A Brief History of Hong Kong’s Franchised Bus Services
Bus services are important for most Hongkongers nowadays. But do you know the history of bus services?
I. Beginning
In the 1920s, buses appeared in Hong Kong. At that time, some of the companies were:
- Kowloon Motor Bus (KMB)
- China Motor Bus (CMB)
- Hong Kong Tramways
In 1933, bus services were franchised. From then on, only two companies provided franchised bus services—KMB in Kowloon and the New Territories, and CMB on Hong Kong Island.
II. WW2 Era & Post-War
Eight years after franchised bus services appeared, the Battle of Hong Kong broke out. On December 25, 1941, the Hong Kong Government surrendered to Japan. Most buses were expropriated by the Japanese armed forces, causing bus services to be limited.
After the liberation of Hong Kong, the restoration of public transportation services became a high priority for the Hong Kong government. At that time, even trucks were modified into buses due to the shortage of buses in Hong Kong.
III. Late 1940s to 1950s
Due to the civil war in mainland China, starting in the late 1940s, many people fled to Hong Kong from the Mainland. As a result, Hong Kong’s population skyrocketed to 1,860,000 in 1949 compared to around 1,000,000 before WW2. Trucks were no longer suitable as “buses.” Consequently, KMB received some Daimler CVG double-decker buses in 1949, which became the main fleet of KMB until the mid-1980s.
Meanwhile, on Hong Kong Island (HKI), CMB continued to use single-decker buses, primarily the Guy Arab series. The main reason for this was that the engines of double-decker buses were not powerful enough to handle HKI’s hilly terrain.
IV. 1960s
In the 1960s, Hong Kong’s population continued to grow, and bus companies needed larger buses. KMB purchased the AEC Regent V to improve bus services.
Meanwhile, CMB decided to buy the double-decker version of the Guy Arab, providing more efficient bus services on HKI.
IV(a): 1967
During the 1967 Hong Kong riots, many buses were damaged in Kowloon, forcing KMB to provide limited services. As a result, minibus services began to replace some bus routes.
V. 1970s
In the 1970s, the Mass Transit Railway (MTR) began operations. This significantly affected bus services, as most passengers preferred the more stable and comfortable MTR (which had air conditioning). Meanwhile, the Cross Harbour Tunnel (CHT) opened in 1972, and bus companies promptly launched services between Kowloon and HKI.
VI. Light Rail Versus Buses
In 1988, light rail services began in Tuen Mun and Yuen Long. The government implemented strict rules for bus services in these districts, such as prohibiting buses from having three consecutive stops overlapping with the Light Rail Transit (LRT). Additionally, these districts’ bus services could only operate as MTR Bus services. Due to these policies, bus services were highly restricted.
VII. Air-Conditioned Buses: Late 1980s
Bus companies realized they needed an air-conditioned (A/C) bus fleet to compete with MTR services. After testing a few A/C buses modified from non-A/C ones in 1988, the first A/C bus, the A/C version of the Leyland Olympian, started service. A few years later, the A/C version of the Dennis Dragon also began operating.
VIII. 1997 & 1998: Low-Floor Buses & End of CMB
In 1997, the first low-floor bus, the Dennis Trident, entered service, allowing even wheelchairs to board the bus. This marked a significant change in bus services.
Meanwhile, in 1998, CMB ended its service on HKI due to poor service quality. CityBus (CTB) and New World First Bus (NWFB) replaced its routes.
IX. 1998: Hong Kong International Airport
After Kai Tak Airport closed in 1998, Chek Lap Kok Airport began operations. New bus services were introduced for the airport, leading to the creation of the Long Win Bus Company and CityBus’s Cityflyer, which provided services between the airport and urban areas.
X. 2010s
Several significant events occurred in Hong Kong’s bus services during the 2010s. In May 2012, the last non-A/C buses retired after 24 years of A/C bus services. These were:
Volvo Olympian:
- S3V26 GL258
- S3V27 GL390
Dennis Dragon:
- S3N347 GA1252
- S3N351 GA1614
- S3N355 GA4943)
- S3N358 GA5505
- S3N370 GD605
After 2012, only A/C buses remained in service. The low-floor buses became the main fleet for KMB. The last high-floor buses, including the A/C Volvo Olympians and the A/C Dennis Dragons, retired in 2016 and 2017. The Dennis Dragon was the last high-floor bus in service, retiring on July 6, 2017. After that, only CityBus operated non-franchised A/C Volvo Olympians.
XI. 2020s
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the demand for bus services dropped significantly. As a result, many old buses were retired, and numerous bus routes temporarily stopped operating.
In July 2023, another significant event occurred: New World First Bus, which had a 25-year history, was consolidated with CityBus, marking the end of its service. After the consolidation, CityBus became the only franchised company providing bus services on HKI, while KMB continued to operate cross-harbour routes.
XII. Conclusion
Thanks to its long history, Hong Kong’s bus services have become a unique aspect of the city’s landscape. They are now indispensable to daily life. In conclusion, Hong Kong’s bus services represent the city’s development and should not be forgotten.
