A man donning face mask boards a bus in Hong Kong, July 22, 2020. (CALVIN NG/CHINA DAILY)
Hong Kong bus fares will increase by 3.9 percent to 7 percent, which is not more than HK$1 (13 US cents) for most single trips, effective June 18. The decision was approved on Tuesday by the Executive Council of Hong Kong, and involves five franchised bus companies.
Citybus and its sister company New World First Bus will raise their fares by 4.9 percent on average, with the fares of some routes operated by Citybus increasing by 4.2 percent, according to a document issued by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government after the ExCo meeting.
With the new fare hike, about 87 percent of passengers are expected to pay no more than HK$0.50 extra per trip and almost all passengers are expected to pay no more than HK$1 extra per trip, according to the HKSAR government
Kowloon Motor Bus and Long Win Bus, both owned by Transport International Holdings, are allowed to raise their fares by 3.9 percent and 4.2 percent on average respectively.
Another franchised bus operator, New Lantao Bus, can increase its prices by 7 percent on average.
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With the new fare hike, about 87 percent of passengers are expected to pay no more than HK$0.50 extra per trip and almost all passengers are expected to pay no more than HK$1 extra per trip, according to the government.
A government spokesperson said the ExCo looked into the nature of the service provided and existing fare levels of the routes and made adjustments to the lower rates of increase to minimize the impact on the public.
The five franchised bus companies submitted applications for fare increases in 2022, with the hopes of raising prices from 8.5 percent to 9.5 percent.
The decision also considered bus operators’ financial viability to ensure they can maintain services in accordance with commercial principles for better efficiency and cost-effectiveness, the spokesperson said.
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The franchised bus operators should continue to improve their services, including upgrading passenger facilities and safety equipment, transitioning to zero-emission fleets and continuing to attract and retain workers through better remuneration packages and working environment, the spokesperson added.