Gozo bus usage up 11% one month after full switch to electric fleet

One month after Gozo’s public transport service was fully electrified, passenger numbers increased by 11 per cent reflecting a “strong public uptake” of the new zero-emission service, Malta Public Transport said.

In a statement on Tuesday, the MPT said Gozo’s bus service recorded over 332,000 passenger journeys across more than 16,220 trips, marking an 11 per cent increase over the same period last year.

Gozo is the first island in Europe to operate a fully electric public transport fleet, an initiative that MPT said represents “the largest investment in public transport that has ever taken place in Gozo”.

The figures mark the first month of operations since Malta Public Transport completed the electrification of Gozo’s entire public transport network with an investment of €11 million, replacing all diesel buses with a fleet of modern electric vehicles supported by dedicated charging infrastructure within the Tax- Xħajma Park and Ride facility.

The fully electric fleet is expected to eliminate around 1,300 tonnes of CO₂ emissions annually.

MPT general manager Konrad Pulé said the first month of operations has shown that the transition to electric mobility in Gozo “is not only delivering environmental benefits but is also being embraced by residents and visitors alike”.

“Recording over 332,000 passenger journeys is an encouraging indication of increasing trust in public transport. These early results show that environmental sustainability and efficient public transport can go hand in hand, delivering benefits for both the community and the environment,” Pulé said.