Tallinja App

Transport Malta welcomes the introduction of the tallinja app.

 Malta Public Transport launched the tallinja app today.  The mobile app is another important step in getting the right information at the right time to bus users.  Information provided by the app will help commuters plan their journey better.  Transport Malta appreciates that Malta Public Transport is addressing the issues faced by bus commuters.

 

Transport Malta strongly encourages similar initiatives and further improvement of public transport.  The authority will keep monitoring the service, listen to commuters’ criticism and suggest developments.

Get the app on Itunes

Get the app on Google Play Store.

More passengers using bus

Transport Malta welcomes the marked increase in public transport patronage.  The authority welcomes the improvement in service offered, increased reliability and better access for information to clients.  Commuters are reaping the benefits of an improved route network.

Transport Malta encourages Malta Public transport to remain focused on further improving the service, continue investing in new technology and plan ahead for the demanding summer months.  The summer season traditionally welcomes numerous visitors and hence a bigger number of bus passengers.  Transport Malta augurs that the experience gained last summer, the strengthened bus fleet and other improvements will help provide a better experience for all bus users.

Transport Malta will remain vigilant and insist on an improved quality service.

Developing public transport

Transport Malta encourages further advancement in public transport.

 Transport Malta welcomes Malta Public Transport’s latest initiatives and urges them to keep working on improving their service.

 The mobile app for public transport is a step in the right direction.  The app will help users access information they need and will them plan their journey better.  Transport Malta will keep insisting on information, punctuality and reliability of the service.

 Malta Public Transport is showing that it is responding to commuter needs when expanding its fleet with 33 new buses for summer. The tourist season proved taxing on the service last year. MPT’s initiative to import a significant number of new buses will surely improve the service. The operator is also developing their driver training further.  Transport Malta encourages better driver training and better working conditions for drivers; they are the ones who are delivering the service.

 More people are becoming better accustomed to the new routes as better information becomes available.  The new route network is historically the most extensive public transport network on the Islands and provides connections to areas that were previously unreachable by bus. Transport Malta will remain vigilant to commuter needs and will keep calibrating the network through minor adjustments when needed.

 A 7% increase in passengers over last year shows that public transport is slowly becoming more alluring.  Transport Malta will keep working to make public transport a better alternative.

Improving the new routes

Improvements on new routes

Earlier on, the Gozitan University Group complained that route X1 has been lengthened to go through Mellieħa.  GUG correctly stated that Mater Dei and University have been reintroduced in the same route. The GUG’s statement however failed to mention that, as stated in a press release on Friday, Route X1 of 06:45 will no longer go trough Mellieħa, following suggestions of the same students. 

The changes announced last Friday and which will be implemented in the coming weeks:

• Very few passengers boarded at St. Luke’s hospital on Mater Dei routes.  The routes were thus unnecessarily lengthened.  The buses will no longer stop at St. Luke’s hospital.  Mater Dei Routes will be around 15 minutes faster. Instead Route 122 between Valletta and St. Luke’s hospital will have its frequency increased.
• Route X1 of 06:45 will no longer go through Mellieħa centre to reduce the time it takes to reach Mater Dei hospital and University from Ċirkewwa. 
• Transport Malta and the Mater Dei administration identified a different location for parked buses at the University interchange.  The current congestion that results in particular times will thus be reduced.
• Mater Dei routes, route X1 and X2 will serve Mater Dei hospital and University. Passengers will no longer need to change buses at the University interchange.

Public Transport – new improvements

Constructive meeting on Public Transport with Local Councils

The minister for Transport and Infrastructure together with Transport Malta’s Chairman, called for a meeting with all mayors to discuss public transport.  Most Local Councils were present and a constructive discussion ensued.

A representative of the operator and officials from Transport Malta were present for the meeting.  Most complaints received revolved around the punctuality of the service rather than the routes themselves.  The operator will be looking into the matter and taking steps to resolve the issues.

A number of changes in Mater Dei will be implemented in the upcoming weeks.

Very few passengers boarded at St. Luke’s hospital on Mater Dei routes.  The routes were thus unnecessarily lengthened.  The buses will no longer stop at St. Luke’s hospital.  Mater Dei Routes will be around 15 minutes faster. Instead Route 122 between Valletta and St. Luke’s hospital will have its frequency increased.

Route X1 of 06:45 will no longer go through Mellieħa centre to reduce the time it takes to reach Mater Dei hospital and University from Ċirkewwa. This follows suggestions by Gozitan students.

Transport Malta and the Mater Dei administration identified a different location for parked buses at the University interchange.  The current congestion that results in particular times will thus be reduced.

Mater Dei routes, route X1 and X2 will serve Mater Dei hospital and University.  Passengers will no longer need to change buses at the University interchange.

Transport Malta Monitoring Implementation of New Routes

Transport Malta Monitoring Implementation of New Routes

Route Network increased by 2,800 trips every week and by 2.5 million kilometres every year.

Transport Malta (TM) is currently monitoring the implementation of the new routes introduced on 22^nd December.

During 2015, Transport Malta introduced 24 new routes, changed 43 routes and added 80 new bus stops.  Every locality now has a direct service to Valletta and Mater Dei Hospital. 142 new buses, equipped with environmental friendly Euro 6 engines, have joined the service. The buses will now do 36,600 trips every week, an increase of over 2,800 trips. They will cover 2.5 million kilometres more each year.

Whilst still premature to make an objective assessment of the changes implemented, feedback received so far indicates that many commuters are being served better. Negative complaints received are localised to certain areas or localities and TM acknowledges the fact that some routes, such as X1, necessitate some tweaking including adjustment in frequencies. TM is committed to look into such concerns and shall be addressing issues raised by the public and local councils. The Authority will fine tune and adjust routes to ensure that the public is served better and confident to use public transport.

The new routes designed following an extensive consultation period during which more than 3,500 proposals were considered.  Now that the service is operating with normal schedules, commuters are still adjusting their travel patters to new routes. As expected, this takes more than one week.

Until 3^rd January, as customary during the festive season, the service was operating on Saturday schedule and thus somewhat reduced service.

END

 

Next Sunday, Public Transport will be changing.

Malta Public Transport will be implementing new routes and changing others on Sunday.

 

After Sunday, the service will include localities that were not served before and buses will now be covering 2.5 million kilometres more each year. Mater Dei Hospital and University will have dedicated routes, 12 of which were extended to serve St. Luke’s Hospital.

 

19 new routes will be introduced while more than 30 routes will be changed.  Changes include extensions to new areas, trimming so the buses reach their destination faster and increased frequencies.

The bus interchange for Mater Dei Routes will be at University.  Commuters from Mater Dei Hospital can board any bus that will take them to University. There they can board another bus to reach their destination.  The new arrangement was designed to reduce accidents and traffic congestion in front of Mater Dei.

The changes are being introduced during the Christmas period, where traditionally less commuters use Public Transport, to allow time for bus users to find their way through the new routes.  During this period, buses operate on a seasonal schedule.  A number of routes will be changed extensively.  We urge regular commuters to consult the booklet that is being sent to all households to determine whether their routes will be affected.  Kindly contact Transport Malta or visit news.transport.gov.mt for further details.

The new routes will be implemented as part of a major route network overhaul.  An overhaul designed by Transport Malta following a consultation period during which over 3,500 proposals were considered.  Local Councils were actively involved in designing the new routes.

 

Transport Malta and the Ministry for Transport and Infrastructure will convene a new consultation period where the new routes will be fine tuned.

Public Transport is changing

Public Transport is changing

We are improving routes and introducing new ones.

We will be implementing the first phase of four on the 13th September.

The new routes are the outcome of a consultation period. We received over 3,500 suggestions.

We held meetings with all local councils. We discussed, analysed and designed. This is the result.

The new routes are tailor-made according to each locality’s needs. We will introduce the changes gradually to allow enough time for everyone to adapt. We will have 140 new buses, they will reach new areas and will be more frequent.

---

 

Phase 1

These are the localities that will benefit from the first phase.

• Attard, Balzan, Lija, Birkirkara (parts), Mosta (parts).   Download pdf with more details
• Qormi, Żebbuġ, Siġġiewi, Santa Venera. Download pdf with more details
• Senglea, Vittoriosa, Cospicua, Kalkara, Fgura. Download pdf with more details.

Significant improvement for tallinja card.

UPDATE : Launch of new Tallinja Bus Card system

Transport Malta Notes Significant Improvement

Transport Malta continues to closely monitor yesterday’s launch of the new Tallinja Card system and notes significant improvement. Following meetings held yesterday between Minister Joe Mizzi, Transport Malta Chairman, James Piscopo and the Malta Public Transport’s management team, the operator has taken positive steps towards rectifying yesterday’s operational issues that some commuters faced, particularly in Valletta.

In fact, today, Transport Malta noted that waiting times for customer service at the information points at various termini and particularly at Valletta, were significantly lower than those experienced yesterday. This was primarily due to the operator’s deployment of more customer care officials, better organization and improved security.

Whilst welcoming the first consignment of new buses to Malta this morning, Transport Malta is confident that the addition of 40 new buses to the existing fleet will further enhance the operator’s operational capacity and its ability to further improve the service.

Nevertheless, Transport Malta continues to be vigilant and is still monitoring the situation relentlessly. The Authority is also pursuing the operator to ensure that pending Tallinja card applications, problematic cards and new applications are processed in the shortest possible time possible.

Transport Malta vigilant and closely monitoring launch of new Tallinja Bus Card system

Transport Malta has been closely monitoring today’s launch of the new Tallinja Card system. The Authority is aware of numerous reports on operational issues faced by commuters particularly in Valletta.

The change to a new bus card system is in itself a culture change that will bring about significant benefits to the people and the public transport operation itself. It is aimed at reducing waiting time, improve passenger boarding whilst enhancing data collection that can be used to improve the system. Transport Malta is satisfied that circa 140,000 actively responded to this significant change, and enrolled for the Tallinja Card issued by the Public Transport Operator. This contrasts significantly with the 20,000 card users under the previous system.

Transport Malta is sensitive and aware that such an overwhelming change brought about a number of challenges that need to be addressed immediately by the Operator to ensure improvement in the service. It is also aware of the huge number of late applications for Tallinja Card over the last few days. In fact, over the last 24 hours, circa 7,500 people appled for tallinja card.

The Operator has been asked to deploy more customer care officers primarily in Valletta to provide assistance in Topping Up of Tallinja cards and answer general queries. TM has also asked the Operator to speed up the processing of the new Tallinja applications to ensure these are received by respective applicants in the shortest time possible.

Transport Malta will continue to be vigilant and monitor the situation relentlessly and is confident that the desired objectives of the off-the-bus ticketing system can be achieved.

Transport Malta deplores without any reservation the incident involving the Hungarian citizen in Valletta this morning and appeals to the general public to avoid confrontation. It also appeals to the general public to use online tools available for topping up and for the application of the Tallinja card in order to avoid queuing and congestion at the points of sale, primarily in Valletta.