Hong Kong to invite private minibus operators to join regulated fleet amid sector pain
- Pandemic woes have squeezed many operators of red-top minibuses, with government looking to bring more into fold of regulated service
Operators of privately owned minibuses running on more than 10 routes in Hong Kong will be invited to join a regulated fleet by July as part of a trial phase of a plan the government says will help ensure better service for the public.
The Transport Department said on Thursday that in total red-top minibuses plying 70 routes would be eligible to convert to green-roof ones by the end of next month without needing to bid for the designated routes.
The red-top vehicles are free to choose how, when and where they operate, while green-roof ones are government-regulated and must adhere to specific routes and schedules. Drivers of the latter are company employees and earn a fixed salary.
The move aimed to align with the government’s “consistent policy” of bringing more of the privately owned operations into the fold of regulated service, the department said.
The transition has come into sharp focus after the pandemic, as many private operators found themselves unable to service debts and prompted some to leave the trade altogether.
Cheung Hon-wah, the chairman of the Public Light Bus Owner and Driver Association, revealed that 11 operators had been invited to take part in a trial switch, which included services between Mong Kok and the neighbourhoods of Hung Hom, Ho Man Tin and Aberdeen.