35 operators had licences revoked for up to six months and two were banned
Non-franchised bus operators are increasingly losing their licences and being issued tickets as a result of a crackdown on unauthorised services, the Transport Department said yesterday.
The police issued about 7,500 tickets to such operators last year, compared with 4,000 in 2003. Non-franchised buses include minibuses for hire and shuttle buses subcontracted to schools and housing estates.
The department has also been getting tougher on bus operators who breach their licensing conditions for picking up passengers.
Department officials said those targeted included a school bus operator which had been picking up other passengers, and an operator which failed to renew its licence and had been charging passengers, even though its original licence prohibited this.
Both operators had their licences revoked after the commissioner of transport ruled on their cases.
The department investigated 60 cases of suspected licence breaches last year, a dramatic jump from the six in 2003.