NAPLES, Italy -- Bus service in the southern Italian city of Naples has ground to a halt after the city transport company ran out of money for fuel.

Valeria Peti, of the ANM transport company, says only 30 of the usual 300 buses left the depot Wednesday morning, and they all had to return before their tanks ran dry. The company had announced overnight that service for the morning rush hour couldn't be guaranteed.

Naples' municipal services have been in the news before, most notably when mountains of garbage have piled up. Peti says in this case, the company that provides gas for city buses refused to replenish them without payment guarantees. Limited service is expected later Wednesday.

ANM says government funding for Naples' bus service has been cut by 40 per cent.