There can be no improvement in the bus service unless the 2010 agreement between Arriva and Transport Malta is reviewed, according to a General Workers’ Union official.
Even though negotiations involving all stakeholders were under way, any new deal was not expected to come into force before autumn at the earliest, the official said.
More than two years since Arriva took over as part of a radical overhaul of the public transport system, the level of service is still a far cry from what was promised when the reform was launched.
Times of Malta continues to receive complaints regarding punctuality, delays caused by drivers changing shift along the way, and buses with no air conditioning at the height of the summer season.
Passengers who regularly board the notorious bendy buses on long trips recounted their daily ordeal, with the air conditioning system offering very little respite against the heat.
With buses running tens of thousands of kilometres a day, breakdowns are unavoidable
Another common complaint is that passengers are left waiting for up to halfan hour to allow drivers to change shift, causing a ripple effect that continues to be felt throughout the rest of the day on the entire service.
An Arriva spokesman said the company was looking into such complaints and taking the necessary action.
The spokesman said that with 300 buses running tens of thousands of kilometres a day, breakdowns were unavoidable. The level of failures was normal, contrary to public perception, which, he added, was being partly fuelled by the media.
All buses had air conditioning installed and the spokesman attributed the majority of complaints to passengers opening the small side windows.
Last week the GWU, which represents bus drivers, instructed members to refuse to drive buses that were not air-conditioned.
It argued drivers could not be forced to work in such a hot environment forlong stretches.
This led to the suspension of several who abided by the union’s directives. However, following mediation talks, no disciplinary action was taken.
The secretary of the GWU’s maritime and aviation secretary, Charles Agius, said talks with the transport operator were focusing on the “arduous” drivers’ shifts and the issue of air conditioning.
He said the 10-year agreement signed by Arriva laid down a number of conditions that left very little elbow room.
Mr Agius said Arriva was not being helped by the fact it was obliged to abide by the terms and conditions dictated by Transport Malta. For this reason, the Transport Ministry was reviewing the agreement.
Mr Agius would not commit himself on whether the new agreement would spell an end to the practice of drivers changing shift halfway through a trip.
But he said he was optimistic things would finally change for the better.