Malta Public Transport has warned that bus drivers should never leave their vehicle unattended even when given 'permission' by passengers after a driver was filmed buying a snack while on duty.
In a video taken on Sunday, a driver wearing a high-vis vest can be seen buying food from a pastizzi shop.
The person shooting the video then pans to show commuters patiently waiting inside the bus as it is parked at a bus stop in San Ġwann, its engine still running.
Malta Public Transport told Times of Malta on Tuesday it has investigated the incident and identified the driver.
A company spokesperson said that it would apply the “relevant disciplinary procedure”, including an internal investigation.
Unverified reports suggested that the driver had asked permission from his passengers before leaving the bus.
On Wednesday, MPT said that unauthorised stops and leaving buses unattended posed potential safety risks to bus drivers, passengers, and other road users.
"For this reason, bus drivers are not allowed to leave the bus unattended with passengers on board.
"This is beyond being just a matter of courtesy towards the passengers. It is a matter of safety. Asking for permission as is being alleged, or informing the passengers, does not make the situation any safer."
MPT said that while it acknowledged that everyone "can make mistakes", it was "essential to understand" that drivers played a crucial role in upholding the standards and policies that governed the company’s operations.
Apart from safety issues, "passengers have the right to expect to arrive from one place to another in a reasonable time. If even a small fraction of drivers had to adopt the same attitude to stop and buy something in the middle of a scheduled and regulated bus trip, this would significantly disrupt the bus service, and therefore cannot be allowed".
The company added that MPT believed in providing every employee with an opportunity for a fair hearing, taking into account all sides of the story while providing them with the opportunity to learn from mistakes, depending on the severity of the case.
Disciplinary procedures, it added, were chaired by an independent person, jointly appointed by the company and the union that represents the employees.
"At MPT we have systems and policies in place to ensure that our drivers have appropriate breaks within the framework of Maltese law and the collective agreements. In cases where traffic conditions impact scheduled breaks, alternative arrangements are made to provide drivers with the necessary breaks at the end of their trips, with the subsequent duty covered by another driver.
"We want to emphasise that all of our bus drivers are well aware of the company policies that are in place and as a company we are committed to ensuring that these policies are followed."