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Public light buses (Chinese: 公共小型巴士, 小巴; widely referred to as minibuses, or sometimes maxicabs (tourist name); a de facto jitney), colloquially called vans in both Chinese and English, run the length and breadth of Hong Kong, through areas which the standard bus lines cannot or do not reach as frequently, quickly or directly. Minibuses carry a maximum of 16 seated passengers; no standing passengers are allowed (although some drivers allow a standing passenger in the stairwell if he or she is about to let off another passenger). Minibuses typically offer a faster and more efficient transportation solution due to their small size, limited carrying capacity, frequency and diverse range of routes, although they are generally slightly more expensive than standard buses. The popularity of public light bus services in Hong Kong is due to the high population densities which are needed to support the extensive network of minibus routes. Download high resolution version (960x1280, 242 KB)A green public minibus awaiting at the station at Tsim Sha Tsui. ...
Download high resolution version (960x1280, 242 KB)A green public minibus awaiting at the station at Tsim Sha Tsui. ...
The Clock Tower in Tsim Sha Tsui is a famous landmark of Hong Kong. ...
Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1536x2048, 746 KB) File links The following pages link to this file: Public light bus ...
Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1536x2048, 746 KB) File links The following pages link to this file: Public light bus ...
Robinson Road (羅便臣é“) is a road on the Mid-levels, Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong. ...
Mid-levels (Traditional Chinese: ) is an expensive residential area on Hong Kong Island in Hong Kong. ...
Volkswagen minibus A minibus is a motor vehicle that is designed to carry fewer people than a full-size bus. ...
A share taxi is a mode of transport that falls between private transport and conventional bus transport, with a fixed route, but the convenience of stopping anywhere to pick or drop passengers, etc. ...
Overview A passenger wishing to get on a minibus simply hails the minibus from the street kerb like a taxi. A minibus can generally be hailed down at any point along a route, subject to traffic regulations, although sometimes particular stops are marked out. To alight from a minibus, a passenger customarily calls out to the driver that they wish to get off. The driver then raises his hand to acknowledge him. Tourists are often confused by the calling system, as one must know the route somewhat well to know when to call. Landmarks, intersecting streets, and even grocery stores such as Wellcome can be used. Some Green minibuses are now equipped with a bell similar to those that are found on the regular buses. Passengers who ride on minibuses equipped with such bells are encouraged to ring the bell if they wish to get off at the next stop. However, calling out to the driver is still the dominant method of letting the driver know that a passenger wishes to get off the minibus.
There are two types of public light minibus, Green minibuses and Red minibuses. Both types have a cream coloured body, the distinguishing feature being the colour of the external roof, and the type of service that the colour denotes. In the past, the minibuses had a band of red or green painted around the body instead of colouring the roof.
Most of the minibus are Toyota Coasters, but a new and environmentally friendly Iveco Daily Green minibus has also been introduced to reduce air pollution. Most of the buses run on Autogas (liquefied petroleum gas or LPG). This type of fuel is not only cheaper, but also reduces emissions. The transport commission is making further efforts to reduce emissions by providing incentives for bus drivers to make the switch to even more efficient electric vehicles. Toyota Coaster in Margarita Island, Venezuela. ...
Iveco is a European truck, bus, and diesel engine manufacturer, based in Turin, Italy. ...
Autogas is the common name for liquified petroleum gas when it is used as a fuel in internal combustion engines in vehicles. ...
45 kg LPG cylinders Liquefied petroleum gas (also called LPG, LP Gas, or autogas) is a mixture of hydrocarbon gases used as a fuel in heating appliances and vehicles, and increasingly replacing chlorofluorocarbons as an aerosol propellant and a refrigerant to reduce damage to the ozone layer. ...
By 2005, there are 4,350 public light buses in Hong Kong, of which 1,660 are red minibuses (RMBs) and 2,690 are green minibuses (GMBs). The operations of these two types of services are regulated through conditions imposed by the Commissioner for Transport under the passenger service licences (PSLs). Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...
Jacques Barrot Barroso Commission, 2004 to 2009 The Commissioner for Transport is the member of the European Commission. ...
Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (2592x1944, 2194 KB) Summary Red minibus (aka maxicab) on Jardines Bazaar, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong. ...
Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (2592x1944, 2194 KB) Summary Red minibus (aka maxicab) on Jardines Bazaar, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong. ...
Large crowds of shoppers can be seen in Causeway Bay. ...
Kennedy Town (å …å°¼åœ°åŸŽ) is at the western end of Central and Western District, Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong. ...
History The Public light bus service was "created" as a result of the 1967 Hong Kong riots. During the riot, bus and tram services were not available to the public as the workers went on strike. At the time people with mini-vans provided transport to the public for a small charge. The government turned a blind-eye on this issue, even though it was against traffic laws to transport passengers without a passenger service licence. After the riot, the government awarded these drivers with a newly-created public light bus licence for free as thanks for service to the government during this troubled time. Large scale riots in Hong Kong, May 1967, were caused by pro-communist leftists in Hong Kong, inspired by the Cultural Revolution in the Peoples Republic of China (PRC), who turned a labour dispute into large scale demonstrations against British colonial rule. ...
This article refers to public transport vehicles running on rails. ...
Green minibuses Green minibuses operate a scheduled service, with fixed routes and fixed fares. There are currently around 250 green public light buses routes with route numbers assigned. The exact fare must be tendered, or payment can be made by Octopus card. On some routes, passengers may pay a portion of the full fare (called section fare) if they are only travelling a section of the route. Sections are usually distinctive physical landmarks, such as crossing a tunnel or a bridge. Obverse side of a standard adult card. ...
A disused railway tunnel now converted to pedestrian and bicycle use, near Houyet, Belgium A tunnel is an underground passage. ...
This article is about the edifice (including an index to articles on specific bridge types). ...
Red minibuses Red minibuses run a non-scheduled service, although many routes may in effect become fixed over time. Red minibuses may operate anywhere where no special prohibitions apply, without control over routes or fares. The operation of red minibuses provides services according to market demand.
On some routes red minibuses may run through the whole day (24-hour service), such as Tai Po-Mong Kok, Tsuen Wan-Kwun Tong, Kwun Tong-Mong Kok, Yuen Long-Jordan Road etc. Other routes may only run as midnight services, such as from Yuen Long-Causeway Bay. Junction of Kwong Fuk Road and Wan Tau Street, Tai Po Tai Po (大埔) (sometimes written as Taipo) refers to the area of the traditional market towns in the area presently known as Tai Po Old Market or Tai Po Kau Hui (大埔舊墟) (originally Tai Po Market or Tai Po Town) and...
The night scene of Tsuen Wan across Rambler Channel (View taken from Tsing Yi Island) Tsuen Wan (Traditional Chinese: , formerly also Tsun Wan) is a bay in the New Territories, Hong Kong, opposite to Tsing Yi Island across Rambler Channel. ...
Kwun Tong (Traditional Chinese: ; originally 官塘) is an area in Kwun Tong District, New Kowloon, Hong Kong. ...
Mong Kok or Mongkok (Chinese: 旺角; the English name is a transliteration of its older name 望角 or 芒角) is an area in the Yau Tsim Mong District on Kowloon Peninsula, Hong Kong, China. ...
Yuen Long (元朗, Jyutping: jyun4 long5, pinyin: Yuánlǎng) (used to be known as Un Long), one of the 18 districts of Hong Kong, located in the North-West of the New Territories, is a post-war new town set in the centre of Hong Kongs largest alluvial plain. ...
Jordan Road is a road in Yau Ma Tei, Kowloon, Hong Kong. ...
Large crowds of shoppers can be seen in Causeway Bay. ...
In most red minibuses, passengers pay just before they alight, and change for cash payment may be available, or may have a small amount deducted off the amount of change for the inconvenience (of giving change). Only a few red minibuses are equipped to accept payment by Octopus card. Red minibuses' fares and timetables are not regulated by the Government, and so, may occasionally be more expensive than their Green counterparts.
When travelling on a red minibus, the destination shown on the destination box may be an historical name of a place or a building which no longer exists, such as "官塘" (Nowadays Kwun Tong, lit. "Officials' pond") and "大丸" (Previous Japanese-owned department stores "Daimaru"). In the New Territories, they usually display either Sheung Shui, Castle Peak Road (and other busy roads), or Tai Po. Public estates in Sheung Shui The busy San Hong Street in Shek Wu Hui Ng Tung River, looking towards Sheung Shui Tin Ping Road Siu Hang Tsuen, a village in Sheung Shui The Shek Wu Hui Municipal Services Building Landmark North A famous ice room (冰室), a kind of café, in...
Junction of Kwong Fuk Road and Wan Tau Street, Tai Po Tai Po (大埔) (sometimes written as Taipo) refers to the area of the traditional market towns in the area presently known as Tai Po Old Market or Tai Po Kau Hui (大埔舊墟) (originally Tai Po Market or Tai Po Town) and...
Fleet Toyota Coaster in Margarita Island, Venezuela. ...
Iveco is a European truck, bus, and diesel engine manufacturer, based in Turin, Italy. ...
The Mercedes-Benz Sprinter is a big delivery van, chassis cab and minibus built by DaimlerChrysler by Düsseldorf and sold under its Mercedes-Benz, Dodge, and Freightliner brands. ...
Mitsubishi Fuso Rosa in Kyoto Bus A Mitsubishi Rosa owned by Hong Kong SAR Government. ...
The Nissan Civilian (kana:日産・シビリアン) is a minibus built by Nissan & UD. It is primarily available as city bus and tourist bus. ...
Pros and cons of public light buses - Red minibuses
As routes are not tightly regulated, the flexibility of routes is higher than green minibuses, since drivers may choose the optimum route to travel.
The greatest problem are with fares. As the minibuses do not have fixed fares, routes and timetables, the fluctuations in fares can be quite large. Some routes may reduce their fares to an unreasonable price in order to win more passengers, but when demand increases (e.g. during typhoons, when regulated buses and minibuses services are suspended), they can make increases in fares without limitation. For example, the route from Aberdeen to Wah Fu Estate could increase from $3 to $ 30 (probably equivalent to the fare travelled on a taxi), and the route from Jordan Road to Yuen Long could increase to $80, such acts have resulted in complaints from passengers. Cyclone Catarina, a rare South Atlantic tropical cyclone viewed from the International Space Station on March 26, 2004 Hurricane and Typhoon redirect here. ...
A gate of Aberdeen Square, the largest shopping area in Aberdeen. ...
Another issue is speeding. From late at night to the early morning, in order to make more rounds during their shifts to earn more, drivers may risk speeding. A typically long journey can be dramatically reduced.
Cultural references In the film "Lost In Time" Cecilia Cheung playing the role as a red minibus driver, won the "Best Actress" Awards 2004.
See also Citybus Limiteds bus which can be easily seen in Hong Kong Island. ...
Hong Kong has a highly developed and sophisticated transportation network, encompassing both public and private transport. ...
A share taxi is a mode of transport that falls between private transport and conventional bus transport, with a fixed route, but the convenience of stopping anywhere to pick or drop passengers, etc. ...
External links Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Public light buses - Hong Kong Taxi & PLB Association
- Hong Kong Green Light Bus Guide
- AMS Public Transport Holdings Limited
- List of Green Light Bus Routes by Territory
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