Following the request by the Authority for Transport in Malta that was made on the 9th April 2024, Malta Public Transport suspended all those buses that were referred to in the judicial protest as a result of what the company considers to be false allegations made in regard to the safety of the bus fleet.
There were a total of 11 buses mentioned, of which two were not in operation due to regular maintenance.
The other nine buses were all tested at a third-party vehicle road worthiness testing facility in the presence of personnel from the Authority for Transport in Malta, and personnel from Malta Public Transport, and all the buses have passed their full test including the brake test, and that no dangerous deficiencies were noted at any point in time. Some other minor faults were noted and these have all been rectified. The buses are therefore being put back in service with the approval of the Transport Authority.
The company reiterates that it had no doubt that the buses are roadworthy, and that therefore it is clear and very unfortunate that the allegations that have been made on the 9th of April are false, and the public can rest assured that Malta Public Transport takes the safety of its passengers, employees and the public in general very seriously.
Konrad Pulé, General Manager of Malta Public Transport said “as a company operating an essential service such as public transport, it is our responsibility to show in a transparent and clear manner that we have the necessary processes in place to ensure that our buses are in fact roadworthy, and that we would never expect our employees to compromise on this fundamental principle.”
Malta Public Transport once again explained that even though it has no legal or contractual obligation, it abides by strict policies established by the group of companies that it forms part of, which includes inspecting every bus every 35 days. This is done as part of its preventive maintenance process which involves different checks by different technical personnel who ensure that the buses are roadworthy before going back in service.
The company apologised for any misunderstanding caused by this unfortunate event, and concluded by saying that should anyone ever have a doubt or question in regard to the safety of its bus fleet, they can write to the company and it will be more than happy to explain.
