads.
James Dewar
Aug 14th 2012, 17:42
Heaven only knows. Let's hope that he / she is immediately suspended from driving passenger carrying vehicles until the outcome of a full enquiry and depending upon the findings maybe he / she should be looking for alternative emplyment.
Ramon Mangion
Aug 14th 2012, 16:48
ok bdejna bit-teoriji issoltu l-konsulenti ta timesofmalta.com.... araw naqra il-kelma "skidsss"... jista jkun li tires mhux tajbin ???? imbasta nparlaw..
Philip Pryce
Aug 14th 2012, 16:35
Someone I know was suspended by Arriva because he couldn't drive a bendy bus from the airport to the Marsa P & R in 8 minutes. I don't think I could do it safely in a car. These drivers are under extreme pressure to drive fast.
Anthony A. Mifsud
Aug 14th 2012, 16:51
I concur, and when some one get killed who would hand in the noose?
Arriva need sto go back to the Drawing Board
recap and start from fresh
Ninu
James Dewar
Aug 14th 2012, 17:45
Yes I've suggested that before. Arriva are probably putting too much pressure on drivers (some of them probably lacking proper training and experience) to keep to unrealistic schedules.
James Dewar
Aug 14th 2012, 18:06
@ Anthony Mifsud: Anthony I agree that the drawing board should be re-visited but I don't agree that it should be an Arriva architect holding the pencil. They have had a fair chance to come up with what they promised and by most accounts appear to have failed. Perhaps time for some other organisation to pick up the salvageable parts and kick start the process. I still can't comprehend why the whole thing could not have continued in Maltese hands. Bringing in an only for profit UK (German) global player was not a good idea given the unique requirements of the Maltese transport system and the well established operation that they were replacing. I see the current regime going from bad to worse.
Steven Smith
Aug 14th 2012, 20:13
i would say that is total rubbish, he more then likely got suspended for something else !
James Dewar
Aug 14th 2012, 23:06
Maybe he got suspended for trying to do the journey in only 8 minutes!!
Josianne Catania
Aug 14th 2012, 16:12
The Arriva drivers are driving the buses like they are alone in the streets.I stop when I see one coming towards me.
George Azzopardi
Aug 14th 2012, 15:48
Someone needs to take some form of action to protect us against these dangerous drivers and buses!!!!!
Now we wait for some tragic and fatal accident to happen and then someone would take action!!!!
Robert Mifsud
Aug 14th 2012, 16:08
This IS tragic enough! All eyes on the major Parties are on the elections and not on running the country.
Bad luck for them both, because these things will be remembered at the ballot box.
Joe Smith
Aug 14th 2012, 15:46
Outrageous to see buses speeding everywhere especially when they see a small car trying to bypass them. They simply corner you and you either have to back off or crash into them!!!
I just saw a bus (reg.No. BUS076) which simply cornered into a a smaller car and almost hitting it if it were not for the small car backing away very abruptly. This was at 13th December street direction to Valletta today at around 12.25pm!!!
Joanna Mifsud
Aug 14th 2012, 16:35
I AM STARTING TO BELIEVE THAT I PREFER THE OLD BUSES!
Lawrence Fenech
Aug 14th 2012, 17:37
@Joanna.
For righteous sake " the previous buses" most people have made it a habit to call them old buses. Most of them had been modernized and were the pride and joy of their owners.
laurent caruana
Aug 14th 2012, 19:29
So who was driving the bus?
keith chetcuti
Aug 14th 2012, 15:42
arriva= karnival u mhux jehel il ministru jehlu il kumpanijaa ariva fumpanija tal misthija xufiera f gurnata intuwhom li special u halluna u idahkuniex il flotta kollha tal ariiva kaput kollu qishom gejjin min xi gwerra kollha infarkin aqbdu u tkomplux idahku niex u ibdew fawawlhom il multi
Nicholas Grech
Aug 14th 2012, 15:39
Surprise Surprise another Arriva bus involved in another accident.
CHARLES MUSCAT
Aug 14th 2012, 15:37
Drivers going downhill often have to drive over big gushes of water streaming down from an adjacent residence. This has been going on for years and it seems that all the humpties and all the king's men that drive through, conveniently turn a blind eye. Is it possible that it never occurred to anyone that water drifting down a sloping road in noticeable quantity, could present a health hazard?
Kurt Vella
Aug 14th 2012, 15:26
the best thing is that as the Hon Minister Austin Gatt shouted ' zmien il-fares spicca'
Dr Alex Bugeja
Aug 14th 2012, 15:19
Is it just me or do these new buses/drivers seem to be much more accident prone than the old ones?
Eravamo meglio quand'eravamo peggio!
James Dewar
Aug 14th 2012, 18:08
Methinks so!
Mr Peter Barbara
Aug 14th 2012, 15:16
70 comments on this article up to 15.15....says it all...will not even start reading them
George Reeves
Aug 14th 2012, 15:10
Like any other mechanical object buses will not go or do anything by themselves, it's only when you put the HUMAN factor into it, that it become's alive and dangerous just like a Gun, and it's the human factor that causes all the problems not the object, the bus will only go as FAST or SLOW as the driver makes it, so don't blame the bus blame the person behind the wheel. And as for blaming FOREIGN DRIVERS, I've passed a coach test in the UK and it's not just a matter of let's see how you can drive, then we'll just put you for your test and hope you pass, you very rarely see a learner bus driver on the road but we keep on hearing how many drivers are supposed to be leaving Arriva due to poor working conditions and pay.
Chris Tanti
Aug 14th 2012, 14:53
Whilst waiting (more than I should) at the Valletta terminus, I spend my time observing the condition of the new buses....most of them full of scratches, dents etc etc. A year after the reform, Arriva has not really settled the problems that plagued their service from Day 1. Drivers on long routes are forced to speed to arrive on time and this is surely one reason why we're having all these accidents, some of which have serious repercussions.
It probably makes sense to rethink the whole system and relaunch it...
Lawrence Fenech
Aug 14th 2012, 17:42
@Chris.
You are dead right. Had the reform been done to the minister we would not be in this transport mess today.
Christopher Ellul
Aug 14th 2012, 14:34
Better the devil we knew.....bring back the old orange buses.....at least they were smaller.....these new arriva buses, i still have to see one without a dent
Alexander Pace Gouder.
Aug 14th 2012, 14:19
@ Eddy Privitera - Yes POSITIVE ITS IS THE TIME TABLE and arriva know this surely.- EXPLAIN TO ME HOW THESE DRIVERS OR ANY DRIVER IN MALTA CAN KEEP TO A TIMETABLE.
Eddie Vella
Aug 14th 2012, 14:16
Everyone is saying that there was a diesel spill!!!!! If so the driver was really unlucky to be the first to pass on it? and secondly through my expierience as a bus driver , a bus that big won't skid unless it was going fast and the driver is not capable to handle it (no expierience) I've been driving over 20 years and never had my bus or coach skidding rain ,diesel, and what so ever, the only expierience I had was that coming down a step road brakes went and i managed to put the coach in 2nd gear and warned passingers that I might need to put the emergency brakes So in my opinion these are all stories made up
J Micallef
Aug 14th 2012, 14:16
And what about the ever so frequent breakdown of these 'new' buses. I almost see one every day, hazard lights on, mechanics fiddling around it...
We were is such a dire need for a revamp of the public transport, but overall I sometimes doubt how much better off we really are.
Not to mention that I am not at all happy with their driving. I've already commented abour 'new' bus drivers who do not honour stop signs, and others who drive at excessive speed. This is not the kind of improvement we needed nor wanted.
...by the way, it still takes me ages to get from Fgura to Mosta, whatever the day of the week!
Franco Abela
Aug 14th 2012, 14:09
"passenger seriously hurt"
A COMMENT FROM ARRIVA MANAGEMENT A FEW DAYS AGO....
"We want to give Maltese passengers NOT ONLY SAFE TRAVEL, comfort and convenience but also security on the bus ..."
YOU MAY WANT... BUT YOU ARE NOT!!!
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20120810/local/arriva-introducing-more-service-managers-enhanced-ticket-security.432317
M Zammit
Aug 14th 2012, 16:19
Just a few weeks ago i was traveling on a bus, the driver was not looking at the road -when suddenly he finally noticed he was driving into a parked car,he slammed onto his break! i was well seated ,and ended up flying off my seat onto the other side,an older woman also few off her seat and hit her face. . the driver didnt even offer an apology! --- they also ignore stop signs so often,just yesterday while driving a driver totally ignored a stop sign in Savoy sliema and i had to slam on my breaks not to crash into him head on... we are not safe in them or outside them..on there defense i have a few wild stories of the old service , but now we should be expected better security!
j brincat
Aug 14th 2012, 14:07
@Andrew Vassallo
"
*genius"
How petty one can be just to show off!
(jb)
Jowey Brownie
Aug 14th 2012, 14:01
This could be true and sometimes I saw it before my eyes , especially with some of pre-Arriva bus drivers, but please don't judge this particular case unless you know the facts or you were there at the time of accident
Alexander Pace Gouder.
Aug 14th 2012, 13:57
@ Bernard Manducca - An oil patch or not. One thing I can say - Yes the speed that Arriva Buses are driving at especially on the Coast Road is incredable. This I have witnessed myself almost daily. - You think its a Jet and not a bus and in turning you think the bandybuses are going to overturn. You know the reason why they drive at such a high speed.As stated by some drivers to me by themselves. Quote" due to traffic jams and ticketing sometimes being the first buses in the morning and passengers have to get their tickets we fall quite back in our schedule as per time table and we try to make up the lost time by driving fast as soon as we find a clear road." Quite a Dangerous Practice and this I have stated on various comments I made in this website. Surely this is not the way to solve this timetable problem.
cesco di luigi
Aug 14th 2012, 13:56
May I suggest that Transport Malta organises a course forArriva customers... A crash course that is>
Adrian Schembri
Aug 14th 2012, 13:50
Forsi f'dan il-kaz mhux tort tad-driver imma nisfida lil xi hadd biex isib tal-linja wahda minghajr daqqiet.
Jeremy Gambin
Aug 14th 2012, 13:47
I am usually one that criticises the buses & drivers, but I was on the spot a few minutes later and a witness assured me that the bus was not driven fast ; The road is really slippery with the dew - one cannot walk on it -I tried it myself ; so i suppose something should be done about our slippery roads and I expect a bus to cope with slippery roads especially when the road is straight .
cesco di luigi
Aug 14th 2012, 16:04
Jeremy
Dew is something encountered by ALL drivers not just bus drivers...how the driver copes with it is another matter. I am sure it's not easy to manage one of these monsters on a curve and slippery road...but then we already heard how fast the licences for bus drivers were issued...and by the way how many more accidents were there this morning on this rather long stretch of slippery road?
Charles Vella
Aug 14th 2012, 13:47
Use Arriva for a safer ride - The government should sue Arriva for bringing these sub-standard busses, which where scrapped from the UK fleet!!
These busses are no good, and Arriva should be held responsable!! However, one question... How come Arriva, who really have a bad reputation in the UK and Ireland won the tender to operate the bus service in Malta?!?!?!?!?
Mr Ernest Vella
Aug 14th 2012, 13:43
Kemm ahna poplu tac-cajt...skiddjat u daqshekk...x'qed tissugerixxu...li jitkeccew il-haddiema...kieku noqghodu bil-GWU
paul camilleri
Aug 14th 2012, 12:55
@ Mr Mizzi
sir re your letter yes i did understand your letter you are asking Arriva if they are putting presure on its drivers, i should think they do to a certain extent however the presures on arriva are mostly comming from Transport Malta by imposing ridiculous time schedules and time limitations put on drivers and or how a service is to be run which ultimatly also puts pressures on the drivers.
there is no pressure on administations they do their job good or bad, and it all boils down on the drivers shoulders and they get abused because unfortunatly they are in the lime light of everything.
Eddy Privitera
Aug 14th 2012, 11:50
I have already commented in the past, on the irresponsible way some drivers drive. They seem to be taking part in a Bus Race ! I wonder of this is the result of having to keep with a time-table ,
Bernard Manduca
Aug 14th 2012, 12:30
Oh come on. It could simply be an oil patch and anybody would skid on thet. Your 100% contradiction and cynicism regarding anything you perceive as government is costing you your credibility.
paul camilleri
Aug 14th 2012, 13:00
sir i wonder have you ever driven anything larger than perhaps a hotwheels toy car? because the way you talk you make it sound impossible for a bus to skid of a wet or damp road? just because it is big doesnt mean that the driver was reckless and irresponsible. have you never heard or an airplane skidding off the runway??? does this make the pilot reckless and irresposible or having an aircraft race!!?
oh by hte way if you do happen to be driving a real car make sure that when your driving downhill you drive in gear and not rollercoasting it all the way down to save a few cents worth of petrol!!!!
Matthew Borg
Aug 14th 2012, 13:39
@Bernard Manduca
Eddy Privitera has long lost credibility in many peoples eyes.
Joseph Arpa
Aug 14th 2012, 13:55
@ Bernard
Politics aside Bernard, I have to agree with Eddie here. I use the bus 3 to 4 days a week and the number of drivers that I come across who drive gas down is increasing. When Arriva took over in the begining it wasn't so but (and of course not all drivers do this) nowadays there seems to be more drivers slamming on the gas, and the way they turn around roundabouts (example the one just outside Mater Dei) is sickening.
Franco Abela
Aug 14th 2012, 14:10
@ BERNARD....
I have never skidded on oil (fingers crossed) but it seems that Arriva busses skid every day!
ALFRED BRIFFA
Aug 14th 2012, 14:32
Last Sunday, the Civil Protection personnel had the task to cover an oil slick with sand for more than a kilometer distance. This happened in Marsascala starting from BOV branch to as far as triq is-salini. These things happen unfortunately. It seems you were the ever lucky moaner who never lived skidding on an oily patch! Good luck to you, Mr Privitera! and by the way, GonziPN has nothing to do with, this time!!!
JJ Agius
Aug 14th 2012, 14:41
@Bernard Manduca. Mr Priviter only see from his political point of view. But he is right.Drivers are getting worse than those of the old Busses.Look how they Drive the bendys along Tower Rd.Look how they stop traffic not going in their Bays.They are allways full so doing a good profit.So they can improve & teach their drivers(not all but many) better.
J.J.Agius
George Reeves
Aug 14th 2012, 14:43
Eddy, I agree with you whole heartedly. I travel on the No 12 bus quite often, and a number of times I've expressed my concern's for the safety of the passengers to the driver's, not all, as the majority are very good, but pardon my expression, " MY GOD " there are some terrible one's also, you would think that they hadn't even passed a car test let alone a bus test, Some of them drive as if it is there own car and don't need to think about all the passengers right behind them, showing no consideration for all the passengers having to stand and who are trying to make there way to the front of the bus to alight at the next stop. So look's like we're back to the BAD OLD DAY's for driving skill's.
laurent caruana
Aug 14th 2012, 19:31
@ Franco Abela
Good luck to you. I can assure you it's not a nice sensation!
Eddy Privitera
Aug 14th 2012, 20:12
Both Bernard and Paul: You have misunderstood my comment, I was not commenting about the skid- I skid twice many years ago and was driving rather slowly. My comment was about he way some drivers drive at excessive speed. If you use public transport, surely you must have come across such drivers.
N Cutajar
Aug 14th 2012, 11:48
This is such a farce, arriva is such a farce.
Last Saturday on my way to ghadira: two buses where blocking the already very much clustered roads because of a) an accident, b) a technical fault. Yesterday whilst waiting for the bus no° 24 at Valletta we were informed that the 2.15pm bus would not come as it was involved in an accident, thus we had to wait for an hour for the following one. And this is only what I personally experienced over the past two days.
Drivers are careless, exceed the speed limits, driving as they please no wonder all these accidents are happening.
Well done arriva! No really well done, not only are you ignoring our complaints and comments but you seem to be having fun too.
Darby Allen
Aug 14th 2012, 14:30
Why do you assume that Arriva drivers are responsible for any "accidents" that they are involved in?
You wrote "Drivers are careless, exceed the speed limits, driving as they please ...", and you are right; but ALL Maltese drive like that, not only Arriva staff.
A.f Ellul
Aug 14th 2012, 14:31
I continue with you, the old busses were better than these new (used) Arriva busses.Scrap these and start with the old busses.
B. Storace
Aug 14th 2012, 11:09
At least the possibility for drivers caught up behind this accident to make a U-turn exists. While the new upgraded, embellished, 'highway' leading to and from Cirkewwa will be hell on earth for all drivers caught in the traffic flow when an accident occurs.....we shall see how the police, wardens and Transport Malta will cope with such situations. Would it be possible to claim compensation for loss of work should this happen, I wonder?
Mr John Borg
Aug 14th 2012, 14:56
Amen
John Azzopoardi
Aug 14th 2012, 11:05
Of course. There is is only one lane now isn't it. Thanks to the genious who invented these type of roads.
Andrew Vassallo
Aug 14th 2012, 12:04
*genius
Joseph Arpa
Aug 14th 2012, 14:01
@ John Azzopardi
You are so so right, I cannot understand who at TM permits these one lane roads and extra large pavements and with less parking spaces to be built, who permits zebra crossings on the left when drivers have to look on the right for oncoming traffic (example in front of Mosta Dome), who designs pavements in residential areas with garage ramps slanting for the whole lenght of the pavement (ever tried pushing a pushchair on these pavements) etc etc.
B. Storace
Aug 14th 2012, 11:02
Due to an abundance of dew on the road and most probably over speeding...........
J Micallef
Aug 14th 2012, 14:10
Pretty much sums it up...only that dew was there for everyone so driver error/misjudgement probably played big part in it.
Joseph N. Attard
Aug 14th 2012, 11:00
A heavy bus skidding? Unless there was diesel or gravel on the road, that is a very difficult thing to achieve under normal driving conditions. Abnormal driving conditions may be worn tyres, mechanical fault due to lack of regular maintenance, inept of bad or inexperienced driving, etc. Naturally, I am not saying that any of these apply to the incident in question.
James Dewar
Aug 14th 2012, 11:00
Sometimes uncivil scruffy drivers who knew the roads and could competently handle their (properly sized) vehicles and reach their destinations in time or smartly dressed, forced to be polite tie wearing drivers who have had a "crash course" in driving passenger carrying vehicles that are too big for Maltese roads? Take your pick, I know what I would prefer and the statistics must now be agreeing with me!
James Camilleri
Aug 14th 2012, 13:19
One couldn't have said it better Mr Dewar. Agree 100% but then we have the pro-Arriva brigade (the Frannies and Cassars who do not see further than the tip of their noses) who come out to defend was is not defensible.
andreana attard
Aug 14th 2012, 10:31
I love Arriva but I honestly think that it is now a risk riding on a bus. I would humbly ask Arriva to study the situation of accidents and see whether the drivers having most accidents correlates to lack of driving experience. I think it is fair for passengers to expect Arriva to carry out an internal investigation on why so many accidents are happening. Overall however, I think Arriva are providing a better service than the one we had before and i think people are too hasty to slam them when they get a chance.
Jimmy Magro
Aug 14th 2012, 10:01
Arriva must publish the following data on its public website on a daily basis:
1. number of accidents per day
2. nationality, gender and age of driver involved
3. number of persons injured
4. cost of repair of each bus/accident
5. number of cars involved
6. speed at time of accident
7. remarks, such a who was at fault (Arriva or third party)
I thought that with Arriva, the buzzollotti, should have ended !!!!!!!!
D. A . Agius
Aug 14th 2012, 10:31
Jimmy... if you fail to have noticed, Arriva is NOT a public company. What I'd expect is for the company to be fined heavily for not keeping up with standards of service and time.
Other than that, if they ruin themselves, we honestly don't care. Their accountants will probably bring more sense to them in the long run!
D. A . Agius
Aug 14th 2012, 10:35
Obviously enough, if 3rd parties are injured, then one can use this abysmal track record to easily win any arguments in court.
On a separate note, I wish to see if any current government or future one will commit itself to start addressing all skid spots such as this one and resurface the road to prevent skids. The same like was done near the petrol station near the Kappara roundabout. After a few people got killed there the surface was finally done. Places like t'Alla w Ommu, Great Siege Road in Valletta, San Guzepp tat-Targa going down to Burmarrad and a few bends on the Coast road are notorious for their lack of grip!
James Dewar
Aug 14th 2012, 10:53
In addition to the above it would also be interesting to see a direct comparison for the old fleet for the same period. have the feeling that there are many more crashes involving Arriva buses than there were under the old system and if that is the case urgent remedial action is required.
Elena Attard
Aug 14th 2012, 11:06
D.A. Agius - it is not a listed company but I think it can fall under the definition of a public interest company! It is the only public transport service provider in the country for god's sake!
Public Interest Entities - entities, other than listed entities, which are of significant public interest because of their business, their size or their number of employees or their corporate status is such that they have a wide range of stakeholders. Examples of such entities might include credit institutions (for example banks), insurance companies, investment firms and pension firms;
Jimmy Magro
Aug 14th 2012, 11:16
@ D.A Agius
I know that ARRIVA is not a public company. But:
1. it receives taxpayers money as subsidies
2. passengers have the right to know whether they are safe on ARRIVA trips
3. the company enjoys a monopoly for I dont know how many years
4. I believe that most accidents are being made by the foreign drivers
5. private companies with a public service commitment should respect their customers through open accountability
Eddy Privitera
Aug 14th 2012, 11:48
If I may add. And how long has the driver been driving buses. And duration of training period, if any !
James Scerri
Aug 14th 2012, 12:52
right one...and if I may add...how many buses in circulation have dents and scratches.
I can't seem to see an Arriva bus which does not have a dent/scratch.
R Saliba
Aug 14th 2012, 14:15
Mr. Magro certain things you mentioned in your list, if published, would result in discrimination against the drivers (nationality and sex for example). In my opinion its not the nationality of the person that determines how they drive but their state of mind and experience even though even a 70 year old who has been driving all their life can cause a serious accident.
So from your list nothing should be published except the number of accidents but you can get this off timesofmalta as they always update us when something is serious. as for the cost of repairs and whose fault it was I don't agree for sure - what is your interest in all this? Plus I heard that whenever an arriva driver is involved in accident and is at fault, they must pay for the damages since the buses are not their own...
and another thing - accidents happen everyday - even when we had the old buses - the only diff is that Arriva is a target point at the moment for the press as everyone seems so eger to comment negatively about it.
Ohh and if having this information is going to help you determine whether to use the public transport or not then you better look at the road statistics on accidents and get off the road whether you are a driver or a passenger. The statistics are not low so using your reasoning then you should just walk all around Malta if you want to be 'safe'
Lawrence Anastasi
Aug 14th 2012, 14:59
Do you know haw fast someone has to drive to skid a vehicle? Now imagine how fast you have to be traveling to skid a bus. Well done arriva, you trained them well!!! Now bring back the professional drivers and classic busses! What a shame.
antonia mifsud
Aug 14th 2012, 09:57
Although we had the old buses we rarely used to have accidents,but with the Arriva buses accidents are the order of the day.I think these buses are not suitable for our roads becuse they are toobig for our small roads.
George Calleja
Aug 14th 2012, 12:45
I think that we had less accidents with the old buses simply because they were owned by the drivers themselves...nowadays who cares if an accident takes place?
Lawrence Anastasi
Aug 14th 2012, 14:55
The drivers of the classic busses loved their busses and took the care demanded to protect them from damage and some of the foolish drivers on the road. This new Arriva system, no one takes pride in these monstrosities, they are to big, the drivers cannot handle them and don't care if they get damaged. The government does not care, they created this fiasco of an embarrasing company, destroyed a bus tradition that tourists actaully loved and made hundreds of You Tube videos. It was something you found no where in the world and the busses made them feel like a part of history.......sadly the government has destroyed that. What is wrong with these people, who votes for them and why.
Trevor Schembri
Aug 14th 2012, 09:44
Just look at the 'cycle lane' sign in the static video picture, barely remaining upright. As I mentioned in a comment related to the rebuilding of the coast road, the planned cycle path should be separate from the road. Rumble strips are not enough.
m piscopo
Aug 14th 2012, 09:44
And what about the diesel spill arriva busses are messing all over our streets and yes diesel spill not air-condition water I know what I m saying and the authorities know about the problem and what is causing it but no action was taken.
Mr Tony Gauci
Aug 14th 2012, 11:08
Tell me about it, us who drive motorbikes are the most vornable to diesel , I had 2 accidents one in Marsa and one in St Andrew and believe me the spill was so big that I thought it was WATER.
J Micallef
Aug 14th 2012, 14:18
Valid point...I think that's the answer for a very treacherous corner with a spill in Fgura.
S.M. Cuschieri
Aug 14th 2012, 09:43
Why do these accidents involving arriva buses constantly occur? It is like all of a sudden their drivers do not know how to drive!!! They keep on coming and they do not give a hoot if they crush you against a crash barrier. it is like they are out on a personal vendetta mission!! Disgusting!! I never knew I would ever say this but BRING BACK THE OLD BUSES AND "HAMALLI" DRIVERS!!!!!!!!
Philip Mizzi
Aug 14th 2012, 09:18
I would like to ask Arriva administration a few questions.
Do you put pressure on drivers to make the trip in a 'reasonable time'? If yes, would you re-consider what a 'reasonable time' is? If not, do you allow drivers to use their own discretion and drive according to circumstances, e.g. morning dew wet roads, traffic, etc?
In my opinion, Arriva buses in general drive pretty fast on our busy and slippery roads, and it seems to me that is some kind of company policy. IF SO, THEY SHOULD RETHINK THEIR POLICY before someone is killed.
Another question. Do Arriva have a Health and Safety Policy and is it enforced by the company? Do the drivers know about the contents of this Health and Safety Policy, if it exist?
Honestly, I do not think that there will be answers, if not, someone else in authority should make these questions.
Nispera li ma jigi hadd u jdahhal il-politika fin-nofs ghall dawn il mistoqsijiet! To my mind my questions have nothing to do with politics, so please do not mix il-hass mal bus!
paul camilleri
Aug 14th 2012, 10:09
Mr Mizzi i think that Transport Malta is to blame for most of the conditions of the bus driver kindly read my letter below this one, hopefully it would give you and everyone else and some really misguided people who said their two bits worth of opinions without being really constructive. if we take into consideration on all the pressures bus drivers are being put on a daily basis then we can understand that bus drivers are not alone to be blamed for accidents and carelessness on our roads.
Philip Mizzi
Aug 14th 2012, 12:09
Mr Camilleri I do not think you understood my letter.
Mr Daron Ferry
Aug 14th 2012, 09:00
Just have a look at the state of any Arriva buses, and try to find a bus without a dent, scratch or o panel missing… IT SAYS IT ALL
paul camilleri
Aug 14th 2012, 08:55
i personally used to be a truck driver and once i was stopped by a traffic cop and needless to say i knew i had things wrong with the truck. knowing that it is still my responsibility to make sure that the truck is as safe as can be before i take responsibility for it on the road. but being Malta one cannot refuse to drive a truck or they get fired from the job.
so iwould like to say is it Arrivas fault? the drivers fault?? where is blame to be put?? i would say its Transport Malta fault for imposing tight time schedules so passengers don't wait on the bus stop for too long? imposing change of drivers within 40 seconds not allowing enough time for the driver to check if the bus is ok? inadequate training of the bus driver?? a few years ago to obtain a bus driving licence one had to spend a number of years driving large vehicles.
all these are factors that can stress a driver, so next time anyone has anything to say about drivers because at the end of the day if your saying that buses are being driven carelessly points to the driver.
think and think hard is it the drivers fault if they have impossible schedules to reach, i even read of drivers while en route stop to buy something to eat why is this allowed this goes beyond human right to a decent work place, and prey where would this person eat his lunch i suppose while he is driving??? another risk for an accident to happen.
Chris Vella
Aug 14th 2012, 08:50
guss what's standing there on the road A SPEED CAMERA!!!
nice try to avoid the shoot?
Ryan Gauchi
Aug 14th 2012, 08:36
Has there been a week that gone by that a bus wasn't involved in an accident? How many accidents were the old buses involved per year compared to Arriva? Very few
Doreen Gatt
Aug 14th 2012, 08:30
And then to make matters even better for us drivers, some genius from the authorities decided that cleaning the road from salina to Tela' ta Alla w Ommu with the cleaning truck during the rush hour was a really good idea!!!!
Common sense is not so common on this island I think!!!
George Mangion
Aug 14th 2012, 08:54
Of course. Just let all the cars passing at rush hour skid and then clean the road.
Charles Micallef
Aug 14th 2012, 08:29
Having recently travelled by Arriva, Qawra-Valletta and back via Coast Road, where the driver was determined to prove to the passenger that the buses have good road holding system and how fast they could go, I suggest that the speed counter is displayed in the bus, just like Air Malta do on their planes, to create interests amongst their passengers.... the ever increasing number of Arriva buses is due to a substantial number of careless drivers, most of them come from the days of the "buzulotti" and who previously drove the old buses and had the owner to answer to, and now all they have to do is fill a form.....period
tami mifsud
Aug 14th 2012, 08:27
i treat these buses same way I do when an ambulance is approaching, I move to the side of the road.
Matthew Ciantar
Aug 14th 2012, 16:17
good thinking.. made my day
Steven Smith
Aug 14th 2012, 22:28
i wish everybody did, then we might be able to keep to the timetables :P
David Pullicino
Aug 14th 2012, 08:14
Unfortunately there have been many accidents along this part of the coast road, even fatal ones. At 6.30 this morning the road, which is already as smooth as glass, was covered in moisture and it took little for a skid to develop.Had the bus been travelling fast I am sure it would have been a lot worse. Behind the wheel was an unfortunate driver not 'Arriva'! A photo does not always tell the whole story...
Lawrence Fenech
Aug 14th 2012, 08:55
@David.
Car accidents are happening all over the Island including Gozo, we have never experienced so many bus accidents and private cars upside down everywhere. It's careless driving causing accidents to unaware drivers coming from the opposite directions.
Dave Alan Caruana
Aug 14th 2012, 09:06
I agree with you here, Mr. Pullicino.
On a good day the 70km/hr speed camera is nothing more than a trap for unwary motorists, on a bad day anything above a very careful crawl is dangerous. I am sure that driving up or down this hill with eyes fixed on the speedometer to make sure the speed camera is passed by at the correct speed is not doing the safety of this road any favours, and on misty days, the 70km/hr markings give the false impression that the road is safe at that speed.
Mark Shaw
Aug 14th 2012, 09:07
well said, seems most folks here cant wait for an excuse to ride the back of Arriva! if the local system was so perfect how come it was removed?! accidents happen every minute the world over,i wish people would just be thankful nobody was killed as is usual on this road!
Edmund Mifsud
Aug 14th 2012, 08:12
I cannot understand why Arriva did not built up it's fleet with smaller buses, is this bad planning or so much greedy to make money in a shorter time.
Joe Caruana
Aug 14th 2012, 08:42
What has Arriva got to do with the bus skidding on abyssmally bad road surfaces that exist in Malta? Wouldn't a smaller bus skid just the same on smooth-as-a-mirror surfaces as those that exist in Malta? The problem is not the size of the bus but the roads rendered bad by being pounded incessantly by hundreds of thousands of cars in such as small place as Malta.
Dave Alan Caruana
Aug 14th 2012, 09:10
Mr. Caruana,
it's not even the quantity of traffic (that just slows things down) .. it's the general lack of maintenance and poor build quality of our roads. I agree though, this accident has nothing to do with Arriva or even probably the driver - the damage to the bus actually seems quite minimal. I am assuming the bus stuck a low wall or pavement - at high speed the wheel would have been torn off.
Godfrey Grima
Aug 14th 2012, 08:01
The Coast Road is a race track for Arriva.
Stephen Grech
Aug 14th 2012, 08:45
the coast road is one of the worst asphalted road grip wise on the Maltese Islands.
Franco Abela
Aug 14th 2012, 07:58
FOR A CHANGE KIEN HEMM ACCIDENT BL-ARRIVA! XI HAGA VERA RARI!
Herbert Falzon
Aug 14th 2012, 07:53
Dejjem xi bus tal Arriva trid tkun bix tohloq chaos u panic fit toroq u tkun il kawza li in nies jaslu tard ghax xol. Kieku flok dal buses fihom daqs balena gabu hmar u karretun bl A/C, kien ikolna inqas genn fit toroq bil vantagg li kienu jamlu rotti personali an nies u tasal qabel.
Sean Swain
Aug 14th 2012, 07:51
Poor Arriva...it just can't seem to get away from the negative publicity.
Hope everyone is all right!
Karl Borg
Aug 14th 2012, 07:38
why am I not surprised.. Arriva buses making the news at least once every 2 days
marco caruana
Aug 14th 2012, 07:36
we hardly noted any similar accidents with the old xarabanks , something is seriously wrong here , Or incapable drivers or cheap buses leading to mechanical faults
Mario Micallef
Aug 14th 2012, 08:01
i bet the result of all this is the fact that none of the drivers are the actual owners of these buses...and you know how the majority of maltese reason when it comes to operating something that is not our property.
Bertrand Gove
Aug 14th 2012, 08:03
"I'm the king of the road" attitude that we've all grown to accept unfortunately. Bus skids? I mean this is not a bike.
Anthony Scicluna
Aug 14th 2012, 08:04
Or perhaps no one bothered to report the old buses. Arriva news sells. Xarabank doesn't because all knew they were crap
Mary Borg
Aug 14th 2012, 08:27
@ Mr. Scicluna: Do you really think so? I am sure there were sporadic accidents with the old fleet and even though they were not reported, people would know about them. I mean, the behaviour of drivers was rarely splashed on papers but we all knew about it having to face it on a daily or weekly basis. However, thinking back, in all my life using the old fleet, I only experienced a bus break down once at Regional Road and we were all picked up within a handful of minutes by another bus who took us to destination. The old drivers had their defects for sure but not all were bad and most of them were practical. Actually I have never been mistreated or coldly spoken to by any one of them so can't complain. On the contrary, I found them very helpful especially when twice I was harassed by two Arabs on my way out from Valletta.
Claris Galea
Aug 14th 2012, 08:39
Mr Anthony Scicluna
My grandfather , God rest his soul , was a bus driver and owner , who kept his bus in perfect working condition for 40 years , 3 buses actually , and was a true gentleman all his life , and you come along and throw everyone into the same basket !
Maybe it takes one to know one ...crepe de la crepe ...I mean !!!! Go find a dark corner and keep your lopsided opinions to yourself
Lawrence Fenech
Aug 14th 2012, 08:59
@Mary Borg.
You comment makes good reading. The previous buses ( refered to as old) gave good and punctual service post war. In my younger days going to Valletta there use to be four our five buses all going to town and enought space for all the waiting passengers under decent sheltered bus stops.
Please choose the reason of your report below: