Referee steps in as bus operator tackles anti-social behaviour

The public transport operator has launched a football-themed awareness campaign targeting anti-social behaviour on buses, with the first video in the series warning against abuse directed at bus drivers.

The video, recently posted to Facebook, shows a man banging on the driver’s cabin in a bid to make the driver stop at a location not served by a bus stop, before a man dressed as a referee blows a whistle and hands him a red card.

The dejected man returns to his seat as other passengers celebrate the man’s reprimand, before words appear on the screen warning bus users to respect drivers.

“Any form of verbal or physical abuse towards bus drivers is unacceptable, illegal, and will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” the text reads.

A spokesperson for Malta Public Transport (MPT) said the video is part of a wider awareness campaign to reinforce a “culture of mutual respect across the transport network ... rather than a reaction to any particular incident or trend”.

“Unfortunately, verbal abuse, intimidation and other forms of disrespect towards public transport employees are challenges faced by operators around the world, and Malta is no exception”, the spokesperson said.

Stressing that drivers “provide an essential public service every day”, she emphasised that they “deserve to perform this vital role free from abuse, intimidation or aggression”.

There have been spikes in abuse directed at bus drivers in recent years. In 2024, there were three cases within days of each other. 

In one instance, a driver was assaulted and insulted in full view of other passengers on a bus to Valletta during the morning commute. A day earlier a man wearing safety boots kicked and shattered the glass bus door after being told the vehicle was full.

That same day, a bus driver took the flak for a road blockage blamed on him by social media users, but that was in fact due to a massive truck blocking the road in front of his bus.

Sources told Times of Malta that while there had not been a recent increase in incidents of abuse directed at bus drivers, such incidents remained “constant”.

‘Offside’ passengers

While the first video in the series deals with abuse, other videos will tackle a range of antisocial behaviour that frequently prove to be the bane of commuters’ journeys.

One video depicts a woman being handed a yellow card after holding a loud conversation on speakerphone, much to the annoyance of other passengers, while in another a passenger is said to be going “offside” after trying to skip the queue to board.

Other offences provoking referee intervention include a passenger trying to sneak on the bus without buying a ticket, and another refusing to give up her seat to a pregnant woman.

The MPT spokesperson said the “football-themed concept uses universally recognised referee ‘yellow card’ and ‘red card’ symbolism to demonstrate inconsiderate behaviour and conduct that is entirely unacceptable”.

The video series comes at a time of increased focus on football as the 23rd edition of the FIFA World Cup continues in the US.

“Ultimately, our objective is to foster a respectful travel environment for everyone... we hope this campaign serves as a timely reminder that respect is a shared responsibility for everyone using public transport.”