I would say very, very wrong indeed. Yet, I simply cannot believe my ears and my eyes when I hear and read that people are claiming that we were better served with the previous outdated bus service. How hypocritical, how pathetic and how darn forgetful must one be to actually say that the previous system was way better.

Have we forgotten those unshaven, sweaty, obese, loud, vest-clad, tattooed and permanently angry bus drivers whose mission was to ensure that every trip was a little bit of a worse experience than the previous one. Have we forgotten the state these buses were in and the fumes they emitted? Have we forgotten their total disregard for the safety of their passengers, inaccessibility for the disabled, the elderly and parents with push chairs and the way they treated our tourists? Have we forgotten the arrogance they showed on the road and their avoidance of bus lanes and bus stops stopping as far away as possible from the curb on bus stops. Need I continue?

The truth is that the previous bus owners did not get it right despite providing a service for decades, with buses passed on from one generation to another, and yet many, including me, expect Arriva to have got it right the first time round.

Yet again they were faced with a massive human resources problem on day one. Ask any employer faced with a mass exodus of more than 180 employees and see if they would be able to provide any service. Should Arriva have seen it coming? Definitely. Did they address the problem efficiently? If they truly sacked all those who did not turn up for work and if they have a plan for the foreign drivers to stay on a permanent basis, then yes.

However, I am not as forgiving with other problems such as the fact that many routes have failed miserably. Some commuters are claiming that on some routes they spent over two hours on the bus, albeit air conditioned.

And surely they could have done away with the bus numbers printed on A4 paper and stuck to the windscreen as well as providing better sheltering in Valletta.

The headlines of recent are testimony to the ‘new’ frustrations that many commuters were suddenly faced with.

We read “Commuters arrive late”; “Daunting bus ride to nowhere”, “Arriva are here, but will they get there?”, “Annoyed commuters vent their frustrations”, “Beached on a bus to Għadira”, “Former bus drivers accused of sabotaging Arriva service”, “Drivers’ exodus started two weeks before bus service launch” and so on.

However, the latest complaints have now come from the Valletta business sector who are blaming Arriva for a drop in business. Is the purpose of an efficient public transport system to increase trade in Valletta?

The visions and the promise of a public transport system that would revolutionise the way we have travelled from one destination to another have regrettably faded in the summer heat and it will take time for Arriva to regain some credibility.

Yes, we should expect and demand an excellent service. This island really needs one. When change occurs we always hope it’s for the better. Standards must be set high and I truly believe we will get there.

Austin Gatt will surely want to bow out of the political scene remembered for having rid the country of a mediocre, third-world public transport service and to have created a culture of public transport use in Malta.

We definitely need to have a public transport service that works and that meets the needs of the people. Arriva has to get its act together, learn from its mistakes and above all listen and take heed of thecomplaints.

I hope it will no longer be a national issue by the next motoring supplement in August. Enjoy your summer.

motoring@timesofmalta.com