Malta bus

A Malta bus (xarabank, karozza tal-linja) is both the bus used for public transport on the Mediterranean island of Malta, and also a major tourist attraction on the island, due to their unique appearance grounded in the bus ownership and operation model employed on Malta. In particular, Malta has several bus types that are no longer in service anywhere else in the world.

The unique nature of the Malta bus stems from the tradition of local ownership of the buses by the drivers, and their historic practice of customising them. In addition to a high degree of customisation, detailing and decoration, several Malta buses also have a unique appearance due to the practice of in-house maintenance, rebuilding or modifying of bus bodies in local workshops.

As an iconic feature of the island, the classic Malta bus features on several tourist related items. As the main mode of public transport on the island, the Malta bus is also used by many tourists to visit the different parts of the island. While newer Malta buses follow standard bus designs found elsewhere, customisation and detailing has continued for these buses too.

Contents 1 History 2 Operation 3 Liveries and types 4 Detailing 5 2009 restructure 6 See also 7 References 8 External links

[edit] History

As early as 1905 buses were being imported to Malta. As early as 1920, bus manufacturing was taking place on the island, with local carpenters and mechanics constructing bus body coachwork for local transport companies.

In the 1920s, operation of buses on public transport routes was subject to open competition between operators, and as such, buses used were not necessarily well turned out. With the formation of the Traffic Control Board in 1931, greater regulation and discipline of the system meant that operators began to upgrade the appearance of their buses. Since then, the tradition of showing pride in the vehicles has been maintained, through decoration and customisation of the buses.

Since reform in the 1970s, bus operation was centralised under a collective of the owners, the Public Transport Association, or Assoċjazzjoni Transport Pubbliku (ATP), in Maltese. This association became responsible for the centralised day to day operational management of bus services, producing a unified timetable roster and basic livery, although this did not change the ownership arrangements for the buses. The overall transport system is regulated under the Malta Transport Authority (ADT).

In December 2003, in light of over 100 buses being scrapped, a government subsidised tour bus service using traditional Malta buses, as the "VisitMalta bus", was set up by the tourism and transport ministries, although this was withdrawn in April 2005.^[1]

A major proposed restructure of the operation and ownership of Malta buses was announced in December 2008.^[2]

[edit] Operation

The operation model as of 2009 dated back to a system introduced in 1977^[2]. The ATP authority determines the schedules, which are then operated by the private bus owners, who remain responsible for the condition and upkeep of their buses, either as owner operators, or in groups. As such, several buses are kept at the family homes of the drivers in question, or based in small garage locations.

To ensure fair distribution of both good and bad routes, the daily operation of buses was allocated on a rota basis, with buses operating on a 'day on, day off' basis, whereby one day half of the buses operate on the public routes, while the other half are used for private hire, or as school buses, or undergo maintenance^[2].

Malta buses on public transport duties can be seen in high concentrations at the main bus terminus at Valletta, from where the vast majority of scheduled routes depart. Other major centres of traffic include Buġibba, St. Paul's Bay, Sliema and Mosta.

[edit] Liveries and types

Early buses wore an olive green livery with a black stripe. In the 1930s, buses were painted different colours according to the route they operated. Malta buses are now liveried in a yellow (lower) and white (upper) livery, relieved by a red band just below the window line.

All Malta buses are single-deckers either with bus or coach bodies. Early buses do not have many common transit bus features, with route numbers achieved using white cards. Later buses have modern features, such as electronic destination displays, although paradoxically full use is almost never made of the more modern facilities and buses almost always show the route number, but no indication of the destination.

Very early types of bus can still be found, with a front engine mounted in an extended bonneted nose, in the style of some conventional trucks. The majority of classic Malta buses have elaborate grilles and headlight arrangements, curved windscreens and sloping roofs. Later makes of bus are usually of conventional bus and coach designs that are or were in use elsewhere in the world, such as the Duple Dominant.

Between 1981 and 1987 the fleet was drastically modernised with the import of over 260 second hand buses from the UK^[2]. Many of the oldest buses in the fleet were further replaced with the influx of 150 new low-floor buses from China and Turkey, financed with government grant aid, leaving just three normal control vehicles^[2]. Second hand imports from the UK had continued up to 2008, with some of the last examples being Alexander Dash bodied Volvo B6s deemed surplus after Stagecoach's takeover of Yorkshire Traction^[2]. Even with these fleet modernisations, as of 2009, the nearly 500 strong bus fleet still contained some examples dating from the 1950s^[2].

[edit] Detailing

Malta buses are characterised by their high level of customisation and detailing. Common additions to buses include:

• Increased use chrome parts / high polishing of chrome parts, such as hubcaps and grilles
• Paint detailing, both generally, and of parts such as indicators and filler caps
• Custom passenger messages, both in the interior and exterior of the bus
• Names relating to the village patron saint, monarchs, or other notable objects.
• Trimmings and hangings, especially inside the front window
• Slogans, murals, quotations and lucky images (such as the horseshoe)

Due to the nature of operation of Malta buses, many of the drivers are also mechanics, and a high number of Malta buses proudly display the name of the manufacturer of the chassis or body of the bus, or the engine type used. In some instances though, these names are not actually the name of the bus in question.

[edit] 2009 restructure

The features of the Malta bus became under threat as the options for reform were considered. Malta commissioned UK-based Halcrow Group Limited to assess the system, which first reported as early as November 2005, criticising the existing model and arrangement between ADT and ATP, which produced a very low utilisation of buses.^[3]

Finalised plans were announced in December 2008.^[2] Under this first route restructuring on Malta since 1977, the Malta bus fleet requirement would be reduced to 220 Euro 3 engined buses, operated by one franchise operator from a centralised maintenance base.^[2] Under EU rules, the right to operate the new network could not be directly transferred to the ATP, although they were free to tender for the contract.

This new network would see more direct routes making less use of the Valletta hub, with more direct routes served by articulated buses and 70-seat single-deckers^[2]. Villages would be served by midibus-sized buses. Light rail links were also proposed to link Valletta, Sliema, the football stadium and Birkirkara.^[2]

This would end the owner operator model dating back 100 years, and as of 2009 stood at nearly 500 buses operated by 400 licensees^[2]. In preparation for this change, it was reported that imports of second-hand buses from the UK had been forbidden^[2]. It was reported that the articulated buses could be supplied by the surplus buses resulting from the axing of articulated buses in London.^[2]

[edit] See also

• Customised buses
• List of bus routes in Malta
• Transport in Malta
• Vehicle registration plates of Malta

[edit] References

• "ATP Site, history of the Malta bus". ATP (http://www.atp.com.mt).+Archived+from the original on 18 October 2007. http://web.archive.org/web/20071018084428/http://atp.com.mt/atp/servlet/ControllerServlet?action=loadUserPage&userPageName=history. Retrieved 14 April 2009. 
• "Scheduled bus service in Malta". ADT (http://www.maltatransport.com).+Archived+from the original on 18 October 2007. http://www.webcitation.org/5g11nouz0. Retrieved 14 April 2009. 
• "A history of the Maltese Route Bus". ADT (http://www.maltatransport.com).+Archived+from the original on 18 October 2007. http://www.webcitation.org/5g12rNdam. Retrieved 14 April 2009. 

[edit] External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Buses in Malta (category)

• ATP Official Site
• ATP map of Malta public bus routes
• Pictures of Malta buses fan site
• Malta & Gozo Route Buses fan site
• The Malta Route Bus Complete Picture Archive Fotopic gallery
• M A Penn's Gallery Fotopic site with 4 Malta bus galleries
• Malta Bus & Coach Profiles Complete Photo Profiles
• Malta & Gozo Bus & Coach Photo Pool on Flickr