Taking to social media, Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Public Works Chris Bonett revealed that, throughout last night, a number of Y-plate vehicles were suspended for not being compliant with the law.

‘We made it clear that abuse needs to stop’, wrote Bonett in a statement. ‘This principle will continue to guide our work in this sector.’

Transport Malta also issued a statement, revealing that the the vehicles were mostly suspended for not having an allocated space in a Public Service Garage.

‘Whilst ride hailing apps suspended every vehicle identified by TM, 12 vehicles were found out on the round without permission. The vehicles were confiscated.’

This follows 890 cabs out of 4,800 in operation being reportedly flagged for violating the Public Service Garage (PSG) policy requirements.

A fifth of Malta’s Y-plate cabs were thus ordered off the roads following multiple prior warnings and extended deadlines.

This crackdown follows a year-long effort to bring operators in line with the 2023 regulation, which required fleets to submit site plans for garages or off-street parking facilities.

While some operators failed to comply, others blamed an unresolved dispute between architects and transport authorities for delays in license renewals.

Transport Malta insists the enforcement will not affect ride prices, given the current post-holiday lull in demand. Questions have been sent to all three ride-hailing platforms for comment.

#MaltaDaily