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Bus driver who “wanted to continue driving after a branch was smashed through the window” suspended

Theo

A bus driver has been suspended and faces disciplinary action after a branch smashed the window of his bus on Thursday evening.

The incident occurred at around 20:45 on the northbound carriageway of the regional road near Spinola, involving Malta Public Transport (MPT) bus TD2 travelling from the airport to St. Julian’s.

And things got worse when, according to a passenger, the driver then tried to drive off with the tree still stuck in the vehicle.

Passengers were shocked to see the branch crash through the window, but MPT said no one was injured in the incident. The incident was blamed on overhanging trees, which it had already pointed out to the authorities.

On Thursday evening, a bus journey from Malta International Airport to St. Julian’s was rudely interrupted when the branch of a tree overhanging a roadside wall crashed through one of the bus windows.

“It was a bit of a shock, to say the least,” said passenger Carolyne Okeijn, who was returning home from the airport after a holiday in Rome.

“It was a real shock when it happened and the driver didn’t even say anything to us afterward,” she said.

Okeijn said she and another passenger were almost hit when the branch came through the window and described shards of glass flying over their heads.

Okeijn said she did not notice the bus driving erratically or excessively fast, but was not impressed by the driver’s reaction to the incident and did not offer any advice to passengers after the accident.

You would have thought they were trained for emergencies

“You would have thought they were trained to deal with emergencies,” she said, adding that the driver had difficulty communicating in English at the airport with a tourist who asked how to buy a ticket.

“He even tried to drive off while the branch was still in the window, but he didn’t succeed,” Okeijn said, adding that passengers “shouted at him to stop.”

Shortly afterwards, she decided to call a taxi, which also contained a group of tourists.

Okeijn stressed that she relies on the bus service and will continue to use it. However, the incident made her feel less safe. “It’s not every day that a tree flies through the window,” she said.

When asked, Malta Public Transport apologised “for the inconvenience caused by the incident” and said the incident was being investigated.

A company spokesman said initial findings indicated the incident “may have been related to the design of the road infrastructure, particularly issues with bollards and overhanging trees,” which MPT reported to authorities in January.

“The driver involved has been removed from service and the company will follow its usual disciplinary procedures. In the meantime, the driver will also undergo retraining,” he said.

“We regret any inconvenience caused by the lack of information provided to passengers. We are currently reviewing our communication processes to ensure better information for passengers in the future.”

The spokesman added that all drivers would be required to have a “basic level of English” when interviewing for employment with the company.

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