Some 2,500 people have applied for jobs with Arriva, the new bus service operator.

Keith Bastow, managing director of Arriva Malta, said that the company needs 920 people including 700 drivers, instructors, administrative and technical staff. The current bus drivers will be taken on, if they wish to join, and will be retrained.

Recruitment is still open, and the company plans to hold an Open Day in Gozo next Monday 7 Feb in the afternoon and evening and Tuesday 8 Feb in the morning.

It recruited a number of instructors last week, including a female driving instructor.

The company launches its bus service on July 3 and will start selling tickets two months in advance in a drive to discourage people from buying tickets when they board the buses. There will be two-hour, day and week tickets. There will also be 30-day and 90-day tickets.

The company, which last week said it had ordered 174 new King Long buses, has also bought 28 modern buses already on Malta's roads and will be refurbishing them for use during peak hours and as reserve. There will be a variety of buses, depending on the routes, including hybrid electric/diesel buses for locations which are environmentally sensitive, mini buses for narrow roads such as in Valletta, and large 'bendy-buses' for the busiest routes.

Company officials are currently conducting route surveys and preparing bus stops. The main bus stops will be equipped with real time information on when buses are due, and all bus stops will have timetables displayed.

The buses will carry route numbers and the colour of each route.