Arriva’s first anniversary as the country’s public transport operator falls on Tuesday, and while between November and last week there was a noticeable improvement when changes to the routes came into force, things started unravelling again last week due to Arriva’s failure to have air-conditioning in all its buses.

Commuters have not always been satisfied with the services and likewise, drivers are not very happy with the way things stand. Their representatives at the General Workers Union are calling for an adequate financial package and this week issued a directive for its members not to drive buses that have no air-conditioning units.

While Arriva has claimed that 99 per cent of its buses are fitted with air-conditioning systems, the industrial action has left many people stranded for hours all over the island, leaving those who depend on public transport furious and frustrated.

Earlier this week, one driver on a special service bus stopped to pick up commuters who wanted to go to Valletta and who had been waiting for an hour-and-a-half in Xemxija.

The bus then proceeded to take on and drop off passengers all over the north and centre of the island before the passengers who had first boarded the bus at Xemxija, resulting in what seemed an endless bus ride.

Meanwhile, the GWU said that buses that do not have an adequate system of air-conditioning has been the subject of talks for almost a year. The company has always dragged its feet and is now facing the consequences of its inaction.

The union added it would keep insisting on its position that Arriva drivers would not drive buses that do not comply with the standards set by the authorities.

While the company and the union are to continue discussing the situation, Arriva extended its apologies to the public and reminded the public to make use of its customer care centre, which can be reached by phone on 2122 2000 or by e-mail at [email protected].

However, on this too there have been quite a number of protests that complaints are not given the necessary attention and that, following the same chorus of complaints, things do not change.

Customer service personnel at Arriva this week admitted to people on the phone it was all a mess because of the buses that were out of service. On other occasions, bus users felt their complaints were not being taken seriously.

Another matter that worries drivers and pedestrians is the high speed at which buses are driven at times and which definitely exceed speed limits and break traffic regulations. Drivers have also been noticed skiving off work or not following part of the route they are supposed to take.

While everything is supposed to be monitored through a GPS system, the public has doubts whether sufficient action is taken.

Arriva was initially constrained to deliver the highest possible standard with the government paying the lowest subsidy as stipulated in the tender. Top Transport Ministry officials had explained the company had the smallest possible fleet with which to reach efficiency.

At first, services were subcontracted to coach and minibus companies, costing the company a fortune.

Eventually more buses were introduced, and long routes were shortened, while new ones were introduced. The subsidy paid to the company too increased as a result.

Arriva was initially promised €6.6 million in subsidy annually to run the network but in April, it was announced that the annual subsidy the government pays was set to increase by 40 per cent. The company was also to receive an additional €192,000 in annual compensation.

Last October, Transport Minister Austin Gatt had said that since the new public transport system was launched on 3 July, a total of 112 routes had been, or were planned to be adjusted, following commuter complaints. Since then, more changes have been undertaken.

Direct buses to Valletta and Mater Dei Hospital were re-introduced.

As details of the reform were announced, maximum waiting times for passengers at bus stops were established and explanations on the sophisticated IT system were given. However, Arriva still has some problems getting the bus displays right.

Punctuality too is still an issue.

In an interview with our sister paper The Malta Independent published in May, Arriva’s interim managing director David Kaye said there had been a marked improvement in punctuality, reliability and staff complement following the numerous network updates, especially the one of 6 November. Some 99.8 per cent of vehicles were reaching their destinations, he said. However, he had admitted that punctuality was still an issue, although Mr Kaye had stated confidently that commuters would actually arrive at their destination according to the schedules.

New schedules also came into effect on 27 May and a new control room is being planned to give a snapshot of traffic situations, which should improve things because the people managing operations would know when a bus is stuck and will be able to take immediate action.

As from this month, Arriva also hopes to launch an SMS service by which commuters can receive real-time information on buses on their mobile phones.