Coronavirus mitigation measures will be rolled out for taxis and food delivery services this week to help limit the spread of the virus.  

Transport Malta told Times of Malta that guidelines for taxi operators and other transport companies were being finalised as more people turn to alternative transport options, even to get their hands on food delivery.  

The regulator said it has not yet issued any formal directive for taxis, but it is emphasising that drivers should take all the precautions that the health authorities are already calling on the public to follow. 

On Monday Prime Minister Robert Abela announced that eateries would have to shut down and food would only be sold via delivery to minimise the spread of the virus.  

Bolt Food is 'completely contactless'

More and more people are turning to food delivery options as the country shifts into partial lock down.   

A spokesman for local operator Bolt told Times of Malta all Bolt Food deliveries had become "completely contactless” as of March 13, to decrease the possibility of infection spreading from person to person. 

This, he said, applies for both restaurant pickups as well as handing the food from courier to the customer with a two metre distance kept at all times for person-to-person interaction. 

"To ensure the highest possible standards of safety, we have decided to avoid any contact between platform users: restaurants, couriers and customers,” he said.

Bolt drivers, the spokesman said, had been directed to use hand sanitizer after each ride and had been shown which hotspots in their cars needed regular cleaning.   

Foodbank Lifeline Foundation said on Tuesday that Bolt Food will help deliver food packages to its users as of this week.

Are taxis safe?

Matthew Bezzina who owns taxi company eCabs told Times of Malta that the company's centralised system allowed for full control of the management over the cleaning routine of vehicles.

While cabs were regularly cleaned, drivers had recently been directed on how to clean car’s hot spots after every trip, Bezzina said. 

Meanwhile, Transport Malta has announced that route buses are being fumigated during the night. 

Fumigation, which takes around five minutes, is being done at the bus depots in Marsa Park and Ride, Ċirkewwa and Victoria, Gozo, Transport Malta said. 
There are some 430 route buses in Malta, although not all are in service at the same time. 

Transport Malta said a number of busy bus stops were also being cleaned at night, including those in Valletta, Msida Junior College, Sliema Marina, Portes des Bombes, Mater Dei and Buġibba.

Enough buses as demand dips

The government late last week laid down that route buses would not carry standing passengers, in a bid to minimise the possibility of further spread of the novel COVID-19 virus.

Asked whether there were enough buses on the network to make up for the loss of standing room, Transport Malta said that with the closure of educational institutions and a good number of people working from home the service has experienced a decrease in demand. 

"This said, we are closely following the operation on the ground, especially during the early morning rush hour, in order to take corrective actions if and when required,” he said. 

Customers buying cash tickets on the buses were told to produce the exact change as drivers will no longer be handling change.

All bus drivers have been instructed to open all windows inside the buses and switch off air conditioning systems.

Gozo ferries also started being fumigated overnight last week. Passengers are having their temperature checked before boarding the ferries.

Ride-sharing change of service

Ride-sharing company Cool only launched last summer but in the wake of the Covid-19 outbreak, trips will no longer be shared as part of "a series of precautionary measures".

The company says it will still offer the pick-up service, but trips will no longer be shared "to restrict contact between users". 

It says it will keep its cost per trip the same so passengers will have a private journey but pay the same as when it was shared. The downside for users is that they are likely to have to wait up to 20 minutes to be picked up. And there won't be any collections from the airport. 

Passengers are also being told to sit on the back side opposite to the drivers seat and to keep windows open for ventilation. Drivers are also being provided with hand sanitisers.