(Adds MTP's reaction)
Bus drivers have been ordered by the Union Haddiema Maghqudin not to drive buses in need of maintenance, lacking safety features and with a malfunctioning air-conditioning system.
In a statement, the union said drivers were being criticised for these shortcomings, even though they reported them repeatedly to their superiors.
The union appealed to the public to understand that drivers were facing unjust criticism when they were blamed for these problems. It said it even wrote to the management repeatedly about the matter.
The UHM said it ordered drivers not to operate buses if they failed to meet a number of criteria, including a working air conditioning system and a good driving seat.
It said it expected the public to support the drivers' position as they were being constrained to take this action not just to safeguard their interests but also not to be of danger to their patrons.
Malta Public Transport's reaction
In a reply, Malta Public Transport categorically denied that the company was ignoring deficiencies saying the service depended entirely on buses in good working condition for the comfort of drivers and passengers.
The company said it employed a team of technical people responsible for the maintenance and cleanliness of all the buses in service. The team was currently being trained in Spain, Turkey and Malta.
It said it was not true that the drivers were being forced to drive faulty vehicles as faults were attended to immediately and professionally.
The company noted that the percentage of buses breaking down on a daily basis or having a fault was on the decrease as a result of the maintenance programme being implemented in Malta for the first time.
It said that even though it was doing its utmost to improve and address technical problems, such as the ones with the air conditioning, certain faults occurred more frequently in a number of old buses but action was always taken immediately.
These problems should now drop with the introduction of another 40 new buses to the fleet as from this weekend.