Hong Kong coach operator driven to help after hundreds of people stranded at MTR station as Typhoon Koinu pummelled city
- More than 300 people transported after Roy Tsang mobilised team of drivers to help people stuck at Tsuen Wan West MTR station
- Tsang said he hoped government would learn from problem and consider private coach use when public transport shuts down in extreme weather
Tsang said he decided to step in after people were caught off guard and stranded when the MTR Corporation suspended overland services minutes after the Observatory raised the typhoon signal to the second highest level, a No 9 alert, on Sunday.
Franchised bus services were also taken off the roads as the storm closed in on the city, but Tsang’s team stepped up and operated coaches to help people marooned in the New Territories.
“When I learned there were hundreds of residents stranded at Tsuen Wan West Station, I immediately wanted to help them by reaching out to my coach drivers team on our WhatsApp group,” the 43-year-old director of Lung Wai Tour and JoJo Bus, said.
“To my surprise, seven of them responded and offered help. From making the decision to help people, it only took us 25 minutes for our first 65-seat coach to travel from our depot in Tuen Mun to Tsuen Wan West station.”
Other public transport services also ground to a halt after the alert level was raised, which came with just a 15-minute advance warning from the Observatory.