The old, creaking, colourful (in all ways) Malta bus has its days numbered. Because on 3 July, Arriva, the European transport group starts operating Malta’s scheduled bus services. Its fleet is 66 per cent new King Long buses. Its remit is to “..replace a large part of the island’s ageing bus fleet to greatly improve passenger comfort and reduce the environmental impact of transport in Malta”.
The King Longs, imported from China, have certain advantages that the long-suffering, local commuter may appreciate even if tourists miss the hilarity and fun of the old bus rides. Among the pros, one aspect stands out above all: comfortable seating. Err, who can say the old horse hair, dimpled Neoprene and plastic-covered seats of old were that bad? Seats are never comfortable in buses, whatever their age. But we might expect to have more comfort on the King Longs if their suspension is up to scratch – millions of traffic humps and bumps on of course.
Other plusses of the new buses include low-rise floors and real-time passenger displays, including next stop announcements (in which language or languages?). This will help tourists who have so far had to rely on the grace and favour of individual drivers to point out stops.
Now, to the issue of those articulated buses. The so-called ‘bendy’ buses. While London is ridding itself of bendy buses, Malta is gaining them… on main-line routes only, we’re told. But odds-on bets for the first to be spotted wrapped where it shouldn’t be.
Our post a few months back asking ‘what if the Malta bus were to disappear?‘ gave rise to a good debate in the comments about the pros and cons of new vs. old and on the bendy issue. All commentators agreed that Malta needs to ditch belching (sometimes paraffin-run) buses and clean up its bus act. But most were emotional too about the demise of the iconic Malta bus – so beloved by tourists for its quirks and cheapness, if not for its routes, hours and reliability. It is the most photographed bus in the world. It will linger on postcard stands, and a few routes. Its destiny now as a museum piece, or scrap.
Another 20th century icon gone. R.I.P Malta Bus.
For current routes, timetables and fares, see: APT website
For new bus info and routes etc from 3 July, 2011, see Arriva.
Photo: Leslie Vella, whose Flickr stream has a set of old buses. And see also Gethin Thomas’s buses on Flickr too.
Allan, yes, we all wait to see what Arriva will bring in terms of benefits! I think they are supposed to be aircon though – let’s hope so!
I lived in malta as a lad in the late 60s and traveled to school and anywhere else on the island on the buses. Returning many years later it was great to ride them again. Anyone who is unfortunate to live in an area with Arriva run buses will know what a disaster it will be. What about the fares? No way they will be the same. Non aircon buses with huge non opening windows. Add 100degree heat, engines and transmissions designed for much cooler climates and city level ground running. I wonder what wiz kid thought this one up?
@Phil, think they’re a light blue with white swirly stripes. Very Mediterranean colour! Hope they are new, not cast offs!
Chinese buses and London cast off’s (BTW, I said you’d get Bendy Buses and everyone went nah). Shame to see the old buses go even though they were smelly and very uncomfortable – cast off’s from the UK again!
Good luck with your new buses, do you know what colour they will be yet?
We love them, those bumbum old buses. New are everywhere.
Can’t say I’m too sorry to see them go. A supposedly short trip from Valletta to Marsascala will easily be made interminable by the ridiculously bumpy ride, the uncomfortable seats many decades past their expected service time, the noise from both the overworked engine and the entirely worn out gearbox, the oppressive heat, and a bus driver who felt obligated to honk the loud horn at every female pedestrian he saw (one wonders what he thought it would accomplish).
With modern buses, all but the last one of these complaints will hopefully disappear.
Steve, there will be some left, for a while, and probably a few in the future too if revamped for tourist routes. Arriva, while sweeping away most old, belching, uncomfortable buses no doubt realises that there’ll be mileage (forgive the pun) in keeping a few for nostalgia’s sake. They are such a loved icon of Malta! You’re right, it would spoil everything if they were to depart forever in the name of progress. My brother and his family who came 8 years ago here still remember hitting the bus roof with their heads when riding the back seat (on our still bumpy roads!).
Very sad to see them go..EEC sucks,,it spoils everything.. Going to Malta G.C. tomorrow for a last look at the buses.
Victor, certainly they need to live on in our psyche somehow!
Perhaps somebody will recycle them and make miniature souvenir Buses for the tourists!!
R.I.P you will be missed, i am happy i was able to ride them back in 1997 enjoyed it very much good memories.