Ageing drivers are road safety ‘bombs’, Hong Kong coach operators say, pointing to red tape and lack of manpower amid criticism after recent accidents
- City has estimated 12,000 non-franchised bus drivers, with an average age of 60
- Bosses say young people deterred from joining industry by licence rules or attracted to ride-hailing firms
Under fire after two horrific coach accidents in the past two months, Hong Kong’s non-franchised coach industry has countered that an ageing workforce, excessive red tape and a lack of policy support are the real reasons for various road safety issues.
Several non-franchised coach operators spoke to the Post about the deep-seated problems affecting their sector as the recent accidents put the spotlight on the working conditions and well-being of coach drivers.
Calls have been mounting for tighter regulation of non-franchised buses, such as stricter rules on seat belts and driver working hours, after a crash in Tsing Yi last month left six dead and 32 injured. The 62-year-old coach driver, who was suspected to be suffering from fatigue, was among the deceased.
The Kwoon Chung coach, which was taking 36 workers to the airport, had slammed into a broken-down taxi on Cheung Tsing Highway in Tsing Yi, with the driver and three passengers being tossed out by the impact.
This month in North Point, a runaway 19-seat school bus rolled 100 metres down a slope and ran into a building on Hei Wo Street, killing four people and injuring 11. The 62-year-old driver was suspected of failing to apply the handbrake before getting out of the vehicle, which was not carrying passengers at the time.
