As the yellow buses struggle to keep the public transport service running, with drivers being taken up for training by the new operator, Transport Malta has stepped in to ease the burden by helping with dispatching.

Public Transport Association president Victor Spiteri said last week it was becoming increasingly difficult to cope with the routes as more and more drivers, dispatchers and ticketing inspectors resigned to work with Arriva.

He said drivers were going through a stressful last month as the country prepared for the new public transport system. The buses run by the PTA will continue running until July 2 and Arriva takes over the following day. For the past months, Arriva has been on a recruitment campaign to man its 264 buses.

Mr Spiteri said he had asked the transport authorities for help with manning the routes but had not received any reply.

A Transport Malta spokesman said the authority was aware of the problem and discussed the matter with both Arriva and the PTA to make the transition as smooth as possible. He said: "Transport Malta has agreed with the association that it will be deploying its own resources as of (this) week to assist the association with dispatching duties."

Arriva agreed to stagger the training as much as possible to have the least impact possible on the service.

"This is not a simple transition by any stretch of the term. The entire bus network of the two islands is switching hands overnight but, of course, human and physical resources that provide services today will continue to work after July 3. To be ready for the change, they need training and a complete change in their working systems and practices.

"We are working flat out to make the transition as seamless as possible but we are not surprised that some difficulties emerge as we get closer to the day. Our job is to smoothen these bumps but we do apologise for any problems that may persist despite our best efforts while the transition is completed," the spokesman said.