Malta Public Transport welcomed the arrival of the first consignment of new buses to Malta this morning, even while the public's attention was focused on the problems which the introduction of new bus cards created.

Forty new buses, painted in MPT colours, arrived from Turkey and were disembarked at Laboratory Wharf.

The company said this afternoon it started putting the new buses into service with the first bus operating from Valletta this afternoon at 4.30pm. All 40 buses will be in service before the weekend.

Another 102 will arrive in batches throughout summer.

The buses are being built by Turkish company Otokar. They are 9.6 meters long and slightly narrower than the majority of the existing fleet.
 
These buses are low floor, providing easy access for wheelchair and pushchairs. They have two doors, intended to allow people to board and alight efficiently therefore reducing boarding time. The buses have a capacity of 60 passengers.

They are equipped with Euro 6 engines,the very latest standards for environmentally friendly public transport.