Whenever something new is introduced and rolled out we always encounter teething issues; small issues because certain mechanics do not work out like planned in real life. A few tweaks here and there and before you know it, it’s all systems go. When Arriva was introduced it all came down in shambles.
Products:
Arriva is the new operator of the bus service in Malta. Sure, we are delighted with the air-conditioned busses (when they are actually available) and the friendlier service of the bus drivers but at the cost of neither bus nor the driver showing up? Well, everyone has issues with that.
A big heads up for the people that actually do want to work and where picking up people in their own private cars; this shows dedication and commitment to your company and its mission. On a side-note, when there are rumours that people are not going to show up, don’t dismiss it!! Also, inter-company communication, hello?!! Poor drivers had to face the wrath of disgruntled, deserted customers with no idea of what is going on. Surely that’s not going to help is it?
Pricing:
Having 2 very different fares for residents and non-residents is a big no-no. Yes it’s a government subsidy but it’s unmanageable as recent news reports have shown. It might not be technically discriminatory but I’m sure coughing up more money for your fare feels that way.
Service:
With the apparent bad apples weeded out of the system, service seems to have improved. We vote for higher wages for the drivers after all a happy employee is a good employee. Also, communication shouldn’t be business to consumer only. Arriva drivers are the front-line employees of this company and should be involved in what’s going on. Forget managing everyone, but lead the company to greatness.
I would like to leave a complaint rewarding bus operation in Malta. We were returning late from Comino and were waiting for a bus to St Julians when 3 buses (X1, 222, X1) came near without any stop along the route. There were 6 of us, we were waving and creaming, noone stopped. It was last buses. By not stopping, the bus drivers put two young students, 18 years old,from Germany in danger as well as others. We were also shocked because such drivers behavior were unexpectable. We bought trip to Sicilia and opportunity of boat missing become very real.
Once more as usual nothing get done as I complained that the buses can’t park close to the pavement as there always cars parked in the bus red lane. So the bus stops a meter away from the pavement and we pensioners try to get down and hurt our backs every time.
On the 8th of August BUS 251 passed through the red lights at 11:56am on the main road where the lights lead to Pembroke. The driver just ignored me as the green light turned on. Very lucky of me that I did notice that he was not going to stop. What a responsible driver! Hope severe action is taken.
I am very disappointed to see that your rules on the buses are not respected by the media nor by the drivers. First of all, I live in Paola, near Il-Gallaria just as one pass it there is a bus stop, but the bus cannot park properly because there is always cars parked in the red area. We are both pensioner, every time we come down from the bus we hurt our backs as the bus cannot pull closely to the pavement and the drivers don’t put the platform down. Most of all, no body bothers to stop the cars from parking there and the drivers never complain.
Waited for the no 12 bus today from 11.20 am to 12.20 pm was going to Sliema for an arranged harbour cruise, but had to cancel due to bus not showing up. Then decided to walk round the sea front and was accosted by 3 no 12 buses in a row, and this is a major service to Sliema from Bugibba, was someone having a laugh or a siesta? Arriva, get your act together its bad when one bus fails to come, but three in a row on a premier route is bad. If I can just add I have used Malta buses for the last 20 years and find the Arriva buses the best thing to come to Malta for the disabled and young mums, who could not use the old buses for the steps, the buses are ok some drivers have a lot to be desired though.
Hi, I didn’t find the official link to put complaints so I’ve decided to send a message through this link. I’ve had a very unpleasant adventure on Arriva bus number 45 going from Birkirkara to Bugibba on the 21st of February 2013 at around 5pm. I got on the bus (registered number BUS 139) and bought a day ticket. The driver told me to go behind a yellow line. I’ve answered politely that it looks like there is not enough space for me to squeeze in. He was already driving at this moment. He stopped the bus in the middle of the road opened the door and said to me “out”. I’ve looked at him surprised and I said that I’ve already paid for a ticket and he repeated twice more “out” “out”. Like he was saying to a dog in front of everyone. Eventually I’ve decided not to get off the bus, because it is dangerous especially in the rush hours but in the same time I didn’t want to hold all the others commuters back (because driver was still waiting with the door open for me to get off the bus) so I’ve squeezed in somehow.
The behavior of this driver (man around 35 years old wearing black or dark navy baseball cap) was at least rude. I really wish to see Arriva punish this guy for such a stupid careless behavior. What would happened if I would got off the bus and another car would hit me? When this kind of things will end? After all it’s thanks to the people like us he has a job. If he doesn’t care about this he doesn’t care about his job. I hope Arriva will take some action and show as an example that this will not be tolerated. Once again, it is easy to check who the driver was: young man dark short hair wearing baseball cap driving bus with a registration plate BUS 139 at 5 PM on Thursday 21 of February 2013.
Take care everyone.
I was in Malta for a few months last year, and did not have very pleasant trips on your buses. Firstly, there is a price discrimination, why? the same service is being delivered to locals and tourists alike. I have never heard of having a two-level pricing system for the same service! Secondly, during our stay we had to get off the Arriva buses several times. Either they stopped and we had to get another bus, or part of the bus was coming off. Thirdly, unfriendly drivers. They can be very rude, to the point when once we got lost instead of the driver helping us to were we wanted to go, he started swearing his head off! Fourth, at times the bus is packed like an egg, when it comes time to get off, you have to fight your way through, or you have to shout for the bus driver to wait till you find your way to the door.
If the tourists are given this type of service they will not return. The Maltese islands rely heavily on the tourist industry, you have a beautiful country but if we are treated like this we will not be returning. I for one will not. I live in Australia and things like this do not happen. If there are problems on our train lines, buses are rolled out quick smart to clear the back log of people needing to get home.
I for one will not be returning to the Maltese Islands, it has left a very bad taste in my mouth!
Today 10th December traveled on Arriva bus number 224, 11am from Bugibba Terminal to Sliema. I offered the driver 40 euros for 24 euros fare – 2 by 7 day passes. He gave me an incorrect amount of change which I pointed out to him, he then tried this again twice more! At the next stop 2 ladies had the same problem. We where all tourists and discussed what had happened. We had all holidayed here many many times and had never encountered this problem before. I hope this is not a sign of things to come and can only damage the Maltese tourist industry.
After complaining to TM about the bus from Valletta to Mtarfa there are still problems for my son to get to the school where he works in the morning. Today the driver changed the 6.50 from 51 to 52 so my son walked from Rabat to work. May I remind TM that we pay for tickets and should not have to walk any part of a journey, disgusting!
The 106 bus driver this morning decided that he wasn’t going to drop me off at the usual bus stop. I work on the B’Kara bypass and take the same bus every day. Think I was a stupid English tourist he attempted to tell that because the B’Kara market was on, that a stop wouldn’t be made and repeated that no other driver stops.Even when I made it clear that I take the journey everyday and that they do, he still kept to the same stupid story. This is utter rubbish, he just couldn’t be bothered to cross into the next lane of traffic. By the way he looked in his side mirror and found that he couldn’t get into the other lane confirms this. Therefore he dumped me at the bus stop that follows this and left me to attempt to cross two busy dual carriageways of traffic. Arriva, your attention to customer safety is shocking!
How can an Arriva bus hit a water bowser and keep driving on pretending they didn’t feel the impact, well the passengers certainly did! Well done to the bowser driver for catching up the bus; shame for the passengers, who had to have yet another delay in their journey, took 3 hours from Sliema to Bugibba. It would be faster to fly to Rome and back!
On Saturday 18th August at 12.24hrs I was waiting near cubicle 13 at the Valletta bus terminus for bus 92. At 13.42hrs I gave up waiting and boarded the number 91 bus to M’skala instead. I had to walk from pjazza Dun Tarcis Aguis up to Zonqor in the sweltering heat. Congratulations and thank you Arriva for this impeccable service!
Never in the annals of public transport have I had pleasure of traveling on Arriva Malta. Today waiting in temperature of 35 degrees trying to get from st Paul’s Bay to Mosta a distance of 4 miles took 1 and half hours; the buses would not stop either because full or the drivers could not be bothered to stop hard to see with tinted windows 4 buses speed by nearly knocking over an old woman, who had tried to stop the bus. This is not acceptable in any country, Malta is not a 3rd world country. All in all the situation is now worse than a year ago when using the old buses. I will be contacting my MEP as soon as I return to the UK.
Recently I started using Arriva to go to work. I was impressed how fast the buses can go and I think that there is a lot of improvement then the old buses and some drivers. What I think must improve is the routes; the 82 is one of them. During busy hours this bus take ages to come. Some routes like 210 and 119 are travelling always empty, while people from Valletta to Birzebbuga are not being serviced properly.
It seems that bus drivers of route 12 became destructed by the weather this week. Three times they missed the bus stop at Swieqi, even though I rang the bell twice and stayed next to the door. Had to ask them to stop myself.
I was in Cospicua today at 3.30pm waiting for a bus to Valletta. I was so disgusted waiting for a whole hour, if I had walked it I would have arrived earlier. There were tourists as well, I don’t think they were at all impressed. I hope in the near future there will be more frequent buses and conveniences. Thank you.
I want to complaint about the fact that your Valletta and Airport boots rarely have change, so that customers can buy a bus ticket.
Today I was trying to buy a ticket at the counter in the airport again, but she could not give back change from 10 Euros and told me to buy in the bus. In the bus the driver had no change either and told me to buy at the counter! I told him that it was not possible and he simply refused to take me on board in a very harassing manner.
It is is simply unacceptable to treat me (a resident) this way! Best regards, Claus Folden.
We desperately need a bus to run through Rue D’Argens towards Rudolph Str, or else a bus stop to be installed at the top of Manwel Dimech Str near the Police Station. There are two parking spaces that can be taken for the bus to stop. Please don’t say that parking bays are a problem as 5 or 6 parking bays have recently been annulled at the end of Dingli Str, corner to Tower road, therefore since it was viable there, why not also near Police Station with just two parking spaces being lost to alleviate the suffering of all the commuters that use this service. I must point out that Sliema residents are mostly an aging population. Please take note of this as it is very frustrating and hard for us to have to walk all the way back towards Imperial Hotel.
On Sunday 30.10.2011 Bus no 147 left Dingli terminus at 15:15 hrs instead of 15:20. Traffic conditions were optimal being a Sunday afternoon with overcast weather.
Once again it is observed that the bus operating on route 52 left a few minutes early, thus leaving stranded passengers who where planning to board the 15:20 service. This is a 30 minute schedule and it is absolutely unacceptable that Arriva continues to permit that buses depart a few minutes before the scheduled time.
Because of the very poor quality service on route 52 my wife and me have no option but to drive our kids to their destinations when this was not the case one year ago!
Who said the era of goats roaming the street of Malta has become history? Go to Valletta bus terminus, see the “people” waiting to board the bus. Those who come last want to go first, so they rush on top of each other! So shameful! And all because nobody is trusting Arriva to be on time.
And what about the shelters? With all this mentality, we need railing under the shelters so nobody get sun burnt in Summer or drenched in Winter. And may I suggest that until the waiting crowd LEARN that they have to keep their place in the queue. Somebody has to oversee to these goats!
I recently embarked on an Arriva service from Qormi to Valletta. I confirmed with the driver the route will lead to Valletta, paid the fare and embarked on an endless journey that went everywhere EXCEPT Valletta. We even went to the fish market in Marsaxlokk! What Qormi has to do with Marsaxlokk is a mystery to me. When I asked the driver what happened to Valletta, he blatantly told me we did in fact, go to Valletta, I just didn’t notice.