Bus drivers employed with Malta Public Transport Services are complaining of “total mismanagement” and “waste of public funds” since the government took over the running of the service from Arriva at the beginning of the year.

While the government is still forking out some €30,000 a day to lease about 50 private coaches from the Unscheduled Bus Services (UBS), buses owned by the State company are being left idle, The Sunday Times of Malta has learnt.

“I am doing nothing for hours at the Valletta terminus so that some routes are covered by the private coaches,” a 42-year-old bus driver told this newspaper. “Our work schedule is changed several times a day and our buses are not used so that work is given to private coach owners,” he claimed.

Another driver, who usually services the St Julian’s route, said that while the lease of coaches from the private sector was no longer justified, “as there is no need for them”, the private coaches are also given privileged treatment.

“They are usually given the easier and straightforward routes. They only stay in service until 8pm. On Sundays they don’t work and we have to work whenever they are not available, which has become a frequent occurrence since the start of the school term,” said a 36-year-old driver formerly employed by Arriva.

Arriva had originally leased some 40 coaches and minibuses from the private sector in 2013 after the government ordered the UK company to stop using the unpopular bendy buses.

The waste of money is incredible

After Arriva gave up the Malta business, the government took over the running of public transport, hiring 40 vehicles at €210,000 a week on grounds they were needed until new buses were leased from abroad.

Last May, the government signed a €2.4 million deal with a UK company to lease 45 brand new buses for a year; however, the UBS coaches continued to be leased by the government.

It is estimated that by the end of September, the government paid UBS some €12 million to hire coaches.

UBS was one of the contenders to take over the public transport system. However, its claim for a €40 million annual subsidy was deemed too high.

Transport Malta is now concluding a deal with the Spanish company Autobuses de Leon, which offered to provide the service at a lower rate.

Replying to questions, the Transport Ministry insisted that all buses available to Malta Public Transport as part of its fleet were being used in service.

It said it was currently sub-contracting a total of 50 vehicles, 10 more than the number originally leased by Arriva, including 23 minibuses.

“The plans are for the sub-contracted buses to be reduced over the coming weeks depending on demand, as it is anticipated this will not exceed 30 vehicles for the winter,” it said.

Asked whether the government has renegotiated the €210,000 weekly costs it was incurring when it was leasing 40 coaches, the ministry did not disclose any details, stating that the sub-contracting cost is considered to be “commercially sensitive information” and therefore could not be provided.

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