The Malta Guide Dogs Foundation is being provided with identity tags for both Guide Dog Mobility Instructors and Orientation and Mobility specialists, Malta Public Transport said today. These tags will allow individuals occupying such designations to travel for free on public transport while on duty.

Malta Public Transport’s aim is to provide a convenient service that caters for the travel-related needs of its numerous customers. Thanks to this initiative, the company shall support the Malta Guide Dogs Foundation’s work in helping visually-impaired persons to become daily commuters.

Leone Sciberras, Chairman of the Malta Guide Dogs Foundation, thanked Malta Public Transport for allowing guide dogs in training to use public transport as part of their familiarisation with the local transport network: “It is vital for blind and visually impaired people, both those with a white cane and with guide dogs to have access to the public transport network.”

“The MGDF is fully committed, with the support of the Order of Malta (S.M.O.M.), to continue working to enable visually impaired persons to be more independent and to increase their mobility. Through awareness training sessions, we are confident that more public officials will learn how to approach a blind person and know how to act also when that person is accompanied by a guide dog,” Sciberras continued.

“Malta Public Transport is happy to support MGDF. We acknowledge the benevolent work being done by this organization and would like to contribute to their cause in the best of ways,” Malta Public Tranport’s Commercial Director, Daniel Grech, said. He explained that the company’s aim is to make travel as easy as possible for all members of the public, with further research being carried out in order to determine ways and means to assist visually-impaired commuters.