Government sources who spoke to The Malta Independent said that the main problem between the parties was that while the bus drivers want to base the new agreement on the one which expired in November last year, the government, through the ADT, want a fresh agreement, with innovative changes aimed at improving the service being provided.

And at the centre of the problem there is Lm1.8 million in arrears, which the bus drivers are saying they are owed. For a number of years, government has been giving each bus driver up to Lm15,000 a year in the form of a subsidy, to compensate for expenses the drivers had to incur in order to operate, sources said.

The subsidy is calculated on Lm15,000 per driver, less the revenue generated through sales. Worked on a pro rata basis, the bus drivers are owed some Lm1.8 million. Since the agreement between government and the bus drivers expired in November, government has ceased paying the subsidy.

The bus drivers are asking for this amount to be paid before continuing discussions on a new agreement. They have also given the government until the end of this month to pay the amount they are due.

However, government does not want to give in to these threats. The government source said it had offered the bus drivers a number of options but they are not prepared to compromise and are insisting on being paid the full amount. They told the ADT that they were not prepared to consider any options regarding this amount.

The source said there were inefficiencies in the bus service that the ADT wanted to eradicate and which the government was not prepared to continue funding. Asked about the drivers’ ultimatum, the source said the ADT will not be blackmailed and added that if the authorities give in to the drivers’ requests, they would be giving a disservice to the public, especially those who make use of the public transport system.

Asked what the government was proposing when it mentioned a “major overhaul in the service”, the source said it had a number of ideas.

These included improving the present infrastructure, including bus lanes, new termini, the introduction of new computerised systems for the scheduling of buses and automatic vehicle tracking systems. Other measures being proposed include a comprehensive course for bus drivers, the introduction of a new fare structure and the gradual phasing out of the government subsidy.

Replying to a question as to what is to be done next, the source said the ADT will now write to the PTA, formally advising it of its official position.

Following this, meetings between the two parties will continue, based on the government’s official position as set out in the letter.

Several attempts by this newspaper yesterday to contact PTA president Victor Spiteri for a comment were unsuccessful.