Adds TM clarification that buses must be air-conditioned. Full document attached -

Transport Malta has published a call for expressions of interest by companies wishing to operate the bus service.

A statement issued by Transport Malta says buses must not exceed 12.5 metres in length.They must be low floor and have at least a Euro V compliant engine. The buses must not be older than 15 years at any point throughout the concession agreement term.

The statement made no mention of air conditioning, but a Transport Malta spokesman later explained that the requirement is included in the actual call document. (The document can be seen on pdf below)

The new operator will take over the operations on Malta Public Transport Services (Operations) Limited, which has been running the service since Arriva's departure - three years into its 10 year contract.

“We’re looking for a serious company that can truly become the driving force of our country and provide a reliable, efficient and social service. It is crucial that the buses provided by a new operator are suitable for our roads, environmentally-friendly and safe. We want a sustainable service that works and succeeds in actually increasing bus use,” said Transport Malta chairman James Piscopo.

Interested parties will be able to bid for the exclusive concession rights until July 2021 with the immediate option to extend this to either 10 or 15 years.

The notice aims to identify a professional and competent candidate which can:

1)         Improve the level of service in order to meet the public’s needs and increase bus patronage;

2)         Optimise the efficiency and effectiveness of the route network, taking into account social considerations;

3)         Add a number of buses to the fleet to meet route network requirements and replace the temporary coaches and buses currently in use.

4)         Upgrade the existing information technology and communication systems to provide more effective operational control as well as reliable information for users and the authority;

5)         Shift the majority of ticket sales to off-bus ticketing and regular travel solutions, drastically reducing on-bus ticketing and period tickets within one year.

All buses must be at least Euro 5 compliant, be fully accessible (low-floor), be suitable for the route they are operating on and must not exceed 12.5 metres in length.

The buses must also be compliant with EU legislation and not be older than 15 years at any point throughout the concession agreement term.

Interested parties will be required to provide detailed descriptions of how the operations will be managed, with specific reference to: timetables, bus fleet management, facilities, driver allocation, remote-monitoring, reliability and punctuality, communication and bus cleanliness.

The call for expressions of interest also makes direct requests for revenue management, fraud mitigation, vehicle tracking, fire prevention plans, health and safety plans and measures to reduce the number of breakdowns.

Besides shifting to off-bus ticketing, interested parties must also provide an outline of the branding and marketing strategy to address the current perception towards public transport.

The document also requests details of initiatives to be undertaken beyond what is required at law to mitigate the environmental cost of the operation other than the emission levels of the buses.

Interested parties are also given the option to bid for a group of routes or some of the operating company’s assets, although the priority remains to have one single operator operating the entire network.

The closing date for submissions is April 7, 2014.

Transport Malta’s proposed route network, based on the feedback received during a public consultation session, forms an integral part of the document.