TRANSPORT
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The New Lantao Bus Company (NLB) operates seven regular and two recreational franchised routes on Lantau Island with a fleet of 50 single-deck and 15 double-deck buses. Most NLB services connect with the ferries at Mui Wo, and operational efficiency was improved in September by the opening of a new depot in Mui Wo to replace the former Pui O facility. The average weekday ridership on NLB in 1991 was 8 900 passengers, but recreational traffic on Sundays and public holidays swelled average patronage on these days to 20 663. Fares ranged from $1 to $17. A new arrangement was introduced in June to cater for recreational demand by the provision of a special service between Mui Wo and Po Lin Monastery at a return fare of $40, using air-conditioned coaches rented from another operator and transported to and from Lantau by ferry.
The newest franchised bus operator is Citybus Limited. This company had been running non-franchised bus services since 1979. In August it was awarded a franchise for a route between Central (Macau Ferry) and MacDonnell Road. Public service began in September using nine buses on which a $4.50 fare was charged. This was the first franchised bus route awarded by competitive tender.
Minibuses
Hong Kong's minibuses are licensed to carry a maximum of 16 seated passengers. There were 6 900 minibuses in 1991. Of these, 4 350 were public light buses (PLB), and 2 550 private light buses. The PLBs are authorised to carry passengers at separate fares. The -private light buses are only authorised to carry group passengers and the collection of
separate fares is not permitted.
The operation of PLBS is regulated by a passenger service licence. There are two types of PLBs. Those in green livery provide services according to official schedules. In 1991, there were 1 395 of them operating on 190 approved routes, each with fixed fares and timetables. They carried 687 000 passengers a day. Red PLBs operate without a schedule. They do not have fixed routes, timetables and fares. In 1991, there were about 2 955 red PLBs which carried 1 038 000 passengers daily.
In line with government policy to convert more red PLBs to operate on scheduled routes, more new scheduled routes will be identified. In 1991, one green minibus selection exercise was conducted for competitive bidding by minibus operators.
Taxis
The quota governing the maximum number of taxis that may be licensed in the urban area, the New Territories and Lantau, was reviewed in late 1990. During the year, tenders were invited for the 200 new licences for urban taxis. At the end of 1991, there were 14 758 urban taxis, 2730 New Territories taxis, and 40 Lantau taxis, carrying an average of 1 065 900, 180 400 and 1 050 daily passengers respectively.
The $1 temporary fuel supplement, which was introduced in December 1990 in the face of an upsurge in diesel prices during the Gulf War, was removed in mid-1991 when oil prices began to stabilise after the war.
The operating boundary of New Territories taxis was revised in the year to enable them to ply between the north-east and north-west New Territories via the Shing Mun Tunnels.
Non-franchised Bus Operators
Residents' services were introduced in 1982 to meet the transport needs of relatively isolated residential areas not well served by franchised bus services. Residents' organi-