Transport Malta suspended over 100 Y-plate operators

Almost 100 Y-plate operators were suspended, had their licence revoked, or were placed under investigation in the space of four months.

The figures were disclosed by Transport Minister Chris Bonett in a parliamentary reply on Wednesday, in response to a question tabled by Nationalist Party MP Adrian Delia.

Between February and May this year, Transport Malta took action against 96 Y-plate operators, while no taxi operator faced enforcement action of any kind during the same period.

The figures emerge a few months after a Sliema crash left a delivery man with an amputated leg. Police say the accused was over the alcohol limit when the Y-plate vehicle he was driving struck a van. 

Times of Malta had reported that the crash spurred an emergency meeting between Transport Malta and the industry's three ride-hailing services, Bolt, Uber and eCabs, along with fleet operators. 

Delia's questions pressed the minister on enforcement, permits, and whether the sector has become oversaturated. 

Bonett said 22 spot checks were carried out across the wider taxi and Y-plate sector over the four months, with more than 1,500 vehicles inspected. 

No distinction between public sector employees 

Delia also asked if people already working full-time in the public service had been granted Y-plate or taxi permits. 

Bonett said the regulations made "no distinction based on the applicant's employment status, including with respect to employees in the public service or with a government entity". 

He added that permit checks were limited to whether legal requirements were met, and that any restriction stemming from a person's own job conditions was a separate matter.

Market 'not saturated,' Bonett insists

Prodded by Delia on whether the market could absorb more taxis and Y-plates without becoming saturated, Bonett said it could.

According to figures he provided, the number of active operators rose 18.1 per cent over the past year, from 2,049 to 2,419.

Trips, meanwhile, rose from just over three million to more than five million,  an increase of over two million journeys, or 68.2 per cent.

Average trips per operator climbed from around 1,469 to about 2,093, a rise of 42.5 per cent.

"Demand has grown at a much higher rate than the number of operators," Bonett said, adding that this indicated the government's push for alternative mobility was working, with more residents and tourists using the services. 

Major overhaul for Y-plate sector

Times of Malta revealed that the government is set to overhaul the Y-plate sector with a new law.

This will grant Transport Malta the authority to enforce a 12-hour daily driving limit for cab drivers. They will access real-time data from Malta’s ride-hailing apps to monitor driving times.

Drivers exceeding this limit could face escalating penalties, including warnings, fines up to €500, and possible suspension of their driver’s tag.