'Back to square one' - Over 90% of suspended cabs back on the road

A spokesperson for the cab lobby told MaltaToday that operators are furious at the lack of transparency shown by Transport Malta (TM). 

The spokesperson noted that while government made sure that the public was aware of its enforcement action earlier this year through a media campaign, the association had found out that 90% of operators are back in business through word of mouth.

Industry sources told MaltaToday that as of Monday morning, the cab market is just as oversupplied as it was a few months ago before TM acted against operators who were in breach of the law.

This newspaper understands that the reason why the operators are back in business is because operators whose licence was suspended have taken to the courts to appeal TM's decision.

In January 2025, TM began cracking down on cab operators who had ignored regulations requiring them to park their cabs in public service garages (PSGs).

In October 2023, TM announced new regulations targeting operators with five or more vehicles in their fleet, aiming to curb abuse in the sector. These operators were ordered to keep their vehicles garaged in a PSG when not in use and were given 12 months to comply. 

Despite the one-year grace period, a number of operators still lacked the required garage space. As a result, TM granted them an extension until the end of 2024. Operators were required to submit a planning application showing that they had applied for a PSG. Those who showed TM they were working on securing a PSG were informed that they must have an approved permit by 18 April 2025. 

This time, TM took decisive action, suspending no less than 69 operators’ licences on 7 January 2025 for failing to submit the necessary planning application. 

A few days later, on 23 January, TM suspended the operating licence of Malta’s largest cab company, WT Global, as well as two other companies for filing false declarations with addresses fraudulently listed as PSGs.

Transport Malta insists it has taken decisive action

In response to MaltaToday's story, Transport Malta insisted that it took decisive action to ensure that cab operators adher to long-standing regulations.

"The Court decided to revert the authority’s action pending proceedings and allow the operators to resume business. This does not change the fact that many had failed to comply with clear requirements. Transport Malta remains committed to maintaining strict regulatory oversight and ensuring that all operators meet their legal obligations.

TM stated that despite the legal challenges, it will continue to prioritise compliance and is taking further action to hold those who disregard the law accountable.